John's use of the OT in the sixth seal -- Rev 6:12-17.

Here are some of the Old Testament (OT) allusions used in the sixth seal. In the sixth seal John uses many of the OT judgement oracles. He uses the apocalyptic language of the OT and it is therefore difficult to say whether we should take it literally. Many of the OT examples refer to the judgements upon God's people, due to their disobedience, by foreign armies. Similar language is used by Jesus to describe the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 by the Roman army (Luke 23:30 quoting Hos 10:8 see also Mat 24:29 cf. Luke 21:26 ). At least I hope that these OT references will make it a bit easier to understand this difficult book. The reason we do not understand Revelation is because we do not know our bible, especially the OT, and its historical background.

The sixth seal:

(Rev 6:12-17 NIV) I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, {13} and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. {14} The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. {15} Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. {16} They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! {17} For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

Below, I look at each verse of the sixth seal, followed by the OT references.

Rev 6:12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,

(Isa 29:6 NIV) the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.

Judgement against Jerusalem

(Isa 13:10 NIV) The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

Against Babylon

(Ezek 38:19 NIV) In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

Prophecy against Gog when it attacks Israel

(Ezek 32:7-8 NIV) When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. {8} All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Lament for Pharaoh of Egypt

(Amos 8:9 NIV) "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.

Against Israel

(Joel 2:10 NIV) Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.

Assyrian army

(Joel 2:30-31 NIV) I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

Day of the Lord

(Zep 1:15 NIV) That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

Great day of the Lord

(Zec 14:4 NIV) On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.

A day of the Lord

(Acts 2:20 NIV) The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

See also Joel 2:30

(Joel 2:30-31 NIV) I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. {31} The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

Rev 6:13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

(Mat 24:29 NIV) "Immediately after the distress of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

(Mark 13:24-25 NIV) "But in those days, following that distress, "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; {25} the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

(Isa 34:4 NIV) All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.

(Luke 21:25-26 NIV) "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. {26} Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Rev 6:14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

(Isa 13:13 NIV) Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.

Against Babylon

(Isa 34:4 NIV) All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.

Angry with the nations

(Hab 3:6 NIV) He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.

Against the nations

(Micah 1:4 NIV) The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

Judgement against Jerusalem and Samaria

(Rev 16:20 NIV) Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.

Parallel passage from the seventh bowl, destruction of Babylon

(Rev 20:11 NIV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

Parallel passage from the great white throne judgement

Rev 6:15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

These parallel passages above are also about judgement.

(Psa 97:5 NIV) The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

(Hab 3:6 NIV) He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal.

Rev 6:16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

(Hosea 10:8 NIV) The high places of wickedness will be destroyed-- it is the sin of Israel. Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

Judgement against Israel

(Luke 23:30 NIV) Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'

Jesus is talking about the judgement on Jerusalem in AD70, for more info on this see here and here

(Isa 2:10 NIV) Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty!

(Isa 2:19 NIV) Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.

Rev 6:17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

(Nahum 1:6 NIV) Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.

Against Ninevah

Mal 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.

Christ's Second Coming (or is it his first?)

(Joel 2:11 NIV) The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?

Assyrian army

The answer to "who can stand?" is found in Rev 7:9

(Rev 7:9 NIV) After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

The reason they could stand was because "they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb", those judged in the sixth seal had not.

(Rev 7:14 NIV) I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

This is one of my favorite verses

(Isa 25:9 NIV) In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

For more detailed commentary on the Fifth and Sixth seal go here