This is an additional commentary by Max Obeidin from the April 15, 2022 Koenig's Eye View:
Did the 2017 eclipse contain a warning of a conflict involving Ukraine? What does that mean for the United States?
On August 21, 2017, a significant solar eclipse took place that crossed the United States of America from coast to coast. Prior to the eclipse, Anne Graham Lotz had put a post online entitled, “Is God’s Judgment Coming on America?” (http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/2017/08/07/gods-judgment-coming-america/). In the post, she linked to a video by Australian Pastor Steve Cioccolanti in which he discussed the eclipse and its possible prophetic implications (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZvIibUAY2o). Another pastor named Mark Biltz discussed the eclipse around that same time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxCAMOcq6eE).
Today’s commentary builds on source material from those two sermons. Also, in the August 18, 2017, edition of Koenig's Eye View, we shared some unique information about how the 2017 solar eclipse was a warning indicator not to divide the land of Israel. The original commentary, along with a later addendum, is available online at this link (https://watch.org/node/62147). It may be helpful to go back and read that commentary along with this newer one to better understand the details.
As we are all aware, since the time of the eclipse over four years ago, the United States has experienced some very significant events. It was not fully clear at the time of the eclipse exactly what was going to happen, but it certainly seems God was trying to get our attention as a nation. Mark Biltz has pointed out that the 2017 solar eclipse occurred at the time of the new moon that indicated the start of the month of Elul on the Hebrew calendar. This is significant because the beginning of Elul in Judaism is the beginning of a 40-day period of reflection and repentance leading up to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the holiest day of the Jewish year. In this aspect, the 2017 eclipse was a call to repentance for America and a warning of coming consequences if America does not repent. It was a sign and a call to repentance for the rest of the world as well, as some of the events it preluded have had a worldwide impact.
Another interesting thing about the eclipse is that it occurred during the first year of President Donald Trump's term. A very significant part of the reason God had placed Donald Trump into the presidency was because of His plan for him to declare that the United States officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The warning of the eclipse related in part to what Trump would do with Israel during his presidency, indicating that consequences would come if the U.S. supported a peace plan that attempted to divide the land of Israel. During his term, a significant effort was made to warn the Trump Administration not to take part in a peace process that would divide the land. Michele Bachmann was extensively involved in this effort to warn the Trump administration and even gave copies of Eye to Eye to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt. More details about the Trump Administration and its role regarding Israel are posted in the “Eye to Eye” section of our website ( https://watch.org/eyetoeye ).
Suffice it to say that the ultimate reason Trump, the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House, is not currently serving a second term involves his efforts to promote a two-state plan regarding Israel's land that produced a map that superimposes the Abrahamic boundaries in Genesis 15:18.
The Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting covenant, and God had not allowed President Trump to continue the effort to divide the land of Israel.
At least in part because of Trump's ongoing peace plan, God did not intervene for Trump against the voter fraud in the 2020 election (despite all the prayers that were made for him by millions of people). In some ways, this event may remind us of the time Israel could not stand against their enemies in Joshua 7:1–12. Victory would not come without obedience. (This could also have implications if Trump runs again in 2024.)
The 2017 total solar eclipse pointed to the patterns of two previous eclipses as reference points for what could happen in the future. The path of the 2017 eclipse was similar to an eclipse that took place in 1918. The 1918 eclipse crossed from coast to coast over the continental United States, similar to the way the 2017 eclipse later did. At the time of the eclipse in 1918, the Spanish Flu was spreading all over the world as a pandemic. The similar path of the 2017 eclipse seems to at least in part to have been a forewarning of a worldwide pandemic. Understanding the specifics of what happens during a total solar eclipse is significant. When the moon blocks the sun in the path of totality, a part of the sun that is not normally visible can be seen. This is called the solar “corona.” The appearance of the corona in this specific case connected with the path of the eclipse, foreshadowing the coming virus that would have the name “corona.” Much more detail is given regarding the 2017 eclipse and the Coronavirus in the addendum to the earlier commentary, including some graphics for comparison.
So, back to the original question: How did the eclipse warn of a possible conflict involving Ukraine? While the path of the 2017 eclipse warned of a worldwide pandemic, the date of the 2017 eclipse seems to be a warning of military conflict and war. As mentioned, the eclipse occurred on August 21, 2017, corresponding to the new moon that indicates the beginning of the month of Elul. As a side note, the Hebrew calendar is a lunar calendar, so the Gregorian days and the Hebrew days vary slightly in how they match up from year to year. However, in 1914, there was an eclipse that matched the calendar days of the 2017 eclipse on both the Gregorian and the Hebrew calendars: the European solar eclipse of August 21, 1914. This eclipse was significant because it was connected to World War 1.
God used the 2017 eclipse as a warning of potential military conflict and war that could be coming by pointing to the pattern of the 1914 eclipse. While the warning may not necessarily be limited to one specific place or event, it seems at least in part that it was a warning of what we are currently experiencing involving Ukraine, Russia and NATO. Looking at the graphic below, you can see the path of totality of the 1914 eclipse over Europe. It is basically drawing a dividing line between Russia and most of the current NATO countries in Europe. Significantly, the line of totality of the eclipse went straight down the middle of what today is Ukraine and passed directly over what today is the capital city Kyiv, as well as the island of Crimea. Additionally, the line passed over parts of several places that once were part of the Soviet Union but are now independent countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus.
Credit: UniverseToday.com/Google Maps/Fred Espenak/NASA/GSFC.
