The Seals

If you follow what these scriptures tell us about the Antichrist, it lines up perfectly with the way the Antichrist is shown as appearing in Revelation following the first seal being broken. He is NOT like the other kings or rulers. He is “sinister” and “cunning,” a man of “intrigue,” and someone who will NOT be given the “honor of royalty,” meaning he is outside the ruling class. He nevertheless takes over, and those ten kings will all willingly give up their authority to him. He does not subjugate them through force at first—that comes later once he has power. It is AFTER the covenant with the many. This is the same covenant mentioned as the opening event of Daniel’s final week. After this covenant is made, he will move swiftly to violently subjugate everyone else.

No one knows what that covenant is. Everyone assumes it is some sort of peace treaty with Israel. Whatever this pact, it marks the beginning of the final week for the Jewish people; but Scripture does not say the deal is necessarily made with them, though it is implied. Israel’s leader at the time could possibly be a part of whatever secret pact is cut—perhaps this will be done by the unfaithful shepherd who sells out the nation (Zechariah 11:17). It could well be the political deal that allows the Jews to rebuild their temple.

I believe it may also refer to the agreement made between the ten-nation federation and the Antichrist. He will then forcibly subdue three of them, and the others will follow thereafter. His rise will sort of mirror the ascendancy of Adolf Hitler within Germany. This man will have something the others need or want, so they will literally make a deal with the devil to get it.

The white-horse rider that is revealed by the first seal comes with authority from God to conquer certainly, but not with a sword; rather, it is a bow with no arrows. It is by a threat from afar that he gains ascendancy, not by full-on confrontation. The sword comes afterward. Many will argue that Daniel 11 is not referring to the Antichrist but rather Antiochus IV Epiphanes. I do not argue that point, but there is a definite double entendre within the text as Antiochus was the clearest historical archetype of the Antichrist. This should not surprise anyone, for Solomon tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. This applies also in Bible prophecy. Everything has a pattern, and what was, will be again (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

The Second Seal

The last major prophetic event of the opening year of the final week is the breaking of the second seal (For context, read the articles in the prophetic timeline tab or buy the book!).

• When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3,4)

It is clear from the text that war is what is intimated. Red is the color of rage. Also, the horse is given a great sword, and of course, he takes peace from the earth. This implies great conflict will be coming when the second seal is broken. As noted in the discussion about the first seal regarding the likely political fallout of the return of regular, daily animal sacrifices, it is likely there will be far more significant political turmoil and social unrest as well. Much of this may have to do with increased ethnic violence, or a “race” war if you will. Before I explain my reasoning for this, I would add that this need not be global, though it is likely it will be. Rather, most of the tension could be within the confines of this confederation.

Why do I say this? If you look at the word for earth, it is the Greek word gē (ga’). This literally just means land. It can be the whole world or a specific bounded region. The same applies for earth in Hebrew. Context is the determining factor. Most assume the context is the whole world, and in some sense, I agree. However, the emphasis is on the bounded territory of the federation. Obviously, if great civil unrest happened in this sphere, which I believe will include nations of Europe and the Middle East, then it will impact the whole world in some measure.

In the Bible, God’s point of reference is always Jerusalem. ALWAYS. The nation that controls Jerusalem controls the world as far as God is concerned. I will not elaborate further for the sake of time, but if you look through history, there have been very few nations, or representatives of nations, that have controlled the city of Jerusalem. Those who did had the whole world in their power from a prophetic point of view.

Note what Daniel says to King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:

• You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. (Daniel 2:37–39)

In the prophetic vision of the statue struck by the rock, there are five kingdoms listed. They are all said to control “all the earth.” The first was Babylon (head of gold), then Medio/Persia (chest/arms of silver), then Greece (thighs of bronze), followed by Rome or the Islamic Caliphate (legs of iron), and the final kingdom (feet of iron/clay mix). We know, without a doubt, that the first four of these DID NOT rule the entire geographic world or even come close to doing so. Why should the last one be thought to do so? Especially at first? It is likely it will not, and hence, this unrest that occurs within the second seal will be mostly contained within the confederation.

