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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 30

TITLE: THE SIXTH SEAL: PART I

TEXT: REVELATION 6:12-14

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE PHRASE, THE “DAY OF THE LORD” APPEARS 18 TIMES IN THE O.T. IN MY BIBLE, AND 4 TIMES IN THE N.T.

* NOW THIS PHRASE, THIS EXPRESSION IS USED TO DESCRIBE PERIODS OF TIME WHEN GOD SPECIALLY INTERVENES IN HUMAN HISTORY FOR JUDGMENT OR IN BLESSING.

** AND IN IT’S SPECIFIC USE, NOT IT’S GENERAL USAGE, IT REFERS TO THE 1,007 YEAR PERIOD ON EARTH THAT COVERS THE TRIBULATION AND THE MILLENNIUM.

*** THE DAY OF THE LORD IN REFERENCE TO PROPHECY COVERS THE WHOLE PROGRAM OF EVENTS INCLUDING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, THE 2’D ADVENT OF CHRIST AND THE ENTIRE MILLENNIAL AGE.

**** NOW DESCRIPTIONS ABOUT THIS FUTURE TIME IN THE O.T. ARE VERY VIVID.

(2) FOR EXAMPLE: IN JOEL 2:30&31 THE PROPHET WAS INSPIRED TO SAY:

V. 30 – I WILL DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY AND ON THE EARTH, BLOOD, FIRE AND COLUMNS OF SMOKE.

V. 31 – THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD BEFORE THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

* IN ISAIAH 13:9-11 THE PROPHET SAID:

V. 9 – BEHOLD, THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING, CRUEL, WITH FURY AND BURNING ANGER, TO MAKE THE LAND A DESOLATION; AND HE WILL EXTERMINATE ITS SINNERS FROM IT.

V. 10 – FOR THE STARS OF HEAVEN AND THEIR CONSTELLATIONS WILL NOT FLASH FORTH THEIR LIGHT; THE SUN WILL BE DARK WHEN IT RISES AND THE MOON WILL NOT SHED ITS LIGHT.

V. 11 – THUS I WILL PUNISH THE WORLD FOR ITS EVIL AND THE WICKED FOR THEIR INIQUITY; I WILL ALSO PUT AN END TO THE ARROGANCE OF THE PROUD AND ABASE THE HAUGHTINESS OF THE RUTHLESS.

** ZEPHANIAH WOULD SAY IN ZEPHANIAH 1:14&15 –

V. 14 – NEAR IS THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD, NEAR AND COMING VERY QUICKLY; LISTEN, THE DAY OF THE LORD! IN IT THE WARRIOR CRIES OUT BITTERLY.

V. 15 – A DAY OF WRATH IS THAT DAY, A DAY OF TROUBLE AND DISTRESS, A DAY OF DESTRUCTION AND DESOLATION, A DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM, A DAY OF CLOUDS AND THICK DARKNESS.

*** THEN IN TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE DAY ISAIAH SAID IN ISAIAH 34:4 – AND ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN WILL WEAR AWAY, AND THE SKY WILL BE ROLLED UP LIKE A SCROLL; ALL THEIR HOSTS WILL ALSO WITHER AWAY AS A LEAF WITHERS FROM THE VINE, OR AS ONE WITHERS FROM THE FIG TREE.

**** NOW AS WE MOVE OVER INTO THE N.T., ACT 2:20 SAYS THIS WILL HAPPEN BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LORD: THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.

(3) I THESSALONIANS 5:2 SAYS: FOR YOU YOURSELVES KNOW FULL WELL THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME JUST LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.

* AND THEN IN II PETER 3:10 PETER WAS INSPIRED TO SAY: BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF, IN WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A ROAR AND THE ELEMENTS WILL BE DESTROYED WITH INTENSE HEAT, AND THE EARTH AND ITS WORKS WILL BE BURNED UP.

** AND WHAT WE SEE CLEARLY IN THESE VERSES IS THESE ARE “ACTS OF GOD” UPON THE EARTH. AND EVEN TODAY, SECULAR INSURANCE COMPANIES DEFINE NATURAL DISASTERS AS WHAT? ACTS OF GOD!

*** WELL, WE SEE CATASTROPHIC JUDGMENTS OF GOD, ACTS OF GOD, AND IN V. 17 OF REVELATION 6, IT SAYS: “FOR THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH HAS COME AND WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?”

