The Sixth Seal is Opened

Revelation 6:12–17 (ESV) — 12 When he opened the sixth Seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

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We have seen the opening of the first four Seals and how they are grouped together. We looked at the fifth Seal, a view in heaven with the martyred believers. Today, we will see the opening of the sixth Seal and understand what that Seal means. Our subject will be offensive to some. Being offended reveals their stand before God. To others, it is a reminder of who their refuge is in this life and the life to come.

Two reminders before we dig into the Scripture. First, these are Seals on the scroll. They lead up to the scroll's opening and fulfillment. Remember in Revelation 5:2-5 we read that Jesus Christ is the only one worthy and able to open the scroll and break its seven Seals. We are reading about the breaking of the Seals. Therefore, the big reveal is yet to come.

Secondly, we must remember the overall theme of this Book of Revelation. The Lamb Wins. The Book of Revelation shows us that God governs history to fulfill His Plan of Redemption (which was planned before time) for his purified, blood-bought people. We see this more clearly as we read the Book of Revelation. We can see in Revelation and throughout the Bible that there is an active forward motion by God moving towards His ultimate plan of redemption. That plan is what is in that scroll. When the scroll is opened, the final chapter of redemption is revealed and completed.

This final chapter of redemption is not your current state. In other words, the current state is not the finality of Christ’s work of redemption. Yes, there is more. We have seen in scripture and in previous sermons that the forgiveness of our sins and our adoption by God are not the end. It is part of the end, and necessary to partake of the end chapter, but it is not the end in and of itself.

One scripture, of many, to support my statement is from the Apostle Peter.

2 Peter 3:13 - But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Peter says, We are waiting. Indeed, we are, with all of creation (Romans 8:19-23). It is coming. There is more to come.

Today, we’re looking at the opening of the sixth Seal. Let’s unfold these verses of scripture. This Seal takes us to the edge. It carries us suddenly to the end of history. The sixth Seal shows us the terror of unsaved mankind because their judgment has come. This happens just before Jesus comes back to pronounce judgment upon them.

Reading Revelation 6:12-14 tells us about a great shaking, likened to a great earthquake. It says, “there was a great earthquake.” This shaking describes an unparalleled disruption of global impact.

Revelation 6:12–14 (ESV) — 12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

This is a great shaking of all that can be shaken. The writer of Hebrews 12:26-27 looks to this catastrophic event. As we continue in Revelation, we find more about this event.

Revelation 11:13 (ESV) - “And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake …”

Revelation 16:18 (ESV) — And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.

We read in the Book of Hebrews a warning of this event.

Hebrews 12:26–27 (ESV) — 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews is referencing the warning from the prophet Haggai.

Haggai 2:6 (ESV) — 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.

Haggai 2:21 (ESV) — 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth,

Other prophets spoke of this event in similar language and with similar warnings.

Isaiah 34:2–5 (CSB) — 2 The Lord is angry with all the nations, furious with all their armies. He will set them apart for destruction, giving them over to slaughter. 3 Their slain will be thrown out, and the stench of their corpses will rise; the mountains will flow with their blood. 4 All the stars in the sky will dissolve. The sky will roll up like a scroll, and its stars will all wither as leaves wither on the vine, and foliage on the fig tree. 5 When my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, it will then come down on Edom and on the people I have set apart for destruction.

Here are more scripture texts that warn of this event.

Isa. 13:10–13; 24:1–6, 19–23; 34:4; Ezek. 32:6–8; Joel 2:10, 30–31; 3:15–16; and Hab. 3:6–11 (cf. secondarily Amos 8:8–9; Jer. 4:23–28; and Ps. 68:7–8). The same OT texts are also influential in Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24–25; and Acts 2:19–20 (= Joel 2:30–31), which themselves likewise form part of the apocalyptic quarry influencing the dramatic portrayal in Rev. 6:12–14. Reference Ezra 5:4–8; 7:39–40. All these passages mention at least four of the following elements, which are found here in the Revelation: the shaking of the earth or mountains; the darkening or shaking of the moon, stars, sun, and/or heaven; and the pouring out of blood.

