Astronomy really is looking up!
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I've been amazed by some of the most fascinating things, just by taking time to look up. Mostly this has been at night, while in the Earth's shadow opposite the Sun. (See Signs and Wonders)
One of the most captivating visions we earthlings get to enjoy of heaven though, can only happen during the day.
My family looks forward to the great solar eclipse happening next April. We have talked about how it can form an opposing "bookend" to the experience we had in August 2017.
That eclipse was during great difficulty we faced as Kristen recovered from her cardiac arrest and when Maggie was struggling with heart failure, still undiagnosed.
Due to the clouds that blocked our view of the eclipse, we saw only a generalized darkening of the skies, though we had positioned ourselves exactly on the center line of the path of totality.
Maggie was miserable, and this day was remembered as a disappointment for the whole family.
We wish for a better experience next spring, when we might get to enjoy a spectacle free from clouds and rain.
The time intervening has brought us great pain as we struggled with the upheavals during our experiences in 2017 and the ensuing stress of being stuck in "survival mode" for a few years. (See The Year of the Heart — Video Recap)
Perhaps we will be rewarded then with a magnificent view of the power of God moving in majesty through the heavens above, to parallel the mighty miracles we've received through these trying times.
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In these last days, there have been and will yet be great signs in Heaven and in Earth.
Among them are that the Sun will be darkened. (Joel 2: 10; Isaiah 13: 10; Matthew 24: 29; Mark 13: 24; Doc. & Cov. 34: 9)
These prophecies cause me to take notice of a few stark moments from our own time, sure to be eclipsed by even greater signs in the future.
What is so interesting to me about the total solar eclipses occurring on August 21, 2017, and April 8, 2024?
These two spectacular celestial events are separated by an interval of nearly 7 years, a significant number in cosmic measurement.
These eclipses have caused me to wonder, in more ways than one.
I'm intrigued by maps showing the paths of totality, or complete shadow, where the Sun will be completely blocked by the Moon.
Back in 2017, the moving shadow of the Moon crossed the coast of Oregon and continued all the way to the Atlantic as it exited South Carolina.
Next spring, we will see the shadow slide up from the southwest. It will cross Mexico and Texas, eventually exiting North America over New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
What a great opportunity for so many to witness!
The paths of these two eclipses have interested me since I began looking at maps to try and plan to view them from the best vantages.
It was a little eerie the first time I noticed the opposite directions of these paths, and how they can be seen to form a great, black "X" over the United States.
Is this some kind of divine warning for the inhabitants of America? I don't know.
I do take it as a personal warning ever since having the realization of the spectacular heavenly geometry displayed here. The Lord does use signs like these to teach, warn, and testify.
We have been warned and forewarned of coming calamities in ways other than heavenly signs, by Prophets and Apostles. Is this another sign, a testimony to be borne by other heavenly bodies in combination with the Earth? (See Doc. & Cov. 88: 87-93)
It's difficult to imagine by looking at only one map at a time, but can you think of where these paths cross?
Here's the combination of the two maps:
What is located near that spot?
Judge for yourself what to make of this.
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See also: