Revelation Chapter 6

The First Division of the Tribulation Week

The First Six Seals

Rev. 6:1-17

We now come to “the things” of the Revelation that will be fulfilled mainly on earth during the last seven years of this age—Daniel's Seventieth Week, Rev. 6:1-19:21. The seven seals, the two companies of redeemed, and the first six trumpets will transpire during the first half of the Week, Rev. 6:1-9:21. An angel will then come down from heaven to make certain announcements of what will happen when the seventh trumpet blows in the middle of the Week, Rev. 10. In the middle of the Week two witnesses will appear on earth, and the events of the sun-clothed woman, the manchild, war in heaven, casting out of Satan, and the two beasts will be fulfilled (Rev. 11:1-13:18), as well as the destruction of the great whore, Rev. 17. During the last half of the Week all of the events of Rev. 14-15, the seven vials, the total destruction of literal Babylon, the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the second advent of Christ will take place, Rev. 16:1-19:21. When we take the events in a literal sense instead of making everything symbolic and mystical, and when we take them as consecutive in order as they are revealed (unless it is otherwise stated), there is no confusion as to what will happen and when it will happen. The time element is then clear. It is only when we take historical events, or things of the Church Age that are to happen before the rapture, and mix them with future events that will happen after the churches, that we can become confused. So let us begin:

The First Six Seals

Rev. 6:1-17

The seven seals and the first six trumpets take place in succession in the first three and one half years of the tribulation Week or from the beginning to the middle of the Week. The seventh trumpet takes place in the middle of the Week. The order of events in the book is plain and we have no authority to change it. If the middle of the Week were to take place before the seals and the trumpets, it would have been described before them instead of after them, as is the case.

The First Seal: The Rise of the Antichrist

Verses 6:1 - 17: This lengthy section details the judgments and events of the time of tribulation. From its beginning with the opening of the first seal (verses 1-2), through the 7 seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments to the return of Christ to destroy the ungodly (Rev. 19:11-21).
There is a close similarity between these judgments and the event predicted by Christ (in Matthew 24:4-31).
The purpose of the Tribulation period is to punish the unbelieving world for their sin and rejection of Christ and hate of Israel and to bring the remnant to faith in Christ.

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see" (Rev. 6:1).

The word “Come” in Rev. 6:1, 3, 5 and 7 is used to command the riders in the seals to come forth. The words “and see” are omitted in the original texts (are not there).There is no reference to John to come here for he was already there looking at every scene.
The Lamb here is Jesus Christ, the only one worthy to open the seals. This noise as thunder indicates God revealing something to His people. Many times throughout the Bible, God's voice has been mistaken for thunder. Here one of the four beasts, or four living beings, says "Come and see". Of course, all of the four gospels say "Come and see". We are invited to look into the heavenly stage and see things never told upon the earth until now. We will see in the opening of this first seal, the triumph of Christ and His church.
The "seals" represent the beginning of Christ's judgment of unbelievers on the earth during the Tribulation period. The purpose of the Tribulation period is to punish the unbelieving world for their sin and rejection of Christ, and Israel and to bring the remnant to faith in Christ.
This part begins what is called "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". The four horsemen present the picture of man's inhumanity to man. They seem to be a divine prediction of the affairs of humankind that will cause much human suffering to each other. This is not new, for those in control of the affairs of this world have a history of causing their fellow human beings much suffering, with false hopes of peace followed by wars, famines, and death. This rider will cause wars, famines, pestilences, death and hell within the following three seals. These blights upon humanity always follow an ambitious conqueror. Antichrist is pictured as such in Dan. 7, 8, and 11.
One of the worst horrors of the Tribulation is the many plagues that will strike the world's people, particularly those who reject the Savior and refuse to have their name written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The judgments are started with the 7 seals.

"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Rev. 6:2).

