The 2017 and 2024 Solar Eclipses: The Warning of a Major New Madrid Earthquake If America Facilitates a Two-State Agreement That Divides Israel
On April 8, 2024, a significant total solar eclipse will make its way across much of the United States, with the path of totality crossing into Texas from Mexico and traveling all the way up through Maine, including part of the border between the United States and Canada. In 2017 we released a commentary about the 2017 solar eclipse and how it contained a specific warning not to divide the land of Israel. We also shared that there seemed to be a significance to both the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipses when analyzed together. That commentary is available here: https://watch.org/node/62147. It may be helpful to take a look at that commentary before reading this newer one, although some key points from that commentary are summarized below. Additionally, this is one of a number of commentaries we plan to put out about the biblical and prophetic significance of these two solar eclipses and what they mean for America and the world. (Source references are hyperlinked with a blue underline.)
Some of the key points from the earlier article are as follows in reference to the 2017 total solar eclipse:
· According to a website called the National Eclipse Blog, the average width of the line of totality of the 2017 eclipse was 67 miles. This “67-line,” so to speak, seems to be a prophetic reference to the pre-1967 lines in Israel, which are often used as a starting point for discussions about a two-state plan. Additionally, the 2017 path of totality symbolically divided the land of the United States around the same time that Jared Kushner on behalf of President Donald Trump was working to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which would divide the land of Israel if a Palestinian state were to be created.
· Washington, D.C., did not fall into the path of totality. According to timeanddate.com, it reached its maximum level of eclipse at 2:42 p.m. [with 81% coverage]. UN resolution 242 was a resolution produced shortly after the 1967 Six-Day War that called on Israel to leave the territories it had gained during the war. This again seems to be a warning not to divide Israel.
· The path of totality was crossing into the state of Oregon at the same time the sun was setting in Jerusalem, again indicating that the eclipse was in part a warning regarding dividing Israel and specifically Jerusalem.
However, the next point is the key point for this analysis today and relates to the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipses together:
· The paths of totality of the 2017 and 2024 eclipses cross over an area around southern Illinois that according to the National Eclipse Blog is “roughly the size of New Jersey.” This also seems to prophetically symbolize a warning regarding the land of Israel. It is commonplace today at many churches and in many prophecy conferences to hear pastors and speakers refer to the nation of Israel as a “country about the size of New Jersey.”
· Additionally, a new point that was not in the previous commentary is that according to space.com, the length of totality of the 2024 solar eclipse over the United States is 67 minutes and 58 seconds. Again, the number 67 seems to be significant here.
In the 2017 commentary we released the question was asked, What does it mean for America when these two eclipses that are about seven years apart have paths of totality that form an X over America with an area of overlap that is close in size to Israel? After considering the matter over the last several years and taking into account many factors, we are able today to give what seems to be the best answer to what the warning means regarding Israel. In 2017 Steve Cioccolanti pointed out that the paths of totality of the eclipses crossed each other over a major earthquake zone centered on the New Madrid Fault Line. So even then it was understood that the eclipses could in part be a warning of an earthquake in this area. The information we have to share today is that the warning of a major New Madrid earthquake is connected to whether the United States facilitates a two-state peace deal that divides the land of Israel (Genesis 12:1–3, Joel 3:2, Psalm 105:8–11), especially if this includes the division of Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:8, Zechariah 12).
A number of people have also shared that God has confirmed to them that a major New Madrid earthquake is connected to a peace plan that would divide Israel/Jerusalem to create a Palestinian state. This is not necessarily to agree or disagree with them on other points of eschatology or doctrine that they may hold, but some who have mentioned this are John Kilpatrick, Chris Reed, Leslie Johnson, Shane Warren, and Brandon Biggs. Of course, anytime someone shares something of this nature, we are required to evaluate it based upon the principles of Scripture (cf. Joel 2:28–32, Acts 2:14–21, 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21, 1 Corinthians 14:26–29, Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 1 John 4:1, Jeremiah 18:7–10, 2 Chronicles 7:13–14, Amos 3:7). However, when the celestial signs (Genesis 1:14, Luke 21:25–26) match with what is being shared, as they do in this case, it is an additional reason to accept the validity of the warning. Also worth noting is that in 1991 the Madrid Peace Conference took place, which was the first time "all of the parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict had gathered to hold direct negotiations," which included discussions of territorial concessions for peace with the Palestinians. The warning of a major New Madrid earthquake seems to hearken back to this event and all of the peace efforts toward a two-state plan that have taken place since then.
So how significant of an earthquake are we talking about? First, let us look at some historical earthquake information. From December 1811 to February 1812 historians record a series of earthquakes that occurred along the New Madrid Fault. The earthquake on December 16, 1811, is estimated to have had a magnitude in the range of 7.2–8.2 with a 7.4 aftershock on the same day, along with another earthquake in January and yet another in February. Since the United States become a nation, this set of earthquakes is the most powerful to ever hit the country outside of Alaska and the West Coast, with people feeling the earthquakes in places as far away as Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, and even farther. As a side note, the most powerful earthquake ever to have hit anywhere in the United States was an estimated magnitude 9.2 earthquake that occurred on March 27, 1964, in Alaska. The most powerful earthquake anywhere in the world in modern history was a 9.5 earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960. Based on what the people mentioned above have shared along with some others, the New Madrid earthquake that would occur connected to a two-state peace deal would be around the range of approximately 9.5–10.0 on the Richter scale. Perhaps with prayer for God’s mercy, this number might be able to be in the lower part of the range (Habakkuk 3:2). An earthquake at the higher end of this magnitude range could potentially last up to 30 minutes.
