God's AWESOME Eclipse

Earlier this week I experienced my first total solar eclipse. It was AWESOME. 

This heavenly event is remarkable—it’s worth remarking on—because it shows us Who God is and what He values. Below are 6 observations about God and His works that connect to His recent celestial show. 

He is Precise

I love God’s precision and I hope that you do too. How amazing is it that eclipse occurred with such precision? Scientists precisely pinpointed exact times and locations of the moon’s shadow and the event took place just as predicted. This is all possible because of God’s precision. Monday’s eclipse isn’t God’s only precise celestial event, consider the comfort that the following reliable events provide: 1. Sunrise and sunset times  2. Moon phases  3. Tidal charts (which are affected by the moon) and  4. The seasons. God is so precise that you can literally set your watch by His creation!

Truth to Consider

“Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.” Genesis 1:14-15

“Behold, the star which [the wise men] had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” Matthew 2:9-10

He is Faithful

Of course God’s faithfulness is connected with His precision and the gifts He has given to mankind. Psalm 89 repeatedly speaks of The LORD’s faithfulness. The poem begins with a promise that The LORD will ‘establish His faithfulness in the very heavens’ (Psalm 89:2) and on Monday He did just that. Speaking of faithfulness, did you know that the moon is called “the faithful witness”? (Psalm 89:37)

Truth to Consider

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.” Psalm 89:1, 5

He is Powerful

Great power was plainly evident in the eclipse. Personally I was astonished at how intensely bright the sun was, even when only the tiniest sliver was visible from behind the moon. Even after living under the sun for over 40 years, I underestimated it’s strength. Similarly, it’s only natural to underestimate how powerful Christ is. It’s easy to see Him as only compassionate, approachable and human, but let us consider that He is extraordinarily powerful. Jesus is so intensely powerful that when His close friends unexpectedly entered into His glorious presence, they experienced terror and even collapsed as if dead! Folks, let us know and believe that God is POWERFUL.

Truth to Consider

“And [Jesus] said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them... and [Peter] did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.” Mark 9:1-3 and 6

“[The Son of Man] had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” Revelation 1:16-17

He is Paradoxical

Just as I have understood that the sun is very bright and yet also have grossly underestimated just how bright the sun actually is, the reality is that God is simultaneously both evident and hidden from us. His creation and strength are plainly manifest and yet how often do we fail to understand the impact or spiritual ramifications of what we see and experience? As The Bible states, we truly only see the mere edges of His ways, for He dwells in unapproachable light (and darkness)!

Truth to Consider

“By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” Job 26:13-14

“The earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, because [God] was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down with darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.” Psalm 18:7-12

“Since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:20-21

He is Light

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all! In James 1:17 God is called “The Father of Lights” and unlike our planet and moon, The Father does not vary or turn. Jesus is also light. In John 8:12 Jesus proclaimed “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Finally The Spirit also illuminates in that His provides His people with light and wisdom (see Daniel 5:10-16). Since God is light, it is only fitting that He has given us heavenly lights to distinguish day from night and to rule the light and dark times! 

Truth to Consider

“I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:13-15

Alignment is Beautiful

My final observation in connection with the eclipse is that alignment is beautiful. God’s show was beautiful, but though it was seen across much of the United States, the best vantage point was a perfectly aligned vantage point. Meaning, to see the moon totally obscure the sun I needed to be aligned with the sun, and the moon. The most remarkable beauty was in the total alignment. This physical, celestial alignment made me think of order and harmony in relationships. I whole-heartedly believe that God enjoyed aligning the sun, moon above 15 states on Monday, but how much more does He take pleasure in aligning marriages, family members and relationships in His church?

What About You?

I hope you see God both in the heavens and in the passages above! Please feel free to share in the comment section below how you saw God and His character in the 2024 eclipse.

To God be the glory!