Slides for this study

So we looked at the first 5 seals last week, the four horsemen and then the souls crying out from under the altar.

• Similar time framing except for the 4^th seal where it began to diverge and take a different end date.
• What was the reason for the date 1374 AD?
  • The souls were crying out from under the altar in the 5^th
  • How were they crying out? Through the reformers.
  • People began to be raised to call out the sins of the Catholic church.
  • It started with who?
  • Revelation 2:28
    And I will give him the morning star.
• Who was the morning start of the reformation?
  • It was John Wycliffe. He was the first to give the scriptures to the people in a common language.
  • Others have pointed that it really began with Martin Luther.
  • However, there is a reason that the morning start is mentioned in the church of Thyatira.
  • But if you want to keep with Martin Luther, that’s OK as well. Remember, these dates are not inspired.
• And then we see that the 5^th seal brought us all the way from 1374 AD to 1755 AD. We will see the reason why 1755 in the 6^th seal today.

What is the difference between here and what we have seen in the 7 churches?

• It is a different perspective.
• The 7 churches – what is taking place in the church.
• The 7 seals – more from a world view, a political view. What is taking place out there, and not so much in the church. Of course there is still elements from the church.

 

The Sixth Seal

Revelation 6:12-13
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

So we now have the opening of the sixth seal.

• Let me show you the seventh seal though.
• It is found all the way in Revelation 8.
• Revelation 8:1
  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
• Meaning, the sixth seal spans a total of 23 verses. 6 verses in chapter 6 and 17 verses in chapter 7.
  • God really wants us to focus on the 6^th
  • It is given the most description of what will take place.
  • And coincidentally it lines up with our time!
• It starts in 1755 AD and it goes all the way until the second coming when there will be silence in heaven for about half an hour.
• How do we know that that is the second coming? Let’s just go through that seventh seal real quickly as it is only that one short verse.
• Revelation 8:1
  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
• How does the silence represent the second coming?

“silence in heaven”

• Why is there silence in heaven?
• Matthew 25:31
  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.
• Heaven will be silent because heaven will be empty.
• Christ and all the holy angels will come to earth at the second coming.

Why half an hour?

• Remember that 1 day = 1 year in Bible prophecy.
  • 1 symbolic day = 360 literal days
  • 24 hours = 360 days
  • Therefore half an hour must equal 360/48
  • That is 7.5 days.
• So it will take Christ 7.5 days to leave heaven, come to earth, gather up all the righteous and bring them back to heaven again.
• Just an interesting fact.

Now let’s come back to the sixth seal in Revelation 6. Notice what takes place when the sixth seal is opened.

• First there is a great earthquake.
• Then the sun goes black.
• The moon becomes blood.
• And the stars of heaven fall to the earth.
• 4 events in this order.

Where do we see such events?

• Matthew 24:29-30
  29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
  • Yes we’re missing the earthquake. But it is definitely so clear that the other events are mentioned.
  • What happens right after that? It’s the second coming!
• Luke 21:25-27
  25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
  • Luke agrees with Matthew’s account as well. Right after that, the second coming!
• We see it in the Old Testament as well.
• Joel 2:31
  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
• The great and terrible day of the Lord. That is referring to the second coming.
  • Great, because it will be the greatest event that will ever come upon the earth.
  • And terrible, because not everyone will make it to heaven. Many will be lost. It will be a terrible experience for many.
• Isaiah 13:9-11
  9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

We see right after the earthquake, the sun, moon and stars events, what happens in Revelation?

 

Revelation 6:14
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

• All theologians agree that this event here is talking about the second coming.
• 2 Peter 3:10-12
  10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
• No doubt referring to the second coming.

So what is this great earthquake and the sun, moon and stars referring to?

 

The Great Earthquake

Let’s start with the earthquake.

• We refer to the great earthquake of November 1, 1755, known as the great Lisbon earthquake.
• Nelson’s New Looseleaf Encyclopedia
  • Most notable earthquake of history
• Historian Nor
  • The effects of the earthquake of 1755 were distributed over nearly 4,000,000 square miles. Greatly surpassing anything of this kind recorded in history
• It pervaded the greater portion of Europe, Africa and America.
  • In Africa it was felt almost as severely as it had been in Europe.
  • It is probable that all of Africa felt it.
  • In Europe it extended to Norway and Sweden.
  • Germany, Holland, France, Great Britian and Ireland also felt it.
• It was even felt all the way in Greenland.
• Looking at the map, no other earthquake has covered such a great area before.
• Sir Charles
  • A violent shock… in the course of about 6 minutes, 60,000 person perished
  • The sea first retired and laid the bar dry. It then rolled in rising 50 feet or more above the ordinary level
• In Lisbon, Portugal, it had 150,000 inhabitants. After that day, 90,000 perished.
• Encyclopedia Britannica, 1945
  • Center of the city of Lisbon is a monument where 60,000 people died in a matter of minutes when the
• A fitting event to mark the opening of the sixth seal.
• So this is the reason why we choose that date 1755.
  • But not only the earthquake, but the events that would follow after as well.

