REVELATION 6:14-17
SUBJECT:
TRIBULATION SEAL JUDGMENTS
THEME: The Lamb breaks the sixth seal, sending
God's judgments upon the earth.
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? (Rev. 6:14–17, King James Version).
INTRODUCTION:
Why doesn’t God do something about all the suffering,
wickedness, pain, oppression, and injustice in the world? If He loves us so
much…wouldn’t He do something to help and protect us? Surely if He is so powerful,
He can simply force everything…fix it all immediately. Right? Why wait to some
day in the distant future? Why not change the world for good now? The worldwide
hunger is senseless, poverty is also widespread, and the powerful are only
concerned about themselves…. Why doesn’t God intervene to introduce some
balance in the world?
These questions have been asked by many bewildered souls, and
these same thoughts have occurred to many others who would not even dare to mouth
them. The shocking truth is God is not primarily concerned with what often
misguided people demand of Him. What He values about human beings is quite
different than what we value in people and for ourselves. His timing is far
more informed then we give Him credit, and His patience is beyond comparison.
He exercises patience to give us more opportunities to see things His way.
Eventually, He will deal with the big problems of the world and this life more
aggressively. Though He will execute perfect justice by doing so, it may surprise
you how He will go about it.
The
SIXTH SEAL has been broken which introduces significant world chaos— the great
day of God’s wrath begins— and catastrophic judgments upon the universe and the
natural world occurs in rapid succession with incredible intensity (Rev. 6:12-17). In this
paragraph we find that the universe is traumatized, that continents quake
insanely, the sun and stars whirl through space unpredictably, and sinners will
hide in utter terror. Both the heavens and earth feel the judgment of natural
catastrophes while people lose all sense of normalcy and security.
The
terrifying results of opening the sixth seal will cause all unsaved people,
small and great, to hide in caves, calling for the rocks to crush them rather
than face God’s wrath. Who will be able to stand when God finally deals with all
that is wrong in the world?
LESSON:
John Hears the Impact of The Lamb’s
Wrath on those Who Reject God (Rev. 6:15-17).
Even
though John wrote using some symbolic language, these verses describe events
that should be taken literally, and these developments should frighten even the
most courageous person. Note that men
are so terrified that they cry for the mountains and rocks to crush them alive
to escape the multiplied horrors of the Lamb’s wrath.
1. The Persons of that Great Day. (Rev. 6:15 a)
Rank
and wealth will not deliver anyone in that terrible day. John's list includes
kings, captains, warriors, slaves and free men, the rich and the poor. "Who shall be able to stand?"
A. Great Fear Will Grip Unbelievers all over the
World.
Note
the list of those who fear:
— The kings and rulers of the earth
will fear.
— The great and powerful of the earth
will fear.
— The rich and wealthy of the earth
will fear.
— The military chiefs of the earth
will fear.
— The mighty and the strong of the
earth will fear.
— The slave and insignificant of the
earth will fear.
— The free and independent of the
earth will fear.
Every
unbeliever upon earth will be stricken with dreadful alarm…a maddening terror.
They will be so frightened that panic and pandemonium will sweep the civilizations
of the earth.
Isaiah
13:6, Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a
destruction from the Almighty.
Isaiah
13:8, And they shall be afraid: pangs and
sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that
travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as
flames.
Fear
drives people to extreme and entirely irrational behaviors in the interest of
self-preservation. Everywhere people will perceive multiplied threat to
themselves and their loved ones…such painful horrors cannot be escaped. Some
will literally wither to the point of incapacitation due to the gravity of
their situation and associated anxieties. Constant fears stimulate angst, acute
stress, fright, and deep sadness. Though many of the individuals described in
this passage are powerful people, they will surely be gripped with the
realizations they are not in control and their doom is unavoidable. Is there
any hope of escape?
B. No One Is Going to Escape the Judgment of God,
and They All Know It.
— And there is no partiality with
God; God has no favorites.
— The world of unbelievers will quake
in terror and fright before the unusual events happening in outer space and
upon earth.
— There will be a keen sense, a sharp
awareness, an aching consciousness that the judgment of God is looming right
over the horizon. The very atmosphere of the earth will be heavy with the
feeling that the end is at hand.