Given the current situation, we should watch very closely to see how things play out. Only God knows all the details of what all this means going forward. However, we should be praying for His mercy because the warning could indicate that the military conflict may eventually involve other countries. It is important to consider a number of possible scenarios. Even if the current conflict can be contained between Russia and Ukraine, there are still worldwide implications pointing to ways other countries of the world will be affected economically and in other ways. There is also the concern that Russia could make additional moves in Europe, such as going into Moldova. The biggest concern, though, is the possibility of Russia making a move against any NATO countries, such as Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. Or that something else happening would cause NATO countries to get more directly involved in the current conflict and be drawn into a war. Hopefully, the Russia/Ukraine conflict will not come to that point, but as it relates to the pattern of the 1914 eclipse, it could be a foreshadowing of another conflict between Russia and NATO countries in the future.
The pattern of military conflict and war based on the 1914 eclipse may have implications for conflict other than simply the situation with Russia and Ukraine. If you notice, the path of totality also drew a dividing line over the Middle East. Most significant about this seems to be the line drawn over Iran, starting near what today is the northwest part of the country and passed toward the southeast. The path of totality also passed over parts of current-day Pakistan before totality ended somewhere near the current Pakistan-India border. Could the eclipse indicate military conflict involving Iran and possibly other Middle Eastern nations?
At the same time, the current events may embolden other countries to take their own military actions in other parts of the world. The fact that the United States and its NATO allies seem helpless to stop the current conflict (unless they want to risk the possibility of a nuclear war with Russia) makes the United States and NATO look somewhat ineffective. There is a risk that China may make a move on Taiwan. There is also a risk that North Korea may do something with one of the missiles they have been developing. It is possible that significant military conflict could break out in more than one place around the world at nearly the same time, even shortly after the current events.
As mentioned earlier, the 2017 eclipse was a sign both to nations in general as well as to the United States specifically. In all this, God is calling nations to repentance. However, most nations have not been turning to God. As a result, He is lifting His hand of protection to some extent and allowing conflict to occur. Another significant thought about the timing: this disruption is coming to Europe at the same time that Europe is trying to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran that Israel believes may be detrimental to its best interests. In that sense, Genesis 12:3 may be a factor: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
It is important to remember that when God calls nations to repentance, there is often a grace period before the full consequences come. If a nation responds to God, it is possible that consequences can be avoided. Jeremiah 18:8 says, “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” But if the nations do not repent, consequences will come. It remains to be seen how long we have before other nations are drawn into more direct military conflict. Given the warning God gave in 2017, the window of time before this happens may not be very long (whether the nations actually want to be involved in these conflicts or not).
This is especially true concerning the United States, considering that the 2017 eclipse passed directly over the country, which indicates a more specific warning to the United States than the general warning to the other nations. Yet at the present time, the United States as a whole has not repented or turned to God. As a result of this, it seems very likely that we will be drawn into significant military conflict or war in the near future. The warning from 2017 is not limited to Europe or the Middle East. Other events could factor in. One possibility is an attack that occurs somewhere on U.S. soil, so that the United States feels as if it has no choice but to retaliate militarily and is thus drawn into another war. In 2001, in his sermon after the 9/11 attacks, pastor David Wilkerson of Times Square Church in New York City warned that if America did not repent, something worse would be coming (https://worldchallenge.org/newsletter/2001/the-towers-have-fallen-but-we-missed-the-message or audio http://sermons.tsc.nyc/the-towers-have-fallen-but-we-missed-the-message/). Along with this, Jonathan Cahn has pointed to the harbingers of judgment that happened with the attacks in 2001 and how a 19-year pattern of judgment is taking place with the events of Coronavirus in 2020 and even through today. His message at the Return event in 2020 calling the nation to repentance was a stark warning to America (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6F9Z1AyKRM).
While there is certainly reason for concern, we have to continue to cling to Jesus regardless of what happens around us. We have to hold onto Him as we watch these things play out. Second Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Matthew 24:6 says, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Europe is certainly experiencing a kind of shaking at the moment, and it is very possible the United States will experience a major shaking during this current presidential term and even possibly later in this year. But our Savior Jesus is the Solid Rock that will never be shaken! While we understand the gravity of the situation around us, He wants us to trust that He is in control. We have to continue to be light to a dark world that needs Him. We must also continue to pray.
There is a line in Habakkuk 3:2 where the prophet prays to God, “in wrath remember mercy.”
We are at a place now where we are getting closer to the next event of judgment on America if we do not repent as a nation. That judgment will likely involve military conflict or war. And given the fact that the current administration and many members of Congress are promoting things contrary to the Bible, the situation is not looking very good. But there is still room to pray for some degree of mercy even in the midst of this sinful chaos. Let us also pray for the protection of as many lives as possible and that God will use His judgment . . . and mercy . . . to bring people to Jesus, both in America and around the world.
May 24, 2023 Quick Update:
In the 2022 commentary about military conflict and war above, it was stated in reference to the pattern of the 1914 eclipse, "If you notice, the path of totality also drew a dividing line over the Middle East. Most significant about this seems to be the line drawn over Iran, starting near what today is the northwest part of the country and passed toward the southeast. ... Could the eclipse indicate military conflict involving Iran and possibly other Middle Eastern nations?" In part, this may be an indication that Israel will strike Iran's nuclear facilities in the relatively near future. It could also indicate a larger conflict breaking out in the Middle East.