**** AND THAT VERSE CONCLUDES THE RESULTS OF THE SIXTH SEAL JUDGMENT WHICH WE ARE STARTING ON TODAY.

(4) AND THE SIXTH SEAL IS THE WORST SEAL OF JUDGMENT UPON THE EARTH UP TO THIS TIME.

* AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PAINT A SCENE AS MOVING AND DIFFICULT AMONG THE SEALS AS THE LAMB’S BREAKING OF THE SIXTH SEAL.

** FOR UNLIKE THE FIRST 5 SEALS, EACH OF WHICH INVOLVED HUMANS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER (THE 4 HORSEMEN AND THE SAINTS UNDER THE ALTAR), IN THE 6TH SEAL GOD ACTS ALONE.

*** AND IT APPEARS BY THE TIME THIS SEAL IS OPENED, THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION HAS PASSED AND THE EARTH AND THE EARTH-DWELLERS WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST, ARE IN THE FINAL THREE AND ONE HALF YEAR PERIOD KNOWN AS THE “GREAT TRIBULATION.”

**** AS MATTHEW 24:21 SAYS: FOR THEN THERE WILL BE A GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW, NOR EVER WILL.

(5) AND THEN REVELATION 7:14 SAYS SPEAKING OF THOSE MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH: I SAID TO HIM, “MY LORD, YOU KNOW. AND HE SAID TO ME, “THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, AND THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.”

* NOW A TIME OF GREAT TRIBULATION IS COMING WHICH WE SEE AS THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION, A TIME OF GREAT TRIBULATION, AND THE WRATH OF GOD POURED OUT IN THE DAY OF THE LORD.

** AGAIN REVELATION 6:17, “FOR THE GREAT DAY OF THEIR (GOD’S) WRATH HAS COME, AND WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?”

*** AND THE OPENING OF THE SIXTH SEAL STARTS THIS GREAT DAY OF GOD’S WRATH IN THE DAY OF THE LORD, THE START OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

**** AND TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE SIXTH SEAL ON THE EARTH, ON WHAT WE CALL NATURE, GOD’S CREATURE IN THE EARTH, SUN, MOON AND STARS IN VV. 12-14.

(6) SO I’VE TITLED THE MESSAGE TODAY, THE SIXTH SEAL, PART I.

* AND THEN LORD WILLING NEXT SUNDAY, WE’LL LOOK AT PART II AS WE SEE THE AFFECT OF THIS SEAL UPON MANKIND, NOT ON NATURAL CREATION.

** AND TODAY WE’LL LOOK AT SIX FRIGHTENING NATURAL DISASTERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPENING OF THE SIXTH SEAL, PART I.

*** AND WE’LL SEE NO. 1 THE AFFECT OF THE EARTH, V. 12A; NO. 2 THE AFFECT ON THE SUN, V. 12B; NO. 3 THE AFFECT ON THE MOON, V. 12C; NO. 4 THE AFFECT ON THE STARS, V. 13; NO. 5 THE AFFECT ON THE SKY, V. 14A; AND NO. 6 THE AFFECT ON THE MOUNTAINS AND THE ISLANDS, V. 14B.

**** AND TO BEGIN WITH, LOOK AT V. 12 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE AFFECT ON THE EARTH.

I. THE AFFECT ON THE EARTH, (READ V. 12 A)

A. NOW AS JOHN, THE BELOVED, THE HUMAN AUTHOR OF REVELATION LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN IN HIS 2’D VISION, HE SEES THAT THERE IS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE ON THE EARTH AS THE LAMB, THE LORD JESUS BREAKS OPEN THE SIXTH SEAL.

* AND THIS IS THE FIRST OF 3 GREAT EARTHQUAKES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

** THE OTHER TWO ARE FOUND IN REVELATION 11:13 AND REVELATION 16:18.

*** AND REVELATION 11:13 SAYS: AND IN THAT HOUR THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, AND A TENTH OF THE CITY FELL; SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE EARTHQUAKE, AND THE REST WERE TERRIFIED AND GAVE GLORY TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN.

**** AND THEN REVELATION 16:18-20 SAYS, SPEAKING OF THE SEVENTH BOWL JUDGMENT, THE FINAL JUDGMENT BEFORE THE COMING OF CHRIST, IT SAYS:

V. 18 – AND THERE WERE FLASHES OF LIGHTNING AND SOUNDS AND PEALS OF THUNDER; AND THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, SUCH AS THERE HAD NOT BEEN SINCE MAN CAME TO BE UPON THE EARTH, SO GREAT AN EARTHQUAKE WAS IT, AND SO MIGHTY.