Zeph.
l:14, The great day of the LORD is near, it
is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty
man shall cry there bitterly.
Joel
2:1, 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.
There
is no means of escape for those who have rejected Jesus Christ after hearing
the Gospel message. The future is expressly marked by horrific judgment from
the Almighty for them. If you are among those who believe you will get away
with your sin…I invite you to please think again.
2.
The Places of that Great Day.
(Rev. 6:15b-16a)
The
sound of the cries comes from the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. Pandemonium
and panic have driven people to the wilderness regions for hiding and
protection from others. Distrust is escalating in all sectors of society…no one
can be trusted. Some are driven from their once luxurious homes and pampered lifestyles
to the dangers and inconveniences of the wilderness.
A. People Will Seek Refuge in the Mountains and
Rural Areas.
This makes
sense in light of the massive destruction that has transpired in the average
cities of the earth. Cities, especially coastal cities, will be in intolerable
chaos and devastation. The industrialized world will collapse, and national and
international economies will utterly fail, while people begin to leave the
cities of the world and seek refuge in the hills, mountains, and rural areas. Generally,
these less developed areas will have less devastation by these judgments;
people will retreat to these regions perceiving them as safer and more
conducive to hiding.
B. People Will Try to Hide from the Face of God
and from the Face of the Lamb!
Imagine
wanting to hide from a lamb! Dr. Vance Havner said that the day would come when
the most expensive piece of real estate would be a hole in the ground, and he was
right. They know who they are accountable to…God and The Lamb. They understand
exactly who is responsible for these judgments upon humanity and the natural
world. Finally, they get it! Yet, it is too late for them. Oh, that people will
heed God’s warning today and trust the Savior!
C. We Will See More of “The Wrath of God” as We
Progress Through Revelation (Rev 11:18;
14:10; 16:19; 19:15).
D. We Will Also Encounter the Wrath of Satan
(Rev 12:17) and the Wrath of the Nations as They Oppose
God (Rev 11:18).
If men
and women will not yield to the love of God, and be changed by the grace of
God, then there is no way for them to escape the wrath of God... Why not place
your trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for the forgiveness of sins today?
3. The Prayers of that Great Day. (Rev. 6:16-17)
Despair
and hopelessness have now settled upon these refugees. What? Surely with all
this trouble they will now turn to God! Right? Well, these displaced souls do
not pray to the God on the Throne nor to the Lamb…they cry out to the mountains
and hills and beg for death.
A. They All will Cry Out to Be Hidden from the
Wrath of the Lamb.
They
have endured as much as they can handle…they want no more of this dreadful existence….
“Wrath”
refers to God’s displeasure with humanity and our actions of unbelief and
rebellion. This divine anger is righteous and holy; it is an expression of God’s
love for justice and holiness! W.A. Elwell stated the wrath of God is fully
consistent with Old Testament and New Testament portrayals of the Almighty. In
the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
he says,
Unfortunately, ignorance of the OT and a
misunderstanding of the NT have resulted in a heretical view of the biblical
canon (Marcionism), in which the OT reveals the God of wrath and the NT reveals
the God of love. Contrary to popular misconception the NT, like the OT, also
teaches the wrath of God in connection with his love. The biblical teaching on
God’s love cannot be appreciated unless it is seen in contrast with the
biblical teaching on his wrath. The word “wrath” is a concept represented by
many different words and idioms in the original languages of the Bible. The
references to God’s wrath are the most frequent—nearly three times as many as
any other subject. --(Elwell, W. A., &
Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Wrath of God. In Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol.
2, pp. 2166–2167)).
1.
The phrase "wrath of the
Lamb" seems a paradox, "Wrath of the lion" would be
more consistent. We are so accustomed to emphasizing the meekness and
gentleness of Christ (Matt 11:28-30) that we forget His holiness
and justice. The same Christ who
welcomed the children also drove the merchants from the temple.
2.
God’s wrath is not like a child’s temper tantrum or punishment meted out
by an impatient parent. Nor is it like the knee jerk reactions of a poor
manager or supervisor who drives his or her people with harshness, cruelty,
manipulation and sarcasm.