 

The Sun Darkened

Then came the darkening of the sun.

• 25 years later after the great earthquake on May 19, 1780
• 10am it began to get dark
• The darkness was so dark that by 12 noon, it was impossible to read of write even when sitting by the window.
• It got so dark that one writer wrote that the darkness was impervious to light – you couldn’t even hold up a white paper and see it
• This was 10am in the morning and there was no eclipse – a phenomenon that defies imagination
• Noah’s Webster
  • The dark day of May 19, 1780 so called on account of remarkable darkness, on that day extending over all New England. The true cause of this darkness is unknown
• Astronomer Hershell
  • The dark day in America were one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read of of interest…
• Websters Unabridged dictionary 1883 edition
  • In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. Birds sang their evening song, disappeared and became silent. Fowls went to roost. Cattle sought the barn yard. And candles were lighted in the houses. The obscuration began at about 10 o clock in the morning and continued until the middle of the next night
• It was as if it was midnight rather than midday.
• There have been similar days since, but not to the extent of the darkness that it caused.
• No one knows the reason for the darkness.
  • It wasn’t a cloud covering.
  • There was no eruption of any volcano that caused ash to cover the sky.
  • There was no record of a solar eclipse.
• No one knows the cause of such a phenomenon. And when there is no such understanding, some people didn’t even know at that time if the sun was to rise and to shine again.

So we see the great earthquake. Followed by the sun turning black. And what is next? The moon turning into blood.

 

The Moon Became As Blood

The day that the sun stopped shining, May 19, 1780, that very night when the moon came up it was blood red.

• The rising of the moon proves the impossibility of an eclipse of the sun at that time.
• However, when the moon did rise up, it had the appearance of blood.
• So the sun being darkened and the moon turning into blood happened both on the same day.
• May 19, 1780.

 

The Stars of Heaven Falling to the Earth

This took place in November 13, 1833.

• The first sign was in 1755.
  • 25 years later came the second and third sign
  • And some 53 years later came the last sign
• New York Journal of Commerce, Nov 14, 1833
  • Here is the exactness of the prophet, the falling stars did not come as if from several trees shaken but from one. They flew, they were cast, like the unripe fig swiftly, straight off descending as they are thrown with more or less force
• Our First Century, p. 329
  • “Extensive and magnificent showers of shooting stars have been known to occur at various places in modern times; but the most universal and wonderful which has ever been recorded, is that of the 13th of November, 1833, the whole firmament, over all the United States, being then, for hours, in fiery commotion. No celestial phenomenon has ever occurred in this country since its first settlement, which was viewed with such intense admiration by one class in the community, or with so much dread and alarm by another. . . . During the three hours of its continuance, the day of judgment was believed to be only waiting for sunrise.”
• You haven’t seen anything like that in your life time have you?
• It happened once, and it happened in 1833.
• It was the fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy and also the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Revelation 6 – for they were talking about the same event

What is the purpose of the sun, moon and stars?

• Genesis 1:14
  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
• They were for signs, seasons, days and years.
• Three of the four are natural – seasons, days and years.
• But how about signs?
• This is something that cannot be duplicated by man no matter how hard we try.
• We can fabricate wars and put people into starvation to make it like a famine. But no human can make the sun go dark or the moon go blood red, or make stars shoot across the surface of the earth.
• God is telling us that something great and amazing is about to happen.

The sixth seal is an answer to the prayer of the souls that are crying under the altar.

• They are saying – how long?
• God has given them a time period as to how long.

And the very next event that we’re expecting to happen?

• The heaven will depart as a scroll. The second coming of Jesus!
• Why is there a delay? How come Christ has not come yet?
• The later chapters in Revelation fill up this time.
• They tell us other events that will take place.

But what takes place in this sixth seal after it is opened after the great earthquake, and the sun, moon and stars? We’ve already seen the heaven rolled back as a scroll. The second coming.

 

Revelation 6:15
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

Who is hiding?

• The kings of the earth.
• The great men of the earth.
• The rich men.
• The chief captains.
• The mighty men.
• And every bondman (slaves) and every free man.

Why doesn’t it just say every bondman and every free man?

