Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 2

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them! Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away. And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Revelation 6:12-17

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:12–17, ESV)

Introduction 

About a week ago I read a message on a church sign that really bothered me. Those church sign sayings usually irritate me, but this one was particularly bothersome. It said, “Rejoice, Jesus is coming very soon!”

So what is the trouble with that saying? Two things:

One, the word “very” seems presumptuous – “Jesus is coming very soon!” How do you know that, I thought. We all agree that he will come again. And that he will come quickly, like a thief in the night, is also certain, being clearly revealed in the scriptures. And that we Christians should live with a constant sense of expectation is also true. But to declare with such certainty to all who drive by that “Jesus is coming very soon!” seems to go beyond what the scriptures have revealed. Did not Jesus explicitly say, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36, ESV). How then can you be so sure that he is coming “very soon”.

But it was the exhortation to “rejoice” that bothered me the most. “Rejoice, Jesus is coming very soon!”, the sign said. Now, if this were the title of a sermon that was to be delivered to Christians, I certainly would not complain about the word, “rejoice”. Indeed, it is right for those who have faith in Christ to rejoice at the thought of his return. Indeed, the one in Christ – the one who has faith in him, who has been washed by his blood, who’s sins have been forgiven, who have received Christ’s righteousness as their own, being justified through faith in him and adopted as children of God – should rejoice at the thought of Christ’s return. But this exhortation to rejoice at thought of Christ’s return, was delivered, not to those in Christ, but to all who passed by. Without out a doubt many (if not most) of them do not have faith in Christ. Should they be encouraged to rejoice at the thought of his return then? The Holy Scriptures say no. To the non-Christian we should say,  not “rejoice”, but “repent, for Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

For the one who has faith in Christ the second coming of Christ is pure gospel. It is all good news. It is on that day that all who are in Christ will receive their eternal reward – the reward earned, not by themselves, but by Christ and received by the instrument of faith.

But for the one not in Christ – for the one who stands guilty in his or her sin – the second coming of Christ is pure law. For them it is the day of judgment – the day where they will be held accountable for their sins. It seems most strange, then, to encourage the one not in Christ to “rejoice” at the though of that day. If we loved the non-Christian at all would we not instead say, “repent”?

When Jesus broke the sixth of seven seals on the scroll which he received from the Father’s right hand John was shown a vision which revealed something about what will happen to the world and to the ungodly on that last day when Christ returns.

The passage can be divided into two parts. First, the demolition of the universe is portrayed. After that, the wrath of God and of Christ poured out upon the wicked is shown. The scene is most terrible and should cause us to think with great sobriety concerning the time of the end.

I would like to make three general observations about this passage in order to prepare the way for two main points.

The first observation is that this vision clearly alludes to other Old and New Testament texts to make it’s point. 

There are many Old Testaments texts that should be considered before attempting to interpret Revelation 6:12-17. For example Isaiah 13:10–13; 24:1–6, 19–23; 34:4 should be considered. Also, Ezekiel 32:6–8; Joel 2:10, 30–31; 3:15–16; and Habakuk 3:6–11. The Isaiah 2 passage that I read at the beginning of this sermon clearly serves as a backdrop to the vision of the sixth seal. When you read these Old Testament passages you’ll notice that they all speak of God’s judgments. Some refer to partial and restrained judgments that will come upon Israel, for example. Others clearly refer to the final judgment. But the language of Revelation 6:12-17 is clearly drawn from these texts. The vision that was shown to John assumes a familiarity with these texts. The judgment scene of the sixth seal is cut from the cloth of the judgment scenes of the Old Testament.

The same could be said concerning the New Testament. Listen to the words of Christ in Matthew 24:29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29, ESV). Hear again his words in Mark 13:24: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (Mark 13:24–25, ESV). And listen to the Apostle Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost. Quoting Joel he reminds his listeners that God , “will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day” (Acts 2:19–20, ESV).

What the Christ, along with his Apostles and Prophets, say directly elsewhere in the Old Testament and the New is portrayed in the vision shown to John, and through John revealed to us, with the opening of the sixth seal.

The second general observation is that this is clearly a depiction of the final judgment.

This becomes clear when we, first of all, notice the connection between seals five and six.

Remember that,

“When [Christ] opened the fifth seal, [John] saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ (Revelation 6:9–10, ESV)”

The question of the martyrs was, Lord, when will you judge the earth dwellers? When will you judge the wicked? Initially the answer was simply “rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been” (Revelation 6:11, ESV).

But here with the opening of the sixth seal something of that final judgment which the martyrs called for is revealed. John was given a glimpse of the judgment of those who dwell upon the earth.

Two, notice how complete the judgments in this vision are. The judgments described here are extensive and thorough.

Notice that every realm of creation is effected.

Notice that all the peoples of the earth (those not in Christ) are touched.

How you can read this text and come away thinking, this judgment is partial and limited, I do not know. It is clearly the final judgment being portrayed here.

Three, notice that the events described here are said to happen on “the great day of their wrath”, “their” referring to God and to Christ. Do you see it in verse 17? This vision describes something of what will happen on “the great day of [God and Christ’s] wrath”.

