The sixth seal is the prophetic sign that will be visible to the entire world and will proclaim that the end of the world is imminent. This sign of the end of the age is specifically a sign of hope for Jesus’ disciples, to let them know that God’s judgment, phase one, is at hand. The sixth seal consists of at least six unparalleled cosmic disturbances, indicating that the final period of Daniel’s 70th week - the Day of the Lord (God’s Wrath) - is about to begin. These cosmic disturbances are as follows: (1) Great Earthquake; (2) Solar Eclipse; (3) Red Moon; (4) Stars Fall from the Sky; (5) Sky Splits Apart; and (6) Mountains and Islands are destroyed.
Matthew 24:27-29 [27] For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (everyone will see it). [28] Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. (One vulture circling overhead does not mean much, but a gathering of vultures means that a dead body is nearby. Likewise, one sign of the end may not be significant, but when many of these signs occur, the death of the age and the second coming is near.) [29] 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.”
Revelation 6:12-15 [12] I watched as he (Jesus) opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake (The first sign of the imminent wrath of God – a violent and devastating earthquake. The worst earthquakes in the history of the world will plague the earth throughout Daniel’s 70th week. See Rev 8:5, 11:13,19 16:18.) The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair (The second sign – some type of solar eclipse, causing the sun to go dark for a period of time, or natural effects from ash) the whole moon turned blood red, (The third sign – moon goes dark blood in color and does not give its light) [13] and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. (The fourth sign – the stars no longer shine and it will appear as if the stars are falling from the sky. Joel 3:15 says the stars will lose their brightness. Before Jesus returns, the natural light sources will be turned off, plunging the earth into total darkness – perhaps even all electricity will give out at this time.) [14] The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, (The fifth sign – the sky itself will roll up like a scroll, perhaps ‘opening a window’ into the spiritual dimension, causing severe panic) and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (The sixth sign – Due to the earthquake, all the mountains and islands will be moved from their places. This cosmic disturbance is so severe that the entire planet may be knocked off its axis and out of its orbit. Isaiah wrote that “The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls--never to rise again.” See Isaiah 24:20) [15] Then (immediately following the cosmic disturbances) 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. (The response of all unbelievers, no matter their position, will be to panic run to the mountains and hide. Isaiah wrote that “they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when he arises to shake the earth.” See Isaiah 2:19-21.) [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 (God the Father) and from the wrath of the Lamb!” (Once the sixth seal is opened and the cosmic disturbances begin, everyone will recognize that the Wrath of the Lamb is about to commence.)
Note that there is complete consistency in the Bible as to WHEN these signs will occur; the cosmic disturbances will occur immediately “after” the Great Tribulation, but “before “the great and terrible Day of the Lord begins.
Matthew 24:29: Immediately after the distress of those days (the Great Tribulation) '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.' (Cosmic Disturbances)
Joel 2:31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood (Cosmic Disturbances) before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (The Day of the Lord)
These prophesies predict that key events will occur before the day of the Lord, and by logical extension they will occur before the rapture.
This cosmic disturbance is the last prophetic sign that immediately precedes the Rapture of the Church. Believers who are alive on Earth at this time and have survived the ongoing, relentless onslaught of Antichrist, will be longing for this key cosmic sign. Why? Because when this sign appears, the persecution of God’s elect by Antichrist will be “cut short” or terminated by the Rapture. Believers will have great joy and expectancy knowing that when these cosmic disturbances occur, our “redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
Test 1.