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Will the sun really be turned to darkness and
the moon to blood (Joel 2:31)?
Got Questions Ministries
Joel 2:31 predicts, “The sun
shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and
awesome day of the LORD comes.”
Not necessarily. As with many descriptive passages in
prophecy, this prediction is stated in the language of appearance and should
not be taken as a technical statement.
The idea is that the sun’s light will be blocked and the moon
will have a reddish appearance, like blood.
The sun turning to darkness takes place on occasion during
a solar eclipse.
It is possible that this natural phenomenon will be a sign of
the Lord’s soon coming during the end times. Or it could be a supernatural
darkness, similar to the darkness that took place during Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:45).
For a solar eclipse to take place at a particular time may
not seem to be a big deal. There is a total solar eclipse visible somewhere
around the globe about every 18 months. However, from any one location on
Earth, total eclipses take place on average only once in several hundred years.
It is likely that Joel’s prophecy includes an eclipse visible
in Israel just before the second coming of Christ. This would be evidence of
God’s intricate timing.
However, it is also possible that a supernatural event will occur,
blocking the sun’s light from the entire planet.
This would explain how the sun could look dark and the moon
red at the same time — although the prophecy does not stipulate that the two
events are simultaneous.
The moon appears red during a total lunar eclipse. Again, it
will be the timing of this event that will reveal God’s
supernatural power.
Jesus spoke of this event in Matthew 24:29–30: “Immediately after the tribulation
of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be
shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the
tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Here, Jesus indicates that these phenomena will take place at
the end of the tribulation period shortly before He returns to
Earth.
It is possible that the judgments and devastation that take
place during the tribulation will be responsible for creating conditions that
make the sun appear dark and the moon appear red.
Regardless of how it happens, the appearance of the sun and
moon will change.
Joel’s prophecy is clear: a darkened sun and reddish moon are
associated with God’s judgment shortly before the return of Christ.
Got Questions Ministries seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing
biblical, applicable, and timely answers to spiritually related questions
through an internet presence.
GotQuestions.org is a ministry of dedicated and trained servants who have a desire to assist others in their understanding of God, Scripture, salvation, and other spiritual topics. We are Christian, Protestant, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational. We view ourselves as a para-church ministry, coming alongside the church to help people find answers to their spiritually related questions.
GotQuestions.org is a ministry of dedicated and trained servants who have a desire to assist others in their understanding of God, Scripture, salvation, and other spiritual topics. We are Christian, Protestant, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational. We view ourselves as a para-church ministry, coming alongside the church to help people find answers to their spiritually related questions.
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