What other Scriptures describe cosmic signs as indicators of God's judgment or presence? Setting the Scene in Joel 2:10 “Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.” Echoes through the Prophets • Isaiah 13:9-10 — “Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming… For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.” • Isaiah 24:23 — “The moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, in glory.” • Ezekiel 32:7-8 — “I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you.” • Amos 8:9 — “In that day… I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.” • Zephaniah 1:14-15 — “That day is a day of wrath… a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness.” • Habakkuk 3:11 — “Sun and moon stood still in their places at the flash of Your flying arrows.” Historical Moments Marked by Cosmic Signs • Exodus 10:21-23 — Darkness that could be felt blanketed Egypt for three days. • Exodus 19:16-18 — Thunder, lightning, thick cloud, and fire on Sinai when the LORD descended. • Joshua 10:12-13 — Sun and moon stood still so Israel could complete God-given victory. Signs Surrounding the Messiah • Matthew 27:45 — “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land” as Jesus bore judgment on the cross. • Acts 2:19-20 (quoting Joel) — “I will show wonders in the heavens above… The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.” Jesus’ Own Teaching on the End • Matthew 24:29 — “Immediately after the tribulation… the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky.” • Mark 13:24-25; Luke 21:25-26 — Parallel passages stressing sun, moon, stars, and roaring seas as signals that “the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Revelation’s Final Display • Revelation 6:12-14 — Sixth seal: great earthquake, sun black as sackcloth, full moon like blood, stars falling, sky splitting apart. • Revelation 8:12 — Fourth trumpet: a third of sun, moon, and stars struck so a third of the day and night are without light. • Revelation 16:10 — Fifth bowl: “the kingdom was plunged into darkness.” Connecting the Dots – Throughout Scripture, disturbances in sun, moon, stars, and sky signal either God’s immediate presence (Exodus, Joshua) or His impending judgment (prophets, Gospels, Revelation). – Joel 2:10 stands as a template: creation itself reacts when the Creator rises to judge or to save. – Seeing these patterns encourages trust that the same God who once shook the heavens will keep every promise still ahead. |
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