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: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Rev 6:16-17 KJV)
Revelation 6:16-17 is a marker that separates the activities of Satan from the activities of God. Up until these verses, we read only about the activities of Satan bringing all kinds of tribulation, terror, and chaos into the world. But here we see God finally step in with His wrath against the ungodly. The timing of this is the Sixth Seal.
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; 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. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 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; (Rev 6:12-15 KJV)
So the first five seals were all the works of Satan. The sixth seal is the sign that signifies certain events associated with the beginning of the Day of the Lord which is the same time as the rapture of the Church (see The Pre-Wrath Rapture for proof). The sixth seal speaks of certain signs in the heavens and earth. The three main signs are as follows:
a great earthquake
the sun becomes black
the moon becomes as blood
These are the main signs I want to focus on because they can be tracked in different places in the Bible. When we find these peculiar signs being mentioned together, we have a clue which tells us exactly what will happen during or immediately following the sixth seal. The seventh seal is where we see the actual wrath of God poured out on the ungodly. The seventh seal contains seven trumpets, which when sounded bring terrible misery upon sinners. They are as follows:
Trumpet 1) Great hail that destroys one-third of the earth's vegetation
Trumpet 2) A mountain (possibly a meteor) that goes into the sea and a third part of sea-life dies and one-third part of the ships are destroyed
Trumpet 3) A star fell and destroyed one-third of the earth's fresh water supply (possibly a nuclear bomb)
Trumpet 4) A third part of light, from the sun, moon, and stars, will be darkened
Trumpet 5) God allows the release of small demon creatures from the abyss (unseen by men) that will torment mankind with great pain, like a scorpion sting, for five months
Trumpet 6) The release of an army of 200, 000, 0000 that will kill one-third of mankind “by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone”. They are allotted a time period of “an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year”.
Trumpet 7) The seven last plagues of God's wrath will be poured out upon the unrepentant in seven vials, as follows:
Vial 1) A grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast
Vial 2) The sea becomes as blood and all life dies in the sea
Vial 3) The fresh water supply turns to “blood” as well
Vial 4) The sun will scorch people with great heat
Vial 5) Great darkness and pain falls upon the seat of the beast (the kingdoms behind the antichrist)
Vial 6) The Euphrates River is dried up in preparation for Armageddon
Vial 7) Great thunder and lightening, a great earthquake, and great hail comes upon the enemies of God at Armageddon
Going back to the sixth seal, so what else does the Bible say about these signs that precede the wrath of God? What events occur at this sixth seal?
Isa 24:19-23 KJVR The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly . (20) The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage ; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. (22) And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. (sounds like Rev 20:1-3) (23) Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed , when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Here is one passage that unmistakably has all three of the same events mentioned for the sixth seal. This is a deeper description of what also occurs at this time period in greater detail than what we see in Revelation 6. Notice some of the things that occur during or after the great earthquake, the moon being confounded, and the sun ashamed. It is associated with "the LORD [punishing] the host of the high ones that are on high and the kings of the earth upon the earth." Jesus is pouring out His wrath on the wicked spirits in the second heaven as well as on the kings of the earth. I believe He is clearing out the second heaven for us believers to rule in their place. This passage of Isaiah is describing the Day of the Lord in which Jesus pours our His wrath, destroying His enemies, and setting down to rule and reign on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. The actual day of the Lord happens over several months - possibly even over two years. But there is no question this passage matches Revelation 6:12-17 which clearly describes the beginning of the wrath of God/Jesus.
Joe 2:1-11 KJVR Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (2) A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. (3) A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. (4) The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. (5) Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. (6) Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. (7) They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: (8) Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. (9) They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. (10) The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: (11) And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?... Joe 2:30-32 KJVR And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. (31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. (32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Here we see the earth quake before this terrible army. Possibly this is the 200,000,000 man army of the sixth trumpet (not sixth seal). However, I think it also has a double-meaning. In the heavens the angels of God will be going through all of the second heaven and evicting all of Satan's host that have occupied that spiritual territory above the earth [see Dan 10:13, 20]. Those angels are the army of God. But notice also two of the signs are mentioned for this event: the sun darkened and the moon turning blood red. I believe it goes back before this army is released and talks about the signs which will proceed Joel 2:1-11. Most importantly, these signs are THE signs beginning the Day of the Lord which is the beginning of the day of God's wrath. So, here again, we get more insight into the sixth seal.
Matthew Chapter 24 - A Perfect Chronology of End-Time Events
Matthew 24 tells us exactly what is to happen in exact order. So much confusion has been raised concerning Matthew 24. It is hard to see the Truth even if it were told to some people because so many have been programmed to believe in a pre-trib rapture. If pre-trib rapture were true, you would have to rip Matthew 24 out of your Bible because Jesus got it all wrong. When it talks about Jesus coming to gather together His elect (Matt 24:31), "That isn't the rapture" the pre-tribbers say but they could not be further from the Truth.
Pre-tribbers say the rapture is when Jesus stays in the heavens while His second coming is when He lands on mount Olives. THAT distinguishes the two events, they say. Why could He not rapture us into the heavens to be with Him where He is and then, several months later, touch down on the Mount of Olives? I believe the Bible teaches that the rapture and the coming are one event spread out over many months.