My point of referencing all of these scriptures is to show that this is not a new warning from God. He has been speaking through the prophets and Christ that this is coming. It will happen. God is controlling history and moving everything to the final chapter. We will see more of this as we continue to examine the sixth Seal.

There are two main views of interpreting this great shaking. One is, this is an actual physical shaking. This is an earthquake of unparalleled magnitude, reaching up into the heavens, blackening the sun, bloodying the moon, shaking the stars loose to fall to earth like figs in the wind, ripping the sky open like rolled papyrus, and then returning to earth to toss mountains and islands from their places. This shaking, though physical, is a symbolic portrayal of the going away or the end of “the first heaven and the first earth” (Rev. 21:1) by a massive earthquake-skyquake that shakes even the cosmos.[2] This cataclysmic phenomenon affects the whole of mankind.

Another view of this shaking is more symbolic. It is far more than a seismological disturbance that shakes the physical earth and sky. The sun, the full moon, and the stars are all symbols of authority. Donald Grey Barnhouse, Revelation, writes,

“From the very first page of the Scripture, the sun was spoken of as the ruler of the day, the moon and the stars as the rulers of the night. If we see the figures that are now presented to us a collapse of supreme authority accompanied not only by a collapse of derived authority such as state, provincial and colonial authority, but also of local authority, we will begin to catch the picture of the great terrors that will now come upon the earth.” 

This view refers to a shaking of all political and religious institutions. This is a great shaking of all authority—government and religious, and their lawlessness.

Whether the shaking is that of creation or of human authority, it will happen. It will be a shaking that will disrupt the whole world order. Everyone will be directly affected, including Christians.

Looking next at verses 15-17, we see the reaction of the ungodly who are about to face the One they have defied and persecuted the children and servants of God.

Revelation 6:16–17 (ESV) — 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

We have this description of the ungodly on the great day of God’s wrath in the Old Testament by the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 2:19 (ESV) - men shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Next, we look at verses 16-17. This is interesting. The ungodly cry out for death as a way to hide from the wrath of God. The terror is so great, and they incorrectly think that death will exclude them from facing the wrath of God. As if dying will keep them from God’s anger.

Notice that they try to hide from God’s wrath. Throughout history, including today, people try to hide from God’s anger. People try different tactics to appease God. Some hide behind their good deeds, charitable acts, and random acts of kindness. The idea is, that kind and sincere actions can outweigh wrong ones is a deception. Regardless of whether they do, kindness cannot erase your sins. Only Christ can cleanse and remove sin. You must surrender your sins to Him and receive by faith forgiveness.

Some people hide behind a practice of religion, as if religion cleanses the heart. John the Baptist knew what the Old Testament prophets said about this day. He knew the cold hearts of those pretending to be religious outwardly would be judged and face the wrath of God. John was baptizing those who repented from their sins, and the self-righteous religious leaders came to his baptism. John lets them have it.

Matthew 3:7 — “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Religion that has not reached the heart and pierced it with the conviction of repenting and sorrow over one’s sinfulness and false love for God is superficial. Such religion will not save you from the coming judgment. You can be the most religious person in the world, of all time, but unless your heart has been changed by true religion, it is all superficial. The heart is the heart of the matter.

Other people think that if they stay away from church that God will stay away from them. How foolish to think that God is on a short leash. He sees all, knows all, and is everywhere present.

Other people dull their minds and consciences so they won’t be reminded of the reality of this coming judgment. They will do this will alcohol, drugs, and other means. Numbing the mind will not hide you from God.

Some people will occupy themselves with the futility of this world. They will busy their minds so they don’t have to think of their sins against God. They don’t want to hear the warning from their consciences. They chase whatever will occupy their passions or intellect, so they don’t have to think about God.

The Chicago Tribune wrote a story of a thirty-eight-year-old man who was walking to his place of employment at a warehouse in Rosemont, Illinois.  To get there, he would have to cut across eight lanes of the Tri-State Tollway.  And that is what he did. However, in his crazy dash across the freeway, the wind blew off his hat. The hat flew back across the northbound lanes, and he chased it. In his pursuit of a hat … a hat, a semi-trailer truck struck and killed him.

