Let me ask you this question, Spiritual Israelite, to see if you fully understood Revelation 6:
Rev 6:12-17
(12) 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;
(13) 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.
(14) And the
heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and
every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Is the Lord talking about the Second Coming and the Judgment of the world here? Or is it about the judgment of the New Testament congregation, the Church? Do you realize that sun, moon, stars, fig tree, and mountain and island all pointed to Churches, spiritually? Look at what woman has in Revelation 12. Sun, moon and stars..
Now, the mountains and islands are used in Scripture to refer to kingdoms, and often are the representation of the Lord's Kingdom. And the mountain because in the past they were also illustrating a places of protection. Those who are weary of sin flee as a bird to their mountain because that is where the protection of God is. It is the lofty place of safety from attack, and thus it is often used to represent the protection of God's kingdom. e.g., We are those in the mountains that go forth to bring the good news of the gospel (Isaiah 52:7).
Isaiah 51:5
- "My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust."
Isles are the same as Islands. Islands here represent the Lord's kingdom. As also seen in Isaiah 60.
Isaiah 60:9
- "Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee."
Mountains often have the same representation of His kingdom:
Psalms 87:1-3
- "His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
- Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah."
also...
Psalms 11:12
- "...In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
- For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart."
Psalms 121:1-2
- "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
- My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."
The word translated hill is the exact same word translated mountain. Mount Zion represents the kingdom of God. Thus when we read Revelation 16:20, in its proper context, and in harmoneous relationship to the whole Bible, we see this is
God's judgment specifically on the unfaithful church, whom
He had warned of their removal before. They are being removed as a consequence of their disobedience.
Revelation 16:20
- "And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found."
See? Compare this with what God warned the "fallen church" that He would do as a judgment
if they didn't repent and do the first works:
Revelation 2:5
- "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
This is the fate of the fallen church, to be moved out of its place. For example, as symbolized also in Revelation chapter 6:
Revelation 6:14
- "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
Their place was as a representation of the kingdom of God (as Israel's was before it fell), but because of their abominations, God's spirit is removed from them that they are no longer houses of God. In that verse, the heaven departing like a scroll "signifies" the Kingdom of Heaven is gone from them (
as with Israel before them -Matthew 21:43), and it is done like a scroll closed to "signify" the word of God being shut up to them. A famine of hearing the word of God (
Amos 8). Just like in Revelation 9, where people seek death in order to be saved but no longer find it. It is just God has removed the kingdom of Heaven away from them like He did with the Jews at the Cross. This is the fulfillment of what God promised the church in Revelation chapter 2 would happen if they didn't repent of their evil works. God's judgment upon the churches is realized.
Now that we have covered mountains and islands here. Who do you really think the kings of the earth, great men, rich men, chief captains, mighty men, bondmen and free man, the Lord is talking about here that seek protection in the mountains when the day of His Wrath comes upon them, hummm? What mountain is it? Let hear from you if you can biblically explain this.
Revelation 6:15-17
(15) 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;
(16) 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:
(17) For the
great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?
If you think it will take place on the last day where "all" people will try to flee to Smoky Mountain, Rocky Mountain, or Alps and cry "to" the moutains and rocks for protection? Humm.. come on! Nope... the
judgment of the church comes first and this is what Revelation 6 is about!
That was the 6th seal, right? What happen next in the seventh seal?
Rev 8:1
(1) And when
he had opened the seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Sounds like a Second Coming to you yet?