6:15. And the kings of the earth.—The aristocracy.
And the great men.—The clergy. (Rev. 18:23, comment.) Rendered “lords” in Mark 6:21. See Job 12:2.
[And the rich men,] and the chief captains, AND THE RICH MEN.—The high military officers. Rendered “high captains” in Mark 6:21. The magnates and financiers.
And the mighty men.—The labor organizers.
And every bondman.—Member of a labor organization.
And every free man.—Other worker (if not a bond‐slave of Christ).
Hid themselves in the dens.—See Isa. 2:19‐21.
And in the rocks of the mountains.—“As the trouble increases, men will seek, but in vain, for protection in the great rocks and fortresses of society (Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, and Trades Unions, Guilds, Trusts, and all societies secular and ecclesiastical), and in the mountains (governments) of earth.”—B. 139; Jer. 3:23; Hos. 10:8.
6:16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us.—“The Greek word _epi_, here used, is generally translated _on_, but has also the significance of _over_ (Rev. 5:10) and _about_, and is so translated many times in the common version. The thought is that of protection, not of destruction. The common view of this passage, that it teaches that wicked men will get faith enough to pray for literal mountains to fall, is absurd. The real fulfilment is already beginning: the great, the rich, and no less the poor, are seeking to the mountains and rocks and caves for shelter from the darkening storm of trouble which all see is gathering.”—B. 139; Hos. 10:8.
And hide us from the face.—Of Justice, now about to demand an accounting for our stewardship.
Of Him that sitteth on the Throne.—Jehovah.
And from the wrath of the Lamb.—Whose followers we have falsely professed to be.
6:17. For the great day of [His] THEIR wrath is come.—The wrath of the Father, the Son, and the glorified saints.—Rev. 2:26, 27; Isa. 13:6‐19; Zeph. 1:14‐18.
And who shall be able to stand.—“The answer through the Prophet is, ’He that hath clean hands [an honest life] and a pure heart [a conscience void of offence toward God and man]: he shall ascend into the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord and stand in the holy place.’” (Psa. 24:3, 4; D. 582.) “Oh, what sorrow it gives us at times to behold some not standing well the testing of this hour, some who are developing tendencies of weakness, disloyalty to the cause, ambition for name and fame or position, desire to be greatest, tendencies to lord it over God’s heritage, and who, unless recovered, will be surely cut off from membership in the Body, even though, as the Apostle declares, they may be saved so as by fire, as members of the ‘great company.’—1 Cor. 3:15.” (Z. ’06‐309; Psa. 76:7.) The only ones who will stand are the twelve tribes named in the next chapter.