An even greater reason for thinking this is that Daniel’s description of the final kingdom is one of incompatibility. Iron DOES NOT mix with clay. It is destined for trouble, and the Antichrist is going to have a solution for that trouble.

• Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41–43)

If you consider the geographic scope of all the major empires that have ever existed which also controlled Jerusalem, none of them ever ruled the entire world. There are seven major kingdoms that have controlled the city of Jerusalem, and hence the world, and three lesser empires that controlled it briefly as well. All of them can be found in existent form today. No, Assyria is not one of them. They never held Jerusalem. Ever. The ten are France, Germany, Great Britain, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria.

This is a mixture of varying ethnicities, religions, and political philosophies. If such a confederation were to form, it would (a) constitute a revived and expanded Roman Empire; and (b) it would be literally “mixed offspring of men,” just as the prophecy foretold. However, considering the heterogeneity of the federation, it probably would not be long before troubles mounted within this government. I believe that is what is meant by the coming red horseman of the second seal.

The Third Seal

The third seal brings forth the black horse and its rider. The most common meaning attached to this rider and the misery he brings is famine.

• When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5,6)

Upon reading the text, it is easy to see why one might jump to the conclusion that some sort of famine is being discussed as the verses record that wheat and barley will be about twelve times their normal price, with a denarius being about a day’s wage. Certainly, this passage speaks of scarcity, but not necessarily famine. What is most likely being referenced is inflation, to such an extent that prices for necessities soar! This is government caused scarcity, not that which might naturally occur.

Bread is what is specifically targeted, especially bread that is eaten by the poorer classes of people. Many have assumed that the rich are being spared, as they usually are during times of inflation, while the wine and oil are not to be touched. Again, this is not necessarily the case as wine was very much accessible to the average person even in the ancient past. Also, oil and wine are typically symbols of plenty. This has led some to surmise that there may be pockets of abundance amid the scarcity. The cry to not “harm” the oil and wine could represent attempts to safeguard the pockets of abundance against plundering.

Whatever the case may be, some sort of manufactured scarcity is indicated, and the poorest will withstand the worst of it. As with the red horse, the impact may be felt around the world but be principally contained within the federation. Parts of the world are already dealing with great scarcity and true famine. If their limited food supply is cut off even more because of troubles in the eurozone and the Middle East, it could indeed exacerbate problems elsewhere.

The Fourth Seal

The appearance of the pale horse definitively brings the start of true devastation on the earth as Death comes, with Hades following in his wake. Yes, Death is here presented as an entity, most likely an angel, and Hades is likewise presented as such.

• When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7,8)

Considering what has come before with the previous horseman, what takes place now is not that surprising. With conflict and scarcity of food increasing at any time, it makes sense that full-blown war (sword), famine (hunger), and of course death (spiritual, not just physical) would follow. What is staggering to the mind is the total number killed during this time. If we imagine that it is referring to the population of the entire world, then that would be about 2 billion people! We are at an estimated 7.8 billion now. We will easily be at 8 billion by the time of these events. Now, I am not saying this could not be the case, and certainly, there may be some linkage to the events unfolding here that would affect other parts of the world. However, I do think most of this death will be contained within the federation. That would make the death count around 175 million, which is still terrifying to consider.

It is interesting to note that the beasts of the earth are specifically mentioned as killing people here. This is a biblical reference, I think, to the land spewing out the wicked. The Bible records that if the people of Israel sinned against God, He would send the beasts of the field to slay them as a sign to get them to repent. Much the same thing will unfold here I believe.

• For all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. (Leviticus 18:27,28)
• And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So, they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore, He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land.” (2 Kings 17:25,26)
• Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. (Leviticus 26:21,22)

Some have suggested that these beasts could be microscopic beasts, such as the bacterium Yersinia pestis, otherwise known as the bubonic plague. This is also a tenable idea. However, I think it much more likely that “beasts of the field” will indeed be things such as lions, wolves, snakes, etc. They will be a sign to people that something is off, and that they need to turn from their sins. Sadly, many will not.

