The Sixth Seal Judgment (Part 1)

(Read Part 26)

We begin again this time with this basic chart, which shows that there are four main categories of tribulation judgments: the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the thunder judgments and the bowl judgments.

These judgments will continue to grow more severe all during the seven-year tribulation period. Jesus spoke about the progressive nature of the tribulation judgments in His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25).

We continue our consideration of the distinctly dispensational doctrine of the birthing process of the theocratic millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Sixth Seal: A Great Earthquake

And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11)

Have you ever been so scared and fearful that you wanted to hide from the overwhelming situation? Maybe you or your loved one faced a catastrophic illness, or someone threatened to violently harm you. Maybe you faced a horrific financial or job situation that stunned you. Maybe you experienced traveling in a fierce storm that caused you to literally fear for your life. The potential catastrophic consequences of the above scenarios often result in serious emotional, psychological and even physical distress.

The Apostle John describes the sixth seal judgment in graphic detail, along with the resulting fear and agony that those living through the judgment will experience.

Revelation 6:12-17 states:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (KJV)

Great Earthquake

John reveals that a great earthquake will occur at the beginning of the sixth seal judgment, which will take place during the first half of the seven-year tribulation.

The opening seal judgments will result in significant damage to the Earth and those living during that yet future event. Scripture prophesies the unbelievable carnage of the sixth seal earthquake when stating that “every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Rev. 6:14). John’s statement requires a time of concentrated meditation to imagine the magnitude of the changes in the earth’s topography.

Picture the Cascade Range, the Rocky Mountains, Mount Kilimanjaro, the islands of Greenland, New Guinea, Victoria and Cuba and all of the other mountains and islands moved out of their places during the devastating earthquake. A small earthquake, tornado or thunderstorm can cause young people, and even adults, to reel in fear. The sixth seal judgment is an absolutely horrifying event.

Here we stand; we cannot, and must not, be moved from this distinctive dispensational doctrine.

(Read Part 28)

Dr. Richard Schmidt is the founder of Prophecy Focus Ministries, having previously served as a pastor and church planter. His love for the prophetic Scriptures resulted in writing a doctoral dissertation on a dispensational perspective on the mystery church age existing between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel. Dr. Schmidt offers seminars on a variety of prophetic topics to local churches and conferences. We are very excited to involve him as a contributing author to Dispensational Publishing House.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.