Like this man, many people chase and pursue the temporal and the futility of this world, and it will cost them in eternity. Are you chasing temporal things and neglecting your eternal soul?

Now we look closely at verse 17: “for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” This indeed is great. This day will be like no other day or event in the history of man or creation.

“Their wrath” is the wrath of God the Father, the one who sits on the throne (Rev. 4:2) and the Lamb. This is not merely from the Father God, but also from Jesus. How many people only see Jesus as a soft-spoken shepherd? We tend to forget that He is the one returning with a sword to slay his enemies. He is the one who will “tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Rev.19:15).

We are familiar with the Hymn, The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;His truth is marching on.

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!His truth is marching on.

This hymn speaks of Christ’s return. He will trample out the wrath of God with fury on those who oppose Him.

What does the word “Wrath” mean? It’s not a subject that draws feel-good church-goers. It has been the subject of millions of sermons, whether or not accurate. We can define “wrath” in one simple word: Anger. To be more precise, the righteous anger of God towards those who are against Him, who have made war against his children--the Christian, the Church, the Bride of Christ. It is his righteous anger towards those who have set their hearts against Him. Every one of these individuals and nations in our scripture text has chosen and preferred to live and stand in defiance against the one, true, and holy God who has made himself clear to all of mankind. These are those who have chosen to face him in their own righteousness or sin rather than be cleansed and stand in Christ Jesus. These are traitors and rebels. These are the defiant ones who prefer ungodliness to godliness. These have set their hearts against Him by setting their hearts against His ways.

We have the phrase “the day of the wrath of God.” This is an all-compassing term. It encompasses the entire period that will end this age and inaugurate the age to come—which is the final chapter to God’s Plan of Redemption. This is a day or time of judgment for the wicked—a day of wrath—but it is a day of redemption for the righteous.

I have said that this phrase is not exclusive to the Book of Revelation. It is all over the Bible, and we are glad it is so we can understand that God has been speaking to us about it for ages. In the Old Testament, this event is called “the day of the Lord.”  In the New Testament, it is called:

• The day of the Lord (2 Thess. 2:2);

• The day of Christ (Phil. 1:10);

• The day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:8), or the day of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 1:14);

• It is also the day of wrath (Rom. 2:5); and

• The day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

The Bible is clear that this day, this event is 100% different for the believer and the unbeliever.

We have the Apostle Peter’s sobering words in 2 Peter 3:3–4:

“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

Look at Peter’s words. The non-Christian is pictured here ignoring God’s warning. They use excuses to ignore the warnings.

Many vehicles have a safety alarm that goes off when the vehicle drifts outside its lane. There is a beep of some sort. A few years ago, Lisa and I were visiting her mom, and we used her husband’s Cadillac SUV. We were pulling out of the garage, and the front seat would vibrate. Strange. Then, every once in a while, driving down the road, it would happen again. “What’s going on?” We couldn’t figure out why. That is, until we got back home and put two and two together. The car was warning us that we were drifting too close to something, like the garage entrance or the lines of our driving lanes. Danger! Danger! You are drifting away from safety!

The Bible warns us over and over and over of this great Day of the wrath of God. The Scripture shouts it, and our conscience bears witness, and we know there are consequences. Non-Christian, are you listening? Are you heeding the warnings? This great day is coming. God has fixed a day when this will happen.

Now that we have some understanding of the text, we will extrapolate three applications. The first: What can we learn about God from this sixth Seal? We can learn that God has fixed a day of judgment.

Acts 17:30–31 (ESV) - The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

We also learn that God’s love will manifest in justice towards evil. It is because He is love, that He will judge the evil-doer. Love does not allow evil to go unjudged. Love does not go to bed with evil.

We also learn that those who hide from Him should fear this inevitable day.

The second application is to the Christian. What can we learn that affects the Christian. This day should not create fear in us. It should encourage us and strengthen our faith? God is going to bring justice, long awaited justice.

