[12] And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; [13] 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. [14] And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Revelation 6:12-14

The terrifying scenario associated with verses twelve and fourteen has been fully painted in graphic detail in the preceding chapters of the birth pangs.  But please observe verse thirteen, which is so conveniently placed in the midst of this pattern of horror.  In the same time frame that earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are producing the effects of verses twelve and fourteen, the stars are observed to fall to the earth.

In Chapter twelve the composition of a comet was outlined.  It is basically a great dirty snowball or ice block.  In the outer veneer of its icy surfaces there are billions to trillions of pieces of embedded space debris.  Most of these tiny pieces of space debris are about the size of a thumbnail, while a few may be hundreds of feet in diameter.  They are composed primarily of nickel, iron, and/or stone.  As a comet approaches the sun, its outer ice surface begins to melt, and releases a long trail of condensational gases that seemingly trail it.  As the outer veneer melts, many of the pieces of space debris are set free from their icy jail, and are then laid down as long belts of small meteoroids suspended in space.  Whenever the earth passes through the meteoroid belts, fantastic displays of thousands of shooting stars fall through its atmosphere, most of which burn into tiny specks of dust before they reach the earth’s surface.

The case was made in Birth Pang Number 12 to show Wormwood is definitely a comet.  This allows verse thirteen of Revelation, Chapter six, to blend perfectly with the worldwide scenario presented by the verses above and below it.  In the midst of worldwide cataclysms of earthquake, fire, smoke, and brimstone, we have the arrival of Wormwood.  In Birth Pang Number 12 full attention was given to the poisoning effects of Wormwood, but when it melts in the atmosphere, what happens to the billions of tiny, solid pieces of space debris in its nucleus?  The answer is given in verse thirteen.  The solid pieces of space debris will not melt like ice, but they will burn.  They will fall through the earth’s atmosphere as meteors, billions of shooting stars.  It will appear that all the stars of heaven are falling to the earth.  Of all the billions that fall, only a handful will be large to reach the earth’s surface as meteorites.  John’s description of falling stars is echoed by both Matthew and Mark in their frightening descriptions of end time events.

[29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [24] But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, [25] And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. [26] And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Matthew 24:29 + Mark 13:24-26

Hell will come up from below, and parts of the heaven will come down from above.  Revelation 6:12-14 is a synopsis, a summary, a preview of what Revelation says will happen for the last three and one-half years of the tribulation period.  It is a preview, given at the opening of the sixth seal, as to what will be occurring through the Trumpets and Vials of God. These three verses describe the terror, and verses fifteen through seventeen show its effects upon mankind.

[15] And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; [16] And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: [17] For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:15-17.