Now we come to The SIXTH SEAL (Rev. 6:12-17), which brings the heightened early Tribulations that sound a lot like “the beginning of sorrows” that Jesus spoke of here in Luke 21:8-11, Matt 24:5-11. Compare Rev. 12-17 below with Luke 21:8-11, Matt 24:5-11.

“¹²And 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.

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; 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: ¹⁷  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17 (KJV)

Jesus speaking to Israel said; “⁸ And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. ⁹ But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. ¹⁰ Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: ¹¹ And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” (Luke 21:8-11)
⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ⁶ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸ All These Are The Beginning Of Sorrows. ⁹ Then shall they deliver you [Israel’s believers] up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (Matt 24:5-11)

Let’s now look further at the “SIXTH SEAL” in some more detail:

The SIXTH SEAL - Rev. 6:12-17 – First read the verses and note that there is no mention of Rapture, no ‘catching away’ or resurrection as Pre-Wrath Rapture folks say occurs here before the 7^th SEAL. Why?

This is because the Rapture occurs before any part of the Tribulation Period begins or Seals are opened.

The SIXTH SEAL does begin a transition toward the last 3-1/2 years called the “Great [intensified] Tribulation.” But even before we see disruptions of nature in the form of a most violent earthquake (v12); the sun turning black like sackcloth, which is likely because of volcanoes erupting and spewing ash that blocks sunlight and giving the moon as red appearance (v12, cf. Luke 21:8-11, Matt 24:5-11), with the moving of mountains and islands (6:14). Then “The Stars of Heaven fell to the earth, shaken of a mighty wind” (v13) likely has reference to Revelation 12 (below). Note that the ‘angels, in this case the ‘fallen angels,’ are often referred to as “stars” in the Bible. Thus ‘the stars of heaven falling’ likely has reference to “the Devil and his angels” being cast from the 2^nd or lower heaven down “into the earth” … for “He [the Devil] Knoweth That He Hath But a Short Time.”

⁷ And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ⁸ And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. ⁹And the great dragon [Lucifer] was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was Cast Out Into The Earth, and His Angels Were Cast Out With Him ¹² … Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having Great Wrath, because He Knoweth That He Hath But A Short Time. Revelation 12:7-9, 12

The “woman [Israel’s remnant]” (v14) will flee to God’s protection the mountains of Petra in Edom (an area not under the Antichrist, cf. Dan. 11:41]. She, Israel’s believing remnant, escapes Satan’s increasing attacks for 3-1/2 years (v14), even while Antichrist’s otherwise world-over control intensifies unto the battle of Armageddon.

Rev. 6:15-16 - People of all social classes; kings and nobles along with every slave and free person (v15) run for their lives, knowing they are under God’s judgment. This is evident from their cry to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall On Us And Hide Us From The Face Of The One Seated On The Throne and From THE WRATH OF THE LAMB” (v16). Still, we see no account of a Rapture at that time as the Pre-wrath people would claim.

But while it would be logical for individuals under judgment to call for mercy and salvation, these people’s hearts have become so hardened that they prefer death to salvation! Notice that they know God’s identity precisely: they know He is God the Father referring to “THE WRATH OF THE LAMB.”

Rev. 6:17 The “great [Grk. megas] day” of the Lord’s “wrath” marks a transition point in the Tribulation with the 7^th Seal. Approximately three and a half years into the seven-year Tribulation period, the earth will experience what Jesus called “Great Tribulation” (Matt 24:21; ‘great distress’). The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah speaks of the Great Tribulation in stark terms:

“⁷ Alas! for That Day Is Great, so that None Is Like It: it is Even The Time of Jacob’s [Israel’s] Trouble; but he [the believers of Israel] shall be saved out of it.” (Jer. 30:7 (KJV)

During this time many people, Jews and Gentiles will be saved – all under Israel’s “gospel of the kingdom” during this period. Of course, “the dispensation of the grace of God” will have previously ENDED with the Rapture of the Gentile Church to heaven at least 3-1/2 years earlier.

These Six SEALS lead to the intensified 2^nd half “Great Tribulation” that comes with the 7^th SEAL and the SEVEN TRUMPETS JUDGMENTS when Antichrist takes up residence in the 3^rd Temple “as God”

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [of God’s wrath] shall not come, except there come a falling away first [departure first], and that MAN OF SIN [ANTICHRIST] be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁴ WHO OPPOSETH [GOD] And EXALTETH HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THAT IS CALLED GOD, or that is worshipped; so that HE AS GOD SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHEWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (KJV)

This will then bring on the full wrath by God’s Hand in the 7 Trumpet and 7 Bowl Judgments. These include divinely ordained supernatural catastrophes to come upon the earth, wherein a total of 2/3’s of the earth’s population, including 2/3s of Israel, will die.