Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. Then the kings of the earthThe phrase "kings of the earth" refers to the rulers and leaders who hold power and authority over nations. In the Greek, "basileis" (kings) signifies those who are sovereigns or monarchs. Historically, kings have been seen as the ultimate earthly authority, often considered as representatives of divine will. In the context of Revelation, these kings are depicted as being subject to the ultimate authority of God, highlighting the theme that no earthly power can withstand the divine judgment. the nobles
The term "nobles" refers to those of high birth or rank, often associated with aristocracy. The Greek word "megistanes" is used here, indicating individuals of significant influence and status. This inclusion emphasizes that social standing and human honor will not exempt anyone from the coming judgment. It serves as a reminder that all are equal before God, regardless of earthly titles. the commanders
"Commanders" translates from the Greek "chiliarchoi," meaning leaders of a thousand soldiers, or military leaders. This highlights the military might and strategic power that will be rendered powerless in the face of divine wrath. Historically, military leaders have been seen as protectors and enforcers of a nation's will, yet here they are depicted as unable to protect even themselves. the rich
The "rich" are those who possess wealth and material abundance. The Greek word "plousioi" is used, which denotes affluence and prosperity. In biblical terms, wealth is often seen as a potential barrier to spiritual humility and dependence on God. This phrase underscores the futility of relying on material wealth for security in the face of God's judgment. the mighty
"Mighty" refers to those with great power or strength, translated from the Greek "ischyroi." This term encompasses both physical strength and influential power. Historically, the mighty have been revered and feared, yet Revelation reveals that true power belongs to God alone, and human strength is insufficient against His will. and every slave and free man
This phrase includes all individuals, regardless of social status, emphasizing the universality of the coming judgment. The Greek words "doulos" (slave) and "eleutheros" (free) highlight the comprehensive nature of God's reach. In the ancient world, these terms defined one's social and economic status, yet here they illustrate that divine justice is impartial and all-encompassing. hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains
The act of hiding "in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains" symbolizes the desperation and fear that will grip humanity. The Greek "kryptein" (to hide) conveys a sense of seeking refuge or concealment. Throughout history, mountains and caves have been seen as places of safety and refuge. However, in this context, they represent the futility of trying to escape God's presence. This imagery serves as a powerful reminder that there is no hiding from divine judgment, and it calls believers to seek refuge in God alone. Persons / Places / Events 1. Kings of the EarthThese are the rulers and leaders of nations, representing political power and authority. 2. NoblesIndividuals of high social status, often with influence and wealth. 3. CommandersMilitary leaders responsible for the defense and aggression of nations. 4. The Rich and the MightyThose with economic power and influence, often controlling resources and wealth. 5. Every Slave and Free ManThis phrase encompasses all of humanity, regardless of social status, indicating the universal impact of the events described. 6. Caves and Rocks of the MountainsSymbolic places of refuge and hiding, representing the futility of escaping divine judgment. Teaching Points The Universality of JudgmentNo one is exempt from God's judgment, regardless of status or power. This calls for humility and repentance. The Futility of Earthly SecurityEarthly power and wealth cannot protect against divine judgment. True security is found in Christ alone. The Fear of the LordA healthy fear of God leads to wisdom and reverence, prompting us to live righteously and seek His mercy. Urgency of RepentanceThe inevitability of judgment should drive us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Hope in ChristWhile judgment is certain, believers have hope in Christ, who offers salvation and refuge from the wrath to come. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the description of people hiding in caves and rocks challenge our understanding of security and power? 2. In what ways does this passage encourage us to examine our own lives and priorities in light of God's coming judgment? 3. How can the fear of the Lord, as depicted in this passage, lead us to a deeper relationship with God? 4. What parallels can you draw between this passage and other biblical accounts of divine judgment, and how do they inform our understanding of God's character? 5. How can we, as believers, offer hope and guidance to others in light of the truths revealed in Revelation 6:15? Connections to Other Scriptures Isaiah 2:19-21This passage similarly describes people hiding in caves and rocks from the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, highlighting the theme of divine judgment. Luke 23:30Jesus speaks of a time when people will call to the mountains and hills to cover them, echoing the fear and desperation seen in Revelation 6:15. Hebrews 10:31This verse emphasizes the fearful expectation of judgment, reinforcing the idea that it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | The Conqueror | W. M. Punshon, D. D. | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Development of Good and Evil in Human History | D. Thomas, D. D. | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Future Triumph of Our King | J. Clayton, M. A. | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Going Forth of the Gospel | James Durham. | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Opening of the Seals | S. Conway | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Redeemer's Conquests | J. Parsons. | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Seven Seals; Or, the Development of Good and Evil in Human History | D. Thomas | Revelation 6:1-17 | | The Final Judgment of the Enemies of the Church | R. Green | Revelation 6:12-17 | | Furor Fit | Francis Jacox, B. A. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | Presumption Running into Despair | T. Adams. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | Safety in the Day of Wrath | D. Moore, M. A. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | Terrified Sinners in the Last Earthly Scene | J. A. Seiss, D. D. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Great Day and the Great Question | J. D. Smith. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Last Great Prayer Meeting | W. M. Blackburn, D. D. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Last Great Prayer Meeting | W. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wonders of the Last Day | D. Thomas | Revelation 6:15, 16 | | The Wrath of God | J. M. Sherwood, D. D. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wrath of God and the Lamb | T. Hannam. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wrath of the Lamb | Homilist | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wrath of the Lamb | G. Matheson, D. D. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wrath of the Lamb | | Revelation 6:15-16 | | The Wrath of the Lamb | H. Bushnell, D. D. | Revelation 6:15-16 | | Who Shall be Able to Stand in the Last Judgment | Homilist | Revelation 6:15-16 |
