Revelation 6:12-17

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, ¹there was a great earthquake, and ²the sun became black as ³sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,

13 and ⁴the stars of the sky fell to the earth ⁵as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.

14 ⁶The sky vanished ⁷like a scroll that is being rolled up, and ⁸every mountain and island was removed from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave^[a] and free, ⁹hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

16 ¹⁰calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of ¹¹him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

17 for ¹²the great day of their wrath has come, and ¹³who can stand? ”

Revelation 6:12-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 6

This chapter contains the vision of the opening six of the seals of the sealed book, by the Lamb, and of the events following thereupon. The preparation to the vision of the first seal is in Re 6:1; the Lamb opens it, John hears a noise like thunder, and one of the living creatures bids him come and see; upon which he saw a horse, of a white colour, and a rider on it, who is described by a bow and crown given him, and by the victory he obtained, Re 6:2; at the opening of the second seal, the second living creature invites him as before; and he sees a horse, of a red colour, with a rider on it, described by his power, to take peace from the earth, and suffer men to kill one another, and by a great sword given him, Re 6:3,4; at the opening of the third seal, the third living creature addresses him in like manner as the other; and he sees a horse, of a black colour, and a rider on it, with a pair of balances in his hands; and hears a voice from among the four living creatures, expressing dearness of provisions, and a charge not to hurt the oil and wine, Re 6:5,6; at the opening of the fourth seal, the fourth living creature speaks to John, as the rest; and he sees a horse, of a pale colour, and a rider on it, described by his name, Death, by his follower, hell, or the grave, and by his power to destroy a fourth part of the earth with the sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, Re 6:7,8; at the opening of the fifth seal, John saw the souls of the martyrs, under the altar; hears their cry for vengeance; observes that white robes were given them, and that they were bid to be quiet until the slaying and suffering time of their brethren was over, Re 6:9-11; at the opening of the sixth seal follow an earthquake, strange changes in the heavens, the sun becomes black as sackcloth, the moon becomes as blood, the stars fall, and the heaven itself departs, and every island and mountain are moved out of their places, Re 6:12-14, the kings and great men of the earth, and even all sorts, of men, upon this, fly to the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God the Father, that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, the opener of the sealed book; giving this as a reason for it, that the time of his great wrath was come, and none could stand before him, Re 6:15-17.

Cross References

• 1. 6:12 ch. 11:13; 16:18; [Heb. 12:26]
• 2. 6:12 See Matt. 24:29
• 3. 6:12 Isa. 50:3
• 4. 6:13 [ch. 8:10; 9:1]
• 5. 6:13 Isa. 34:4
• 6. 6:14 [ch. 20:11; 21:1]
• 7. 6:14 [See ver. 13 above]
• 8. 6:14 ch. 16:20; [Isa. 54:10; Jer. 4:24; Ezek. 38:20; Nah. 1:5]
• 9. 6:15 Isa. 2:19, 21
• 10. 6:16 Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30
• 11. 6:16 ch. 4:2
• 12. 6:17 Jer. 30:7; Joel 2:11, 31
• 13. 6:17 Ezra 9:15; Ps. 76:7; Mal. 3:2; Luke 21:36

Footnotes

• [a] 6:15 Or 'servant'; Greek 'bondservant'