REVELATION LESSON 17

    We will pick up this lesson in Revelation 6:12 "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;"

    Earthquakes generally are God dealing with mankind.  This sixth
seal has to do with the end of the Gentile age. This has to do with
the believers being carried away into heaven. This terrible earthquake
is told about in Isaiah 2:19, "And they shall go into the holes of the
rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for
the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the
earth." This great earthquake is not one we have been acquainted with
before. This may even be the one people are expecting when much of
California drops into the ocean. Of course, we do not know that
California will ever drop. We just know from what we read that an
earthquake of that magnitude will occur.

    Our cry, if we are Christians, just before this sixth seal is
opened is "The Lord is coming".

    In Ezekial 32:7-8, we read about the darkness of the sun, moon,
and stars. In Matthew 24:29, we read of this same thing in the
heavens.  "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:"

    Notice that this occurs at the end of the three and a half years
of tribulation, just before the Wrath of God is poured out upon the
earth.

    Revelation 6:13 "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."

    These stars here are probably not literal.  If they are, this also
means people in the church who have been elevated to stardom. We have
seen in recent months some of these stars falling.  It is well known
that people who have been elevated are called stars. All of this
vision should be understood from the spiritual standpoint, as well as,
the literal.

    We are told over and over throughout the Bible not to be soon
shaken by every wind of doctrine.  One example is II Thessalonians 2:2
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of
Christ is at hand." Matthew chapter 24 tells of this, as well.

    The fig tree (physical Israel) rejected Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
In Acts chapter 2, we read of the sound as of the rushing mighty wind
that came and filled them with the Holy Ghost.  This mighty wind is of
God. Many times when we read of the mighty wind it is a sign of the
Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be beautiful, as we read in
Acts 2, or frightening to those who do not believe.

    The Old Testament and the New Testament agree that there will be a
time when the heavens will be shaken. Isaiah chapters 7, 13, 17,
Matthew 24 and at least a dozen more chapters in the Old and New
Testaments agree that there will be a day, just as this one spoken of
that John saw, when the heavens will be shaken.

    We read, also, of the spiritual shaking that will take place.  We
read that there shall be a great falling away in the church right
before this occurs. II Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by
any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

    As you can see, believers will be tried and many will fall away.
In Luke chapter 21, we read how many will be betrayed by those of
their own household.Luke 21:25-26, we read again of the commotion in
heaven.  "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;" Luke 21:26 "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." You can easily see
that this is prophesied, not just of John, but by dozens of pens
throughout the Bible.

    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."

    This earthquake will be so strong that mountains will flatten out
and islands will disappear. An earthquake of this magnitude would
immediately put up a screen of smoke that nothing in the heavens would
be visible. We read in Isaiah 34:4, a similar Scripture as above.
"And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall
be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as
the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the
fig tree." Whatever this is, it is of great magnitude.

    I remind you again, that Revelation is not written in
chronological order. The happenings in the verses above are long after
the believers are in heaven. We, Christians, should not fear things we
see happening that are in fulfillment of these passages. We should
look up and rejoice at the beginning of any of these things, because
our redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21:28.

    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;"

    The message in V-15 is, wealth or position will have no influence
on God's decision. He is not impressed with our importance.  We cannot
even fall back on being underpriviledged or poor. None of this will
matter. The only thing that will matter is what we did about Jesus.

    This really is the time when even silver and gold will not be able
to save people from the Wrath of God.

    Hiding in "...dens and in the rocks..." will be of no use because
these openings will close up from the earthquake.  Men will seek
death, but death will not come, Rev.  9:6.

    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:"

    Suddenly they realize who Jesus is, but it is too late.  They have
rejected Him.  Take note that this is the WRATH of the Lamb, not
tribulation.

    Now that it is too late, they realize their terrible mistake of
 rejecting Jesus as their perfect Lamb sacrifice.  They would rather
 die right now, than face Him and be told of their eternity in hell
 that awaits them. They now even realize that Jesus sits on the
 throne. What a terrible awakening.

    I say one more time, this is during the wrath of God, and the
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in heaven. We will read more
about this further in Revelation.

    This that John sees is very much like a dream, in that the things
he sees are not in consecutive order.  We will see this again in the
vials poured out.

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

    The answer to that is no one.  The thing we must do is make sure
that we are not left here to face all of these horrors. The way to
assure that is by selling out to Jesus NOW.  Make Him Lord of your
life NOW before it is too late.

    The "...great day..." spoken of in V-17, begins three and a half
years of the worst things you could ever imagine.  Make sure you are
not left here to face the wrath of the Lamb.

    The last day has to be the last judgement. DOOM for the
unbelievers.

    Remember, Revelation is written to the church, the Christians.  It
encourages us to look forward to heaven.  It, also, tells us the
terrible things we will be saved from when the Wrath descends on this
earth.

    Additional scriptures: Ecclesiastes 8:5, Jerimiah 22:15,
Hebrews 4, 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Memorize 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and Luke 21:25-26.
                      REVELATION QUESTIONS 17


1.  What catastrophe happens at the opening of the sixth seal?
2.  Describe the sun and moon at this happening.
3.  This catastrophe has to do with the end of the ------------age.
4.  In Isaiah 2:9, why did they hide in the rocks?
5.  What should the Christians cry out just before the sixth seal is
    opened?
6.  What is told in Ezekial 32:7-8?
7.  What chapter of Matthew tells the same thing?
8.  In relation to the seven years, when does all of this happen?
9.  What heavenly thing is compared to figs falling off the fig tree?
10. What, other than a heavenly body, could the stars be?
11. What are we warned of over and over in the Bible about being
    strong?
12. What do we read in Second Thessalonians 2:2 about this?
13. What spiritual meaning does the mighty wind have?
14. Give me three chapters in Isaiah that speak of this time.
15. The falling away in the churches today tell us what?
16. What chapter in Luke gives a story of this end time message?
17. What three heavenly bodies will have signs?
18. The heaven departs as what?
19. What happens to the islands and mountains?
20. What chapter in Isaiah is almost identical and tells of the
    heavens being rolled together?
21. What does the author keep reminding you about the order Revelation
    is written in?
22. Name seven types of men who hide themselves in the dens and rocks?
23. What message should we get in that?
24. What did these men cry out to the rocks?
25. Why?
26. What is this called?
27. Whose great anger is this?
28. What is the terrible awakening?
29. Where are the Christians when this takes place?
30. What day is this called?
31. Write 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
32. Write Luke 21:25-26.
33. What do you believe this lesson is describing?