The fourth day begins the middle-of-the-week trouble that was prophesied. It is the time when the mask is fully ripped off, and the Antichrist quite literally takes center stage on the world scene. It is highly likely that the Antichrist will be revealed on Abib (Nisan) 10 on the Jewish calendar. However, he will likely be using the modern Jewish calendar for his timing of events, in order to fool people, and this calendar is off, as it is based on a calculation rather than the actual arriving of the new moon. The prophetic date that works is April 23, 2029.

On the calendar, as laid out for the prophetic timeline, this Jewish new year is marked by the close pass of the asteroid Apophis to the earth the day before. This likely signifies Satan coming to earth! With all the chaos unfolding within the federation from the previous seals and of course the spill over into other parts of the world, the man of lawlessness will finally step out of the shadows to “fix” things. His fix will not be what anyone is expecting but considering the demonic control he will be operating under; he will be very convincing—especially after his faux resurrection—and the world will worship and follow him. Plus, his partner in crime, the false prophet, will be performing signs and wonders to turn people to him.

• Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So, they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:1–8)
• Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. (Revelation 12:11–14)

What is most intriguing is that the Antichrist’s appearing happens during the time frame of the fourth seal. In fact, it may very well be his declaration of himself as God that causes a rebellion within his kingdom, causing him to forcibly obtain their obeisance. Those who reject him will be slaughtered without mercy. This may also be the time when he violently subdues three of the kings, and the others then willingly submit to his rule. Remember, if the timeline presented is correct, the Antichrist will try and convince the world that he is God in a vain attempt to get the world’s religions to focus on him. This will fail spectacularly, despite his being resurrected! However, not long after that, Satan is literally kicked out of the heavenly dimension, the second heaven, and thrown to the earth. He then gives his power to the Antichrist. This then gives the Antichrist the power necessary to bring all other nations to heel.

It is likely that when the man of lawlessness makes his pact with the devil, he will then return to Jerusalem on April 23, 2029, and commit the abomination of desolation, in the Holy of Holies, thus sparking the looked for 1260 days/1290 days. Such an event as a man saying he is God would be expected to bring much death and destruction, which the pale horse brings, as many will neither believe nor accept immediately.

• I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.” (Daniel 7:8,19–20)

The most expected of events, the sign of the end of all things as foretold by Jesus, will occur in Israel. Like Jesus was rejected, the Antichrist too will be rejected by the Jews, despite having been “revealed” on the biblical feast days, being resurrected, and coming back into Jerusalem with awesome power and authority, albeit from Satan. I believe this will enrage him, and of course many true believing Christians will also reject him so that he will focus much of his wrath on these two groups. However, he will not be able to hurt Israel too much at first. Evidence of this is found in Revelation.

• Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days…But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So, the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:6,14–17)

The woman being spoken of in Revelation 12 is most definitely Israel. She is described as having twelve stars around her head, which are the twelve tribes of Israel, and she gives birth to a man-child who shall rule the world. Satan of course tries to kill the child, and when that fails attacks the woman. He is thwarted in his efforts though by a “great eagle” who is the one who carries the woman into the metaphoric wilderness and protects her. Many prophecy scholars think the wilderness referred to here is Petra in Jordan. I do not. The entire chapter is allegorical language that speaks to literal things. The wilderness, in my view, speaks to the solitary state that Israel will suddenly find itself in, with Satan having finally been kicked out of the heavenly dimension and set at purpose to finally destroy the people of God. The eagle is what is given to her to protect her in this moment. I believe with all my heart that this is the United States of America.

It is my contention that very shortly, the US will be removed from its place of influence in the world. There have been many in the international monetary and banking community who have been wanting to do away with the US dollar for a long time. I think this will happen very soon. When it does, because of our huge accumulation of debt, our economy will take a massive hit. Inflation itself will spike dramatically. It is likely that a digital currency of some kind will be adopted by most of the eurozone (another attempt at the euro). This currency must be based on something; otherwise, inflation will quickly get out of hand there as well. I believe this currency will be based upon the British pound sterling.

