Revelation 6:13

13 The stars fell down to the earth, like unripe figs falling from the tree when a strong wind shakes it. ¹

Revelation 6:13 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 6:13

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth
All the other inferior deities lost their esteem, worship, and honour; for the idol temples being now opened, the idols and statues were exposed to the common people, and were found to be stuffed with hay and straw, which brought them into great contempt ^F12. Moreover, as stars sometimes signify the ministers of the Gospel in the Christian church, ( Revelation 1:20 ) , and sometimes the priests in the Jewish church, ( Daniel 8:10 ) ; so they may here likewise include the idolatrous priests among the Heathens, who were discharged and removed by Constantine, and had their posts and profits taken away from them; yea, Maximinus, an Heathen emperor, or tyrant, being beaten by Licinius, who was then Constantine's colleague, killed many of the priests and prophets of his gods, which were formerly had in great admiration by him, as deceivers and betrayers of him, by whose oracles he was animated to the war ^F13. And in like manner Licinius put to death the priests and prophets of the new idol at Antioch ^F14.

Even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of
a mighty wind;
which figs being young and green, and not fixed, fall off easily, and in great numbers, when a blustering wind beats upon them; and so the rabble of Pagan deities, and idolatrous priests, were easily, and in great numbers, removed through the power of Constantine, which carried all before it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F12 Sozomen, l. 2. c. 5.
F13 Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 9. c. 10.
F14 Ib. c. 11.

Revelation 6:13 In-Context

11 Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the complete number of other servants and believers were killed, as they had been.

12 And I saw the Lamb break open the sixth seal. There was a violent earthquake, and the sun became black like coarse black cloth, and the moon turned completely red like blood.

13 The stars fell down to the earth, like unripe figs falling from the tree when a strong wind shakes it.

14 The sky disappeared like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth, the rulers and the military chiefs, the rich and the powerful, and all other people, slave and free, hid themselves in caves and under rocks on the mountains.

Cross References

• 1. 6.13, 14Isaiah 34.4.