By Frank M. Keele
Today’s post is about a highly volatile and transitional period that follows the 42 months, (see the timeline) it is the winding up sequence of the sixth seal…
In Revelation 6:12-17, John gives us a sequence of events that will, in short order, lead to the coming of the Bridegroom… these events will surely grab the attention of the masses and in an unprecedented measure. Some will say “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”… surely, they will have good reason for fearing what’s just ahead and their knowledge is sure because they get it from angels! We read:
12 And 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?
One of the things we can say for sure about this sequence is that it unfolds in the sixth seal… just try to picture for a moment how mind-blowing… mind-bending, gut-wrenching, and overwhelming it’s all going to be!!! Can you just imagine how the masses of mankind will react when they witness the destruction of the quaking, the blood-red moon above and see “the heaven” departing “as a scroll when it is rolled together”?
This will no doubt be the common experience of all earthlings, as John goes out of his way to express the inclusiveness of this shared experience in verse fifteen. And why are so many wanting to seclude “themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains”… wanting to “hide… from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb? And why are they so sure that “the wrath of the Lamb” is connected to all of this commotion?
As revealing as the above verses are, these same events are duplicated and amplified in D&C 88, where we read:
87 For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.
88 And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
89 For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
90 And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
91 And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
92 And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
93 And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.
Verse 87 above is an undeniable match to verses 12-13 in Rev 6, and so we’re looking at the same sequence for sure. As we analyze and compare the contents of our two sources we are able to see a much more complete picture. For example, in verse 95 above we have angels flying “through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Hmmm… so that’s how those folks hiding in the rocks and the dens know that all of this commotion is because “the great day of his wrath is come”, go figure.
In addition, we will have “the testimony of earthquakes” and “the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.”
So, did you get the fuller picture of what is about to unfold… for, “all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people” and just when the Lord finally has the unabated attention of humanity… that is, “immediately” following this sequence, “there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together”…
We need to meekly, humbly, and prayerfully prepare for this day…