Is the coming eclipse a sign of the times?

[pam]

A total eclipse of the sun will be visible across the United States on Aug. 21, 2017. The last time this occurred in America was June 8, 1918, and the path crossed the United States from Washington State to Florida, a path very similar to the eclipse coming up. The eclipse of 1918 was not so complete, however. The event next week will go down as the first total solar eclipse whose path of totality stays completely in the United States since 1776, according to the Space.com Total Solar Eclipse 2017 guide.

Christian videos talking about the coming eclipse as a sign of the times are proliferating on YouTube. Their audience is not very large, which means the entire population of America is NOT looking forward to this eclipse as an end-of-times event. Unless something unusual accompanies the eclipse, it may not be.

https://mormonhub.com/blog/faith/coming-eclipse-sign-times/

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, pam said:

The event next week will go down as the first total solar eclipse whose path of totality stays completely in the United States since 1776, according to the Space.com Total Solar Eclipse 2017 guide.

Nowhere on the site did it say that.  But regardless:

No.

[zil]

Well, if all the clocks stop ticking at some point during this eclipse, then we can say it was an end of times event.  Otherwise....

[pam]

I sent a message to the author asking for help in pointing out where this was said.  

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, pam said:

I sent a message to the author asking for help in pointing out where this was said.  

It was said on CBS news who quoted and linked to space.com.  But on the Space.com page, I can't find it.  I also can't find it anywhere else.  I have lots of searches where the text is there.  But when I click on the link, the text is not found.

[Guest]

This site says it (the 1776 eclipse) was at its maximum around Africa.  So...

[Guest]

https://www.inverse.com/article/34219-when-was-the-last-total-solar-eclipse-in-america

This site confirms that it did occur over the US.  So...???

[Guest]

The answer is still no.

[Guest MormonGator]

Every single time there is an eclipse, earthquake, hurricane-someone thinks it's a sign of the apocalypse. 

 

:: sigh :: 

[zil]

3 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

Every single time there is an eclipse, earthquake, hurricane-someone thinks it's a sign of the apocalypse. 

 

:: sigh :: 

Hope springs eternal...

[Guest]

Oh, heck.  For the purpose of getting more answers out there...

DIBS.

[zil]

12 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Oh, heck.  For the purpose of getting more answers out there...

DIBS.

You know this is just a post about a MormonHub article, not a question, right?  (Not that I object to another Q&A on this topic, just checking.)

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, zil said:

You know this is just a post about a MormonHub article, not a question, right?  (Not that I object to another Q&A on this topic, just checking.)

DOG BLAST IT!!! I've just been free threading, haven't I?

[Just_A_Guy]

I read that America is coming out of one of the longest periods without a total eclipse in several hundred years; and there is apparently another total eclipse set to hit the US within the next five years.  So astronomically, this is peculiar to say the least.

On Facebook yesterday a friend of mine waggishly posted the following:  "God:  if You want us to impeach Trump, send us a sign.  Like, make the sun go dark or something.  Anytime  in the next week would be fine."

[pam]

The author has updated the article.

[eddified]

I'm excited for the 2045 eclipse, it goes right over where I live (and hope to still be living):

http://americaneclipseusa.com/future-usa-eclipses/

[seashmore]

As seen on Facebook: what would the world be like if we all prepared for the Second Coming as much as we prepared for the eclipse?

Remember that not even Jesus himself knows what day he's returning.

Quote

Matt. 24:36

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

 

[Guest]

On 8/17/2017 at 11:41 AM, Just_A_Guy said:

On Facebook yesterday a friend of mine waggishly posted the following:  "God:  if You want us to impeach Trump, send us a sign.  Like, make the sun go dark or something.  Anytime  in the next week would be fine."

Classic!!!

[mordorbund]

On 8/17/2017 at 10:16 AM, Carborendum said:

No

 

On 8/17/2017 at 10:17 AM, zil said:

Well, if all the clocks stop ticking at some point during this eclipse, then we can say it was an end of times event.  Otherwise....

 

On 8/17/2017 at 10:54 AM, Carborendum said:

The answer is still no.

 

From Joel 2:28-32

Quote

28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zionand in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

See also D&C 29:14,  D&C 34:9, and D&C 45:42.

If you don't view a solar eclipse as one of the signs of the times, what do you think it means that "the sun shall be turned into darkness"?

[Vort]

On ‎8‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 8:58 AM, Carborendum said:

DOG BLAST IT!!! I've just been free threading, haven't I?

Nope. You totally have dibs on this thread.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Vort said:

Nope. You totally have dibs on this thread.

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

From Joel 2:28-32

See also D&C 29:14,  D&C 34:9, and D&C 45:42.

