So what's the big talk in your hood this April 7 weekend, the predicted April 8 eclipse? It's all over the place here in Canada. Some will see the eclipse as a bad omen. Others, for example scientists, will see this as a great opportunity to acquire additional knowledge by studying anything unique about this phenomenon and what effects this could produce. I read somewhere that some muslims see such an event as an opportunity to pray (apparently there was an eclipse on the day Muhammad's son died), etc., etc.
For some pagans (those who fail to see the God of the Bible as the God of gods and Lord of lords), a solar eclipse represents a union of the sun and moon. And for those into astrology and "horror-scope," who put the made before the Maker and place the created above the Creator, those who presume that the stars or other celestial beings are in control of their lives, this event will be a galore for divination. And no matter who or what, one thing we know is that eclipses, whether solar or lunar, have caused either fear or awe, not only in the various civilizations in antiquity, but even today.
What about us, Born-again Believers, and eclipses? The Scriptures, namely Old Testament books like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, and Amos, do speak both poetically and prophetically of a phenomenon that resembles a cosmic eclipse (the word "eclipse" can be traced to the Latin eclipsis, which in itself originates from an ancient Greek word which means "abandon," or "to forsake," or "to fail," as in "to fail to appear").
Fast forward to the New Testament, and we see a certain similar celestial event occuring when Jesus was crucified. I'm simply drawing a parallel between the light of the sun failing to hold its own on April 8 and the light of the Son of God fading, darkening the entire land when the Son of righteousness was being forsaken by the Father. Once the Son, Jesus' work was finished, once the Son had paid the penalty for all our sins, once the Son said, "It is finished," the light returned on the 3rd day, and the darkness disappeared.
So, here's my message: when you think of the April 8, 2024 eclipse, or any other eclipse for that matter, think of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And as you think, remember that on the 3rd day, He rose from the grave, bodily, just as He had said, and He lives forever to reign with His saints (the born again or Christians, anyone who accepts Him as Lord of their life)! If you're born again, you're a saint and no darkness has power over you! Isn't that wonderful? Brilliant? Glorious?
By: Pastor Andrew
