Cosmic disturbances and their apocalyptic representations in Revelation’s sixth seal

Understanding  the book of Revelation with Afolabi Dollars (12)

“The HEAVEN departed AS/LIKE a SCROLL rolled up together”-Rev.6:14

Before I explain the remaining two cosmic disturbances in the opening of the 6th seal, I’d like to emphatically say that we shouldn’t focus more on the literalness of these cosmic signs but more on their representations.

From generations past till this generation, MANkind has always been moved and captivated by SIGNS but the interesting thing is they still couldn’t decode; the more men focus on signs, the more clueless we become in the apocalyptic scheme of things.

William Miller and his ADVENTIST focused more on the LITERALNESS of these SIGNS and their CLUELESSNESS was revealed in 1844 when they experiences the great disappointment about Christ’s COMING!

During the years preceding 1844 outstanding SIGNS occurred from all four cosmic participants (earth, sun, moon, and stars, exactly in the order narrated in the 6th seal); there was the Lisbon earthquake which came in 1755 and was felt as far away as Scandinavia.

There was the New England’s darkness which covered thousands of miles in 1780 when the sun ‘disappeared’ and the moon turned blood red in their eclipse. The last sign was the Leonid meteorite shower which occurred in 1833, and boom, the Adventists thinking they’ve got clues about Christ’s second coming, went into the streets, and preparing for the COMING of CHRIST in 1844, forgetting that these signs have been occurring in continuum, and the Bible doesn’t say these were to be the only signs, they became disappointed when CHRIST didn’t show up in 1844.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there won’t be literal signs, I’m just saying our preparedness shouldn’t revolve around observing the signs, but decoding their symbolic representations, otherwise, we’d become more clueless in the scheme of things.

Let’s quickly check out the next cosmic disturbance which is The Heaven departing AS/LIKE a SCROLL rolled up together(Rev.6:14).

I already established earlier that the “heaven” here is referring to the SKY/1st heaven. If you’ve been following me well, to decode the DEPARTING of the heaven, we need to pay attention to the SIMILE “As/Like” used for comparison between the HEAVEN/SKY DEPARTING and THE SCROLL rolled up together.

The first thing I asked myself is, what is a SCROLL? A scroll is a storable parchment or papyrus used for writing or documentation, it can also be called books volumes; when Jesus said “according as it is written of me in the VOLUME OF THE BOOKS”, He was actually talking about the scrolls. Now, when a scroll is rolled up, it’s usually because the writer is done with that particular scroll, and wants to start with a NEW SCROLL. Literally, the heaven/sky is here described as spread out, and its PASSING AWAY is represented by the idea that it might be rolled up, and thus disappear, but we need to understand that when the Bible says “heaven and Earth shall PASS AWAY”, it is NEVER in/from a literal sense, it’s metaphorical, and we are not to think that it will literally occur.

Indeed it NEVER can literally occur; and we are not, therefore, to look for the literal or physical fulfillment of this particular cosmic disturbance that would correspond with what is said here in this 6th seal. Therefore, the symbolic representation of the HEAVEN/SKY departing AS/LIKE a SCROLL rolled up together is, that there would be a NEWNESS OF SYSTEMS, and/or NEW CHANGES, EVOLUTIONS, by virtue of the revolutions and inevitable commotions that would occur in the high places of the earth, and among those in power, also making princes and rulers FALL from their THRONES like stars fall from their places in the SKY. Let the reader DECODE!

Last cosmic disturbance in the sixth seal

“And every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”-Rev.6:14.

The last cosmic disturbance in the 6th seal is the MOVING of mountains and islands from their original places.

Literally, when there’s a great earthquake, the magnitude or intensity of the earthquake could shatter or move mountains from their places, and cause rivers or island to breakout of their beds/courses and flow into other areas of the land.

Having the understanding of this literal sense of how a violent earthquake can affect or impact mountains and islands/rivers would make it easier for us to decode what the apocalyptic representations of MOUNTAINS and ISLANDS “moving” out of their places mean.

I already established earlier that the GREAT/VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE represents the inevitable agitations and commotions that takes place on earth, and we need to understand that all the symbolic representations of every cosmic disturbance mentioned in the 6th seal are SEQUENCIALLY linked to themselves, which I’d explain later in my next article for the accuracy of understanding.

