Journeying in Genesis: Signs
We continue to look at God making the lights in the heavens for signs. We’ll use our recent eclipse for some observations. Though we know what caused it, the precision and order of the solar system should wake us up to the existence of a glorious Designer. And it also gives a picture of the greatest victory ever promised – Christ’s triumph on the cross.
Luke 23:44-46 says, “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”
Just as it appeared the moon (representing Satan) was blocking the sun (representing God), it may have appeared that the enemy had prevailed. Yet when Jesus took on the sins of the world, He defeated darkness. Light would burst forth in glorious Day with an offering of salvation for whomsoever trusts in Him!
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,
who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6
Even with 80 to 85% of the sun blocked during the eclipse, one couldn’t look at it, and it still shone brightly. That’s powerful, just like the One who created it.
God has Satan on a leash. Did you know the gravitational pull of the moon keeps our oceans clean? In the same way, God uses Satan for the good and cleansing of His people.
And though the moon could not keep the sun hidden, in that moment of darkness, the stars (us) shone brightly. Because Jesus laid down His life, we can now live shining His light!
BONUS CONTENT:
My class on Jonah wrapped up the evening of the eclipse. Jonah preached to the Ninevites (an extremely wicked people) and they repented. Just before Jonah was sent, from 765BC to 759BC, history tells us that Nineveh had a plague, an eclipse, and then another plague, as if God was preparing their hearts to fear His judgment. Without the scientific understanding we have now, it likely had them unnerved. Yet WITH scientific understanding, our nation has seen – in about that same time frame – an eclipse, a plague, and another eclipse. Seeing the fear that struck during COVID, I can only imagine how the Ninevites felt. Jesus came to save us from the wrath to come, because there is wrath coming. May we, too, fear the judgment of God and come to Him in repentance to find salvation through the cross!