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Revelation

About this book
Chapter 6

1 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, “Come!” 2 So I looked, and here came a white horse!⁠ The one who rode it had a bow, and he was given a crown, and as a conqueror he rode out to conquer. 3 Then when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4 And another horse, fiery red, came out, and the one who rode it was granted permission to take peace from the earth so that people would butcher one another, and he was given a huge sword. 5 Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand. 6 Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!” 7 Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 8 So I looked and here came a pale green horse! The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind.⁠ They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.⁠ 9 Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed⁠ because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.⁠ 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”⁠ 11 Each of them was given a long white robe,⁠ and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached of both their fellow servants and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.⁠ 12 Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red;⁠ 13 and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind.⁠ 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.⁠ 16 They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,⁠ 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 102:1 and Revelation 6:15

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · New Testament

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Summary

Revelation 6 describes people hiding in terror during the time of divine judgment, using language similar to 1 Enoch 102, where divine beings, angels, and the earth are shaken during divine judgment and are asked where they can hide.

Passages

1 Enoch 102:1

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
1 In those days, when he unleashes a fierce fire upon you, where will you flee and where will you find safety? And when he speaks out against you, will you not be shaken and afraid? 2 And all the lights shall be struck with great fear, and all the earth shall be frightened and tremble and be alarmed. 3 And all the angels shall carry out their commands and shall seek to hide themselves from the presence of the Great Glory, and the children of earth shall tremble and quake; and you sinners shall be cursed forever, and you shall have no peace. 4 Fear not, you souls of the righteous, and be hopeful, you that have died in righteousness. 5 And do not grieve if your soul has descended into Sheol in grief, and that in your life your body did not fare according to your goodness, but wait for the day of the judgment of sinners and for the day of cursing and punishment.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Revelation 6:15

New Testament
12 Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red; 13 and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”
92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

"... The earthquake is one of the major images of the End in the Apocalypse, far too often passed over as a conventional apocalyptic image of no great interest. A study of its background and use will show that, like other symbols in the Apocalypse, it is intended to exploit a range of conceptual associations and to play a distinctive role in the structure of the book. In very many Old Testament and later Jewish texts an earthquake accompanies a theophany. Very frequently this earthquake is part of a cosmic quake: the whole universe, firmament, heavenly bodies, earth, sea and the foundations of the world tremble at the coming of God (Sirach 16:18-19; Judith 16:15; Testament of Levi 3:9). Frequently the creation shakes before the coming of God as warrior, leading his hosts to battle against his enemies (Judges 5:4-5; Joel 2:10; Micah 1:4; Psalm 78:7-8), before the coming of God to reign over the nations (Psalm 97:5; 99:1), before the coming of God to judge the wicked (Isaiah 13:13; 24:18-20; 34:4; Jeremiah 51:29; Ezekiel 38:20; Nahum 1:5). These aspects are all found together in the apocalyptic descriptions of the great cosmic quake which will accompany the eschatological theophany (1 Enoch 1:3-9; 102:1-2; Testament of Moses 10:1-7; 2 Baruch 32:1) ..."
Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1993), 199.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1 Enoch 102:1 and Revelation 6:15

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