Only An Eclipse?

 

On July 22, 2009, we experienced one of the longest total solar eclipses on record with a time of 6 minutes and 39 seconds. There is, of course, a difference between a “solar” eclipse and a “lunar” eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, blocking out the sun. A lunar eclipse is when the earth passes between the sun and the moon and blocks the light shining upon the moon. Total lunar eclipses are much longer than total solar eclipses according to the keeper of longest records known as: The List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last .com. They claim way back on May 31, 318, there was a lunar eclipse that lasted 1hour, 47 minutes, and 14 seconds. Total solar eclipses on the other hand, according to Longest Stuff Wikipedia Encyclopedia and Hermit Eclipses, are much shorter. They claim the recent black-out of the sun on July 22, 2009, was the longest since July 11, 1991, which lasted 6 minutes and 53 seconds. They also added that total solar eclipses occur every 18 months or so. The United States has experienced several solar eclipses in recent years: August 21, 2017; July 11, 2020; and this very day, October 14, 2023. If you missed this one there will be a total (that means midnight black) eclipse in San Antonio, Texas, just a few months away, April 8, 2024. One more fact – most solar eclipses we experience are called “near perfect” eclipses, not a total black-out. The reason they are called “near perfect” is because all the experts say that theoretically, the longest a total solar eclipse can last is only 7 minutes and 31 seconds. Even the longest solar eclipse on record is only 7 minutes, 8 seconds back in 1955. Remember, the longest a total solar eclipse can physically last is 7 minutes, 31 seconds – period!

[Luke 23:42-46] When Jesus was crucified there was darkness over the land for three hours!! Jesus was crucified about nine o’clock Friday morning, in the daylight (the third hour of the day [Mark 15:25]). After Jesus had been on the cross for three agonizing hours, the darkness occurred, at noon. “Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the nineth hour.” This means the darkness lasted for three hours from noon until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Jesus died in the ninth hour - so he was on the cross for a total of six very long excruciating hours. Within the natural laws of the universe, the sun cannot be darkened in the daytime for three hours – it cannot happen! Natural phenomena cannot explain away what happened that day. There were no sandstorms or rainstorms recorded for that day. Darkness lasting for three hours is proof that it was one of the supernatural events which took place during the crucifixion and death of our Lord. The only rational explanation is this. When hanging upon the cross Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) which separated Him from God the Father because sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). He (Jesus) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). The incarnation wasn't Jesus's beginning. He set the foundations of the world in place, and He holds everything together. Hebrews tells us that Jesus is “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). When separated from God because He (Jesus) took upon himself the sins of the world, that separation caused chaos to set in and all of creation went into a tailspin (Matthew 27:51-53). The temple veil ripped from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks split, graves were opened, and many who were asleep arose. The darkness was a symbol of God turning His back on mankind until man’s sins died with Jesus. Jesus truly took away the sins of the world and left them in the grave. Why do we keep digging them back up? Through Jesus, thank God I am saved (1John 1:5-7).