Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.
Verse Takeaways
1
Symbolic Language
Commentators unanimously agree that the language here—earthquake, darkened sun, bloody moon—is symbolic. This imagery is drawn heavily from Old Testament prophets like Joel and Isaiah to describe massive political and spiritual upheavals. As one scholar notes, Peter used similar language to describe the spiritual revolution on the Day of Pentecost, urging readers to be cautious about a strictly literal interpretation.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Revelation
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
6
18th Century
Presbyterian
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal.
(See Barnes on Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1).
And, lo, the…
There was a great earthquake (σεισμος μεγας εγενετο). "There came a great earthquake." Jesus spoke of earthquakes in his great esc…
19th Century
Anglican
(Verses 12-14) And I beheld . . . —Better, And I saw when He opened the sixth seal, and (omit “lo!”) a great shaking took plac…
Your support helps us maintain this resource for everyone
Baptist
Think of the contrast between this awful cry and the sentence we read just now: Then did they spit in his face. Mountains and rocks, f…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal Of the sealed book which the Lamb took out of the hand of him who sat…
When the sixth seal was opened, there was a great earthquake. The foundations of churches and states would be terribly shaken. Such bold figurative…
Get curated content & updates
