THE PROPHECY OF THE SIXTH SEAL: ITS APPEAL TO SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS

THE SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY OF THE SIXTH SEAL

 BIBLE’S APPEAL TO ATHEIST SCIENTISTS

While scriptures are not scientific literature, they are not scientifically dumb either, neither do they oppose or contradict TRUE science. What scriptures, this prophecy, does is to prove that God is the author of science, having set in place all t he laws upon which science is based. Along this line of reasoning, God is a Causative agent that can put a scientific process in motion. For instance, God can set a process in motion that can lead to a star turning into a solid mass, or the moon becoming a molten mass thus losing its reflective properties. Both processes are scientific, and the fact that the initiating force is not natural does not take away from this. This is the basis upon which the sixth seal has a scientific appeal and veracity. The sixth seal, while not discounting science, however recognizes that science is not mutually exclusive to divine power.

STARS FALLING UNTO THE EARTH:

One of the most intelligent critics of the Bible and Christian religion is the Astro-Physicist-scientist, Neil de Grasse Tyson. He asked perhaps a most intelligent and logical question regarding a prophecy in the book of Revelation known as the sixth seal. This prophecy is found in Revelation 6:12-17. In the verse 13 we read:

“And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind” – Revelation 6:13 KJVS

His question(paraphrased) goes as follows:

Considering that one of the stars is several magnitudes larger than the earth, how is it plausible that many stars will fall out of heaven and into the earth?

It is not surprising that this prophecy in the book of Revelation should interest him, because it describes cosmic activities of unprecedented proportion, never before witnessed in the history of the universe. Yes, scientists talk about cosmic events that they suppose happened over thousands, millions, billions, to even trillions of years in the past. But no human has ever witnessed any. In this prophecy however, we read about events that the Bible declares humanity will witness soon if they are alive. But Neil de Grasse and other scientists are challenging the validity and veracity of this prophecy. Dr Tyson has asked a most logical question on the subject.

So, what’s the answer that theologians offered or can offer? Apparently, an answer seems to have been presented, which is, that by stars, the prophecy does not necessarily mean the stellar bodies themselves, but rather asteroids falling through the skies. Is this answer legitimate and satisfactory to the scientists or can more be added to this answer, to make it more satisfactory, say for instance, something to do with the origin and method of formation of these asteroids?

Dr Tyson’s question is predicated on the assumption that the stars will fall into the earth as is or as they are in their natural state, whole and gaseous, large and luminous. But is that what the prophecy is saying? Physics and astronomy has shown that stars are simply large gaseous-molten bodies held together by gravitational and magnetic forces, of which our sun is the largest and closest to the earth.

Well, the question for our erudite scientist is this: Have you ever witnessed the solidification and subsequent disintegration of a star? If a star or stars solidify, a scientifically possible phenomenon, thus significantly reducing in volume, then breaks into pieces, and those pieces fall into the earth, and while doing so they encounter the earth’s gravitational force, and consequently heat up and glow, as is known to happen whenever a body is entering the earth’s atmosphere, will this not amount to stars or stars falling into the earth? If the prophet, witnesses the above phenomena,does it not make sense for him to say that stars fell into the earth? Did he necessarily mean that the stars will fall as they are in their natural gaseous-molten state and sizes that are larger than the earth? The answer is no.

Therefore, from a scientific point of view, the prophet is saying that the stars will collapse into themselves, lose their chemical reactive properties, and consequently solidify. Then, in this significantly small volume and increased density, it will break apart into asteroids, and these are the stars the prophet saw falling into the earth. If the answer to the scientific possibility of stars solidifying, disintegrating, and breaking away from their orbit is yes, and I know that my dear scientist would admit to this possibility, then he has his answer as to what the prophet saw. A gaseous matter shrinks in size by a huge factor when it becomes solid, as science knows. A gram of carbon dioxide gas for instance decreases in volume by a factor of 794.

Here is the calculation(Material obtained form AI): The volume of carbon dioxide increases by a factor of approximately 794 when it changes from a solid to a gas at standard temperature and pressure (STP).