Pre-tribbers say Matthew 24 is all about the Jews since it mentions Judea, Sabbath days, and the holy place. They say, since it is all about the Jews, when it starts talking about the gathering when Jesus comes, it is not the rapture. That is totally incorrect. Yes, Matthew 24 does deal primarily with the Jews, as does all end-time prophecy, but not exclusively. We, the Church, are God's elect and we will be gathered just like it says in Matthew 24. Let's break down Matthew 24 into its order:
This is a description of general tribulation that will lead up to the Great Tribulation.
This is a shortened version of the Great Tribulation up until "the end." He goes into greater detail on this time period starting with verse 15.
Jesus refocused here for more detail on a particular event that starts the Great Tribulation.. The sign that signifies the beginning of the Great Tribulation (3 1/2 years) is the Abomination of Desolation. Starting here He goes into greater detail event by event in chronological order.
These verses clearly lay out the antichrist's attack on the Jewish people in Israel.
This mentions the days being shortened. I am uncertain what He means by this. Possibly less daylight, therefore less persecution.
This is the same as verse 11 only in greater detail. False christs and false prophet will abound. It ends with a description of how Jesus will return.
Verse 27 gave an overview of His coming but here is when He is very specific. It is after the tribulation "of those days". His coming is directly related to the signs in the Sun, Moon, stars, and the great earthquake. After the signs, He gathers His elect, the Church, in the rapture.
He warns us that WE CAN know when it is near. He tells us that is will happen in a single generation (which I believe is ours!). He then tells us we cannot know the day or hour (we can know the timing other than the day and hour, if we know our Bible.)
The Lord switches to the view of His coming from a sinner's perspective. People will be unaware of the timing. But the people He is talking about are the sinners - not the saints. Noah knew when it was time because he entered the ark. Notice the coming of the Lord is associated with the wrath of God against sinners in the flood but simultaneously the rescue of His chosen like Noah and his family.
These verse are talking to those people who think Jesus is their Lord but their very actions prove otherwise. They must wake up or they will miss the rapture and endure a very great time of tribulation. These do not have any clue as to when He is coming. It will be very sudden and unexpected and they will face the wrath of God if they do not repent and accept Jesus before they die.
Without any question, the Coming of Jesus is associated with the signs and the rapture of the Church according to Matthew 24. All this happens clearly after the Great Tribulation against the Church by the antichrist. Remember, that the wrath of the antichrist lasts 3 1/2 years against the Church. It starts with the wrath against our generation who are alive until the rapture. But then we are raptured and a new generation of Christians will emerge during the tribulation and the antichrist persecutes them unto death.
The Rapture IS Mentioned in Matthew 24
So don't let anyone ever tell you that the following verses are not talking about the rapture of the Church.
Mat 24:30-31 KJV 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. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
How much more clear could Jesus have said it? He comes, THE Second Coming, and He raptures His Church FROM HEAVEN! It seems it is from these very words that Paul studied and wrote for us 1 Thess. 4 and 5.1Th 4:16-17 KJV For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Notice the similarities of Matt 24:30-31 and 1 Thess 4:16-17. There is the Lord, angelic presence, a trump, and a gathering of God's people in the air. These passages are talking about the same event! Some say, "Matthews account is talking about angels gathering the elect while Thessalonians does not talk about angels gathering us." My reply....so what. Matthew's account gives the details of how we are going to gather with the Lord in the air but Paul did not give the details of how. He just says we'll be raptured in the clouds. Don't be petty. You would have to be taught by men to actually believe these two verses are talking about different events. If you give someone without any Bible indoctrination both passages to read, there is no question almost all would agree that these must be talking about the same event. The only prerequisite to believing it would be literacy.
Proof In The Timing of The Signs of The Sixth Seal
Matthew 24 is a perfect chronology. It absolutely matches the first six seals of Revelation. Many pre-tribbers have pointed out the first four or five seals match Matthew 24 but they ignore that sixth seal is mentioned as well because it contradicts their pretribulation rapture system. Be honest and tell me if these verses are talking about the same event:
Mat 24:29 KJV 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:
Rev 6:12-14 KJV 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. (14) And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Obviously this a description of the same event. So what's the big deal? In Matthew, the next verse (verse 30) is the Coming of The Lord which the pretibbers say happens at the end of the seven years. But obviously in Revelation it is at the sixth seal, afterwhich there are many many more events to follow, so it could not be at the end of the seven years. In fact, the combining of two events to follow last at least 1 1/2 years! Pre-tribbers believe Jesus touches down immediately at His Coming at the end of the seven years so as to not mess up their interpretation of Daniel's seventieth week. They usually cannot admit that something is wrong with their seven year scenario. It is plain and simple: Jesus comes at the sixth seal, not at the end of the seven years. And with His coming, He raptures His Church and starts the Day of The Lord which will last many months. Then He touches down on the mount of Olives at the end of the seven years.Proof in Redemption
Luk 21:27-28 KJV And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (28) And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
See Romans 8:23 Ephesians 1:14; 4:30. The "redemption" Jesus is talking about here in Luke is the rapture of our bodies! The context of this verse is His Second Coming. He comes and raptures us at the same time! Praise God!
Part 1 - Jews, Nations, and the Church of God
Part 3 - The Tribulation Time Period
Part 5 - The Pre-Wrath Rapture
Part 7 - Christians In Heavens
Part 8 - The Second Installment of The Coming of the Lord
Part 9 - The Millennial Reign of Christ Time Period
Part 10 - The Great White Throne Judgment and a New Beginning