The apocalyptic representations of the MOUNTAINS and the ISLANDS MOVING out of THEIR PLACES is reflected in the inevitable CONVULSIONS that would take place in the POLITICAL, ECONOMIC and MORAL structures/fabrics of the world due to the global impact of the “great earthquake”(global agitations and commotions). Please don’t forget that I said earlier that our focus shouldn’t just be on a literal fulfilment of these cosmic disturbances but to decode their apocalyptic representations so that we’re not thrown into cluelessness.

So, “mountains” and “islands” moving out of their places further means that many things politically, economically, morally, ecumenically, etc which for ages have been permanent, fixed, immovable or insurmountable would be subject to violent/drastic and exigent CHANGES.

Permanent things and fixed structures/patterns you don’t ever expect should change would change, long time INSTITUTIONS would be abolished or reset, ancient “thrones” and fixed “dynasties” would be overthrown/changed, the current queen of England will soon pass away and a new order in the English throne, long established policies and CONSTITUTIONS would change globally because a NEW ORDER OF THINGS shall rise in the political world.

Cosmic disturbances in the sixth seal link: How they link

Finally on the 6th seal, just like the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, there’s a sequential link and relationship between all the cosmic disturbances mentioned in the 6th seal, especially when we view them from their apocalyptic REPRESENTATIONS.

Starting with the “great earthquake” which represents inevitable AGITATIONS and COMMOTIONS in the entire world which leads to the SORROWFUL DARKNESS and SOBERING on earth which is what the “sun became black as the sackcloth of hair” represents, and this would definitely bring about apocalyptic CONFLICTS and DISTRESS in the world which is what the “moon became as blood” represents.

These irreconcilable conflicts and global distress would make PRINCES and RULERS to fall from their THRONES/LOSE THEIR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWERS in different nations of the world where some nations become weakened or weaker while some nations find their political and economic strength by thriving on the weakness of other nations which is what the “stars of heaven fell to the earth as the fig cast her unripe figs” represents, and of course all these eventually brings about the END OF AN ERA.

NEW CHANGES, A NEW ORDER OR SYSTEM OF THINGS rising globally which is what the “heaven depart as/like a scroll rolled up” represents, and finally, these new changes would no doubts make some LONG ESTABLISHED INSTITUTIONS, FIXED/PERMANENT THINGS, POLICIES AND CONSTITUTIONS, etc to be “MOVED” and REARRANGED or abolished which is what the “every mountain and island move from their places” represents.

We can see how all these apocalyptic representations of the cosmic disturbances in the opening of the 6th seal rolled into themselves in the frequency of God’s judgement! The activities that follow all these cosmic disturbances in the following verses (verses 15-17) would give us more understanding of these representations explained above.

15 Then the KINGS of the earth, the NOBLES, the military COMMANDERS, the RICH, the POWERFUL, and every SLAVE and FREE person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of Their wrath has come! And who is able to stand?”

The above verses of scripture talks about a GLOBAL CONSTERNATION as a result of the aggregations of the apocalyptic representations of these cosmic disturbances; a universal panic that would extend to ALL CLASSES OF PEOPLE, and fill the entire world with alacrity, as if the end of all things were coming.

The KINGS of the earth can’t be saved by their thrones, the NOBLES can’t be saved by their nobility, the COMMANDERS can’t be saved by their military authorities/offices, the RICH can’t be saved by their wealth, and they would be alarmed like others of these classes of people listed in the 6th seal, the POWERFUL can’t be saved by their powers, etc.

These classes of people going to MOUNTAINS and ROCKS to HIDE them shouldn’t also be taken literally, it’s a figurative expression; the ROCK is usually a STRONGHOLD of SAFETY used for hiding from danger or disaster, this is the reason Moses was HIDDEN by God in the cleft of the rock before God could show His BACK PARTS to him saving Moses from the danger of death because at those times, no man sees God and live! MOUNTAINS are like unmovable long existing institutions and constitutions, and this is why when God gave constitutional laws in the Old Testament, it’s usually on the MOUNTS, and several mountains surround Jerusalem.

So, all these classes of people going to the ROCKS and MOUNTAINS simply represents that many people would seek SAFETY or succour ANYWHERE, some would try to hide under institutions. MANY folks would look for the easy way out, the very reason many would COOPERATE with both THE FIRST BEAST and THE SECOND BEAST in order to escape the dangers of the Earth’s apocalyptic CONVULSIONS.

The difference between the 5th seal and the 6th seal as regarding God’s judgement and mercy is that the 5th seal is a reflection of God’s mercy and kindness, while the 6th seal clearly reveals the judgment and severity of God. Rom.11:22 captures it well: Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

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