3.
God's wrath is the evidence of His holy love for all that is right and
His holy hatred for all that is evil. Only a soft and sentimental person would
want a God who did not deal justly with evil in the world. The truth is all of
us want justice for ourselves and our loved ones, but few are concern with
justice for God. The God who made the universe… the Giver of every loving and
just law…the Lord of all humanity and peoples whether saved or not. All of us
would want justice if our mother was captured, repeatedly raped, senselessly brutalized
and finally killed and dumped naked in the streets like worthless trash. Without
exception we all would demand for justice to be visited upon the perpetrator of
such heinous crimes. Each of us would be correctly offended, horrified, and pursuant
of retribution to the extent of the law. There would be rioting in the streets
if such vicious crimes go unpunished. So, if a person treated so inhumanely
should receive fair recompense under the law then why not the perfect God of
glory? God has been offended by our sinful feelings, thoughts, motives, and
actions every day since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden until
this very moment. He will see to the proper administration of impartial justice.
God deals in the realm of pure righteousness, and He will determine what is
right and equitable without a single exception.
4.
Furthermore, the people mentioned in Revelation chapter six are
impenitent. They refuse to accept God’s salvation and submit to God’s will.
They would rather hide from God in fear
(remember Adam and Eve?) than run to Him in faith.
They are proof that judgment by itself does not change the human heart. Not
only will men seek to hide from God, but they will blaspheme Him as well! (Rev. 16:9, 11, 21).
Is.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.
B. They Will Cry for Death Instead of Facing
God.
The
terror and fright will be so exasperating that massive populations the world around
will degrade into panic. People will be insanely scampering about to hide in
the clandestine dens and rocks of the wilderness regions. They will literally
beg for death as the only perceived means of escape from their terrors. Their
only hope now is to be annihilated in order to keep from having to face God’s
eternal judgment. This is how the unregenerate mind thinks! It is not guided by
faith, but fears. The Scriptures give this warning many times over with the
hope of people heeding God’s counsel.
Lk.23:30,
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall on us; and to the hills. Cover us.
Joel
2:11, 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.
Hos.
l0:8, The high places also of Aven, the sin
of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their
altars; and they shall say to the
mountains. Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
The
sad truth is death is not a means of escape for the unsaved. It flings them
violently into far more severe judgment of an eternal nature. Annihilation is a
false hope…it is not fixed in truth and reality. We are everlasting beings who
will exist forever somewhere. With God or without God are the options…in heaven
or in hell. My friend, it is not all over once we die…after physical death
comes judgment from God for the unsaved person. Suffering in the Lake of Fire
forever is the clearest teaching of the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone
who refuses God’s gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ must face the
God they have sinned against and receive their final sentence to hell.
4. The Point of that Great Day. (Rev. 6:17)
The
Judgment Day of the Lord: there is the reason for the catastrophes throughout
the universe and for the panic of men-the great day of God's wrath is at hand.
This “day” refers to the entire period while these judgments endure and not a
mere 24-hour time frame.
A. What Is the Great Day of God's Wrath?
— It is the day when all unbelievers
must stand before the face of God who sits upon the throne of the universe.
— It is the day when all unbelievers
must face the wrath of the Lamb; the day when they must face the Son of God
Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ whom they have rejected, denied, cursed,
disobeyed, disbelieved, ignored, and neglected.
— It is the great day of His wrath, the
very day that His wrath is to fall, the very day that every unbeliever must
face Him.
— It is the day when no unbeliever
shall stand, the day when all unbelievers shall crumble and be subjected to the
humiliation of eternal guilt, condemnation, and punishment.
Jn.
l2:48, He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth
him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day.
Ro.
2:5, But after thy hardness and impenitent
heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
Rev.
6:17, For the great day of his wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?
Is.
2:11-12, The lofty looks of man shall be
humbled, and 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 be upon
every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he
shall be brought low.
