The Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble. (Psalm 9:7-12 NKJV)
As I write this there are a variety of responses to this afternoon’s coming solar eclipse. On the one hand – what if this is just an astronomical event and the people freaking out about everything from crowded roads to downed cell service are wasting their energy for no reason? After all, plenty of natural things happen every day and the larger world doesn’t end. Last week’s earthquake centered in New Jersey comes to mind.
Then again, what if this isn’t just an astronomical event?
What if God is trying to warn us? What if the cup of earth’s iniquity is full and God’s judgement is now ready to be poured out on those who have chosen evil?
That’s a pretty heavy statement to make, isn’t it? But God’s righteous judgement is all over the Bible, and for those who follow Jesus, this “judgement” is nothing to fear. If you are aligned with God, then you will be judged righteous. If you are not aligned with God, then…..well, that’s when things get bad.
One author puts it this way:
There has never before been a time in history when we have been so globally connected and aware of evil and sin. Just as in the days of Noah, the whole earth has been corrupted by the seed of Satan and poisoned by the enemy’s venom. And yet, the needed justice against the ungodly and corrupt has not been fully met. Though we have seen a measure, the needed judgments against the wicked on the earth has yet to be seen for the collective good.
I believe this is what the Lord is preparing us for. A time when the whole earth will see HIS justice rendered and HIS wrath against evil doers fully displayed. It will not be His final judgment, but a visible demonstration of who He is so that no doubt will remain as to His sovereign rule over the earth. It will be visible proof that there are consequences for those who disobey and consistently refuse His laws.
But, it will also be a demonstration of His favor on the righteous and the blessings poured out upon those who live according to His word. Fueled by His love and mercy, it will be undeniable evidence that those who follow Him will be rewarded. Following this tangible demonstration of the fear of the Lord, there will be an increase of the Holy Spirit’s power and presence upon the earth to usher in many souls to the Kingdom. Having seen the proof of His sovereign rule, the choice will be given for many to turn from the path of destruction to eternal life.*
This author’s writings may line up exactly with what you are thinking, or they may be lightyears from what you’ve considered. But remember that God through Moses warned Pharaoh of the judgment to come if God’s people were not released from slavery. Pharaoh wouldn’t repent and his nation paid dearly for it. Remember that God through many prophets warned his chosen people to turn from their idolatry and turn back to him. When they didn’t, they were exiled from their Promised Land for 70 years. Remember that God through Jonah warned the people of Nineveh that “Forty days more [remain] and [then] Nineveh will be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4 AMP) because of their sins. BUT WAIT, you may be saying. The people of Nineveh repented! They turned away from their sin and repented and their city was saved!
Exactly. May it be so here, too.
I do not know what will happen during and after the eclipse. Maybe nefarious forces will use it to do great damage to people or to this nation – or maybe not. But I do know what happens to people when they live under spiritual darkness and cannot see Light – when they are eclipsed from God. Our God of mercy and love calls them (us) to repent, to turn from sin, to run from darkness and to run into the Light of God’s righteousness, peace, and joy.
Today, let us pray for God’s protection over us and for our nation to repent of its idolatry and sin.
Elohim, God Most High,
Lord, you are good and your mercies endure forever. Your righteousness and justice are pure and all your work is done in truth. You will endure forever, judging the world in righteousness, and being a refuge in times of trouble or oppression. God, as our nation observes this eclipse, we pray that you will give us your discernment and wisdom. Where there is chaos, conflict, and general craziness, help us to ignore the enemy’s lies and hear your Voice of Truth. Move in such a way that no one can mistake evil for good. Where you are calling us to repentance, give us willing hearts to realign ourselves with Jehovah. Holy Spirit, increase your power and presence in this world so that those who walk in darkness will see your Light, turn from their wickedness, and reflect your Glory. But in the midst of it all, we pray your strong hand of protection to be on this nation, her people, her waterways, her utility, transportation, and communication systems, her farmland, her governments, and every other thing that helps to sustain life. We bind any spirit of destruction, damage, or deceit that will try to act this week, and we release spirits of peace, protection, and intervention. We pray your angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways, and we declare that no terror, arrow, pestilence, or plague will come near us, in Jesus’s name. We pray you will continue to visibly demonstrate your sovereign rule over this earth, as you shower out judgement, love, and mercy. Increase your JOY in this nation. We ask all this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, AMEN.
But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble. (Psalm 9:7-12 NKJV)
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways. (Psalm 91 4-6, 9-11 NKJV)
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. (Isaiah 9:2-3 NKJV)
Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 NKJV)
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17 NKJV)
For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:4-5 NKJV)
* https://wandaalger.me/2024/03/12/dream-about-the-eclipse-and-the-fiery-arrow-of-enoch/