Revelation 6:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"The stars fell." As was also written about those deceived by Antiochus, this means that those who consider themselves lights of the world will fall, struck and crushed by the events of that time. According to the Lord's word, because of the abundance of tribulation, even the elect will be deceived, if possible (Mt 24:24). Therefore perhaps the fig tree is indicated here. When shaken by the devilish wind, it drops fruits still undeveloped, not yet ripened in the heat of temptations and not yet receiving the sweetness of grace. For the fig tree is understood in two senses, good and bad. This may be concluded from the two baskets of good and bad figs shown to Jeremiah (Jer 24:1-2).

Was it not from these temptations that the Lord promised to preserve the Philadelphian Church, the sixth in the order of His epistles to the Churches?

Beneath the figurative prophetic language lies a meaning no less mysterious. An earthquake is usually understood as a change in the existing order of things. The sun signifies life, and the moon the reflection of that life in something else. The stars signify brilliant persons, rulers of minds and hearts. Heaven signifies the veil over the mystery, a barrier. Mountains and islands signify certain unshakable foundations.

"The stars of heaven fell to the earth." In describing great natural upheavals, the Apostle John, like other sacred writers, followed the ordinary Jewish view of the structure of the world. Scientific knowledge was simply absent among them. Therefore the stars are represented as falling like unripe figs, and heaven is rolled up like a garment (Ps 101:27; Is 34:4). All this shows that the events described in Revelation must be accompanied by extraordinary upheavals throughout the whole world. These will occur not only on the earthly globe, but also beyond it.