V. 19 – THE GREAT CITY WAS SPLIT INTO THREE PARTS, AND THE CITIES OF THE NATIONS FELL. BABYLON THE GREAT WAS REMEMBERED BEFORE GOD, TO GIVE HER THE CUP OF THE WINE OF HIS FIERCE WRATH.

V. 20 – AND EVERY ISLAND FLED AWAY, AND THE MOUNTAINS WERE NOT FOUND.

1. NOW THIS EARTHQUAKE AND THE ONE RECORDED IN OUR TEXT HAVE CATACLYSMIC RESULTS AND APPEAR TO BE WORLDWIDE, FOR IN REVELATION 6:15 THE KINGS OF THE EARTH ARE INVOLVED.

* SO THERE HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND, AND THEY WILL INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AS THE TIME OF THE END DRAWS NEAR, THE BIRTH PAINS, BUT THIS IS ONE OF 3 GREAT EARTHQUAKES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

** AND THE WORD “GREAT” IS THE GREEK WORD MEGAS FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD MEGA MEANING BIG, HUGE, STRONG, MIGHTY, GREAT.

*** THIS IS A BIG TIME EARTHQUAKE, CONVULSIONS ON THE EARTH, AND THE WORD EARTHQUAKE IS SAYS-MOCE FROM WHICH WE GET OUR WORD SEISMOS TIED TO A SEISMOGRAPH WHICH MEASURES THE SHOCK AND VIBRATIONS OF AN EARTHQUAKE.

**** FOR THE GREEK WORD FOR EARTHQUAKE IN REVELATION 6:12 LIT. MEANS “A SHAKING.”

2. AND THE ALL-MIGHTY IS LITERALLY GOING TO SHAKE THE EARTH AT THIS TIME AND THE RESULTS WILL BE CATASTROPHIC AND AGAIN WORLDWIDE.

* FOR IT APPEARS THAT THE AFFECT ON THE EARTH FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE WILL AFFECT THE SUN AND THE MOON.

*** AND WE’LL BEGIN WITH THE AFFECT ON THE SUN, LOOK BACK AT V. 14 PLEASE.

II. THE AFFECT ON THE SUN, (READ V. 12B)

A. NOW FOLLOWING THE VIOLENT EARTHQUAKES, THE SUN BECOMES BLACK AS SACKCLOTH MADE OF HAIR.

* AND SACKCLOTH WAS THE COARSE ROUGH CLOTH MADE FROM BLACK GOAT’S HAIR AND WAS USED GENERALLY TO DENOTE MOURNING FOR THE DEAD, FOR DISEASE, OR AS A SIGN OF REPENTANCE.

** AND SINCE THERE IS NO REPENTANCE HERE IT APPEARS THAT DEATH, WHICH WILL BE WIDESPREAD FROM THIS GREAT EARTHQUAKE IS ANSWERED BY THE DARKNESS OF THE SUN.

*** NOW WHAT CAUSES THIS PHENOMENON? WELL, MOST LIKELY THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE WILL CAUSE TREMENDOUS VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

**** AND SCIENTISTS AND AUTHOR DR. HENRY M. MORRIS GIVES AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT HE THINKS HAPPENS HERE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION.

1. HE SAID AND I QUOTE: “THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE DESCRIBED HERE, WHICH – FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY – IS WORLDWIDE IN SCOPE.

* SEISMOLOGISTS AND GEOPHYSICISTS IN RECENT YEARS HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH AND ABOUT THE CAUSE AND NATURE OF EARTHQUAKES. THE EARTH’S SOLID CRUST IS TRAVERSED WITH A COMPLEX NETWORK OF FAULTS, WITH ALL RESTING UPON A PLASTIC MANTLE WHOSE STRUCTURE IS STILL LARGELY UNKNOWN. WHETHER THE CRUST CONSISTS OF GREAT MOVING PLATES IS A CURRENT MATTER OF CONTROVERSY AMONG GEOPHYSICISTS, SO THE ULTIMATE CAUSE OF EARTHQUAKES IS STILL NOT KNOWN.

** IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THE ENTIRE COMPLEX OF CRUSTAL INSTABILITIES IS A REMNANT OF THE PHENOMENA OF THE GREAT FLOOD, ESPECIALLY THE BREAKUP OF THE FOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT DEEP.

