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;

– Revelation 6:15

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As we continue through the book of Revelation, we find men hiding in dens and caves. The next two verses confirm that they are hiding from the wrath of God.

Hell is not just a separation from God. It’s also a representation of His wrath. Chapter six of the book of Revelation describes the process of opening seals. These men are hiding from the face of God. In the Book of Genesis we see that after eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve were hiding from God’s presence. This confirms that the kings and their men are living in man-made structures, fearing God’s judgment. Some might consider a fear from God. It’s a type of fear and it shouldn’t be confused with the fear of the Lord, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

We’ve all heard about the fear of death. There are many types of psychological fears, such as paranoia, psychological distress, anxiety, and so on. These are all forms of fear that drive people away from God. A healthy fear from God leads to wisdom. It doesn’t drive people away into places of isolation, hiding, and suffering. The psychological clinics are a great examples of caves and dens. A highly intelligent person could face psychological distress that would cause him/her to fall into depression and anxiety, especially when realizing his/her mortality.

Hell is an image of an end of a lifetime. It should be taken literally by men and women of power and influence, because we all have a choice. When we surrender to God, the burden of of our earthly responsibilities is so much lighter. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

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Prayer: Father, as we pray for our leaders, we ask that you protect them from unhealthy fear; that you comfort and guide them on the path of wisdom that leads to your presence. We ask that you deliver them from the spirit of condemnation and open their eyes to new solutions and opportunities that will bring greater glory.

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