Is the solar eclipse a sign of End Times?

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Monday, April 08, 2024

The moon begins to eclipse the sun on April 8, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the 'path of totality' in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. — The moon begins to eclipse the sun on April 8, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the "path of totality" in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. | Getty Images/Ron Jenkins

There’s a lot of excitement about this solar eclipse that will be happening today. Some are even suggesting that it’s a sign from Heaven, that judgment is coming specifically on the nation of America.

I think eclipses are amazing. They happen once every 18 months or so, we’ve had many over the years. They’re not as rare as some people would suggest.

But is the solar eclipse a sign of the End Times?

Well, it is true that Jesus—in what we call the Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24—talks about the End Times and says the sun will be darkened. Is that speaking of what is going to happen today with the solar eclipse?

The answer is no because that is a specific reference to what will happen in what we call The Great Tribulation period.

The prophetic calendar

Let me give you a flyover of End Times events. The next event on the prophetic calendar is the Rapture of the church. Then comes the emergence of this world leader, the Antichrist, which inaugurates The Great Tribulation period that lasts seven years.

It starts with the emergence of the Antichrist, it ends with the return of Jesus Christ.

In the middle of the Tribulation period, after the Antichrist has rebuilt the Jewish temple, an event will happen called the “abomination of desolation.” This is where the altar is desecrated.

So, we know the temple is going to be rebuilt, which I’ll get back to. Then, Christ comes back, and then the Millennium happens (the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ).

Fulfillment of Bible prophecy

Back to the eclipse. . . Yes, it’s true that the sun will not give its light, but that’s talking about the events of the Tribulation period that have not yet started.

But there are many things happening that are fulfillments of Bible prophecy happening before our very eyes, such as the increasing isolation of the nation Israel.

Since that horrific attack by the terrorist organization, Hamas, on the people of Israel—in which over 1,000 people were murdered and now 200 are still hostages—you would have thought that the whole world would turn in support of Israel. But, instead, the opposite has happened.

This is fulfilling Bible prophecy because the Bible says in the last days Israel would be isolated. She would stand alone, so God could step forward and be strong on her behalf.

There are many other things I could talk about—the anarchy, the violence in our nation and around the world—that are fulfillments of Bible prophecy, but my point is simply this: Let’s not major on minors and get hung up on eclipses, blood moons, and ashes of the red heifer.

Look, Jesus is coming. The Rapture of the church in which the Lord comes for His people can happen at any moment. Just be ready for that. It can happen today, tomorrow, or even ten years from now—we don’t know, “. . .no one knows the day or hour. . .” (Matthew 24:36 NLT).

So let’s not get off in these little rabbit trails, and major on minors, and miss the big picture. That big picture is this: Jesus is coming again.

Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author and movie producer. “Jesus Revolution,” a feature film about Laurie’s life from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, releases in theaters February 24, 2023.