Because there are some similarities with the great Day of the Sovereign Lord, Rev. 19:11-21, which refers to the Return of Jesus and between the Day of the Lord’s vengeance and wrath that happens at the Sixth Seal, Rev. 6:17, then some people consider them as the same event. This is not and cannot be correct, as the Seal, Trumpet and Bowl judgement-punishments as written in Revelation are clearly a consecutive series of events, with the Return at the end of all that. We are especially warned to not alter the book of Revelation. Rev 22:19
Matthew 24:27-30 Like a lightning flash over all the earth, so will the Presence of the Son of Man be. Where the dead are, the vultures will gather.
Then, immediately after the days of tribulation, the sun and moon will be darkened, stars will fall and then will appear the Lord Jesus. Everyone will mourn as He comes on the clouds with great power and glory.
Note that the moon will be blood red at the Day of the Lord’s wrath – Acts 2:20, whereas at the Return, the sun and moon will be darkened. It is patently obvious that there are two events described above, first is the Sixth Seal, when the Lord instigates the ‘lightning flash’ of His Day of vengeance and wrath, at the punishment of the nations when He is not seen, He stays in heaven; Psalms 11:4-6, Amos 1 – sending down fire, then it isn’t until after the Seventh Seal time gap of 15/17 years, at the end of the Great Tribulation, that He Returns in glory to commence His Millennial reign. The Lord Jesus comes on the clouds, Matthew 24:30, in His garment splashed with blood; from His previous punishment of the nations. Isaiah 63:1-6
Where the dead are; where those carrion birds gather, is mainly in the Middle East, but also around the world as many prophesies say. Ezekiel 30:2-5, Psalm 83:1-18, Isaiah 66:15-16, Jeremiah 25:33, Deut. 32:41, Zephaniah 1:14-18, Nahum 1:3-6, 2 Peter 3:10
These Bible passages also state the next prophesied event, the Day of the Lord’s wrath and what the ‘lightning flash’ is that will affect all the world is explained to us in:
Isaiah 30:26-30…the sun will shine with seven times its normal strength, on the Day the Lord saves His people. Look! The power of the Lord comes from afar, with His wrath and great rage blazing, His tongue as a devouring fire… He sieves out the nations for destruction. His arm will strike them down with flames of devouring fire, floods, hailstones and storm tempest. But for you, [Christians] there will be rejoicing, as you march to the holy Land, to the Rock of Israel.
Isaiah 42:14-16 Long have I restrained Myself… now I am ready to act. I shall dry up the streams, lay waste to the land and make it a desert. Then, I shall lead My people along new paths, I will make a light before them.
Psalm 97:1-12 The Lord reigns! In His justice, He flashes forth lightning’s and all the earth quakes. Cloud and thick mist enfolds Him as fire goes ahead, consuming all His enemies. The Lord’s people hear and rejoice as He rescues them. Psalm 18:7-15
Deuteronomy 32:36-43 The Lord will judge the nations, but will have compassion on His servants. His flashing sword of punishment will fall upon His enemies. He will take vengeance on all who hate Him and will cleanse His people’s Land.
Ezekiel 36:5-12 In the fiery heat of My anger, I will punish the nations, but especially those who inhabit My holy Land. Then you, Land of Israel, will put forth growth and bear produce, for the homecoming of My people is near. I will bless the Land and settle upon it many people – the whole Israelite people, they will increase and be prosperous, the burned houses and the ruined places will be rebuilt.
Zechariah 9:14-17 The Lord comes on a mighty storm wind from the South. He will sound the shofar, as His arrows dart like lightning, defeating the enemy and defending His people. They will rejoice, as with wine, on the Day their Lord saves them, for they are as precious jewels sparkling in the holy Land.
Joel 2:11 & 18 The Lord thunders as He marshals His forces, countless are those who obey His commands. For great and terrible is the Day of the Lord and who can endure it? Then the Lord shows His love for the holy Land and has compassion for His righteous people.
Amos 9:5 & 14 At the Lord’s touch, the whole earth heaves, it will rise and fall like the Nile and woe to all who live on it. But I will restore the fortune of My people, righteous Israel, they will rebuild the ruined towns, sow and plant, then enjoy the produce.
Habakkuk 3:10-13 The mountains see You and shake, an enormous wave of water rushes by, the sun and moon stay still as Your flashing arrows and Your spear like lightning speed on their way. In fury, You traverse the earth, in anger You trample the nations, but You come out to save Your people, as You shatter the wicked; You protect Your anointed ones.
Malachi 4:1-3 The Day comes, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and evildoers will be burnt to a stubble, that Day will set them ablaze and leave neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My Name, the sun of righteousness will shine forth, you will be restored and break loose, like calves released. On the Day I take action, the wicked will be burnt ashes beneath your feet.
Revelation 14:12 &18-19 From the Altar came another angel, the one who has authority over fire and he called to the one with the sharp sickle: Put in your sharp sickle, for the earth’s harvest is ripe. So the angel swept the earth, gathered in the grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
All this calls for the endurance of the Lord’s people, all those who keep His commands and remain loyal to Him.
All these prophecies and many others, speak of a worldwide judgement by fire, a CME sun explosion that will depopulate the entire Middle East. Then the great gathering of the Christian Israelite people, the true descendants and those grafted in, will gather and live in all of the holy Land. They will choose their own leaders, Jeremiah 30:21, Hosea 1:11. The Lord will ‘reveal His glory among His own’ 2 Thess 1:10, Rev. 14:1, but not to the world, until several years later.
Like most of the prophetic Word, Revelation is somewhat mixed up. But the Seals, Trumpets and Bowls are one of the few instances of a correct sequence and from them, we can get a true picture of events. Note carefully, in Rev. 5:1, the description of the Scroll – written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. So the seals are first, they must be removed one by one. The first five have been opened, probably soon after the ‘Lamb’ ascended to heaven. The Sixth Seal is next, now very soon to happen. This sudden and shocking world changing event will enable the establishment of the One World Govt, also the gathering of the Lord’s people to all of the holy Land. That is what all Christians should be looking forward to! At the same time, or very soon after the Sixth, is the 7th seal, which is undeniably a time interval. Then, years later, at the mid-point of Daniels 70th year, the scroll is unrolled for the Great Tribulation – the 7 Trumpets and the 7 Bowls.
Revelation 7:1-14 After that, [the Sixth Seal] I saw four angels holding back any further disasters until the seal of God was given to His servants. Twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel received the seal of God and then I saw a great throng of people from all races, tribes, nations and tongues, praising the Lord. They have passed through great ordeal, been tested and found righteous. All true believing Christians.
‘holding back any further disasters’ This proves that the Great Tribulation is still to come.
‘great ordeal’ – Some Bibles say ‘the great tribulation’, leading to wrongly thinking that the Day of the Lord’s wrath happens at the Return. 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Cor. 3:13
‘the scorching heat of the sun’, –The devastating CME sunstrike of the Sixth Seal.
‘The 144,000 Israelites’, The Christian Israelites of God, go out to the world to proclaim the coming Kingdom of Jesus. Isaiah 66:19
The Prophetic Word 