Missed any of our Revelation series? You can catch up here!

Scoffers have always been present in the world.

Scoffers dismissed the message of Noah for years as he built the vessel which would carry him and his believing family through the horrors of the flood safely.

Scoffers dismissed the Old Testament prophets as they forewarned of God’s judgment against Israel and Judah.

Scoffers will dismiss the first five seal judgments in unbelief as wars, savage persecution, famine, disease, and pestilence wrack the earth. The sixth judgment will bring even the most hardened scoffer to a point of recognizing the supernatural nature of what is happening.

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, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Revelation 6:12-14

The world will be falling apart around them. Henry Morris suggests that a massive earthquake such as referenced in these verses would trigger huge volcanic eruptions, spewing ash, steam, and smoke; this would darken the atmosphere and cause the sun to appear red.  Added to this terror will be meteors plunging to the earth and the earth’s crust shifting violently.

Fear will grip the inhabitants of the earth on an unprecedented level. And they will know, without a doubt, that they are experiencing the wrath of God against sin.

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. 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! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Revelation 6:15-17

The heartbreaking part of this passage to me is that the people know they are experiencing the beginning of God’s wrath against their sin…

But they do not repent.

As believers, we should fear the Lord. But this fear is a reverence, an awe for His power and holiness that is proper when dealing with the sovereign Creator and Lord of the universe.

Those who do not bow the knee will not fear Him in this proper way – they will stand in utter terror of Him. The demons shudder in His presence; they do not fear Him, they are afraid of Him. In the same way, the unbelieving of the world, of every station in life, will cower before Him but refuse to submit with proper reverence.

The great day of His wrath has come. Reading these judgments is a sobering call to pray fervently for those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior – and it is also a call to remember the extravagant grace He has shown to those of us who are already in Christ.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! What amazingly good news we have to share with those around us – as time marches steadily on toward the day when God will judge sin, we must share about His amazing grace and pray that scoffing hearts will be opened to the Truth.