*** IN ANY CASE, THE VAST WORLDWIDE NETWORK OF UNSTABLE EARTHQUAKE BELTS AROUND THE WORLD SUDDENLY WILL BEGIN TO SLIP AND FRACTURE ON A GLOBAL BASIS AND A GIGANTIC EARTHQUAKE WILL ENSUE. THIS IS EVIDENTLY, AND NATURALLY, ACCOMPANIED BY TREMENDOUS VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, SPEWING VAST QUANTITIES OF DUST AND STEAM AND GASES INTO THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE. IT IS PROBABLY THESE THAT WILL CAUSE THE SUN TO BE DARKENED AND THE MOON TO APPEAR BLOOD-RED.” (END QUOTE)

**** NOW DR. MORRIS SEEMS TO GIVE A PRETTY GOOD EXPLANATION OF WHY THE SUN IS DARKENED.

2. FOLLOWING THE VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE, THE SUN WILL TURN BLACK AS A MOURNERS ROBE FROM VOLCANIC ACTIVITY CAUSED BY THE EARTHQUAKE.

* AND AS I MENTIONED IN MY INTRODUCTION THIS MORNING IN THOUGHTS ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD, THE SUN DARKENED IS COMMUNICATED IN JOEL 2:30&31, ZEPHANIAH 1:15 AND ISAIAH 13:9&10.

** BUT NOT ONLY IS THE SUN DARKENED WITH VOLCANIC ASH THAT REACHES THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE, NO. 3 THE WHOLE MOON BECAME LIKE BLOOD, LOOK BACK TO V. 12 PLEASE ONE MORE TIME.

III. THE AFFECT ON THE MOON, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW THIS THIRD JUDGMENT ON CREATION IS THE WHOLE MOON BECAME LIKE BLOOD, NOT BLOOD.

* IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S APPEARANCE BECAME BLOOD-RED.

** AND AS DR. MORRIS COMMUNICATED THIS PROBABLY COMES AS A RESULT OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE AND THE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY THAT FOLLOWS.

*** AND THE ASH AND SMOKE WILL IN A SENSE ECLIPSE THE MOON COLORING IT BLOOD RED.

**** AND THE RESULT OF THESE LAST TWO AFFECTS ON THE SUN AND THE MOON WILL BE THAT THE NORMAL CYCLE OF DAYLIGHT AND DARKNESS WILL BE DISRUPTED.

1. AND IF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE DID NOT AFFECT A PERSON DIRECTLY WITH LOSING EVERYTHING, THEY WILL BE AFFECTED CERTAINLY MENTALLY FROM THIS PHENOMENON, MOST LIKELY PANIC WILL FOLLOW.

* BUT NOT ONLY ARE THE SUN AND MOON AFFECTED, NOTICE HOW THE HEAVENS ARE AFFECTED IN V. 13, THE AFFECT OF THE STARS, LOOK AT V. 13 PLEASE.

IV. THE AFFECT ON THE STARS, (READ V. 13)

A. NOW THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED STARS CAN REFER TO ACTUAL STARS, BUT CAN ALSO DESCRIBE, DEPICT ANY HEAVENLY BODY OTHER THAN THE SUN AND MOON.

* AND IN THIS CONTEXT WITH A DARKENED SKY FROM THE SUN BEING DARKENED WE PROBABLY HAVE METEOR SHOWERS OR ASTEROIDS BREAKING UP OR A COMET FALLING TO THE EARTH, BOMBARDING THE EARTH.

** AND THESE HEAVENLY BODIES – STARS IN THAT SENSE, FALL TO THE EARTH AND ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY VISIBLE.

*** AND THE REASON IT’S NOT A REAL STAR IS THEY ARE MUCH TOO LARGE TO FALL TO THE EARTH AND WOULD INCINERATE IT AND HERE WE WOULD HAVE THE END.

*** BUT BEYOND THAT THE STARS ARE STILL IN PLACE LATER WHEN THE 4TH TRUMPET SOUNDS IN REVELATION 8:12.

**** SO WE HAVE HEAVENLY BODIES FALLING TO THE EARTH, WHAT WE CALL FALLING STARS, SHOOTING STARS THAT WILL BE CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM A DARKENED SUN.

1. AND NOTICE IN THE REST OF V. 13 JOHN GIVES A VIVID ILLUSTRATION FOR US TO PICTURE.

* THE STARS OF THE SKY FELL TO THE EARTH “AS THE FIG TREE CAST ITS UNRIPE FIGS WHEN SHAKEN BY A GREAT WIND.”

