There was way more hype about the latest eclipse than I've ever seen before. Honestly, I don't even remember the last one. I don't recall anyone talking about it or any buildup leading up to it, but this time? It felt like everybody and their neighbor was anticipating the eclipse!
Some believed Jesus was coming back, but to that I say: NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR!
Jesus taught this in Matthew 24, and Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 (where he says the antichrist must come before Jesus returns, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise...). I don't understand why people insist on making rapture predictions. They're never right. If someone makes a prediction about when Jesus is coming back, I can be pretty confident that's NOT when He's coming back.
Some people also seem to think the eclipse is a sign of judgment coming to America considering how many cities of Nineveh the eclipse traveled over, or that God's calling the Jews out of Israel because of the cities of Egypt it crossed over (like how the Israelites were called out of Egypt in Exodus). Maybe it's a load of hogwash, but honestly those theories feel a lot more likely to me, and they don't blatantly contradict the Bible.
That being said, an eclipse is still an eclipse. God absolutely has used signs in the stars or sky over time to warn or let people know of what's to come, like the star of Bethlehem over where Jesus lay, or the darkness that covered the land for three hours (kind of like an eclipse, wouldn't you say?) when Jesus was being crucified. But at the end of the day, we still can't assume we know exactly what's gonna happen or when.
Now, can we make some educated guesses based on the Bible? Based on the trajectory of things, I'd say so, with caution of course, since we don't want to take Scripture out of context to make a point. For example, America has been turning away from God more and more. If we even just look at the Bible, whenever Israel turned away from God, they were oppressed soon after (the book of Judges gives so many examples of this it's not even funny). It makes sense then that America is going to start facing greater trouble moving forward, and possibly even falling as a nation like some have in the past, if we don't repent and turn to God.
Plus, God is absolutely calling the people of Israel back to their homeland that He promised them thousands of years ago. He's been doing this for generations (after all, Israel wasn't considered a nation for a long time), and now a push of antisemitism has already started that will inevitably lead to Jews returning to the land of Israel if we are to believe the Bible is true. Why? Because the Bible teaches in Ezekiel 36 that Jews will be brought back to their homeland, will be cleaned (or no longer doomed to judgment for their sins), God's Spirit will enter them (which didn't happen until after Jesus ascended to heaven, see Acts in the Bible), that they would dwell in the land and their cities will be rebuilt and inhabited, and the nations around them will know God did this. This order of things shows first things that already happened (Jews returned to Israel after Babylonian exile, Jesus cleansed sinners by His sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit was given to God's people), and things that are happening and yet to come (Jews returning to Israel and rebuilding it). These events are listed in this order for a reason, so why would we believe the order would be any different when thus far this is how it's been happening?
On top of that, Daniel teaches that at the appointed time, in the midst of a specifically-described war, the antichrist who will set up the abomination of desolation in the Holy Place (the innermost room of the temple) and who will take away the burnt offerings and sacrifices (see Daniel 11). For these to happen, there'd have to be a temple in Jerusalem and a sacrifice to abolish, right?
Funny thing is there are Jews today who want rebuild the temple as described in the Old Testament and reinstate the sacrifices, and several Jews have been caught trying to offer sacrifices where the temple used to be: a Muslim holy sight at the Temple Mount with its renown Dome of the Rock. One of the only reasons they haven't rebuilt the temple is because this Muslim place of worship is standing where (presumably) the other temples used to be, and considering the first and second temples in the Old Testament were built on the same exact location, the Jews want to build a third temple in the exact same spot, which has not surprisingly been a source of conflict in the Middle East.
But I digress. My point is that while there are theories or interpretations of what the eclipse could mean that may have some validity, only time will tell if they're correct. Let's not be ignorant about the times we're living in and the changes happening in the world right now, but let's not get caught up in all the little details either. Also, stop making predictions about when Jesus will come back. If the predictions were correct, it would've happened in 2021, or 2020, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2001, Y2K, I could go on (that's just the prediction list on wikipedia for the 2000s!)
At the end of the day, you survived another solar eclipse, just like we all survived the one in 2017. Kudos.
I must say, it was a pretty cool sight to see! There are some amazing photos of it too! I was surprised at how cool it got outside (the temp dropped like 20 degrees!), and how much it gave off sunset vibes with how dark it became, and then how warm it was again once the moon was no longer blocking the sun. It's amazing how all of that works and how God knows exactly what we need. I mean, how can you believe all of this just happens on its own? Or that we didn't freeze to death from the sun literally being blocked, that the moon passes in front of the sun several times in a few years just by following its own course, and all of this happening at random? Yet it's not random because we can know exactly when it's going to happen! There's going to be an eclipse in South America in a few months (which if you're not super attached to those solar eclipse glasses that you'll probably never use again, you could always donate them). There's no conceivable way in my mind that all of this could happen perfectly without divine intervention.
All in all, eclipses are neat, but don't signify the end of the world. Honestly a far greater indication of the end of the world will be when the sun itself is blackened, the moon turns to blood, and the stars fall from the heavens (see Joel 2, Revelation 6). The day that happens, then you can know Jesus is coming back. But please, follow Jesus before that time comes, or you'll regret it when He does return. There's hope for those who follow Jesus that they will be saved from the end times judgment of the wicked. As Joel 2:32 says, "And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls." God will save from His wrath and judgment those who follow Him and call on Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
So that's what we should truly hope in: Jesus! Not that we'll be able to predict when He's coming back, but to trust that He will come in His own time and way. And, let's enjoy the amazing creation and world God's made while we're at it.
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