The opening of the fifth seal reveals a multitude who were killed by the antichrist. These martyrs are in heaven, waiting on the Lord to avenge their blood on “those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 6:10). The opening of the sixth seal leads to cosmic and geological events that leave people from every walk and status of life calling to the mountains and rocks to hide them from the wrath of Him who sits on the throne and the wrath of the Lamb. Thankfully, we will see none of these things, for we do not have an appointment with God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The point is this, those who would rather call out to the creation (mountains and rocks) than call on their creator—even though they know they are under the judgment of God—will expose the very reason they are in the tribulation in the first place. Paul explains how people arrive at this spiritual condition in the opening chapter of Romans:

Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

ROMANS 1:20-21

God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen and understood by the things that are made—to the degree that they invalidate every person’s excuse for denying there is a God. Those who take the position of denying God as creator, even though He is the only possible explanation for how everything came into being, refuse to give Him glory. Nor are they thankful to Him. The result is they become futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts are darkened. The Greek word translated “futile” means morally wicked and idolatrous.

This tells us the mentally and morally corrupt people who call out to the mountains and rocks to hide them arrived at that condition before the tribulation began, which is the very reason they find themselves in the midst of it. That gives us a hint at what the world will be like prior to the rapture of the church and the ensuing tribulation. People will deny the existence of God in spite of the overwhelming evidence that He exists. It is fitting that we ask the age-old question, Are we there yet? The answer comes in the question, Has the majority of the world rejected the existence of God, or replaced the God of the Bible with their own deity? In both cases, the answer is a resounding yes! The signs that the world is ready and willing for the man of sin to rule them are all around us.

Excerpt from The Time of the Signs by Barry Stagner. Order Now.

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