This is not a description of a limited period of tribulation but rather a description of what will happen on that last day – the day of God’s wrath.

Four, notice that the imagery found in the sixth seal will reappear again in Revelation in other places where the final judgment is described.

Revelation 16:17-21 comes to mind. Here the final judgment is described again with the pouring out go the seventh bowl of God’s wrath.

“The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done’ And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe” (Revelation 16:17–21, ESV).

Certainly you can recognize the repeated reference to a great earthquake and the removal of every mountain and island. These things are repeated to help us recognize that the same event is being described, but from a different perspective.

Brothers and sisters, the vision shown to John with the opening of the sixth seal was clearly a depiction of the final judgment.

The third general observation is that we here have proof that the book of Revelation is organized, not chronologically, but thematically. The book clearly recapitulates. It tells the same story over and over again from different vantage points. 

The pre-tribulational, pre-millennial, futurist types tend to want to interpret this vision as if it were describing something other than the final judgment. They need it to be a description of a temporary, restrained, and limited judgment. Why? It is because their system rests heavily upon the idea that the book of Revelation is organized chronologically. In their view the events described in chapter 20, for example, must happen historically after the events described in chapter 19.

But again there is strong evidence that the book is not organized chronologically. The fact that the birth of Christ is portrayed in chapter 12 proves the point. At the end of chapter 11 the seventh trumpet is blown, which again describes what will happen on that last day. But in chapter 12 we are taken back to the birth of Christ. The chronological order of the book does not match the order of history from beginning to end.

The fact that we are given a glimpse of the final judgment in chapter 6 also proves the point. The must recapitulate It tells us how things will be in the time between Christ’s first and second comings, and it does so over and over again, moving us from the time of Christ to the end of time providing us with a slightly different perspective with each pass.

The seal cycle has now brought us to the time of the end. The first four seals revealed the four horsemen who have been permitted by God to roam the earth even now (indeed, they were active even in the days of Zechariah!). The fifth seal revealed what happens to martyrs when they die. They are alive with Christ even now! And the sixth seal takes us to the time of the end giving us a gimps of how things will go on that last day, “the great day of [God and Christ’s] wrath”. But chapter 6 is not the last chapter in the book of Revelation. The book consists of 22 chapters! How can this be if we have already come to the last day? The answer is to see that book recapitulates.

The same can be said regarding the relationship between chapters 19 and 20. Chapter 19 will take us to the end with the pouring out of the seventh bowl – seals, trumpets, bowls. But Chapter 20 will take us back to the first coming of Christ describing to us how things will be in this age between his first and second coming now that he has ascended to the right hand of the Father, having defeated and bound the strong man, and having received the Kingdom that was already “at hand” in the days of his earthly ministry, but not yet consummated.

Friends, the book is not organized chronologically so that the chronology of the book matches the chronology of human history. Instead, just like Genesis 1 and 2, the book recapitulates. It tells the same story over and over again from different angles, emphasizing one thing and then another in order to paint a full picture of how things will go in these last days.

Now that we have made these general observations, let us consider two main principles drawn from the text itself. They are these: One, in the end the heavens and the earth will be dissolved. Two, in the end all the peoples of the earth will be subject to the wrath of God and of Christ.

In The End The Heavens And The Earth Will Be Dissolved  

First, see that in the end – on that last day – the heavens and the earth will be dissolved.

Look at verse 12:

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place” (Revelation 6:12–14, ESV).

Notice that the created world is broken down into seven parts:

One, the earth will be shaken by a great earthquake.

Two, the sun will became black as sackcloth.

Three, the full moon will became like blood.

Four, the stars of the sky will fall to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.

Five, the sky will vanish like a scroll that is being rolled up.

Six, every mountain will be removed from its place.

And seven, every island will be removed from its place.

You’ve grown comfortable now the book of Revelations use of numbers, particularly the number seven. It symbolizes something total or complete. The point is this: The final judgment will affect, not just humanity, but all of the created world. In the end – on that last day – there will be a radical, total, and complete disruption of the current order of things.

Peter said so in his epistle. Listen carefully to 2 Peter 3:1-10:

“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up [kept, preserved] for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day [Revelation 20]. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:1–10, ESV)

What Peter says here in a most direct way concerning the dissolution of the heavens and earth is depicted in the vision shown to when the sixth seal was broken by Christ.

Some wonder how to take the words of Peter, “the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved”. Will the creation be dissolved as in completely done away with and replaced with something totally new? Or are we to think that this current world will be radically changed by passing through the fires of judgment and then renewed or restored – perhaps we should say, glorified.

I take the second view. In the end the heavens and the earth will be dissolved, as in destroyed or broken down, before being renewed. In other words, there will be a relationship between the new heavens and the new earth and the old one. But the new one will far supersede the old in glory.

Think of the relationship between Christ’s earthly body and his resurrected, spiritual, and glorified one. His earthly body was dissolved – destroyed and broken down. But it was that same earthly body that was raised to glory.

Think of the relationship between our earthly bodies and the resurrection bodies promised to us. They will new and glorified bodies, but not unrelated to the ones we have now.

The tree is far more glorious than seed, but the two are related.

