Is the Solar Eclipse a Sign of End Times?

There’s a lot of excitement about this solar eclipse that will be happening today. Some are even suggesting that it’s a sign from Heaven, that judgement is coming specifically on the nation of America.

I think eclipses are amazing. They happen once every 18 months or so; we’ve had many over the years. They’re not as rare as some people would suggest.

But is the solar eclipse a sign of the end times?

Well, it is true that Jesus—in what we call the Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24—talks about the end times and says the sun will be darkened. Is that speaking of what is going to happen today with the solar eclipse?

The answer is no because that is a specific reference to what will happen in what we call The Great Tribulation period.

The Prophetic Calendar

Let me give you a flyover of end times events. The next event on the prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the church. Then comes the emergence of this world leader, the Antichrist, which inaugurates The Great Tribulation period that lasts seven years.

It starts with the emergence of the Antichrist, and it ends with the return of Jesus Christ.

In the middle of the Tribulation period, after the Antichrist has rebuilt the Jewish temple, an event happens called the “abomination of desolation.” This is where the altar is desecrated.

So, we know the temple is going to be rebuilt. Then, Christ comes back, and then the Millennium happens (the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ).

Fulfillments of Bible Prophecy

Back to the eclipse. . . Yes, it’s true that the sun will not give its light, but that’s talking about the events of the Tribulation period that have not yet started.

But there are many things happening that are fulfillments of Bible prophecy happening before our very eyes. Such as the increasing isolation of the nation Israel.

Since that horrific attack by the terrorist organization, Hamas, on the people of Israel—in which over 1,000 people were murdered and now 200 are still hostages—you would have thought that the whole world would turn in support of Israel. But, instead, the opposite has happened.

Why Christians Should Support Israel

This is fulfilling Bible prophecy because the Bible says in the last days Israel would be isolated. She would stand alone, so God could step forward and be strong on her behalf.

There are many other things I could talk about—the anarchy, the violence in our nation and around the world—that are fulfillments of Bible prophecy, but my point is simply this: Let’s not major on minors and get hung up on eclipses, blood moons, and ashes of the red heifer.

Look, Jesus is coming. The Rapture of the church, in which the Lord comes for His people, can happen at any moment. Just be ready for that. It can happen today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now—we don’t know, “. . .no one knows the day or hour. . .” (Matthew 24:36 NLT).

So let’s not get off in these little rabbit trails, and major on minors, and miss the big picture. That big picture is this: Jesus is coming again.

Chronology of End Times Events

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Learn more about Pastor Greg Laurie

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