阅读经文 

第六印揭开后，我们发现自己身处在大地震中。约翰看见地大震动，宇宙万物都被分崩离析了。我们一向认为身处的受造世界中那些永恒不变的东西——太阳、月亮、星辰、蓝天、山岭和海岛——都发生了戏剧性的改变，甚至被挪移离开本位，情景宛如一个大规模灾害现场。

每一个人都不可避免会受到影响。有权柄的、富有的、贫穷的，都陷在同样的混乱当中；人们惯于依赖的支持系统都被挪去了。

然而，有什么没有被挪去的呢？是神。

人们要怎样回应这位不肯漠然离开的神呢？我们听见他们绝望的呼喊。当人们被带到神那里、与衪面对面相见时，他们便会做人类始祖犯罪堕落后所做的事：尝试躲避神。（参创 3:1-11）恐惧加深了他们的绝望——他们便对山岭和岩石叫喊：“倒在我们身上吧！把我们藏起来……！”

躲避神只会令我们更加无法认识神。令人感恩的是，山岭并没有回应他们的叫喊。

然而，神却回应了他们！当我们因恐惧以致不敢靠近祂时，神知道怎样对待我们。祂欢迎战兢惧怕的我们，而更令我们喜出望外的是，祂会像父母迎接很久未见的浪子回家那样来拥抱我们。（参路 15:11-24）

The opening of the sixth seal places us on shaky ground. John sees a massive earthquake undoing all the stitches of created reality. All that we assume to be permanent parts of the created world around us—sun, moon, stars, blue sky, mountains, and islands in the sea—are dramatically changed or removed from their place. It’s like ground zero in an event of mass destruction.

Everyone, of course, is affected. The powerful, the rich, and the poor all share in this common ground of chaos. All the supports that people are used to counting on are removed.

And what is not removed? God.

What do people do with this God who refuses to go away? We hear their cry of desperation. When people are brought face to face with God, they do what humankind has attempted since the fall into sin (Genesis 3:1-11): they try to hide from God. Fear deepens their desperation—and they call to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us… !"

Hiding from God keeps God unknown. Thankfully, hills do not respond to people’s cries.

But God does! God knows what to do with our fear over coming close to him. He welcomes us with all of our fears and surprises us with an embrace like a parent welcoming a long-lost child back home (see Luke 15:11-24).