Isaiah 34:4, commentary and pictures

The verse describes what will take place at Christ's second coming to earth, when He comes again as conqueror in power and glory. At that time both heaven and earth will be shaken, the heavens rolled together as a scroll, the earth reeling to and fro in convulsion, the elements melting with fervent heat and in flames, and the earth and its works burned up. The heavenly host will fall like a leaf falling from the vine and like a falling fig from the fig tree.

The powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars that rule in the heavens, distinct from the powers of earth that rule on the earth, and at the voice of God the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places; they will be shaken but will not pass away. The rolling together is the literal heavens being shaken and opened by the atmosphere parting and rolling back, opening a space in Orion from which the voice of God comes and through which the Holy City will come down. The shaking of the powers of heaven comes in order after the shaking of earthly powers by war, rumors of war, sword, famine, and pestilence, so that present shakings of powers in Europe are only the shaking of the angry nations and not yet the shaking of the powers of heaven.

This shaking of heaven and earth will be far greater than the earthquakes, lightning, and thunder that marked Christ's death and resurrection. In that shaking the Lord will be the hope of His people and the strength of Israel. This cosmic upheaval accompanies the resurrection of the righteous dead, who will rise to immortal life.

The image of the heavens parting like a rolled scroll also applies to the experience of the faithful when, under persecution for refusing to worship the beast or its image, they look up and see God's throne and the martyrs around it, a sight that shuts out the mockers and their threats.