"The Heaven" Departs

John's vision continues: "And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and every island were removed from their places." (Revelation 6:14) Clearly, these are not the literal heavens or the literal mountains and islands. But what do they symbolize?

Regarding "the heaven," we are helped in our understanding by a similar prophecy that tells of Jehovah's rage against all the nations: "And all those of the army of the heavens must rot away. And the heavens must be rolled up, just like a book scroll." (Isaiah 34:4) Edom in particular must suffer. How? She was overrun by the Babylonians soon after the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. At that time, there were no outstanding events recorded as happening in the literal heavens. But there were catastrophic events in Edom's "heavens." Her human governmental powers were abased from their elevated, heaven like position. (Isaiah 34:5) They were "rolled up" and put aside, as it were, like an old scroll that was no longer of any use to anyone.

Thus, "the heaven" that is to 'depart as a scroll' refers to the anti-God governments that rule over this earth. they will be removed with finality by the all-conquering Rider of the white horse. (Revelation 19:11-16, 19-21) This is confirmed by what the apostle Peter said when he looked forward to the events signified by the opening of the sixth seal: "The heavens and the earth that are now, are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:7) But what about the expression, "every mountain and every island were removed from their places"?

In Bible prophecy, mountains and islands are said to rock or be otherwise destabilized at times of great political upheaval. For example, when foretelling Jehovah's judgments against Nineveh, the prophet Nahum wrote: " Mountains themselves have rocked because of him, and the very hills found themselves melting. And the earth will be up heaved because of his face." (Nahum 1:5) There is no record of any breaking up of literal mountains when Nineveh actually fell in 632 B.C.E. But a world power that previously had seemed mountain like in its strength suddenly collapsed.-Compare Jeremiah 4:24.

Therefore, "every mountain and every island" as referred to at the opening of the sixth seal would logically be political governments and dependent organizations of this world that have seemed so stable to many of mankind. They will be rocked right out of place, to the consternation and horror of those who have previously trusted in them. As the prophecy goes on to relate, there will be no question that the great day of the wrath of Jehovah and his Son - the final quaking that removes all of Satan's organization - has come with a vengeance!

Next time: "Fall Over Us And Hide Us"