The rider cannot be Christ for He is the one opening the seals. He will not be the contents of them and open them also, for the little book of Rev. 5 contains “things” never before revealed and which no man but Christ is able to open and reveal.
This white horse is not to be confused with the ones in Rev. 19:11-21, for this one is symbolic, while those in Rev. 19 are literal. Because they are both white in both passages is no proof they are symbolic of Christ or righteousness any more than the white horses in Zech. 1:8; 6:3-6 are symbolic of Christ. Christ is symbolized by a Lamb in this book and not as a rider on a white horse. In the New Testament the Word of God is symbolized by a mirror, meat, laver, light, bread, seed, and sword, but never a bow.
The First Seal: Initiates the worldwide conquest by the false messiah, the Antichrist (compare Matt. 24:5). He will be the final Gentile world ruler (see 13:1-7).
"A White Horse": The first of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse is white. The rider has a bow but no arrows, indicating that although he is militarily strong, in the beginning he does his conquering by diplomacy. Since he wears a crown, we know he is successful in his efforts. And who is the rider on the white horse? There can be no doubt that it is the “force” of the Antichrist, who through deceit and clever maneuvering will bring a false peace to the world. But that false peace is a rouge and will not last.
The animal represents an unparalleled time of world peace, a false peace that is to be short-lived. This peace will be ushered in by a series of false messiahs, culminating with the Antichrist (Matt. 24:3-5).
"He that sat on him": The 4 horses and their riders do not represent specific individuals, but forces. Many identify this rider with Antichrist. Although he will be the leading figure, John's point is that the entire world will follow him, being obsessed with pursing this false peace. This is a fulfillment of Dan. 7:8, 24-26; 8:8-10, 20-25; 11:35-45 as to the rise of the Antichrist among the ten kings of Revised Rome. Through conquests he will become supreme over them by the middle of the Week. The giver of the crown is not mentioned here, but it merely symbolizes the rise of the Antichrist to power over the ten kings, through the operation of satanic powers, 2 Thess. 2:8-12; Rev. 13:1-4; Dan. 8:25; 11:36-39.
"Bow": The bow is a symbol of war, but the absence of arrows implies that this victory is a bloodless one, a peace won by covenant and agreement, not by war (compare Dan. 9:24-27).
"Crown": This word refers to the kind of laurel wreath awarded winning athletes. It "was given to him". Antichrist becomes king, elected by the world's inhabitants regardless of the cost, and will conquer the entire earth in a bloodless coup.

The Bible is spoken of as a two edged sword. We are told over and over that the flesh and the Spirit are in constant conflict.

The second seal: War

Verses 3-4: The "second seal" brings war and a lack of "peace" (compare Matt. 24:6-7). The "sword" represents armed conflict. Perhaps the attacks on Israel mentioned (in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39; Dan. 11:40-44), are also in view. As we stated above the peace is short lived.

"And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see" (Rev. 6:3).

We too, may get a glimpse through the eyes and the pen of John. Remember “and see” is not in the original texts. The living creature has summoned the red horse rider to come and wage his war.

"And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword" (Rev. 6:4).

The Second Seal: John writes of the 2nd horseman. It was granted to the one who sat on the red horse to "take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."
"Another horse that was red": Its blood-red appearance speaks of the holocaust of war (compare Matt. 24:7). God will grant this horse and its rider the power to create worldwide war. But as horrible as this judgment is, it will be only the "birth pangs", the beginning pains of God's wrath (Matt. 24:8; Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:9).
We believe this seal represents a great conflagration we might call World War III. When Daniel's "three kings" oppose the Antichrist, he will respond in deadly fashion, swiftly crushing his enemies and bringing death to earth on a massive scale never before known. Only since the advent of the atomic age has it been possible to bring this kind of unimaginable, swift destruction to bear on widely scattered portions of the globe, Dan. 7:24; 11:40-45; Mt. 24:6-7.
The power given to him that sat on the horse: “And power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another.” This would seem to indicate that the condition immediately preceding this was a condition of tranquility, and that this was now disturbed by some cause producing discord and bloodshed.
"That they should kill one another": Violent slaughter will become commonplace.
His purpose is to cause "mankind to slaughter one another" The Greek word that is used, and the verb, means "to butcher, slaughter or massacre someone". This contains a purpose clause which reveals that peace is taken from the earth for the very purpose that mankind should butcher each other. And in the remainder of the Revelation's Seals, Trumpets and Golden Bowl Judgments, mankind does this to himself with ruthless skill.
"Sword": Not the long, broad sword, but the shorter, more easily maneuvered one that assassins often used and that soldiers carried into battle. It depicts assassination, revolt, massacre, and wholesale slaughter (compare Dan. 8:24).
We are not to expect peace until “the Prince of Peace” comes to reign over the world, Isa. 2:2-4; 9:6-7.

