Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances and Fear

Earthquake: Is mentioned 7 times in Revelation (Rev. 6:12; 8:5; 11:13 [2x], 19; 16:18 [2x]). Four times they are prophesied with the qualifying word great (Rev. 6:12; 11:13; 16:18 [2x]).

Sun: The darkening of the sun cannot be for a long period or the earth would freeze. What causes this darkening? This will be Jesus’ supernatural work. Yet, it could also include natural events such as volcanic eruptions that leave particles in the air as ash, dust, debris, a nuclear fallout or even a full eclipse which occurs when something gets in between earth and the light of the sun.

The sun will be black as sackcloth. Sackcloth is the clothing of mourning and judgment (Isa. 33:9). The prophets wore black and sackcloth when calling for repentance (Mt. 11:21; Lk 10:13; Rev. 11:3). The sun will one day wear the garments of death and mourning.

Moon: This will be Jesus’ supernatural work. Yet, it could also include natural events as gases or a lunar eclipse that change the color of the moon's light to look red. A lunar eclipse occurs during a full moon when the earth gets in the way of the light of the sun. Blood red speaks of death.

Stars: Asteroids and meteor showers hitting the earth. The Greek word for stars used here is “aster” from which we get the word asteroid. An aster refers to any shining mass in the sky, including stars, comets, meteors, asteroids, or any flaming debris, etc.

The diameter of the earth is nearly 8,000 miles. Our sun is a small star which is over 800,000 miles in diameter (100 times larger than the earth). One star hitting the earth would destroy it, thus the kings would not need to flee to the mountains. Stars will still be in the sky in the fourth trumpet (Rev. 8:12). Isaiah prophesied of stars losing their light rather than falling (Isa. 13:10).

As God guided David’s stone to hit Goliath, so He will guide these stones (asteroids) to destroy the Antichrist’s infrastructure. Meteorites will bombard the earth as compared to a fig tree losing its figs when strong winds blow on it.

Sky: The sky will recede (split, divide, move back) as a scroll. God will cause the sky to roll back, thus opening a window to see into heaven so that worldwide leaders may witness it.

Mountains moved: Every mountain and island will be moved out of its place does not imply that they are all destroyed. No one would be able to hide in the mountains if they were all destroyed. There are five specific earthquakes prophesied in Revelation: At the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12), at the release of the trumpets (Rev. 8:5), at the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15, 19), when the Two Witnesses ascend to heaven (Rev. 11:13) and at the seventh bowl (Rev. 16:17-21) which is referred to as the most severe earthquake in history (Zech. 14:4-5; Isa. 2:19; 29:6; Hag. 2:6, 7).