Revelation 6:13
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. 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.
The falling of the stars is literal, meaning meteors falling toward the earth in the only way literally possible. Its comparison to a fig tree casting untimely figs when shaken by a mighty wind exactly pictures meteors flashing across the heavens in countless numbers in every direction, each leaving a tail of light and seeming to fall directly upon the earth. It comes in order after the darkening of the sun and moon in 1780 and before the heavens depart and Christ appears. It was strikingly fulfilled as the last of the signs of Christ's soon coming in the great meteoric shower of November 13, 1833, when for hours under a serene sky the whole firmament over North America was in fiery commotion with dazzling brilliance thicker than rain. It stands as a token and herald of the day of God and Christ's second coming, by which those who behold it may know His coming is near, even at the doors, and it is given as a merciful warning so that all who will may flee from the wrath to come and watch lest the day overtake them unawares.
Meaning of Falling Stars
The falling of the stars to the earth is to be understood literally in the only sense in which such falling is literally possible, as meteors falling toward the earth, and the signs in the sun, moon, and stars are literal signs, with the shaking of the powers of heaven in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24-25 likewise literal. The comparison to a fig tree casting its untimely figs when shaken by a mighty wind exactly fits such a shower, for it is meteors shooting in all directions without exhaustion, flashing across the heavens in numbers and then disappearing. Each meteor leaves a tail of light in its passage, crisscrossing in every direction for hours and seeming to fall directly upon the earth, like untimely figs scattered everywhere when a tempest shakes the tree. The widespread prolonged display vividly matched the image of figs falling in a strong wind.
As the bright bodies brush across the sky and go out in darkness, the display gives the appearance of disorder among the starry host. Yet though hundreds of meteors fly across the heavens, afterward not a single glory of the starry host is missing, but the host still shines in the firmament.
The falling of the stars belongs in prophetic sequence after the darkening of the sun and moon in 1780. It comes before the heavens depart like a scroll, and these signs occur before Christ's advent, with the final sign associated with the Lord roaring from Zion and shaking heaven and earth.
Fulfilled in 1833 Shower
It is the last of the signs of Christ's soon coming. It was strikingly and impressively fulfilled in the great meteoric shower of November 13, 1833. From two o'clock until daylight, under a serene and cloudless sky, the whole firmament over the United States and all North America was in fiery commotion. The display continued for hours with dazzling brilliance, thicker than rain toward the east, west, north, and south. The shower was visible across most of the earth.
It came two years after Miller began to present in public the evidences of Christ's soon coming. It was regarded as a herald of the coming judgment and a merciful warning thereof. It drew attention to fulfilled prophecy and led many to heed the warning of Christ's coming and second advent.
Herald of Coming Judgment
The falling of the stars is a token and herald of the day of God, of final destruction, and of Christ's second coming, given as the last of the signs of His soon coming and as tokens of the second advent. Those who behold these signs in the sun, moon, and stars may know that His coming is near, even at the doors. They are given as a merciful warning and herald of coming judgment, so that all who will may flee from the wrath to come and may watch so that the day does not overtake them unawares, with those who watch not caught unawares while the ungodly who ignore the warning face sudden destruction. Just as the disciples were given a sign of Jerusalem's approaching ruin that they might escape, so these signs warn of the end. Yet the world is no more ready to credit the message than the Jews were to receive the warning concerning Jerusalem, and to the careless and ungodly who will not watch, absorbed in pleasure and business and lulled in false security, the day of God will come unawares with sudden destruction they shall not escape.
The verse belongs to the same sequence of signs as Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24-25, where the signs in the sun, moon, and stars are literal and the shaking of the powers of heaven is literal as well. The falling of the stars comes before the heavens depart like a scroll and before Christ's advent, and the final sign is associated with the Lord roaring from Zion and shaking heaven and earth. It describes the upheaval at the opening of the sixth seal accompanying the great day of God's wrath, when people hide from the One on the throne and the Lamb. It is part of the description of judgment that brings terror on those who rebel against God, when people hide in caves and dens, but rocks and mountains cannot shield them from the wrath of God and the Lamb.
The surrounding chapter is full of meaning and reveals God's terrible judgments to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. Those judgments include hail greatly increased in size falling on the wicked who reject and despise God. The Lord goes forth in judgment so that the earth discloses her blood and no longer covers her slain. The verse is part of a prophetic passage associated with the coming judgment that brings to view two parties: those deceived and opposed to God, and those who stand faithful.