3. The stars of heaven fell unto the earth--6:13. The downfall of Jewish authorities, rulers, and officials of government is here symbolized. The same signs are used in Isaiah 13:10 in the prophetic description of the fall of the Babylonian rulers. The princes and nobles of the Babylonian kingdom were called stars in Daniel 8:10, and were said to be “ cast down” ; and in Daniel 12:3 God’ s people were said to shine “ as stars forever.” 4. As a fig tree casting untimely figs when shaken by mighty wind--6:13. The fig tree was the most familiar fruit bearing tree of scripture illustrations. The first pair clothed their nakedness with fig leaves. (Genesis 3:7) The universal benefits of the new covenant were envisioned by Malachi as “ every man under his vine and under his fig tree.” (Micah 4:4) The desolation of Nineveh is compared by Nahum to the ripe fig falling from the tree that is shaken. (Nahum 3:12) The dissolution of the enemies of God’ s people is described by Isaiah to the leaf falling from the vine and to a falling fig from a tree. (Isaiah 34:4) The rejection of the Jews was insinuated by Jesus in the cursing of the fruitless fig tree. (Matthew 21:19) So the maledictions about to fall upon the persecutors of the Lamb’ s followers all symbolized by the casting, or forcible falling, of figs from the tree “ when she is shaken of a mighty wind"--the wind of divine wrath. Isaiah compares the withholding of divine judgments against Ephraim as the staying of “ his rough wind” (Isaiah 27:4); and Jeremiah prophesied that a “ full wind” would come upon Jerusalem, “ not to fan, not to cleanse,” but as a judgment to execute “ sentence against them.” (Jeremiah 4:11-12) So this apocalyptic seal makes the casting of the fig from the tree, “ when shaken of a mighty wind,” a portent of the destruction that was reserved for the persecutors of the Lamb’ s people.