Verses 5-6: The "third seal" represents inflation and famine (compare Matt. 24:7). The "balances" or scales are related to commerce and trade. The word "penny", better transliterated "denarius", represented about one day's wages. "Wheat" and "barley" were considered necessities of life. "A measure" (Greek choinix), was 1.92 pints. The price given is about 10 times what was normal. The command "hurt not the oil and the wine" may indicate a restriction of the effects of the famine in this early part of the Tribulation.

The Third seal: Famine

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand" (Rev. 6:5 ).

The Third Seal: "A black horse": Black signifies famine (compare Lam. 5:8-10). Worldwide war will destroy the food supply which spawns global hunger. The living creature summoned the black horse rider.
"Pair of balances": The common measuring device, two small trays hung from each end of a balance bean, indicates that the scarcity of food will lead to rationing and food lines.
The "pair of balances" (scales) shows a weighing. We shall be weighed in the balance, and see if we stand or fall. This balance, also indicates a shortage of food. We see this in the color black, and in the balances. The famine will be so great, food will be weighed by the ounce and dispensed carefully. This famine will probably be as bad as the famine that was in Egypt in Joseph's time. Probably drought will trigger crop failures in many places. Only the very rich will be able to buy food. Personally, I believe, God will instruct Christians, who are totally sold out to Him to know when to plant and exactly what to do, as Joseph was told, of God, what to do.

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and [see] thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (Rev. 6:6).

"A measure of wheat": The approximate amount necessary to sustain one person for one day.
"For a penny": One day's normal wage. One day's work will provide enough food for only one person.
"Three measures of barley": Usually fed to animals, this grain was low in nutrients and cheaper than wheat. A days' wage provides enough for only a small family's daily supply.
Since in biblical days a penny was a common wage for a day's work, and a quart of wheat or three quarts of barley are basically subsistence diets, John is indicating that a man will have to work all day just to get enough food to eat, with nothing left over for his family or the elderly.
In the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:2), a day's work was a penny. This "penny", in the verse above, means a full day's pay. I believe this means that a loaf of bread will be so inflated in price, because of scarcity of food, that it will take a whole day's wages of a man to buy one loaf.
We surely know that it is a "measure", which is a very small amount. Barley seems to be a third the cost, so perhaps a meager meal of barley for three could cost a whole day's wages. The famine will be so great, that food will be weighed by the ounce and dispensed carefully.
This is run-away inflation to its worst possible conclusion. In many parts of the world inflation is already to that terrible extreme.
When inflation is coupled with famine, we see a situation more horrible than we care to imagine. We must stay closely in tune with God. If He tells us to dig a very deep well, we must do that. If He tells us to plant a garden, we must do that. It is going to be very important to be able to take daily instruction from God. Not to question, just do it. I believe God is even now setting up places of refuge for Christians.
On the other hand, the call to not "harm the oil and the wine," are symbols of wealth, indicates that the rich will do just fine. Or it could mean something referring with Spirit-filled Christians. Oil and wine are symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God. That His Hand will be on the Tribulation Saints protecting them during the tribulation.
I cannot stress enough, that this famine may not be just physical but spiritual, as well. During this time, I believe that many churches will teach false doctrines. Even now there is a terrible famine of truth in the church. Never have so many denied: the virgin birth of Christ, the Red Sea parted, Jonah being swallowed by the large fish, God as Father, or Jesus is God with us, "Immanuel".

