untimely figs

[phareztamar]

CHAPTER SEVEN

Untimely Figs

Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read:


We are still on the first seven calamities, of the sixth seal. The first four were reasonably understood as disasters of nature. But this fifth calamity:

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together

challenges a natural occurrence. For what wonder of sky-wonders is this…the heaven rolling up like a scroll? And if it rolls up, then what lays beneath it, about to be exposed?

We may want to consider the spiritual world in this calamity. The Holy Ghost, after all, grants us permission to. Because John’s vision is here fitly weaved to Isaiah’s same vision. Both describe their falling stars:

As a fig tree casteth her untimely figs

But in Isaiah’s vision; the rolling up of the scroll of heaven, is pictured as a rug being pulled out from under the host of heaven. And without that rug…that scroll…all of its host falls down to the earth.


Besides, then, natural upheavals wreaking havoc across the planet, a spiritual change…of great-earthquake-proportion…is also taking place. The host of heaven have been cast to the earth. Grounded now, as a man, with no more access to their first estate.

And it is a direct result of this casting down, that the sixth calamity unfolds:

And every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

We could probably find some physical fulfillment of this. It may be that the great earthquake has triggered planet-wide rumblings and settlings.

But on the heels of heaven rolling up like a scroll, and the host of heaven falling down to the earth, a spiritual event seems more plausible. And given our Lord’s use of mountains in his word, we likely have spiritual anarchy in view here.

The earth was already crowded enough with spiritual population, and principalities, and rulers and princes, and powers unseen. Now, the host of heaven has crowded in among them. Great upheavals and power struggles…every mountain and island moved out of their places.

And finally; the last of these first seven calamities, finds all men cowering in dens and caves. Everyone is sure, now, that:

The great day of his wrath is come

After these seven things, the next event of the sixth seal comes to four angels. They are posted at the four corners of the round earth. Moreover, they hold the four winds of the earth. And they have been given power to hurt the earth, and the sea, and the trees. But they four are stopped in their tracks.

Another angel has ascended from the east. He holds a treasure immeasurable…the seal of the living God. And he loudly commands the four wind judgments to stay their hands, until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. Those sealed, are of the tribes of the children of Israel. Before the majestic book can be opened…and before the winds of destruction prevail…12,000 from each tribe must be sealed in their foreheads.

These 144,000 have lived through the great earthquake. They survived the sun turning black, and witnessed the moon turning blood red. They have felt the spiritual quaking afoot. And now they are sealed…probably without even knowing it…in their foreheads.

After the servants of God are sealed; we can imagine that the four angels resume their work…of hurting the earth, and the seas, and the trees. In fact, since that mighty earthquake…and throughout the sealing of his servants…great tribulation has been ongoing. The earth is reeling. People are dying by the millions. Some of those have washed their robes, and some of them have not. And yet, the majestic book is still closed.

The four winds have a marvelous history in his word. By these, the Lord breaks the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. The four winds are there to clothe the dry bones of Ezekiel. And perhaps most enlightening, is when Daniel sees the four winds striving upon the great sea. Thereafter, four beasts come up from the sea.

Because the seven seals are preliminary, it makes sense that the four winds should blow across the chaotic aftermath of all these calamities. Because it would seem, in scripture, that when the winds blow, things grow…things happen…things appear.

When we rightly understand heaven rolling together as a scroll, then the spiritual implications of the other images becomes clearer. For this rolling up as a scroll is literally, a rending apart…a tearing away…and a placing of space between. The stars of heaven falling to the earth…besides whatever meteor showers are going on…are showing Isaiah’s host of heaven falling down, as the scroll is rolled together.

The blackening of the sun…besides the rising smoke of destruction…is a blocking of the light of the world. Only the candles on the hilltops remain. The moon turning to blood, warns that the wicked one…while in the early stages…now labors among us. He is in the sea now, though not yet risen up.