Brothers and sisters, know for sure that in the end – on that last day – the heavens and the earth as we know them now will be dissolved.

All The Peoples Of The Earth Will Be Subject To The Wrath Of God And Of Christ

Second, see that in the end all the peoples of the earth will be subject to the wrath of God and of Christ.

Look with me at verse 15:

“Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:15–17, ESV)

Notice that humanity is broken down into seven parts:

One, the kings of the earth.

Two, the great ones.

Three, the generals.

Four, and the rich

Five, the powerful.

Six, the slave.

Seven, the free.

I will not repeat what I said about the number seven just a minute ago, but the same principle obviously applies. The wrath of God is here poured out upon all humanity. It will be full and final.

Notice that the majority of the peoples listed are powerful: kings of the earth, great ones, generals, the rich, the powerful. Why? Are these the only ones deserving of God’s judgment? No! But remember the context. It was the martyrs who were asking the question, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” It is typically the powerful who persecute the weak. But in the end the wrath of God extends to all – to “everyone, slave and free”.

What to these do? They hide “themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us’”. When this imagery of men hiding in the caves when God appears in judgment is used in the this Old Testament (Isaiah 2) it is because the men are guilty of idolatry. They are found busy worshiping god’s that they have fashioned for themselves and when the one true God appears – the Creator of heaven and earth and all things seen and unseen – they flee. They would rather be buried in the rocks than face the wrath of God that has come upon them.

Notice here that these are are fleeing “from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” God and Christ will judge in the end.

Here is a question: Will Christians experience this? Will they be among those fleeing from the wrath of God and of the Lamb?

The answer is clearly, no.

One, remember that vision is an answer to the question asked by the martyrs. It is the non-Christian – the one who has rejected and opposed God and his people – who are in view here.

Two, these are called the people “of the earth”. That is a phrase that will repeat throughout the book of Revelation always in reference to the non-Christian. The Christian belongs ultimately to the heavenly realm. The non-Christian belongs to the earth. George Caird in his commentary on the book of Revelation notes that the ungodly “are at home in the present world order, men of earthbound vision, trusting in earthly security and unable to look beyond the things that are seen and temporal” (Caird, Revelation, 88).

Three, remember the observation that was just made concerning the imagery in Old Testament of men hiding themselves in the caves when God appears in judgment (Isaiah 2). They are hiding because of their idolatry. These are not worshippers of God, but rather worshippers of self and of the things of this world.

Four, other passages of scripture make it clear that although Christians will certainly experience tribulation in this world, even great tribulation, they will never be subject to the wrath of God or of Christ.

“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, ESV)

There will be a rapture on that last day. It will not be secret rapture, but the Lord will return with a trumpet blast. And it will not be a rapture seven years prior to the last day – the scriptures nowhere teach that. But there will be a rapture on that last day so that those in Christ be caught up with him in air only to return with him in judgment. The last day will be a very busy and complex day.

Application 

Let us apple these truths before concluding.

One, see that eschatology matters. What we think about the end will effect the course of our lives. When I travel somewhere that I haven’t been before I’ll put the address in Google Maps. That destination or end point will determine a lot of things. When should I leave and what turns should I make? And if I get off course it is the clearly defined end point that helps me to correct my way. So it is with eschatology. To have the end clearly settled in your mind will enable you to choose your steps wisely today, by the grace of God.

Two, let us cultivate a proper view of this world.

I believe that the Christian is to enjoy the good things of this world to the glory of God. This is God’s creation, isn’t it? We are to engage in this world. We are enjoy certain aspects of culture and help to enrich it. Were to engage in politics. We are to do our work with thanksgiving and to the glory of  God. It is only right for the Christian enjoy nature, the arts, food and drink, friends and family. But never should we live as though this is our permanent home. We are to recognize the fallenness and finitude of this world.

Remember that the ungodly “are at home in the present world order, men of earthbound vision, trusting in earthly security and unable to look beyond the things that are seen and temporal” (Caird, Revelation, 88). The Christian, while not disengaged from this world, is not at home here either. We are sojourners passing through. That principle, if we would only take the time to meditate upon it, should have impact our lives greatly.

We’ve already read from 2 Peter 3:1-10 where he warns that the heavens and earth will be dissolved. In 3:11 he begins to apply that truth to the lived of believers saying,

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:11–13, ESV).

What sort of people ought you to be in light of the eschatology of the Bible? You should be pursuing holiness and godliness, of course. And where should your hope reside? In the promises of God concerning the arrival of “a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells”.

Thirdly, and lastly, this passage should compel us to trust in Christ. Here we see what our sins deserve. We must be found in Christ if we are to live! To be found not in Christ is to come under the condemnation and wrath of the Father and the Lamb.

A question is asked at the end of the passage we have been considering. The idolators “hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” The answer is implied – no one can stand. For no one is found to be righteous apart from having the righteousness of Christ given to them by faith.

When Christ came for the first time he did not come to judge or to condemn. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16–17, ESV). But here we recognize that when Christ returns again, whenever that day may be, he will come to judge the ungodly. May we be found trusting in him, clothed in his righteousness, on that day.