If you don't view a solar eclipse as one of the signs of the times, what do you think it means that "the sun shall be turned into darkness"?

I can't tell.  Are you being serious?

[mordorbund]

12 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I can't tell.  Are you being serious?

Yes. The signs are there for a reason. President Hinckley said the prophecy of Joel has already been fulfilled. So when you read about the sun being darkened, what does that sign look like for you?

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

Yes. The signs are there for a reason. President Hinckley said the prophecy of Joel has already been fulfilled. So when you read about the sun being darkened, what does that sign look like for you?

1. I do not believe Pres. Hinckley was referring to the sun and moon (as many have said).  I believe he was only talking about the first part -- that old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions.  Sons and daughters shall prophesy.  Notice that it is a long prophecy.  I believe the latter part of the passage has not yet occurred.  And will not occur because... (see item #4).
2. The other verses talk of the signs, yes.  But I take the statement about the sun to be more than an eclipse.  (You asked what I thought those meant). I think it will be the reverse of what the Nephites saw at Christ's birth.  We'll know it is daytime because we see the sky. But all will still be dark as night.  By what cause I know not.  Moon to blood?  What is that?  Color?  Murders at night?  Pollution causing the night air to be reddish? Harvest moon?
3. Dark sun, red moon, stars fall.  Blood.  Fires.  Pillars of smoke. How often do such things happen? Often enough -- as has been throughout history.  But how often do we see such things happening in close proximity to each other?  I believe all these things need to happen pretty close together to be the heavenly signs, we're talking about.  Or else we could say this had been satisfied for millennia.  What kind of prophecy is that?
4. See JS - M 1:33

   Quote

   33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

   Apparently, such signs will be AFTER the days of tribulation.  As we study more about the days of tribulation, they're going to be much worse than what we've experienced thus far.

[mordorbund]

4 hours ago, Carborendum said:

1. I do not believe Pres. Hinckley was referring to the sun and moon (as many have said).  I believe he was only talking about the first part -- that old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions.  Sons and daughters shall prophesy.  Notice that it is a long prophecy.  I believe the latter part of the passage has not yet occurred.  And will not occur because... (see item #4).
2. The other verses talk of the signs, yes.  But I take the statement about the sun to be more than an eclipse.  (You asked what I thought those meant). I think it will be the reverse of what the Nephites saw at Christ's birth.  We'll know it is daytime because we see the sky. But all will still be dark as night.  By what cause I know not.  Moon to blood?  What is that?  Color?  Murders at night?  Pollution causing the night air to be reddish? Harvest moon?
3. Dark sun, red moon, stars fall.  Blood.  Fires.  Pillars of smoke. How often do such things happen? Often enough -- as has been throughout history.  But how often do we see such things happening in close proximity to each other?  I believe all these things need to happen pretty close together to be the heavenly signs, we're talking about.  Or else we could say this had been satisfied for millennia.  What kind of prophecy is that?
4. See JS - M 1:33

   Apparently, such signs will be AFTER the days of tribulation.  As we study more about the days of tribulation, they're going to be much worse than what we've experienced thus far.

1. I tend to think you're correct, but President Hinckley didn't offer any further comments on the subject (that I'm aware). Hearers may validly conclude a partial or total fulfilment.

2. Thanks for your thoughts. I take, by your stated ignorance regarding the moon prophecy, that while you have your own thoughts on what the sun fulfillment will look like, you're open to other possibilities. The sun is darkened by a total eclipse, I think that removes the hard "no".

3. The same kind of prophecy that "a maiden shall conceive". Babies are born lots of times. Isaiah's children are not exceptional in that regard. "You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes". Was Mary the only woman to give birth during the taxation? Was she the only mother to bring swaddling clothes? I think that some of the end of times prophecies are intended to be common (wars and rumors of wars, stars fall from the sky twice a year) to remind us to stay diligent and not wait until prophets are sent to Jerusalem.

I hadn't considered your idea of grouping the signs together temporally. If that is indeed the case, then the dark sun and blood moon could not be solar and lunar eclipses since the former happens only with new moons and the latter with full moons.

4. I haven't put much thought to this, but when I looked up scripture referring to the darkened sun I noticed some said the moon would turn to blood and others said the moon would be darkened. I wonder if this is describing 2 events preparatory to the 2nd Coming.

 

Anyway, thanks for engaging. I know there are enough false prophets counting down the second Advent calendar, plus anxious sign-seekers unfamilar with what has been listed as a sign (as opposed to a general astronomical event), that it's easy to roll your eyes and lock up your foil. But that doesn't change the fact that there are legitimate signs and latter-day saints should 1) be aware of what they are, and 2) use them as a reminder to be prepared for the times the signs advertise.