Revelation 6:12-14

The sixth seal was opened and there was an earthquake; the sun became black; the moon became like blood; the stars fell; the heavens departed as a scroll; and the mountains and islands were moved out of their places. All these signs had been used by the Old Testament prophets, and were not new as symbols of prophecy. And we may add that nearly all the visions of the Revelation borrow their imagery from the Old Testament, and this is some help to their meaning.

It may doubtless be taken for granted that these convulsions of nature were seen in vision and are not to be looked upon as actual occurrences. As no one would assume that the four horses actually rode over the earth, but were symbolical representations of things that were to happen, so these convulsions of nature were probably to be understood in the same way; that is, not a prophecy that the sun would literally grow black, and stars fall, and islands and mountains be moved. Yet even such things could be, and maybe some of them did happen in earthquakes and cosmical changes, in that time, and may happen again. Yet perhaps more probably, these convulsions of nature were projected in the vision, in order to portend convulsions of another kind among men. Striking and terrible things seen in the visions foretold striking and terrible judgments upon the wicked persecutors of the church. And I am not sure but that it is a feature of Biblical symbolism to make sun, moon, and stars, and such phenomena to represent the strong social and political powers, or men in high places like kings, princes, o r priests, or high officials of church and state. And in confirmation you will notice that the following verses refer to just such men, as if to be a sort of commentary on these symbols. And so these convulsions seen in the vision might reasonably refer to the breaking up of the strong political combinations of that day, and the fall of those who stood at their head.