Once this shift is affected, the United States will be isolated politically and economically, though the global marketplace will still exist. Thankfully, we have the resources to survive such a cataclysmic event—especially with the right kind of leadership. I believe we will have that. The United States is one of only two nations that cut covenant with the God of the Bible, and He will honor His covenants. There will be a revival in this nation, though there will be judgment for our sins. And I believe we will be there at the end to stand with Israel and protect their nation from the onslaught of the Antichrist.

Some might think me wishful but consider this. If such a confluence of events were to occur, as the Bible says will unfold, why would the United States not step in to assist its ally, Israel, from the aggression of the Antichrist? If the eurozone is aflame with civil war and unrest but it is within the confines of a federation of nations, a new NATO of sorts, why would we be compelled to enter that fray? We would not. However, if they turned outward to one of our closest allies, we would have an obligation to defend that ally.

The Fifth Seal

It is with the breaking of the fifth seal that a different view entirely from what has been unfolding appears. It was in fact this seal that convinced me that the traditional view of Revelation was all wrong. I was raised to believe that the seals, trumpets, and bowls are ALL judgments! However, when you get to the fifth seal, you see there is no judgment going on at all. In fact, it is not even happening on earth. 

• When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. (Revelation 6:9–11)

With the previous seals, we saw the ever-increasing chaos and death that was starting to consume the ten-kingdom federation and spilling over into the world as a direct result of the Antichrist’s coming to power. This seal leaves that behind and gives us a scene in heaven, where we find God’s slain saints through the ages asking God for His promised vengeance upon the wicked.

What God tells them is most astonishing and instructive. The Lord tells them they must wait until MORE martyrs are added to their number! This fits perfectly with what Revelation 12 and 13 and Daniel tell us that the Antichrist will be doing. He will be making war on the “saints,” the “elect,” those who “have the testimony of Jesus.” These are Christians! He is unable to get to the Jewish nation at this point, and so he is going to go after Christians with a vengeance never seen.

This of course means Christians will be here for this period. However, those who preach a Pre-Tribulation Rapture event say that these are those who have been left behind and get saved during it. This violates so many principles of the Gospel, but I will only share one. There is NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD! 

• But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:10, 11)
• For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12,13)

There is no justification, in my view, to hold that God would save Christians today but allow those who will be saved later to suffer wrath. All believers are members of His bride! In fact, creation is awaiting the revelation of the sons (daughters) of God. The Church is a packaged deal made of both Jew and Gentile believers. Everyone who is saved or will be is a member of Jesus’s body. To say otherwise is untenable, theologically. 

• For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19–23)

The Church is going to be here for much of the final week, and we need to be prepared for that. However, we WILL NOT BE HERE for the “wrath of God.” God has indeed promised we will be spared from this. 

• For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God DID NOT APPOINT US TO WRATH, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:2–9)

Pre-Tribulation teachers use this as a primary text to “prove” that the Rapture must occur before the tribulation. Once again though, they are allowing their particular interpretation to read into this text what is NOT there. The context of this scripture clearly indicates that Christ, who is coming to get His Church, WILL NOT come as a thief to us, just as the flood did not surprise Noah! We are going to be LOOKING with expectation of God’s promised deliverance.

What is that deliverance from? His wrath. When you read the book of Revelation, without the preconceived idea that the Church is already gone for all of it and without the belief that the seals, trumpets, and bowls are ALL from the wrath of God, then you see clearly what is said in the text. 

• Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” (Revelation 16:1)

This scripture explicitly tells us what the “wrath of God” is. It is the bowls! Not the seals. Not the trumpets. Just the bowls. As we have already seen, the seals cannot even be called judgments because the fifth seal is clearly not that. Therefore, there is no reason to expect that the church will NOT be here for most of the final week because most of it IS NOT God’s wrath. It is Satan’s.