We should also remember that it is “the day of redemption.” This is the day of reward. The long-awaited day. The Apostle commends the saints in Thessalonica for their longing and waiting for Christ’s return from heaven (1 Thess. 1:10). The Apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth that he wants them enriched in every way in Christ as they wait for Christ’s return. Not as “to be victims” but as guiltless before God.

1 Corinthians 1:7–8 — so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus gave us a clear picture of salvation for us who trust in the Lord as our refuge from His wrath. It is the picture of Noah’s Ark. Jesus (Matthew 24:36-42), says that when He comes (the great day of wrath comes), both believers and unbelievers will be on earth. The unbeliever will be swept away. The unbeliever will be removed from the earth just like on the day of the great flood of judgment. Like Noah and his family, the believer will remain. Those who make Jesus their refuge are safe and secure from this great day of wrath.

Other scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 1:10 (ESV) — … Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Romans 5:9 (ESV) — “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Nahum 1:6–7 (ESV) — 6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

The Apostle Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:5) that those who belong to Christ, who are born again, “are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” This verse should give us much comfort. We are not the ones preserving us. God is preserving us. He is “being guarded” for the salvation that will come to us on that great day.

The third application to the text is something that the unbeliever/non-Christian should consider? God has been warning all mankind that a day of horror and judgment is coming. It is inevitable. Do not ignore God’s warning of a day of judgment. Do not be like those Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:37–39:

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  (cf. Lk. 17:26-30; 1 Thess.5:3; Isa. 22:13)

Colossians 3:4-6 says that when Christ appears, it is “on account of these”- the people who practice and love ungodliness, that “the wrath of God is coming.”

I refuse to water down the truth and give you a false sense of security for eternity. It is written in the Book of Romans, Chapter two, verse eight, that those who “obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” From the prophet Jeremiah (21:5) God says, “I will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath.”

Yet, God has provided a refuge, an Ark. Jesus is the Ark of refuge from the wrath of God against all ungodliness. You can find refuge from the righteous anger of God in Christ Jesus. Or, that is, you can ignore God’s refuge and one day stand on your own before God’s anger against your ungodliness and rebellion against Him. Run to Jesus. No one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return as judge. Flee to him today.

Revelation 6:17 ends with a cry of terror from those who will receive the wrath of God. “Who can stand against the great day of God’s wrath?” The answer is clear: no one can on their own. They must seek refuge in Christ Jesus. He is the only refuge. Only Jesus can cleanse a person from all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Faith in Christ Jesus to cleanse you and hold you is the only refuge. And He is calling you to come to Him. He is not hiding from us, but calling us to himself.

But these people who cry out in terror refuse Christ’s call to come and find refuge. They were warned and warned, yet they mocked the idea that such a day would come. They were like those in the days of Noah. They pursued everything else but Christ as their refuge.

According to the Chicago Tribune, on May 17, 1987, an Iraqi F-1 Mirage aircraft fired two missiles at the Navy frigate USS Stark, which was patrolling in the Persian Gulf. The Stark was equipped with radar systems to detect such missiles in the air. In the nerve center of the ship was the electronic warfare operator, a man who monitored these systems. If a missile was fired at the ship, he would be warned in two ways. An audible alarm would sound, and a visual symbol would appear on the radar screen. Nevertheless, without warning, the missiles slammed into the side of the USS Stark just above the waterline, tearing a ten-foot hole in the ship and killing thirty-seven American sailors.

An investigation began. It was determined that the tragedy resulted from human error or omission by several people. One was the electronic warfare operator in the ship’s nerve center. The operator indicated that he had turned off the audible alarm feature because too many signals were being received, which were setting off the alarm, requiring actions that distracted him from performing other signal analysis. Then, with the audible alarm off, according to the investigators, he may have been distracted when the visual signals of oncoming missiles appeared on the radar screen.

Warning signals are usually an irritating interruption, but we turn them off at our peril. Warnings and distractions.  God is giving warning after warning, and yet too many people allow this world to distract them. Do not turn off what your heart is saying to you! If you do not know Christ Jesus as your refuge, it is time to get your heart right with God.

[2] Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2001), 127.