1I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, “Come and see!” 2Then a white horse appeared, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4Another came out, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.
5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!” And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand. 6I heard a voice in the middle of the four living creatures saying, “A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don’t damage the oil and the wine!”
7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see!” 8And behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.
9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. 10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
12I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. 13The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. 14The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. 16They told 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, 17for the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
The sixth seal judgment shook the universe, and men hid themselves, recognizing that the day of judgment had come.
John continues to watch the unfolding of Jesus’ judgments with the opening of the sixth seal. What follows is a giant earthquake that appears to shake the whole universe. The sun is more than dimmed. It is blackened. Camel and goat hair were normally used for sackcloth. Their course fibers made it very uncomfortable to wear. The moon does not turn to blood, but becomes red like blood, indicating that the atmosphere will likely be filled with dust or ashes.
The “stars falling to the earth” is the language of appearance. John may be describing a massive meteor shower that will occur as the Earth shakes. Their description as being like figs shaken in the wind indicates that they will not fall evenly, but in clumps or waves.
The “sky being removed like a scroll” does not especially describe an atomic bomb. Rather, it indicates that the atmosphere in some way will be removed and its blue hue be replaced by the blackness of space. The severity and universality of the earthquake can be seen in the shifting of the mountain ranges and islands. This indicates that this judgment may involve the shifting of the tectonic plates.
The response of all of humanity, beginning with its most powerful to the least, will be to try to hide from this judgment. The movement to caves and rocks is to search for a stable place where they can be safe. They cry out and declare that they want to hide from God the Father, He who sits on the throne, and His Son, the Lamb. Thus, it is at this point that humanity will realize that they are facing divine judgment. They recognize the worldwide expression of God’s wrath.
John’s note of “the wrath of the Lamb” is a reminder that it is Jesus who is executing these judgments from God. The earth dwellers’ question is a reminder that none can stand in the face of God’s wrath. Finally, though they recognize the source of this judgment, they are not moved to repent. They just seek to escape its effects.