The Sixth Seal

The fifth day of Daniel 9’s week sees the breaking of the sixth seal. This follows what was told those martyrs under the throne of God in the fifth seal and describes the wrath of the Lamb coming to the earth. Why would the Lamb be angry? The next chapter supplies that answer. It is there we are introduced to the 144,000 sealed saints and the multitude saved in the midst of the Tribulation.

Since Satan is unable to get to the nation of Israel during this period (see Revelation 12 and 13), he is ruthlessly going after the Church! This is why the Lamb is angry. It is His redeemed who are being gone after with a vengeance. Even as the Antichrist is waxing stronger and stronger, Christ is still acting in power against the enemies of the Church, and the gates of hell SHALL NOT PREVAIL (Matthew 16:18).

It is my opinion, therefore, that the thing being gone after by the Lamb in this seal is SPIRTUAL IDOLATRY within the body of believers around the world! This judgment is done not to destroy but to save. This is the essence of the Lamb’s ministry. Sin is where His wrath is aimed. In theological terms, the Lamb DOES NOT and DID NOT condemn the world. He was condemned in its place. His wrath is always against sin. 

• For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16,17)
• For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh… (Romans 8:3)

God’s love has been made manifest to man through His covenants. Satan’s great war is with God’s covenant. God has two covenants at work in the earth, and in Christ, those two are made one. The first of these is the covenant with the Jewish people. It is everlasting and cannot be altered by man. 

• And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also, I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Genesis 17:7,8)

The second covenant God established is with His Church, the body of believers in Christ from every tribe, tongue, and nation. 

• Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:21,22)

In Christ, those two covenants are both realized and have been made one. 

• Therefore, remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephesians 2:11–16)

Sin is the great separator of man from God. It is the destroyer of covenant. Christ will purge His bride so that she is ready to be received unto Him. Revelation 2 and 3 open the entire epoch that unfolds in the book with Christ warning the seven churches that He is coming to judge them and their deeds, and those who are found wanting will be destroyed and their lampstand extinguished. The Lamb saves the sinner. It is the Lion who will destroy the unrepentant sinners upon Christ’s second coming. 

• I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12–17)

Take careful note of the imagery of the sixth seal. Nowhere are people being killed or destroyed. They are being judged. They know this judgment is from the Lamb, and they are seeking to be hidden from it. It is a matter of much debate as to what is happening in this seal. Some have tried to give literal, even scientific explanations for what is described. None are even remotely convincing, though some are quite interesting to consider. I believe the key to understanding this passage, as with the entire book, is recognizing that all the imagery of Revelation speaks allegorically about literal happenings.

With this as an interpretative model and remaining consistent throughout (unless there are specific literal references made), the entirety of the book can be explained. Taking this approach will open the door for a wide range of interpretations. However, those opinions that are most in keeping with the context of passages, the narrative of Revelation, and are supported by Scripture are obviously of far more estimation than others. With that said, let us unpack the most intriguing of the seals.

When the seal is broken, we are introduced to immense cataclysmic events seemingly unfolding on the earth. There is a “great earthquake,” and the sun and moon lose their light in what appears to be a description of eclipses. Then things become truly strange and seemingly inexplicable. The stars fall from the sky. The sky is rolled up like a scroll! And every mountain and island are moved. What is happening here? Let us allow the Bible to interpret itself for us.

The first thing to recognize is that the Bible connects the “hosts of heaven” throughout Scripture and, in the allegory of Revelation, with spiritual beings. The stars, the planets, the sun, and the moon were all objects that were worshipped in ancient cultures and are worshipped even today. Spiritual idolatry is personified by the “starry hosts.” 

• And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, and those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. (2 Kings 23:4,5)

These demonic spirits are alive today, and they too are personified by the starry hosts. They give a false light to man. Jesus is the true light of the world. The judgment of the Lamb is described as coming with an earthquake to shake these things loose from His Church, once and for all. There will no longer be the ability for middle ground or lukewarm Christianity. No more playing at Church. The bride must be spotless! The author of Hebrews describes this spiritual shaking perfectly. 

