Translation
I was watching when he opened the sixth seal.
There was
a great earthquake;
the sun was turned black
Go to footnote numberlike sackcloth
made of goat’s hair,
Go to footnote numberand the entire moon
Go to footnote numberwas red like blood,
Paraphrase
I was watching when He demonstrated His power for the sixth time. He demonstrated that He has power over the earth itself and its foundations, that everything is based on Him, and He can do with the earth as He pleases; He has power over life and all that is required for living things to exist, and the power to take away life. That fact should make us ashamed of our sin and feel sorrow for how we have offended His character; it should make us feel small and unimportant. There is no power, great or small that can escape His judgment.
Footnotes
1
The sun was seen as the source not only of light and heat, but of life itself. Ancient peoples understood that without the sun we cannot live. The rising of the sun to give life and new opportunities was the main reason their maps always faced East.
2
Literally it says “made of hair,” but the assumed understanding of that time was that it was referring to goat’s hair. Goat’s hair was common and thus not very special. Sackcloth was indeed a dark color and commonly made of goat’s hair. However, this is not so much a description of the color of the sun, but rather it serves to show the human feelings associated with this demonstration of Jesus’ power.
3
When “the moon” is used in conjunction with the sun, and they are both used as symbolism, it means all sources of power and light, great or small.