Throughout history, solar and lunar eclipses have often been viewed as omens or harbingers of doom. Many cultures have associated eclipses with the endings of regimes, dynasties or entire civilizations. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people wonder if eclipses, especially when they occur in clusters, could signify the approaching end of the world as we know it.
The Bible features many examples of astronomical signs being used by God to communicate with humanity. As such, it’s only natural for believers to ponder whether an eclipse could have symbolic or prophetic significance concerning the end times. While the Bible does not specifically link eclipses to the apocalypse, some passages do seem to suggest the sun, moon and stars will be pivotal in end times prophecy.
There are several key points to consider when examining what the Bible says about eclipses as omens:
- God created the sun, moon and stars as signs – Several passages indicate that God intended the celestial bodies to serve as signs of his power and communication devices. However, the Bible warns against astrology and looking to the stars for spiritual guidance. (Genesis 1:14, Psalm 136:7-9, Isaiah 47:13-14)
- Old Testament eclipses often carried symbolic meanings – God used the darkening of the sun and moon symbolically at various points in Israel’s history to represent His judgment against sinful nations and leaders. However, the Old Testament never ties these to the ultimate judgment of the end times. (Isaiah 13:10, Ezekiel 32:7-8, Joel 2:30-31)
- Jesus referenced astronomical events – When teaching about His Second Coming, Jesus noted that there would be signs involving the sun, moon and stars. This indicates astronomical events could have prophetic implications. (Matthew 24:29-30, Luke 21:25-28)
- The sun will be darkened at the 6th Seal – The prophetic book of Revelation states that the sun will become black like sackcloth at the breaking of the 6th Seal, which some believe refers to a solar eclipse. However, it’s debated if this is meant to be taken literally. (Revelation 6:12-14)
- Astronomical signs will precede Jesus’ return – Jesus stated the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light before the “great and awesome day of the Lord” when He returns. Some think lunar and solar eclipses could fulfill this. But others argue more dramatic cosmic events are intended. (Acts 2:14-21)
God created the sun, moon and stars as signs
The Bible affirms that God created the celestial bodies – the sun, moon, stars and planets – first and foremost as “signs” through which He reveals Himself to humanity. On the fourth day of creation, God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years…” (Genesis 1:14) The psalmist also spoke of the sun, moon and stars as manifestations of God’s faithful love and powers which He “made the great lights— His loving devotion endures forever.” (Psalm 136:7–9)
Therefore, the default purpose of the cosmos was as a channel through which the Creator communicates to His creation. The heavenly bodies were meant first and foremost to give signs about God’s glory, majesty and messages to humankind. However, man has often corrupted God’s intended purpose for the cosmos by engaging in astrology and idolatrous star worship. The Bible contains severe warnings against such practices which twist the purpose of the stellar bodies.
The prophet Isaiah pronounced judgments against Babylon and its king because they had turned to stargazers and astrologers, saying “Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.” (Isaiah 47:13) But Isaiah said these astrologers would be unable to protect them from God’s wrath. Jeremiah also rails against those who “worship all the host of heaven and swear by the Lord and yet swear by Milcom.” (Zephaniah 1:5)
Therefore, while God made the sun, moon and stars to display His glory and communicate truth, the Bible adamantly opposes looking to astrology, cosmic occurrences, or anything other than God Himself for spiritual guidance. Yet at the same time, the Bible affirms that God sovereignly uses cosmic signs at times to speak through creation and signal important spiritual events to mankind.
Old Testament eclipses carried symbolic meanings
If we survey the Old Testament, we find that eclipses of the sun or moon often coincided with major events in Israel’s history. God knew precise astronomical cycles and orchestrated eclipses to occur at pivotal points in the biblical narrative to underscore His acts of judgment, mercy and divine orchestration of human affairs.
For example, the prophet Amos declared, “‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping… I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.’ Says the Sovereign Lord.” (Amos 8:9-10) This foretold an eclipse coinciding with judgment on the corrupt religious festivals of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
During Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, God miraculously made the sun and moon stand still: “On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped…” (Joshua 10:12-13) This language suggests an eclipse-like event on the exact day God wanted Israel to complete their victory.
The prophet Isaiah ties cosmic darkness to God’s judgment on nations saying, “See, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” (Isaiah 13:9–10) Isaiah prophesied this would befall historic Babylon as part of their judgment.
When Judah’s King Josiah died, which ended Judah’s hopes of revival, 2 Kings states: “Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle… There at Megiddo Josiah was fatally wounded.” (2 Kings 23:29) The following verse may indicate a solar eclipse occurred symbolically at Josiah’s death: “As Josiah was entering the valley, the chariots and horses of Pharaoh Neco from Egypt came toward him. ‘Walk away!’ King Neco warned Josiah. ‘What quarrel do you have with me, king of Judah? I have no desire to fight you at this time.’ But Josiah refused to turn away.” (2 Kings 23:28-29)
Ezekiel prophesied that cosmic darkness would represent God’s judgment on Egypt: “When I snuff you out, 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; I will bring darkness over your land, says the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 32:7–8) This came to pass when Egypt was conquered by the Babylonians.
Therefore, while the Old Testament never specifically ties eclipses to the ultimate judgment of the end times, it provides many examples where God coordinated lunar and solar eclipses to coincide with His acts of judgment, deliverance and communication with Israel at pivotal points in their history. Yet these symbolized temporal earthly judgments on nations, not the final Day of the Lord.
