Signs of the Sun and Moon Being Darkened – Matthew 24:29
According to God’s prophets what time period is the Sun and Moon Being Darkened referred to in the Bible? What is a Portent and what is it purpose?
Joel 2:28-32 And after that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will certainly prophesy. As for YOUR old men, dreams they will dream. As for YOUR young men, visions they will see. 29 And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit. 30 “And I will give portents (Strong’s #H4159) in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun itself will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day (Strong’s #H3372) of Jehovah. 32 And it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah (Strong’s #H3068 YHWH) will get away safe; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will prove to be the escaped ones, just as Jehovah has said, and in among the survivors, whom Jehovah is calling.”
The Hebrew word Portent according to Strong’s Concordance is #H4159 “Mopheth”, it can be translated as a Sign or Wonders. It carries the meaning to establish a significant event, mark a particular day as a special event.
Now the next word I would like to analyze is the word we read as Fear-Inspiring, so according to Strong’s Concordance it is #H3372 Hebrew “Yare”, and can be translated as Dreadful, Terrible, Awe-Inspiring or Awesome. This is giving the idea of reverence or awesomeness; in that it’s used to bring about glory to God. The apostle Paul agrees and expounds on the same thought as found here in Hebrews.
Hebrews 12:18-21… For YOU have not approached that which can be felt, and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, 19 and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. 20 For the command was not bearable to them: “And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” 21 Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: “I am fearful and trembling.”
This display that occurred upon the Mountain for the nation of Israel was indeed a wonder that God created, a fear inspiring awe that caused even Moses to be fearful.
We have approached something that cannot be felt. So, what is it that cannot be felt with our hands is it something that is physical as we know it?
Hebrews 12:22-24… But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, 24 and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s [blood].
The apostle Paul is talking about approaching a spiritual place, it is a city. Indeed, it is awesome, and only a few people have even seen such a place with their minds eye. So, what would it take to enter into the city of the living God?
Hebrews 12:25-29… See that YOU do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying: “Yet once more I will set in commotion not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 Now the expression “Yet once more” signifies the removal of the things being shaken as things that have been made, in order that the things not being shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, seeing that we are to receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to have undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably render God sacred service with godly fear and awe. 29 For our God is also a consuming fire.
The apostle Paul mentions that the nation of Israel had the fear of God put into them by the manifestations that happened on the mountain and the display of God’s power created a divine warning for them to remember that he alone is God, and we need to obey and fear him only.
So, this time period of the sun and moon being darkened is called the fear inspiring day of God. But we do not need to be overly fearful, if we accept him as our God and call on him by name and accept his Christ, he will lead us to safety and save us from the judgment of Gods wrath that is coming upon this earth.
We who are believers have been called to approach the city of the living God. If we are to have the privilege of entering into such a city, we cannot be overly fearful, nor ignorant of this fact and when the divine warning is given, we better not be begging off. So please hear and obey the divine warning, and the call for our cleansing by the spirit of God.
What other interesting event did the apostle Paul mentioned here at Hebrews 12:28?
Powers of Heaven are Shaken
Paul spoke about the “heavens being shaken, and the earth set into a commotion” and that we who are ready for Christ should receive a kingdom from God. Remember Jesus’ words found at Matthew 24:29… the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. The apostle Peter also speaks about this time when Christ arrives in Kingdom power establishing a time of judgment of the heavens and earth. Please read all of 2 Peter 3:3-18.
Now let us turn our focus back on to what the apostle Peter spoke about the great shaking that is coming, look here at 2 Peter 3:10-13.
2 Peter 3:10-13… Yet Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a hissing noise, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved (Strong’s #G3089), and earth and the works in it will be discovered. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought YOU to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which [the] heavens being on fire will be dissolved and [the] elements being intensely hot will melt! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these, righteousness is to dwell…
Let us look at this Greek word used as the word Dissolved, in Strong’s Concordance it is #G3089 “Luo”, it also can be translated to loosen, release, to break up a meeting or to annul it.
So, now we have been given this “Advance Knowledge” of what is happening in the last days when “the heavens” (the authority of the air, the kingdom of dark forces) are now reserved for the day of their coming judgment, where they are dissolved, removed and their authority is annulled, they are thrown down to the earth. No longer having the authority to withhold God’s blessings and provisions over us believers of Christ Jesus.
Falling Stars
Ok this is exciting, but are there any other scriptures talking about these fascinating things? Oh yes there are! Read the following from the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 34:4-5 And all those of the army of the heavens must rot away. And the heavens must be rolled up, just like a book scroll; and their army will all shrivel away, just as the leafage shrivels off the vine and like a shriveled [fig] off the fig tree. 5 “For in the heavens my sword will certainly be drenched …
As we see in this reading the authority of the “Army of Heavens” is taken away from them, they are shaken and removed by the God given authority of the incoming Kingdom of Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us also look at the revelation given to the apostle John about the great shaking and the stars that are to fall from heaven, and ask what triggers the event of this great shaking?
Revelation 6:10-14 … And they cried with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been. 12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake (Strong’s #G4578) occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the entire moon became as blood, 13 and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind casts its unripe figs. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and [every] island were removed from their places.
The triggering of the great shaking has to do with the judgment of God, because of all the blood being spilled upon the earth and the avenging that will follow with the accountability for what happened to these righteous ones who have been given a white robe.
Ok now look at the Greek word used as earthquake as found in Strong’s Concordance #G4578 “Seismos”, so it can also be translated as a commotion or a shaking.
Is there any escaping this judgment that is coming upon the earth?
Revelation 6:15 -17… And the kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders and the rich and the strong ones and every slave and [every] free person hid themselves in the caves and in the rock-masses of the mountains. 16 And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rock-masses: “Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
So, we can see from the preceding Scriptures that God is creating a commotion, a shaking up of the existing demonic forces that have authority over mankind. God in his anger is going to shake them loose like unripe figs so that they fall to the earth.
Next God expresses his wrath / anger against rebellious and disobedient mankind who spill and shed blood upon the earth. They continue to refuse to obey the divine expressed will of God even after they were warned. There will be an escape for those who know that Gods wrath is coming but it will not be by hiding in the rocks.
So, what happens next? Follow the hyperlink: Men Become Fearful
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