Many churches are ordaining homosexuals to preach. Secular Humanism makes man a god.
How much more famine of the Spirit can we take? Truly there will be a physical famine, as well. Stay tuned to the voice of God. He will see you through it all.
The third horseman of the Apocalypse, who rides out early in the Tribulation, will take a heavy toll in deaths and sickness. The black horse he rides is an obvious symbol of famine and disease, which often follow war.
This could be a message of hard times for all of mankind. "black" symbolizes:
1. Woe;
2. Mourning;
3. Terrible times;
4. Famine, physical or spiritual;
5. Evil;
6. Opposite of goodness;
7. Everything that opposes God.

Christian Saints of the tribulation will be saved "in" the famine and not "from" the famine. Noah was saved "in" the flood, not "from" the flood. God can rain manna from heaven if necessary. I believe God will set up places of refuge where these tribulation believers can run, so they can have physical and spiritual food.
There is a great deal of difference in accepting Jesus as your Savior and accepting Jesus as your Lord. When He is Lord, He is totally in control, and we follow His instructions without questioning. The only thing required of us, for Jesus to be our Savior, is for us to believe. For Jesus to be our Lord, we no longer make our own decisions. He makes them for us. It is so much easier when He is Lord. God will not forsake the righteous. This picture is the same as Mt. 24:6-7, which will be fulfilled in the first part of the Week during the wars of the Antichrist.


The fourth seal: Death and Hell


Verses 7-8: The "fourth seal" brings "death" to a "fourth" of the population "of the earth", through war, famine, and pestilence (compare Matt. 24:7; Luke 21:11). "Death" takes lives, and "Hell" (Hades), holds them for judgment.

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see" (Rev. 6:7).

The fourth living creature says "Come”, This is a phrase often used by the Jews, to stir up attention to what is about to be said:

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" (Rev. 6:.

The Fourth Seal; "A Pale Horse" Or "Ashen", the Greek word from which the English word "chlorophyll' comes, describes the pale, ashen-green, pallor characteristic of the decomposition of a corpse. God grants this horseman the authority to bring death to 25% of the world's population.
"Hell": Or Hades, the place of the dead, which is identified as a common and fitting partner for death (20:13; This horse represents death.
John says the rider who sat on this horse "was Death, and Hell followed with him. One quarter of the earth's population, almost two billion people, will die as a result of WWIII war. The color of the fifth horse is not mentioned but perhaps it is the color red or black, for the name of the rider is Hell. The rampage of Death and Hell over the fourth part of the earth (ground) will be the natural result of the riders of the the first three seals. The bodies of men killed by the riders of these first four seals will be eaten by the beasts of the earth. Cf. Ezek. 14:21.
That Hades follows Death shows that those slain are unbelievers, for upon death believers do not go to Hades but straight to the Savior's side.
This "pale" here, means a sickly color, a sickly green color, as if sick to the death. "Death, and Hell" are grouped, meaning a termination of earthly dwelling. Death is inevitable for every one of us. Death of the body, that is. Hell does await some, but heaven awaits Christians. Hell is sometimes a word used for the grave. In that particular instance, Hell would follow death, because the bodies of the unrepentant will lie in the grave until resurrection day. Believers would immediately go to heaven and be “under the altar”.
I really believe this is a time in the end that is spoken of as a time when men's hearts will fail them for fear of things that are coming upon the earth (Luke 21:26). Fear is rampant, not only here in the U.S., but around the world.
Satan takes peace from the earth, but Christians have THE PEACE, Jesus, in the midst of the problems. In Matthew;
Matthew 24:7 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."
Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

The Fifth Seal: The Lesser Tribulation Martyrs

Verses 9-11: The "fifth seal" presents the martyrdom of Tribulation saints throughout the world. They will come to faith in Christ after the Rapture of The Church during the first half of the Week Rev. 4:1 and martyred from the time of the fifth seal (compare 7:9-17), and many will be killed by satanic opposition to their testimony of Christ. They plead for God's judgment on their unbelieving oppressors (Antichrist and his followers). The "white robes" depict their righteous standing before God. More saints will be martyred, since there is much more of the Tribulation to come.