Jesus referenced astronomical events
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him about the end times and the sign of His coming, Christ responded: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” (Matthew 24:29) He similarly told His followers: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26)
Jesus’ statements echo Old Testament passages about sun, moon and stars being darkened as divine judgment fell on nations. But in this context, Christ ties cosmic dismay to the trials preceding the “coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:30) By referencing astronomical omens like eclipses, falling stars and planets shifting, Jesus intimated cosmic upheaval is inevitable as the current world order deteriorates, the apocalyptic Tribulation unfolds, and God establishes His millennial kingdom.
However, just as Old Testament prophets used eclipse imagery symbolically, Jesus’ language about the sun and moon could have referred to far more catastrophic heavenly disruptions than just lunar and solar eclipses. The point is, Jesus Himself prophesied that within the detailed end times sequence, there would be cosmic disorder, supplemented with nations in turmoil and mass confusion globally.
This affirms celestial phenomena like eclipses can have prophetic and spiritual connotations when understood through Scripture’s lens. Jesus said the proper response to such signs is to lift up your head in expectation for the Son of Man’s return, rather than fear, anxiety or doomsday hysteria (Luke 21:28). An eclipse itself is not a direct harbinger, but it can serve as a reminder to watch and pray as Jesus commanded.
The sun will be darkened at the 6th Seal
The Book of Revelation provides the most detailed end time prophetic sequence, culminating in Christ’s Second Coming and defeat of Satan. Intriguingly, at the breaking of the 6th Seal, Revelation states: “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.” (Revelation 6:12-14)
The vivid language of the sun becoming black as sackcloth unmistakably mimics an eclipse. It also reflects Old Testament passages about darkened skies representing judgment. Thus, many scholars believe this depicts a solar eclipse coupled with a red lunar eclipse just prior to the day of God’s wrath. The global earthquake and stars falling add to the cosmic collapse.
However, there are other viable interpretations of the 6th Seal’s events that don’t take them solely literally:
- The entire book of Revelation contains highly symbolic visionary language. So the cosmic upheavals could depict a spiritual crisis rather than literal astronomical events.
- This passage borrows imagery from Old Testament passages where similar language described God’s historical judgment on nations through warfare language.
- The descriptions of mountains and islands shifting may point to massive tectonic plate upheaval rather than typical eclipses.
- The blackening sun and reddening moon could represent something like nuclear winter or volcanic debris clouds blocking sunlight rather than regular lunar cycles.
So while Revelation likely points to an eclipse-like phenomenon, the context suggests this may accompany far more devastating global catastrophes across the board. At the very least, massive spiritual and societal upheaval is in view. But the literal fulfillment of the prophecies may look very different than typical eclipses when God’s wrath is finally unleashed.
Astronomical signs will precede Jesus’ return
Besides the 6th Seal, the Bible contains other passages describing astronomical chaos just before Christ’s return. The prophet Joel described cosmic disorder accompanying the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”:
“I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:30-31)
The apostle Peter also referenced a Joel prophecy about end times astronomical signs when addressing the Jewish crowds on Pentecost:
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:14-21)
Once again, in the context of end times events, the cosmic bodies grow dark and seem to change composition. While Peter refers back to Joel’s metaphorical language about the sun darkened and moon changing to a blood-red color, there are several ways to interpret these passages:
- A literal solar eclipse and lunar eclipse just preceding the Second Coming and final judgment.
- Supernaturally induced astronomical disasters that make the sun go completely black and moon turn a bloody crimson.
- Changes in the atmosphere from events like nuclear attacks, asteroids, volcanoes, etc. which block sunlight and turn the moon red.
- The language could be symbolic of spiritual darkness blanketing the earth and terrors filling people’s hearts during the apocalypse.
There are good arguments on all sides about whether Joel and Peter’s prophecies refer to literal eclipses. However, the occurrence of natural eclipses just before Jesus’ return would fit with the pattern of how God has used cosmic signs in the past. Yet the context also indicates exponentially greater terrestrial and spiritual turmoil enveloping the planet, rather than routine lunar cycles.
Conclusion: Eclipses as reminders to watch and pray
In summary, the Bible clearly shows God intends the sun, moon and stars as signs and communicative devices. And Scripture records how God has worked through eclipses synchronized to pivotal junctures in biblical history. While eclipses are never specifically labeled divinely ordained signs of the end times, Jesus did state astronomical perturbations will accompany apocalyptic events.
The 6th Seal cosmic collapse depicts imagery consistent with a solar and lunar eclipse. And the prophets Joel and Peter also described the sun and moon being darkened just prior to the day of the Lord. So it’s reasonable to conclude total solar and blood moon eclipses, especially in clusters, could serve as a precursor to or fulfillment of biblical prophecy about the end times.
However, the biblical context suggests whatever astronomical events transpire just before Christ’s return will likely be far more intense than natural cyclical eclipses. We cannot dogmatically assert that any given eclipse marks the beginning of end times tribulations. But nothing rules out God using eclipses as reminder to turn our eyes to heavenly things and eagerly anticipate the day of His return.
Rather than spurring sensationalism or fatalistic dread, eclipses should inspire us to contemplate God’s power and glory as Creator. Eclipse clusters or rare events like blood moons provide opportunities to open the Bible and engage in conversation about biblical prophecies. Most importantly, any apparent celestial omen should move us to earnestly pray and share the Gospel while there is still time. Jesus said, “When you see all these things, know that it is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:33).