by Don Hooton
In our own backyard, an epoch event occurred for most of us this week, the 2024 Eclipse. We could look up into the afternoon sky and see this wondrous, amazing demonstration of natural events over which we have no control; and we could see something spectacular God placed in motion by the ordering of His hand at creation. Of course, for me and Tracey, it rained all afternoon in our neighborhood. So, we saw nothing but we felt the darkness.
On Facebook, I shared my immediate reaction which was the memory that when Jesus was crucified, the synoptic gospels say that darkness came over the whole land from noon until three in the afternoon (Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33, Lk 23:66). The ominous lack of light at a time when there should have been light in my own day connected an experience in a small way what it must have been like in Jesus’ day.
On my post, several commented about the connection. Our three minutes compared to their three hours would certainly be vastly different. Others wondered if theirs was an Eclipse for three hours where the moon stood still (He held the sun for longer in Joshua 10). Others wondered if ours was like the darkness of Egypt’s gloom “that could be felt” even though we are told that “all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived” (Exodus 10:23). Though I believe on Jesus’ day, it was a miracle. Yet, what we experienced was not a miracle. It was what God put into motion long ago when He placed the stars, the moon, and the sun in their place. Yet, what we experienced for minutes gave me a “perspective” to help feel what those hours were for them.
Did God hold the moon? Did He darken the Sun? I don’t really know. I do know, however, that it was to be a sign through which they, and we, hear His message. “This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him” were not words just for a mount of transfiguration in light; these words for human redemption and salvation were unspoken in the darkness. For them, that day was a day of the Lord.
Days of the Lord were often signaled with “darkness and not light” (Amos 5:18) where God would establish his sovereignty, eradicate evil and bring peace (Zeph 1:14–18; 3:8–10; 2Th 1:9–10; 2Pet 3:10). It was not a calendar “day;” it was a “type” of time that Scripture called a day for divine punishment (Is 2:12, 13:9, 29:6; 30:30; Joel 2:30–31, Mal 3:19, 4:1). “Indeed, the day of the Lord is terrible and dreadful—who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11). God stressed, “I will bring distress on mankind… because they have sinned against the LORD” (Zep 1:17). Jeremiah and Ezekiel compared God’s punishment with a great sacrifice (Jer 46:10; Eze 39:17, 20–21). Zechariah linked the imagery to the “when” that Yahweh would, through a representative priestly ruler, “remove the wrong of this land in a single day” (3:9; cf. 6:12–13), also connected to the blood of a new covenant (9:9–11) that would save God’s people (14:7–9). This clearly echoes the words of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (52:13–53:12). So then, in this “day,” there will be both judgment and salvation, but salvation to those who repent and seek the Lord (Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15; Jon 3:9; Zeph. 2:3; cf. Isa. 33:14–16). Also, Joel said that God will save and pour out his Spirit in that Day (Joel 2:11–13, 28–29; cf. Ezek. 36:27; 37:14; Zeph. 3:9) which is what Peter said was happening on Pentecost (Acts 2:16-17) where it is announced that God has fulfilled his kingdom promises to David (Isa. 11:1–10; Ezek. 37:24–28; Amos 9:11–14).
Yet, the “day” can still be future to us because all of the earth “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30; cf. Acts 1:9–11) where He will judge the earth and reward the righteous (Matt. 25:1ff; 1The 4:16; 2Pet. 3:7-10). Paul also said that “concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him” that “the day of the LORD . . . will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction” (2Thes. 2:1–3). Jesus spoke of this future “day of judgment” where God would judge all (Matt. 12:36; cf. Matt. 7:23; 10:15; 11:22–24; John 12:48) and connected this day directly with his second coming (Matt. 24:36, 42, 50; 25:13; cf. Mark 13:32; Luke 17:24) where Christ would gather all nations to himself and separate the wicked from the righteous (Matt 25:31–32; Zeph 1:2; 3:8). He would punish the former with lasting fury (Matt. 7:21–23; 25:41) and welcome and feast with the latter (Matt. 25:34; 26:29; Mark 14:25).
But back to the darkness. Our Eclipse was not a Day of the Lord, of course. But in that day of the Lord when Christ died on the Cross, what did the darkness convey? I believe was to say that God was working His Day of judgment and salvation. They should have felt that truth to the bones. And many did.
And what has occurred to me since then is not that God had to darken the sun or hold the moon to bring that darkness. Yet, to usher in the Kingdom of Light and to show the earth its darkness His Son would overcome, God’s heart eclipsed the sun so everyone could see His Son in all His glory. “Listen to Him!”
So, for me, those three minutes reminded me: This is My Father’s World. Not just Creator, though He is. Not just Savior, though He is. He is the Lord God – King of the Universe. And us? We are helplessly and hopelessly in need of His light every hour.