The wrath of the Lamb

There are moments when a passage of Scripture grabs you by the shoulders and refuses to let you drift into comfortable reading. Revelation 6:12-17 is one of those moments. It pulls back the curtain on the future and lets us see what the world will face when the Lamb (Jesus) opens the sixth seal. It’s dramatic, it’s intentionally unsettling, and it’s meant to awaken something inside us. As the apostle John describes these events, we’re meant to feel the weight of what’s happening. We’re meant to let the words sink in until our hearts start to say, “This is real, this is coming, and Jesus is at the center of it.”

This section of Revelation takes place during the future seven-year Tribulation, a time Scripture describes as unlike anything the world has ever seen. Jesus called it a period of great tribulation in Matthew 24:21. Daniel wrote about it in Daniel 9:27 when he spoke of the final week in God’s prophetic timeline for Israel. These chapters in Revelation let us see the judgments God will pour out on the world as He prepares the earth for the return of Christ and the establishment of His millennial kingdom.

And here, in the sixth seal, Creation itself begins to crumble.

The Earth Trembles Before Its Maker

"When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place."  (Revelation 6:12-14)

John says, "There was a great earthquake." Not just another tremor, but a global shaking so intense that mountains and islands move. This isn’t symbolic language. It’s the created order responding to the Creator. Scripture keeps showing us this pattern. When God steps in to act in personal, visible judgment, the earth literally trembles.

Think about Exodus 19:18 where Sinai shook at the presence of the Lord. Think about Psalm 18:7 where David writes, "Then the earth reeled and rocked. The foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry." When the Lord reveals His power in judgment, the earth responds.

During the sixth seal, the earthquake is part of a larger cosmic collapse. The sun goes black. The moon turns red. Stars fall. The sky rolls up. These aren’t normal natural events. These are divine interruptions. Jesus described similar signs in Matthew 24:29 when He said, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light." 

Old Testament prophets spoke this same language. Joel 2:31 says the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord. Isaiah 34:4 says, "All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll."

John isn’t introducing new ideas. He’s showing us the fulfillment of what God has been promising for generations. The Day of the Lord has always been tied to cosmic upheaval. Revelation 6 gives us a front row seat to it.

The Wrath of the Lamb

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”  (Revelation 6:15-17)

The sixth seal reveals something else too. It exposes the heart response of the unbelieving world. When the earth shakes and the sky collapses, the powerful and the powerless react the same way. They run. They hide. They wish for death instead of facing the Lamb.

John says kings, generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone else cry out to the mountains and rocks. They say, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb."

That phrase stops me every time. The wrath of the Lamb. We usually don’t connect wrath with lambs. Lambs are gentle and meek. Lambs are silent and vulnerable. Lambs don’t inspire fear in anyone.

But this Lamb is Jesus. The crucified and resurrected Lamb who overcame death. The Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The Lamb who opens the seals. And the Lamb who will judge the world with righteousness.

People often imagine Jesus as gentle and kind. And He is. He’s patient. He’s forgiving. He’s compassionate. But He’s also holy. He’s the King of kings. He’s the righteous Judge. And His justice is perfect.

Here’s something that takes a moment to process. The people in this passage know exactly who is judging them. They know it’s God. They know it’s the Lamb. They recognize His authority, and instead of repenting, they’d rather hide. They want the mountains to crush them before they’ll fall at His feet in surrender.

And that breaks my heart, because it reveals what sin does to a person. It hardens. It blinds. It convinces us that we can run from God or avoid Him or ignore Him.

But the Lamb will be seen. His authority will be recognized. Paul says in Philippians 2:10 that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Revelation 6 shows us the moment when the proud realize they can’t stand against Him.

Who Can Stand?

The final verse of this passage contains a question that's absolutely worth asking. “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

That’s the right question. And Scripture gives us the answer.

Not the mighty.
Not the wealthy.
Not the educated.
Not the powerful.
Not the self reliant.
No one can stand before the wrath of God unless they’ve been covered by the grace of Jesus.

Malachi 3:2 asks a similar question. “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?” The implied answer is that we can’t stand unless He makes us able.

Psalm 1:5 says the wicked won’t stand in the judgment. Romans 3:19 says every mouth will be stopped and the whole world will be held accountable to God.

But there’s hope. There’s always hope with Jesus. Believers can stand because they’re not appointed to wrath. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I believe the church will be raptured before the Tribulation begins, and if that's the case, that also means Revelation 6 isn’t a warning for the church. It’s a warning for the world, and it’s a reminder for believers to stay awake, stay bold, and stay hopeful because Jesus is coming.

Letting This Passage Get Personal

Sometimes we read a passage like this and feel a little overwhelmed. It can seem far away from our daily lives. But if we let it get close, I think it can shape us in a few important ways.

1. It deepens our awe of Jesus.

When we see Him as the Lamb who poured out His blood for our salvation, our hearts warm with gratitude. When we see Him as the Lamb who will judge the world, our hearts grow in reverence. The same Savior who held little children in His arms will also bring history to its completion with power and authority.

We need that big view of Jesus. We need a Savior who is tender enough to carry us and mighty enough to defeat evil once and for all.

2. It reminds us that the world isn’t drifting.

History isn’t random. It isn't chaotic. Everything is moving toward a divinely appointed conclusion. God isn’t guessing. He’s guiding. And He already knows how this story ends.

When life feels unpredictable or unstable, Revelation 6 brings clarity. The God who shakes the earth will never lose His grip on those who belong to Him.

3. It motivates us to share the gospel urgently.

If the Day of the Lord is coming, then the day of salvation is now. People around us really will stand before Jesus. Some will stand in worship. Others will stand in judgment.

We can’t make people believe, but we can love them. We can speak truth with compassion. We can pray for open hearts. We can point them to the Lamb who saves instead of the Lamb whose wrath they’ll one day face.

4. It reassures us that justice isn’t forgotten.

Our world is full of injustice. Sometimes evil seems to win. Sometimes wrongdoing feels like it has the last word. Revelation 6 reminds us that Jesus will settle every account. No injustice will escape His eyes. No evil will go unaddressed.

Followers of Christ don’t have to carry the weight of vengeance. We can entrust ourselves to the One who judges justly, (as 1 Peter 2:23 says).

5. It calls us to live ready.

Jesus told His followers to stay alert and watch for His return. Revelation 6 prompts that watchfulness in us. Not fearfulness. Not panic. But hope. Anticipation. Eager expectation.

Our King is coming. He hasn’t forgotten us. He hasn’t abandoned His promises. And He will return at the right time.

A Final Word of Hope

When I read Revelation 6, I feel a mixture of emotions. There’s sobriety because the judgment is real. There’s compassion because people will harden their hearts. But there’s also deep joy. Because the Lamb who judges is the Lamb who rescued me. He saved me. He loves me. And He’s preparing a future that’s better than anything this world can offer.

You can rest in that. You can lean on that truth when your heart feels overwhelmed. The same Savior who redeemed you will one day reign visibly over the whole earth. The world will shake, but you won’t be shaken. The sky will roll back, but you’ll stand firm. Not because you’re strong. But because Jesus is.

So let this passage do what it’s meant to do. Let it deepen your faith. Let it stir your heart. Let it increase your joy in Jesus. And let it remind you that you’re living in the shadow of a coming King.

He’s the Lamb who was slain.
He’s the Lamb who will reign.
And He’s worthy of your trust today.

© John Stange, 2025