So,
the great day of God’s wrath encompasses a season and series of judgments upon
the world and lost humanity. It is not capricious or thoughtless nor is it
unreasonable. No, it is God giving people what they want. A life and world
without His goodness, blessings, grace, interventions, and provisions—life without
Him. It is a time of holding people and nations accountable for decisions and
actions.
B. John Walvoord Puts it in Simple and Striking
Words saying:
The Day of the Lord is a period of time in
which God will deal with wicked men directly and dramatically in fearful
judgment. Today a man may be a blasphemer of God, an atheist, can denounce God
and teach bad doctrine. Seemingly God does nothing about it. But the day
designated in Scripture as 'the day of the Lord' is coming when God will punish
human sin, and He will deal in wrath and in judgment with a Christ-rejecting
world. One thing we are sure of, that God in His own way will bring every soul
into judgment. — (The Thessalonian
Epistles. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1967, p.76).
At
this point I must implore you to remember: this passage reveals what will happen
in the early portion of the Day of the Lord. These events-the catastrophe in
the heavens and on earth and the fright and panic that strikes people with
maddening terror-all this transpires before the Great Tribulation Period. This
is merely the breaking of the seals of God’s book and the events within the pages
of the book-the worst judgments-are yet to come. Beloved, who will be able to
stand?
Without
any element of exaggeration, the message to all people everywhere is twofold:
1) All unbelievers will stand face to face
with God on the great day of His wrath, and that day is right over the horizon.
— The wrath of God is coming upon the rich
and the powerful who thought they were self-sufficient and in command of their
lives.
— The wrath of God is coming upon the
religious who thought they could be good enough and do enough good to be
acceptable to God.
— The wrath of God is coming upon the poor
who thought they were too insignificant or even thought their oppression would
cause God to look upon them with mercy.
— The wrath of God is coming upon the
intelligent who thought they were too knowledgeable to believe in Christ.
— The wrath of God is coming upon the
scientist and technician because they thought they had progressed so far, they
could disprove God.
2) We must trust Jesus Christ now to escape
the great day of God’s wrath.
Zeph.
l:14-16, The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly,
even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress a day of wasteness
and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick
darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against
the high towers.
Mal.4:
l, For, behold, the day cometh, that shall
burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh
shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts that it shall leave them neither
root nor branch.
Beloved, only Jesus can save us from the wrath that will
come upon the entire world. Trust Him today for the forgiveness of sins.
CONCLUSION:
In contrast, the Apostle Paul
outlines in Romans
10:9-10, writing, “That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. We cannot
simply believe anything about Jesus, we must believe that the Son of God, died
for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our
justification before The Father. That is correct…the Lord Jesus is fully and
literally alive forevermore. He has finally triumphed over death, hell, the
grave, and sin! It is crucial that we understand that it is faith in Jesus
Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us (Rom. 1:14-17).
Christ’s sufferings at Calvary were God
providing payment for our sins. This is what Christ’s crucifixion was about—justice
was served, and sin was paid for in full. God accepts Christ’s sacrifice
completely! Now, sinners like you and me can be saved—born again to enter a
relationship with God. It is the Spirit who regenerates us and gives us new
life when we trust Christ. We cannot save ourselves no matter how good,
sincere, or diligent we are. Being born again means we become a part of a new
family, God becomes our Father who shares with us His very own divine nature.
All of this is realized the moment we humble ourselves in repentance before God
acknowledging our sins while trusting Christ and His payment for them. We must
accept sin’s payment personally in an attitude of godly sorrow and a
willingness to turn from our former sinful lifestyles. We do not need to make
ourselves better and then come to God. We come to God recognizing our
sinfulness trusting Him to change us deep within which will result in a changed
life. Beloved, we must exercise faith in the Person and Work
of Christ to experience a spiritual new birth. What about you? You, like me,
cannot stand before a holy God with the guilt of all your sins. Why not accept
Jesus’ payment for those sins and ask God to forgive you and change you deep
within?
So, is there any hope for
believers during this terrible time of judgment? And what about God’s special
people, Israel, who will make a covenant with the Antichrist? Certainly, people
will trust the Lord even after believers from this age are taken to heaven, but
how will they manage? We will turn to Revelation chapter Seven for some of these
answers.