** AND AS UNRIPE FIGS FALL TO THE GROUND FROM A BIG WIND, THEY FALL IN AN UNTIMELY WAY, BEFORE THEY ARE RIPE, AND ARE HURLED BY A MIGHTY WIND IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, A LOT OF FIGS FALL FROM THE FIG TREE WITH A GREAT WIND BEFORE THEY ARE RIPE. A LOT OF FIGS WILL FALL AND A LOT OF STARS WILL FALL TO THE EARTH AT THIS TIME, DROPPING LIKE FIGS IN A GREAT WIND, A LOT OF THEM.

**** BUT NOT ONLY ARE THE STARS AFFECTED AT THIS TIME, NO. 5 THERE WILL BE AN AFFECT ON THE SKY, LOOK AT V. 14A PLEASE.

V. THE AFFECT ON THE SKY, (READ V. 14A)

A. NOW HERE IN V. 14A, JOHN LIKENS THE SKY TO AN UNROLLED SCROLL THAT SPLITS IN THE MIDDLE AND ROLLS UP ON EITHER SIDE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, THE SKY WAS SEPARATED INTO PARTS AS A SCROLL BEING ROLLED UP AND THE DIVIDED PORTIONS WILL SHRIVEL, CURL UP LIKE A PAPER AND FORM A ROLL ON EITHER HAND.

** SO THE RAPID ROLLING UP OF AN OPEN PAPYRUS SCROLL WHEN ONE END IS RELEASED IS THE IMAGE HERE.

*** AND THERE MAY BE A GREAT ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE FROM THE RESULT OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE THAT CAUSE VOLCANIC DISRUPTIONS AND THE SMOKE AND ASH IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.

**** BUT WHATEVER CAUSES IT, IT WILL BE QUITE A SIGHT.

1. AND IT’S INTERESTING TO NOTE, THAT THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE IS USED TO TALK ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD IN ISAIAH 34:4 WHERE IT SAYS: (AND WE LOOKED AT THIS EARLIER).

* ISAIAH 34:4 – AND ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN WILL WEAR AWAY, AND THE SKY WILL BE ROLLED UP LIKE A SCROLL; ALL THEIR HOST WILL ALSO WITHER AWAY AS A LEAF WITHERS FROM THE VINE, OR AS ONE WITHERS FROM THE FIG TREE.

** SO THE SKY IS GOING TO ROLL UP LIKE A SCROLL AND SPLIT APART. AND THAT IS THE 5TH NATURAL DISASTER UNDER THIS 6TH SEAL JUDGMENT AND THE LAST ONE IS FOUND IN V. 14B. LOOK BACK AT V. 14 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE THE EFFECT ON THE MOUNTAINS AND ISLANDS.

VI. THE AFFECT ON THE MOUNTAINS AND ISLANDS, (READ V. 14)

A. NOW THIS AFFECT ON THE MOUNTAINS AND ISLANDS APPEARS TO BE THE RESULT OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE.

* EVERY MOUNTAIN AND EVERY ISLAND WERE MOVED OUT OF THEIR PLACES WHICH CERTAINLY PUTS BEYOND QUESTION THAT THESE JUDGMENTS COVER THE EARTH.

** EVERY MOUNTAIN AND ISLAND. AND WHEN YOU THINK OF MOUNTAINS YOU THINK OF STABILITY.

*** IN FACT, KENDELL H. EASLEY IN HIS COMMENTARY SAID AND I QUOTE” “THE MOST PROMINENT AND STABLE LAND FEATURE IS A MOUNTAIN; THE MOST PROMINENT AND STABLE OCEAN FEATURE IS AN ISLAND. FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE MOVED FROM THEIR PLACES INDICATES GEOLOGIC CATASTROPHE OF GIGANTIC PROPORTIONS.” (END QUOTE)

**** TO ADD TO THAT, DR. HENRY MORRIS EXPLAINS HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION AND I QUOTE:

1. “THE EARTH’S CRUST, HIGHLY UNSTABLE EVER SINCE THE GREAT FLOOD, WILL BE SO DISTURBED BY THE IMPACTING ASTEROIDS, THE VOLCANIC EXPLOSIONS, AND THE WORLDWIDE EARTHQUAKES, THAT GREAT SEGMENTS OF IT WILL ACTUALLY BEGIN TO SLIP AND SLIDE OVER THE EARTH’S DEEP PLASTIC MANTLE.

