August 11: MORE ATTENTION-GETTING SIGNS
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened…” Matthew 24:29a
Incredibly, in the midst of the American Revolution, a day of supernatural darkness came to New England. It was May 19, 1780. This was not an eclipse, and numerous Americans, including General George Washington, documented the strange day. Many perceived it as a day of judgement from God. Some panicked and others fell to their knees praying in the streets. Still others were crying. Many workers left their jobs and went straight to the churches, finding them packed. Cattle went to their stalls and fowls went to roost. The sudden silence of the songbirds added a dimension of eeriness more troubling to many than the darkness itself. The darkness began mid-morning and by noon it was as dark as midnight. Some recorded that it seemed to roll in from the southwest. One thing is for sure: it gained the attention of all our countrymen. One notable comment came from Abraham Davenport, a council member in the Connecticut House of Representatives. He famously opposed their consideration of adjourning, stating that if this was the Day of Judgement, he wished to be found doing his duty.
Jesus continued: “…and the moon will not give its light…”
The day of darkness continued into the nighttime. The moon and stars were not visible. It was after midnight before the full moon could be seen, and it had a stunningly deep red, blood-like appearance. The prophet Joel had written: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD (Joel 2:31).
Today’s opening verse closes thusly: “…the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
It is known as “The Night the Stars Fell,” and it happened in the night of November 12-13, 1833. An intense, unprecedented shower of stars lit the night skies across North America with a brightness and beauty that some described as glowing snowflakes. It lasted for over nine hours, all the way up to sunrise. Meteorologists have studied this event and estimate that over 150,000 meteors were falling per hour. John the Revelator saw in vision that before the second coming of Christ, the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind (Revelation 6:13). In both passages the very next event is the coming of the Lord (see Matthew 24:30-33 and Revelation 6:14-17).
Beloved, do you live in readiness for the arrival of the Redeemer? Nothing else compares in importance to this! Luke recorded these words of Jesus:
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25-28