Page 96 - Heavenly Signs II by Mel Gable

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the church. In Revelation Christ returns, but in none of the Rapture passages is He ever pictured as touching the
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earth, for the saints meet Him in the air (1 Thes. 4:17).

The Sixth Seal—Cosmic Disturbance

Revelation 6:12-16 “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and
the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the
stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were
moved out of their places.
15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong
and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;
16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him
who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;”
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Is this great earthquake caused by the solar eclipse of our nearest planet, Mars and its combined gravitational
forces with the moon? It could stress the faults in the earth and create earthquakes. Notice the dual eclipse
includes the moon on page 89, a later event but just prior to the Rapture occurring. This increase in gravitational
forces would cause the seas to roar with winds. Let us look at what J.F. Walvoord’s Commentary has recorded.
THE SIXTH SEAL
REVELATION 6:12-17 6:12-14. As, the sixth seal opened, John recorded that a great earthquake occurred. More
dramatic than the earthquake was the transformation of the heavens with the sun turning black, the moon turning blood
red, and stars falling like late figs from a fig tree. The heavens appeared like a scroll being rolled up. At the same time, due to the
earthquake, all the mountains and islands were moved from their places. Here again in the sequence of events, the end had not been
reached as there was still another seal. But this was the most dramatic judgment thus far in this time of great distress before the
Second Coming.Many expositors have attempted to see a figurative fulfillment to this prophecy. It is preferable, however, to take this
prediction literally. The trumpet and bowl judgments, to be revealed later in Revelation, also include great disturbances in the heavens
and on the earth before Christ’s second coming.

REVELATION 6:15-17. The practical effect of the judgment was fear in unbelievers from all walks of life. They called on the
mountains and the rocks to fall on them and to hide them from God’s wrath. Their fear was so great they would rather be
killed by a falling mountain than to face the wrath of the Lamb and Their wrath, referring to the anger of the Triune God.
Again this is not a picture of ordinary trouble but the period of greatest distress in world history. Taken as a whole, Chapter 6 is one
of the most important and pivotal Chapters in the entire book. It describes the first six seals and also introduces the seventh seal
which consists of and introduces the seven trumpets and the seven bowls of the wrath of God in chapters 8-9; 16. The contents of
Chapter 6 should put to rest the false teachings that God, being a God of love, could not judge a wicked world. It also raises the
important question contained in the closing words of verse 17: Who can stand? Only those who have availed themselves of the
grace of God before the time of judgment will be able to stand when God deals with the earth in this final period of great distress.
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Those who will be saved in the Great Tribulation are described in the next Chapter.

It is quite apparent that many Bible scholars do understand that the Rapture must occur prior to God’s Wrath. In
Romans 5:9, the Apostle Paul tells us that “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ.” If God has not destined the believer to wrath, then the Rapture must occur after the breaking
of the sixth seal and before the opening of the seventh seal. After the Rapture, we will see the Constellation of
Leo in the heavenly signs which represents the Lion of Judah. The breaking of the seventh seal starts the Seven

141 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures
(Re 19:10). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
142 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Re 6:12–16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

143 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures
(Re 5:13–6:17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.