* GEOPHYSICISTS FOR MANY YEARS HAVE BEEN FASCINATED WITH THE IDEA OF “CONTINENTAL DRIFT” (ALTHOUGH STRONG EVIDENCE HAS BEEN ACCUMULATING AGAINST ANY SUCH PHENOMENON OCCURRING IN THE PRESENT AGE). SEVERAL HAVE PUBLISHED THEORIES OF A PAST NATURALISTIC CATASTROPHISM INVOLVING WHAT THEY CALL “THE EARTH’S SHIFTING CRUST.”

** SOME SUCH PHENOMENON MAY ACTUALLY BE TRIGGERED UNDER THIS JUDGMENT OF THE SIXTH SEAL, DWARFING THE DAMAGE OCCASIONED BY ALL THE MIGHTY EARTHQUAKES OF THE PAST.” (END QUOTE)

*** SO IN ESSENCE, WE HAVE HERE A GEOPHYSICAL CHANGE OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE. WHAT A TERRIBLE TIME THIS WILL BE.

IN WRAP UP: (1) THE CATACLYSMIC AND DEVASTATING NATURAL DISASTERS UNDER THE SIXTH SEAL WILL BE THE MOST TERRIFYING EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND UP TO THIS TIME.

* BUT GET THIS. EVEN MORE INTENSE TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS ARE STILL TO COME!

** IN FACT, THE TOTAL FLATTENING OF ALL MOUNTAINS WILL COME LATER UNDER THE 7TH BOWL JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 16:20.

*** AND CLEARLY GOD IS INTERVENING IN A DRAMATIC WAY AS THE DAY OF HIS WRATH HAS COME AS THE DAY OF THE LORD IS IN FULL FORCE.

**** AND THESE KINDS OF PICTURES TROUBLE SOME PEOPLE. FOR IN THEIR MAN-MADE IMAGE OF GOD HE IS A SMILING, BENIGN, LOVING GRANDFATHER THAT EXISTS TO MAKE LIFE GOOD AND EASY FOR US.

(2) BUT PEOPLE FORGET OR ARE IGNORANT THAT GOD IS HOLY AND JUST.

* AND HIS WRATH, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT AND DEVELOP MORE NEXT WEEK IN V. 17 LORD WILLING, GOD’S WRATH IS THE EVIDENCE OF HIS HOLY LOVE FOR ALL THAT IS RIGHT AND HIS HOLY HATRED FOR ALL THAT IS EVIL.

** AND ALTHOUGH SOME DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR OF GOD’S WRATH, HEARING AND THINKING ABOUT IT DRIVES ME TO GOD’S MERCY IN CHRIST.

*** FOR IN HIS GRACE HE RESCUED ME FROM HIS WRATH, AND THAT WAS A LOVING, GRACIOUS, UNDESERVED RESPONSE ON GOD’S PART THAT I AND NO ONE ELSE IS WORTHY OF.

**** AND IN HUMAN PRIDE WE MAY THINK WE ARE WORTHY OBJECTS OF GOD’S LOVE, BUT IN OUR DEPRAVITY AND FALLENNESS WE ARE OBJECT WORTHY OF WRATH.

(3) AND GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS WRATH ON EARTH SOMEDAY AS HE IS POURING OUT HIS WRATH IN HELL.

* SO MY LAST WORDS TODAY ARE A CHALLENGE TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING AND QUESTIONS WE ASK.

** RATHER THAN WHY DOES GOD DO WHAT HE DOES TO THE EARTH SOMEDAY, ASK WHY ISN’T HE DOING IT NOW. WE DON’T LIVE IN A GOOD CULTURE THAT IS EVOLVING INTO A UTOPIAN FORM, BUT ONE THAT IS IN DECAY BY SIN, AND RATHER THAN EVOLVING WE ARE DE-VOLVING.

*** SO WHY NOT NOW? THE ANSWER IS GOD’S PATIENCE AND MERCY.

**** AND LET’S CHANGE OUR THINKING ON THE QUESTION WHY DO PEOPLE GO TO HELL AND TURN IT AROUND AND ASK, WHY DOES ANYONE GO TO HEAVEN?

(4) WE ALL DESERVE WRATH. IF YOU’VE EXPERIENCED HIS MERCY BY GRACE, PRAISE HIM TODAY. IF NOT, CRY OUT FOR HIS MERCY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.