Step 1: Calculate the volume of 1 gram of solid CO₂

The density of solid CO₂ (dry ice) is approximately 1.56 g/mL. The volume of 1 gram of solid CO₂ can be calculated using the formula V=mρcap V equals the fraction with numerator m and denominator rho end-fraction

Vsolid=1 g1.56 g/mL≈0.641 mLcap V sub s o l i d end-sub equals the fraction with numerator 1 space g and denominator 1.56 space g / m cap L end-fraction is approximately equal to 0.641 space m cap L

Step 2: Calculate the volume of 1 gram of gaseous CO₂ at STP

The density of gaseous CO₂ at STP is approximately 1.977 kg/m³, which is equivalent to 1.977 g/L. The volume of 1 gram of gaseous CO₂ can be calculated as follows:

Vgas=1 g1.977 g/L≈0.506 Lcap V sub g a s end-sub equals the fraction with numerator 1 space g and denominator 1.977 space g / cap L end-fraction is approximately equal to 0.506 space cap L

To compare the volumes, convert the gaseous volume to milliliters:

Vgas=0.506 L×1000 mL/L=506 mLcap V sub g a s end-sub equals 0.506 space cap L cross 1000 space m cap L / cap L equals 506 space m cap L

Step 3: Calculate the factor of volume change

The factor of volume change is the ratio of the volume of the gas to the volume of the solid.

Factor=VgasVsolid=506 mL0.641 mL≈794cap F a c t o r equals the fraction with numerator cap V sub g a s end-sub and denominator cap V sub s o l i d end-sub end-fraction equals the fraction with numerator 506 space m cap L and denominator 0.641 space m cap L end-fraction is approximately equal to 794)

Let’s apply this knowledge to the prophecy. So, what this prophecy is telling us is that the stars will undergo the process of solidification and disintegration, and in the process those chunks(asteroids) will lose or escape the star’s natural orbit and enter the earth’s orbit. Depending on their sizes, some will impact the earth and some will burn up in the heat of entrance.

Is this a scientific impossibility? Absolutely not, because this is the reason there are thousands to millions of asteroids swirling in outer space presently and since ages. When sin made entrance, it was not only humans that were impacted, and lost their originally perfect state. The whole universe changed. All things began to break up and down. The only reason the whole universe did not completely implode and dissolve into nothingness is because God arrested instant extinction and set in place the slow rate of disintegration of the universe and its occupants that is going on. So, the universe and its occupants are on a course of slow but sure disintegration, and this applies to every planet body and all the stars.

CAN A STAR FIT INTO THE EARTH-THE ANSWER CULLED FROM AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT?

This is the question the erudite scientist posed as his ground for discrediting the sixth seal and doubting its credibility. As pointed out earlier, this is a credible question, but also a question which the erudite scientist asked without faith in God’s word, which prevented him from allowing for the science of object changing in shape and consistency.

Here is a follow up question posed to AI: If shrunk into solid masses, how many stars can fit inside the earth?

Here is the answer gotten from AI:

AI Overview

In principle, it would be possible to fit approximately

NOTE: While this calculation is theoretical, the shrinking of a star into a much smaller solid mass is a scientific possibility. But let us add to this scientific possibility, God’s power to shrink the stars, and John’s prophecy no longer seem scientifically implausible. While John was not shown the process that resulted in the stars falling into the earth, what is clear is that he knew that it was the stars and that when they were falling into the earth, they were not larger than the earth.

SUN BECAME BLACK AS SACK CLOTH OF HAIR: What scientific fact is this prophecy revealing? The sun, just as the stars, is one large gaseous-molten body. In fact the name, sun, given to it does not differentiate it chemically from the stars. They are gaseous-molten entities, constantly undergoing chemical reactions that account for their light and heat emitting and radiating properties. So, when God says in prophecy that this body, the sun, becomes black as a sack cloth of hair, what is he telling us in scientific terms?

God is making reference to the chemical and physical activities of the sun, the very activities that are responsible for the sun’s heat and light properties. The prophecy is therefore saying that these activities will shut down. Why turn black? As an illustration, what happens when lava from a volcanic eruption cools and solidifies? It turns into a black mass. This is the same thing God is saying about the sun. It will turn into a solid black mass as a result of the chemical and physical reactions ceasing. Those reactions are what keep the sun in its gaseous-molten state, the only state in which it can generate and radiate heat and emitt light.

What will be the effect of the cessation of the sun’s activities on earth? A massive effect. Virtually all earthly life and activities depend on the sun. Essentially, without the sun, life and civilization will cease in the shortest time. Global darkness will ensue. This is not the case of one part of the globe having light and the other part having darkness, and anything in-between, due to the earth’s rotation on its orbit round the sun. It will instead be a total and complete darkness on every inch of the earth. Extreme cold ensues. All living things and beings begin to die. What this means is that unless this process is reversed, all life will become extinct in no time.

