fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved." [1]
Our Lord's coming with power and majesty, and the signs that precede it were not revealed to St. John, probably because they had been sufficiently announced by Christ Himself in the Gospels. [2]
12. "Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. " [3] In like manner at the coming of Christ the dead arise and come to judgment. The books are now opened and all are judged according to their works which are written either in the book of life or in the books of the dead. The books of the dead (wicked) are many while there is but one book of life because " many are called but few are chosen." [4]
13. The sea represents the nations opposed to the Church in the last days. Its dead are the people of those nations whom Christ shall find living at His coming. They are dead in sin and their works are written in the books of the dead.
Death and hell must give up their dead, the wicked who die before the second coming of Christ. Their souls, condemned to hell, are now united to their risen bodies to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Thus do death and hell give up their dead.