• But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant…See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall WE NOT ESCAPE if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then SHOOK the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken…that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:22–29)
• For thus says the Lord of hosts: “Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,” says the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:6,7)

The writer of Hebrews is quoting the prophet Haggai when speaking of the coming shaking of the people of God. The context of Haggai is clearly referencing the end-times shaking. The prophet Joel goes even further and connects this shaking with a last great outpouring of the Spirit of God upon His people. 

• And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also, on My menservants and on My maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:28–32)

This prophecy had at least partial fulfillment after the first Pentecost (Acts 2:14–21), yet its larger fulfillment is yet to come. Note: In all these scriptures, Christ’s judgment and shaking is ALWAYS happening to His people to cleanse them from unrighteousness and prepare them for a powerful anointing, which their sin is preventing from manifesting.

The language of the sixth seal appears elsewhere when speaking of the vengeance of God upon the enemies of Israel. This scripture, which will have its fulfillment during the time of the end, clearly uses the same imagery as Revelation when describing spiritual judgment! This time, the context is about the enemies of Israel, namely Edom, but wording used to describe the judgment poured out is strikingly like that of the wrath of the Lamb.

• Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; he has utterly destroyed them, he has given them over to the slaughter. Also, their slain shall be thrown out; their stench shall rise from their corpses, and the MOUNTAINS SHALL BE MELTED WITH THEIR BLOOD. All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be ROLLED UP LIKE A SCROLL; all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls from the vine, and as FRUIT FALLING FROM A FIG TREE. “For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; indeed, it shall come down on Edom, and on the people of My curse, for judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made overflowing with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” (Isaiah 34:1–6)

As the spiritual shaking of Christ’s Church is unfolding across the world, note the response given by the people in Revelation 6. It is exactly that given by the prophets when describing the spiritual judgment of Israel. 

• Also, the high places of Aven [wickedness], the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!” (Hosea 10:8)
• O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord. For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with eastern ways; they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they are pleased with the children of foreigners. Their land is also full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is also full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is also FULL OF IDOLS; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. People bow down, and each man humbles himself; therefore, do not forgive them. ENTER INTO THE ROCK, and HIDE IN THE DUST, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up—And it shall be brought low—upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan; upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up; upon every high tower, and upon every fortified wall; upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the beautiful sloops. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish. THEY SHALL GO INTO THE HOLES OF THE ROCKS, AND INTO THE CAVES OF THE EARTH, FROM THE TERROR OF THE LORD AND THE GLORY OF HIS MAJESTY, WHEN HE ARISES TO SHAKE THE EARTH MIGHTILY. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isaiah 2:5–21)

Jesus predicted a similar response to the Jewish nation for the judgment that would be brought upon them for rejecting Him as Messiah on His first arrival. On His way to the cross, it is recorded that He turned to those who were weeping for Him and told them they should save their tears for themselves. 

• But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:28–31)

The nation of Israel had missed Jesus’ first coming, and so they were destroyed. The wages of sin is always death, and there is no place to hide from judgment for sin when it arrives. Jesus bore the judgment for the sins of the whole world in His body on the tree. That specifically applies to those who are believers. There is no more condemnation for us (Romans 8:1). However, Christ’s bride must be “without spot or wrinkle,” and that means NO MORE SPIRITUAL IDOLATRY whatsoever. He will judge His people to obtain this end. The Scriptures tell us this in fact. We will be the first in line for judgment. 

• For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:17)

It is my contention that the sixth seal is a representation of the coming Great Apostasy. As Jesus cleanses his bride, the false believers will have no place to hide, and they will turn in droves to the false Messiah, the Antichrist, in a vain effort to escape the piercing holiness of the Lord Jesus. The demarcation lines of true believer versus false will become clear for all to see. This will set the stage for the sealing of the true believers to be protected from the coming outpouring of judgements in the trumpets that erupt at the breaking of the seventh seal.