Expectedly, God will not allow this phenomenon to last long enough to extinguish all life because he still has his people here on earth. So, he eventually reverses it.

MOON BECAME AS BLOOD: The case of the moon becoming as blood presents even more evidence of how scientifically grounded the scriptures are. Ask yourself the question, Why would the prophecy choose blood to describe what will happen to the moon and why it will not give its natural reflective light? We know from science that the moon does not have the same light and heat generating properties as the sun and stars. For one, it is a solid mass just as the earth and other planets. It gives light, but not light that it generates by itself, but rather the sun’s light, by reflecting it towards the earth.

Here is the scientific explanation of how a mirror reflects light:

1. a star component of the incoming light’s electric field, which would have otherwise been absorbed.
2. 4. Specular Reflection:
   The remaining component of the light wave is reflected, or “bounced,” off the surface. Because the electrons oscillate in a coordinated way, the reflected light maintains the same angle relative to the mirror’s surface as the incoming light.
3. 5. Surface Smoothness:
   For this process to produce a clear image (specular reflection), the surface of the metal must be very smooth, at a scale roughly the size of the light’s wavelength. This prevents the light from being scattered in many different directions, which would result in diffuse reflection and no clear image.

Regarding the light from the moon, here is the scientific explanation:

1. 1. Sunlight is the source:
   The Sun emits light, which travels through space.
2. 2. Reflection off the Moon:
   When this sunlight hits the Moon’s surface, the light bounces off the lunar rock and dust.
3. 3. Light reaches Earth:
   Some of this reflected sunlight travels to Earth, where it becomes what we call “moonlight”.
4. 4. Moon phases:
   The Moon orbits the Earth, and the portion of the sunlit half that is visible from Earth changes, causing the Moon phases, like a full moon or new moon.
5. 5. Surface properties:
   The Moon’s surface, made of rock, reflects the sunlight, giving it its characteristic grayish-white appearance.

The moon reflects the light from the sun, It is a reflector just as a mirror. But the difference is that while a mirror’s smooth surface by design gives regular(specular) reflection, the moon’s naturally rough rock and sand surface gives off diffuse reflection (scattered reflections), some of which reach the earth.

So then, what prophecy is saying is that one of the properties of the moon that enables it to reflect the light of the sun, namely, its rocky and sand solid form, will be lost. In other words the moon will lose its solid state and turn into a molten mass. This then is one of the explanations for the moon being described by the prophecy to be as blood.

But why blood? Surely, blood is not the only substance that is liquid or semi liquid. So, why does prophecy specifically choose blood for comparative reference to what will happen to the moon? The answer lies with the major chemical constituents of the moon, iron and oxygen. According to NASA, the moon has a predominant iron constitution and has significant oxygen. These two chemical components happen to be the reason why blood is red, the redness resulting from the reaction of the iron with oxygen.

Well, the sixth seal prophecy is saying that this is the same reaction that will occur in the moon. Thus, based on the prophecy, two processes will happen with the moon; first it will become molten, and secondly, in this molten state, the abundant iron will readily react with the oxygen. The result will be a liquid, bloody red and non-reflective moon. This will add to the darkness resulting from the sun’s loss of its light generating and emitting properties.

The sum of all these is that the earth will have zero source of natural light. Just imagine such a degree and intensity of darkness, unprecedented, and immeasurable. For a while therefore, the earth will return to its dark state before God declared, “Let there be light”. Add to these, the other aspects of the sixth seal such as the great earthquake of unprecedented scale and the sky disappearing(“rolled together as a scroll”), and seeing an extremely radiant and menacing person in the sky. The chaos and terror and fear will be tremendous, as is evident from the cry of the wicked, asking the rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide them from whoever they will be seeing.