People JohnPlaces PatmosTopics Bondman, Bond-man, Captains, Caves, Chief, Chiefs, Chiliarchs, Commanders, Commanding, Cover, Dens, Free, Freeman, Free-man, Generals, Hid, Holes, Kings, Mighty, Military, Mountains, Officers, Powerful, Princes, Rich, Rocks, Rulers, Servant, Slave, Slaves, Strong, Themselves, Thousands, Wealth, Wealthy, WhetherDictionary of Bible Themes Revelation 6:15 4218 cave Revelation 6:12-15 7318 blood, symbol of guilt Revelation 6:12-17 4284 sun
4812 darkness, God's judgment
5955 strength, divine Revelation 6:15-16 4354 rock Revelation 6:15-17 1310 God, as judge
2051 Christ, majesty of
4045 chaos
5367 kingdoms
5490 refuge
9220 day of the LORD Library "For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die, but if Ye through the Spirit do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live. "
Rom. viii. 13.--"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Though the Lord, out of his absolute sovereignty, might deal with man in such a way, as nothing should appear but his supreme will and almighty power, he might simply command obedience, and without any more persuasions either leave men to the frowardness of their own natures, or else powerfully constrain them to their duty, yet he hath chosen that way that …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh BinningDeparted Saints Fellowservants with those yet on Earth.
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." The revelation made to St. John in the isle of Patmos, was a comfort to the suffering apostle, and a blessing to the church. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the word, of this prophecy." The beginning indeed was dark; the prophetic sketch, was for sometime, gloomy: It unfolded a strange scene of declensions and abominations, which were to disgrace the church of Christ and mar its beauty; and dismal series of woes on woes, …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
The interval of time which separates the removal of the Church from the earth to the return of Christ to it, is variously designated in the Word of God. It is spoken of as "the day of vengeance" (Is. 61:2). It is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). It is the "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world" (Rev. 3:10). It is denominated "the great day of the Lord" (Zeph. 1:14). It is termed "the great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21). It is the time of God's "controversy with the …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are …
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896 "So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
Rom. viii. 8.--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is a kind of happiness to men, to please them upon whom they depend, and upon whose favour their well-being hangs. It is the servant's happiness to please his master, the courtier's to please his prince; and so generally, whosoever they be that are joined in mutual relations, and depend one upon another; that which makes all pleasant, is this, to please one another. Now, certainly, all the dependencies of creatures one upon …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning From the Supplement to the Summa --Question Lxxii of the Prayers of the Saints who are in Heaven
I. Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? II. Ought we to appeal to the Saints to intercede for us? III. Are the Saints' Prayers to God for us always heard? I Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? On those words of Job,[267] Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand, S. Gregory says: "This is not to be understood of the souls of the Saints, for they see from within the glory of Almighty God, it is in nowise credible that there should be anything without of …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words …
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel "There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. "
Rom. viii. 1.--"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There are three things which concur to make man miserable,--sin, condemnation, and affliction. Every one may observe that "man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward," that his days here are few and evil. He possesses "months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed" for him. Job v. 6, 7, vii. 3. He "is of few days and full of trouble," Job xiv. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Consolations against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate-- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou didst suffer with reverence, being a child, the corrections of thy earthly parents, how much rather shouldst thou now subject thyself, being the child of God, to the chastisement of thy heavenly Father, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Meditations of the Blessed State of a Regenerate Man in his Death.
When God sends death as his messenger for the regenerate man, he meets him half-way to heaven, for his conversation and affection is there before him (Phil. iii. 20; Col. iii. 2.) Death is never strange nor fearful to him: not strange, because he died daily--not fearful, because whilst he lived, he was dead, and his life was hid with Christ in God (1 Cor. i. 31; Col. iii. 3;) to die, therefore, is to him nothing else in effect, but to rest from his labour in this world, to go home to his Father's …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Messiah Worshipped by Angels
Let all the angels of God worship Him. M any of the Lord's true servants, have been in a situation so nearly similar to that of Elijah, that like him they have been tempted to think they were left to serve the Lord alone (I Kings 19:10) . But God had then a faithful people, and He has so in every age. The preaching of the Gospel may be compared to a standard erected, to which they repair, and thereby become known to each other, and more exposed to the notice and observation of the world. But we hope …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. ^A Matt. XXI. 33-46; ^B Mark XII. 1-12; ^C Luke XX. 9-19. ^b 1 And he began to speak unto them ^c the people [not the rulers] ^b in parables. { ^c this parable:} ^a 33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a ^b pit for the ^a winepress in it …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Death by Adam, Life by Christ
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. F rom Mr. Handel's acknowledged abilities as a composer, and particularly from what I have heard of his great taste and success in adapting the style of his music to the subject, I judge, that this passage afforded him a fair occasion of displaying his genius and powers. Two ideas, vastly important in themselves, are here represented in the strongest light, …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh Links Revelation 6:15 NIVRevelation 6:15 NLTRevelation 6:15 ESVRevelation 6:15 NASBRevelation 6:15 KJV
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