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:" (Rev. 6:9).

"Fifth seal": This seal describes the force of the saint's prayers for God's vengeance. Its events will begin in the first half and mark the mid-point and events following, in the 7 year period, which the last 3-1/2 years is called the Great Tribulation (2:22; 7:14; Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4). The second 3-1/2 year period (11:2; 12:6; 13:5), features the Day of the Lord, in which God unleashes His judgment and wrath on the earth in intensifying waves (Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2).
When the fifth seal is broken, John sees "under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." Christians martyred for their faith (compare 7:9, 13-15; 17:6; Mt. 24:9-14; Mk. 13:9-13; Lk. 21:12-19).
Shortly after the beginning of the Tribulation there will be a great "soul harvest" in which many millions will come to faith in Christ, many as a result of the preaching of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses described (in Rev. chapter 7).
Imagine! Despite the desperate evil of the Antichrist, despite the horrors of war and famine and pestilence and death, God is still so much in control of earthly events that even the number of believing martyrs has been fixed by divine decree.
God tells us, as the apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Thessalonians:
2 Thess. 1:6-8 "It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you," "and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels," "in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So many churches have forgotten that persecution comes to the true believer. Many teach that if you are not living prosperously, both physically and spiritually, that you are not in right standing. That's certainly just not so, quite the opposite is true.
We must be crucified with Christ. We must get our flesh under subjection.
In Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
The Christian has tribulation which makes him strong. We are no better than our Master. If He suffered, we will suffer. The difference in our suffering and His, is that our suffering is generally not unto the death.

"And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10).

Most of these Tribulation saints will be killed by the forces of Antichrist. These martyred souls will cry out for God to avenge their deaths, but they will be told to "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 and then they all will be resurrected at the end of the Week.
John did not see these souls with his physical eye, but saw them in the Spirit. These souls were waiting for the Judge of all the earth to interrupt the evil of the devil and his persecution of the saints who remained there. Their cry was the same, in a sense, as the Christians who say, come quickly Lord Jesus.
This is not a reprimand of the Lord, but just a pleading for it to all be over. These souls are not looking for vengeance, but are just crying out for the Lord to end all of it and set up His kingdom. Who better can sympathize with our generation of martyrs than the martyrs of the past? Some of the martyrs of today are not physically killed, but are persecuted by their peers.

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:11).

These are the ones who were martyred during the tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. White robes are the uniform issued to all believers in the Lord Jesus.
"Rest yet for a little season": God will answer their prayer for vengeance, but in His time. God has predetermined the number of the righteous whose death He will allow before moving to destroy the rebels.
When the fullness of time comes, the time that God has chosen, Jesus will appear in the clouds and blow the silver trumpet. He will gather all believers with Him in heaven. He will not come one hour early or late. He will be on time. It will be at the specific time He (God) chose from the foundation of the earth.
These martyrs are our fellow servants. They arrived in heaven the same way we will, through their faith unto the death. The white in these "white robes" shows that these have been victorious over the problems in this earth.

The Sixth Seal: The wrath of God

Verses 12-14: Here under the sixth seal we have revealed for the first time the wrath of God. No wrath of God is contained in the first five seals, for they reveal the things that are only the natural results of the rise of a conqueror and the persecution of God's people. But here because of these terrible persecutions upon the people who will conform to the Roman system of religion, God begins to reveal His great wrath and judgment upon these persecutors. This outpouring of God's wrath will produce great physical changes in the earth and heavens and distress among men. The earth and the heavenly bodies will go into convulsions. (Joel 2:30-31), predicts many of these judgments in nature as signs of the day of the Lord.

"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;" (Rev. 6:12).