EARTHQUAKE THAT REARRANGES THE GEOGRAPHY, AND ALTERS THE TOPOGRAPHY AND TOPOLOGY OF THE EARTH: Has there ever been such an earthquake that is so severe and so powerful that it moves the islands of this earth from one place to another? This is the exact plain language of the vision:

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places – Revelation 6:14 KJVS

This cannot happen on its own. Only an earthquake can move the earth’s mass, and that is what movement of islands is about, and that is what the prophecy is talking about. Ever since the break up of the earth into giant or mega islands that we call continents, the earth has been sitting on tectonic plates. Earthquakes result from the movement of these tectonic plates horizontally, vertically, diagonally or anything in between.Talking about islands, the tendency may be to think of small islands. But the prophecy does not make such assumptions. Therefore, it makes sense that islands of all sizes and shapes be included in this prophecy. Along the line of this reasoning therefore, whole continents, such as America’s, Europe, Australia, Africa, all can fit the description of islands. In short, the prophecy is talking about massive and total rearrangement of the geography and topography of the earth, such that it will never be the same again.

Scientists and even theologians have taken it for granted that the earth as it is now, is the shape and form that it was when created. Well, scriptures say something different. Here is what Genesis account says:

And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan – Genesis 10:25 KJVS.

The world was inside the water, according to Genesis account. The only way dry land could result has to be by a massive movement of the waters. Since such movement will be within the same defined space of the world, such a movement of water can be likened to pulling back the slings of a slingshot. The parting of the red sea during the Exodus is a mini example. This means that the water will be held back as a rearing and straining dog is held on a leash, ready to burst after its target as soon as it is released. The waters(ocean) were therefore under a massive amount of potential energy. When potential energy is released, it results in kinetic(motion) energy.

The Noahic flood was simply as a result of God letting go of that massive potential energy, and the result was inevitable, the return of the earth to its state of being completely immersed inside water. When you believe in the power of God, the explanation of how the flood occurred is that simple. But thinking scientifically, and in terms of physics and even by seeing the devastation the commonly witnessed floods cause, how they break apart the earth on its path, it is evident. Then scale this up to the level of the whole earth under the massive force of all the oceanic waters and waters from above, all pummeling the earth. Would it not make sense scientifically that the integrity of the earth’s mass should be weakened, and eventually crater into the various tectonic plates and continental divides that we have today as our earth?

Well, the prophecy of the sixth seal is telling us that events of the same proportion or even greater, are about to happen again. An earthquake, combined with massive disruption in the gravitational and magnetic forces that hold up and keep stable our solar system, are soon to completely rearrange the geography and topology of our world. Will this be in the line of further disintegration of the earth or are we going to see a movement in the opposite direction, meaning, towards what is popularly known in scientific circles and language as THE PANGEA? Whichever it is, the world is about to witness a cosmic terror of unparalleled and unprecedented proportion.

HEAVEN ROLLED BACK AS A SCROLL: By the use of the singular, heaven, we can easily deduce that the prophecy is talking about the atmospheric heaven or what we call the sky, where the clouds form. This heaven envelops the earth and serves as a  refractor of the light rays from the sun, as well as a filter that shields and protects the earth from harmful radiation from outer space.

But the prophecy of the sixth seal is saying that this envelope will be rolled back and away. It will disappear and leave the earth exposed. This, plus all the other events of this seal leaves the earth in such a degree of darkness that it cannot be measured or contemplated now. The resulting frigidity, if not curtailed, will be catastrophic. But we have confidence that because this is not God’s judgement, he will protect and modulate and modify the effect of the sixth seal.

The sixth seal will therefore provide evidence of the power of God, by revealing that he is in control of all lives, and that only by his mercy is there life and existence for humanity on earth. Scientists will realize that there is no scientific basis for life to exist for even a day in the aftermath of the events of this seal, and will therefore acknowledge that only a supernatural control and power could have kept civilization still alive.

Idolatry, especially directed towards the planets and stellar bodies is based on the false belief that life and civilization are owing to these bodies. Thus, God, the Creator of these bodies, is ignored and rejected. The creatures are worshipped in the place of their Creator. The event of the sixth seal will begin to set the thinking of the infidels of this world in the right direction, even if reluctantly. Eventually, the atheist will acknowledge the existence of the supernatural, whether it be God or Satan. Reluctantly but certainly, they will acknowledge that their existence is not owing to themselves and their puny science and technology. Then it will dawn on them that this world could not have originated by any BIG BANG, or sustained by any EVOLUTION.

This is the science of the sixth seal. So, dear Sir, Dr Neil de Grasse Tyson and other eminent scientists, I pray that this study appeals to you, and that you consequently and subsequently become believers in the power and wisdom of the Almighty God and in the veracity of the holy scriptures.

Now that we have addressed the science of the sixth seal, let us get into the theology of the sixth seal. This comes in the next section of the discourse.