• That would cover everyone on the earth.
• Why does it have to list this long list of people?
• What is so special about all these people mentioned?
  • The kings of the earth.
  • The great men of the earth.
  • The rich men.
  • The chief captains.
  • The mighty men.
• They are all political powers. People that are in high places of the earth that can institute laws.
• Sounds like the group that is mentioned in Daniel 3 when Nebuchadnezzar gathered everyone together to worship.
  • Daniel 3:2
    Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
  • All the political people were brought to worship.
• This is the group in Revelation that will bring in persecution and the mark of the beast at the end of time.
• Revelation 13:16
  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
• How can you cause or force people to do a certain thing unless you have the power of the state on your side?
• So that’s why all these political persons are being mentioned in Revelation 6.

But what are they doing?

• Revelation 6:15
  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
• They are hiding themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.

Why are they hiding? Where do we see the first instance of hiding in the Bible?

• Genesis 3:8, 10
  8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
• They are hiding because they are naked and are afraid.
• Why are they naked and afraid?
  • Because of sin.
  • But was it because God was coming to punish them? I believe Jesus came as He had at other times – walking in the cool of the day to come and spend time with Adam and Eve
  • God had not changed. The condition of their heart had changed. So it will be at the end of time.
  • Those with sin in their hearts will be hiding from God. Especially those political powers that will be involved in bringing in the mark of the beast.
• Where else do we see nakedness in scripture?
  • The Laodicean church in Revelation 3.
  • Revelation 3:17
    Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
  • They didn’t heed the counsel of the true witness.
  • They didn’t buy the white raiment.
  • They don’t have the righteousness of Christ.
• Revelation 16:15
  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
  • If we don’t want to be caught naked, we need to watch and we need to keep our garments.
• What is watching associated with?
  • 1 Peter 4:7
    But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
  • We have to watch unto prayer.
  • If we want to keep our garments, we must not only watch world events. We need to be ever closer to Jesus.
• How to keep our garments?
  • We have to hold on to what we have first believed.
  • Don’t lose our relationship with Christ.
  • Don’t lose our faith and hope in God.

 

Revelation 6:16
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

This group would rather have the rocks and mountains fall on them than see the Lamb with their own eyes.

• This is the only way that they can possibly hide.
• At the second coming, all will be laid bare.
• No hole or cave in the mountain will be able to hide us from God.

In the book of Revelation, there is mentioned two types of wrath.

• Here is the wrath of the Lamb.
  • Revelation 14:10
    The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
  • It is also called the wrath of God.
• Revelation 12:17
  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
  • Then there is the wrath of the dragon.
• What is more fearful to receive?
  • Of course it is easier bear the wrath of the dragon rather than the wrath of God.
• Easy and logical choice to make when we take a step back. But every day we are making these choices by how we live our lives.

 

Revelation 6:17
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 6 ends with a question.

• Who shall be able to stand in the great day of God’s wrath?

What is that great day of wrath referring to?

• Job 21:30
  That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
  • It is a day of destruction. There will be trouble on every side.
• This day of destruction will take many people by surprise:
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3
    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
  • It will be sudden, the Bible says.
• This will be a short time just before the second coming.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:2
    For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
  • The thief in the night is always in reference to the second coming of Jesus.
• What destruction is this? This is not referring to the time of the mark of the beast, but a short time after that.
• Revelation 15:1
  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
  • The seven last plagues is connected with God’s wrath.
  • It is only after this that Jesus will come for a second time.
• So the question is – who shall be able to stand when the seven last plagues are falling?

The main question of the sixth seal is: Who shall be able to stand?

• Who shall be able to stand when there is no intercessor?
• Who shall be able to stand at Christ’s second coming?
• Who shall be able to stand during the seven last plagues?

Let’s try to answer this question from scripture. Who shall be able to stand?

• Ezra 9:15
  O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
  • We will not be able to stand at the end of time if we have sin in our lives.
• Psalms 24:3-4
  3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
  • Who shall be able to stand in God’s holy place?
  • Only those with clean hands and a pure heart.
• James 4:8
  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
  • We need to have our hands cleansed from sin and our hearts purified.
  • What is a double minded person?
  • They waver between righteousness and unrighteousness.
  • They waver between good and bad.
  • They’re up one minute and down the next.
• Ephesians 6:13-14
  13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
• We will only be able to stand if we have the armour of God on us.
• Every piece of that armour points to the word of God.
  • The belt of truth is God’s word.
  • God’s word and His commandments are righteous.
  • The shield of faith, faith comes by hearing the word of God.
  • The shoes of the gospel – the gospel is the word of God.
• Every part of that is God’s word.
• If we are to stand at the end of time, we need to cling to God’s word.

So this is the sixth seal.

• We are just at the end of the chapter, not at the end of the sixth seal.
• There is much to study in Revelation 7.
• The end of chapter 6 ends with a question – who shall be able to stand.
• The final and full answer is found in Revelation 7 to that question. We are going to see a group of people that will be able to stand at the end of time.