"The sixth seal": The force described in this seal is overpowering fear (compare Luke 21:26). The previous 5 seals will be precursors to the full fury of the Day of the Lord which will begin with the sixth seal (verse 17). The events described in this seal unleash the seventh, which unleashes the trumpet judgments (chapters 8 and 9; 11:15), and the vial or bowl judgments (chapter 16).
The "Great Earthquake": There have been many earthquakes prior to this (Matt. 24:7), but this will be more than an earthquake. All the earth's faults will begin to fracture simultaneously, resulting in a cataclysmic, global earthquake.
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. We just know from what we read that an earthquake of that magnitude will occur.
The cry, if they are Christians, just before this sixth seal is opened is "The Lord is coming".
"The moon became as blood": Accompanying the earthquake will be numerous volcanic eruptions; and large amounts of ash and debris will be blown into the earth's atmosphere, blackening the sun and giving the moon a blood-red hue (compare Zech. 14:6-7).
The first four seals described judgments largely inflicted by man; the sixth seal describes a judgment clearly supernatural in origin. John tells of an earthquake so massive that "every mountain and island was moved out of its place."
Perhaps John is referring to enormous volcanic activity, for he says "the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood." Particulate matter scattered in the atmosphere after a volcanic eruption has often turned the sky black and made the moon seem to turn red. There are five times that the sun or part of it will be darkened during the tribulation Week.
This terrible earthquake is told about (in Isaiah 2):
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."
In (Ezekiel 32:7-, we read about the darkness of the sun, moon, and stars.
In (Matthew 24), we read of this same thing in the heavens.
Matthew 24:29 "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:"
Notice that this occurs at the end of the three and a half years of tribulation (prior to the start of the Great Tribulation), just before the Wrath of God is poured out upon the earth.

"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" (Rev. 6:13).

"Stars of heaven fell": The word "stars" can refer to any celestial body, large or small, and is not limited to normal English usage. The best explanation is a massive asteroid or meteor shower.
"Untimely figs": Winter figs that grow without the protection of leaves and are easily blown from the tree.
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.
2 Thess. 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 21:16), we read about those who will be betrayed by those of their own household and friends.
We read again of the commotion in heaven:
Luke 21:25-26 "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;" "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.

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

"The heaven departed as a scroll": The earth's atmosphere will be somehow dramatically affected.
"Every mountain and island were moved": Under the stress created by the global earthquake, great segments of the earth's plates will begin to slip and shift, realigning whole continents.
This earthquake will be so strong that mountains will flatten out and islands will rearrange. 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), a similar Scripture as above.
Isaiah 34:4 "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.

Verses 15-17: As a result of these first six seal judgments, many unbelievers will want to die and to hide from God, but will be unable to. "The great day of his wrath" is the Day of the Lord, the predicted time of God's judgment of the earth and its inhabitants (compare Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31). “The great day of His wrath has come.” When the heaven departs as a scroll the thrones of God and of the Lamb are to be seen by men on the earth, and they will cry in terror to be killed, for they will realize that it is time for God to judge them for their sins. The day of wrath is contrasted to the present "day of grace". "Is come", means God's day of judgment "is here". It has finally arrived, having begun with the first six seals.

"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. 6:15).

The message in this 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 underprivileged 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 neither silver and gold will 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).

"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:" (Rev. 6:16).

"The wrath of the Lamb": Earth's inhabitants will recognize for the first time, the source of all their trouble (see note on 5:6). Incredibly, prior to this they will be living life as usual (Matt. 24:37-39).
The people of earth will clearly recognize these phenomena as coming from the hand of God, for they are said to cry out to the mountains where they take cover, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits 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.
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.

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

"Great day": The sixth seal will commence what the prophets call "the Day of the Lord" (Cf. Joel).
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 accepting Jesus NOW. Make Him Lord of your life NOW before it is too late.
The "great day" spoken of above, begins three and a half years of the worst things you could ever imagine. The last day has to be the last judgment. 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.
And it leads true Christians to witness to their friends and family while there is still time. Knowing what is coming, we certainly don't want to leave anyone behind.