How much damage would this earthquake do? The damage would be tremendous. When the United States has pushed Israel toward having less sovereignty over parts of its covenant land or otherwise toward the creation of a Palestinian state in the past, disasters measured in billions of dollars in damage have often occurred. Both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey are examples of storms that happened in major part because of U.S. actions involving the land of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and in each case these hurricanes caused over 100 billion dollars in damage and losses. As a side note, Hurricane Harvey hit the United States less than one week after the 2017 eclipse occurred. An approximately 9.5–10.0 earthquake along the New Madrid fault line could potentially cause even greater damage overall than these two examples. It would not be surprising if the overall cost of damage, losses, economic effects on the country, and relief efforts were measured in trillions rather than billions of dollars.
In the videos linked to the people mentioned above, they describe an earthquake that literally splits the United States all the way from the Chicago area down to Louisiana, partially following the Mississippi River (with some deviation). Depending on how the land shifted during the quake, much of the land near the Mississippi River, the southern part of Lake Michigan, and the low-lying lands in the area of New Orleans could be flooded. This is in addition to considerable damage and devastation from collapsed buildings and infrastructure, including numerous bridges across the Mississippi River breaking up and destroying vehicle access, creating a tremendous effect on the transportation of goods. In addition to the places already mentioned, other large cities like Memphis; St. Louis; Jackson, Mississippi; and Springfield, Illinois, would also likely see tremendous damage (along with many smaller cities and towns along the fault line and the river). Such a disaster would also take an enormous toll on human life.
Two solar eclipses within five years of each other occurred in the United States in the years leading up to the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes. A similar pattern to the current set of eclipses occurred with a total solar eclipse on June 16, 1806, and an annular solar eclipse on September 17, 1811. The path of totality in 1806 and the path of annularity in 1811 crossed near the earthquake zone around the Madrid Fault Line but slightly farther north than the paths of totality of the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipses. The second of the two eclipses in the historic pattern occurred about three months before the major earthquakes started hitting the region.
Now we see a similar pattern unfolding with the current set of eclipses over the United States. That does not mean the timing is necessarily going to be the same as the previous pattern. Just because there was a three-month gap in the historical pattern does not necessarily mean that we will see an earthquake in July 2024, three months after the April eclipse (although it should not be ruled out either). But the fact that the warning is being given through the April eclipse means we need to take it seriously and to be prepared as things develop. As a side note, the 1806 and 1811 eclipses also occurred shortly before the United States was involved in the War of 1812. The 2017 eclipse that occurred seven years ago also indicated the possibility of war (see the following commentary for some more information about this: https://watch.org/node/110000). We also plan to release another commentary about this in the near future.
Does the eclipse happening in 2024 mean the peace deal and subsequent earthquake will take place in 2024? Not necessarily, but we need to be watching for that possibility. When God gives a warning to a nation of possible coming judgment, sometimes the timing is not always clear. What is significant is that God has chosen to give this warning in 2024. But it should also be remembered that when God warns a nation of a consequence if something is done, then there is also the possibility to avoid that consequence if the nation heeds to the warning and instead does what is correct in God’s sight.
What are some of the factors that could make an Israeli-Palestinian two-state peace deal more likely in the near future?
· Pressure from the international community―As the war between Israel and Hamas has carried on, the international community has been looking for ways to push Israel to end the war quickly and take steps toward the creation of a Palestinian state.
· Additional attacks from other countries―If Israel were to get into a long-term war with other terror groups like Hezbollah or additional countries like Iran at the same time that the war with Hamas is going on, it could put them into a challenging situation if they started running low on military supplies. This could put additional pressure on them to sign some type of peace agreement to end the wars, especially if it would involve a defense pact to protect them from future attacks. On the other hand, if Israel were to successfully defeat their enemies and even potentially carry out strikes against Iran’s nuclear program, this could decrease the need for a defense pact and change the dynamics a bit.
· The desire for Israel to be recognized by other nations, especially Saudi Arabia―About two weeks before the October 7 attacks on Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was nearing a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia―although much of the leadership of Saudi Arabia has stated that normalization with Israel is contingent upon the creation of a Palestinian state. It is true that Netanyahu recently rejected that idea. However, the factor of increased international recognition and normalization is likely one of the major factors that could contribute to an eventual peace deal.
· The desire to build a third temple―If the Israeli leadership were to get closer to a peace deal that would create a Palestinian state with a capital in part of Jerusalem and especially if the Temple Mount were involved, there would likely be a lot of criticism within the Orthodox Jewish community in Israel. In an effort to lower the level of objection to the peace plan, the deal might include a provision that would allow a new Jewish temple to be built, which is something many Orthodox Jews want to do. Likewise, the Bible indicates that there will be another temple (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Ezekiel 40–46).
· The leader of Israel―As the war with Hamas has carried on, Netanyahu’s popularity has been gradually decreasing. In a poll in December, more than two-thirds of Israelis surveyed want new elections after the war with Hamas is over. Let us not forget that before Netanyahu started his current term as the prime minister of Israel, his predecessor, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, publicly called for a two-state peace deal at the United Nations on September 22, 2022. If Lapid or someone like him were to become prime minister again, the possibility of a peace deal would likely increase.
· The leader of the United States and the 2024 elections―At this present moment the Biden administration is attempting to get Israel and Saudi Arabia to agree to a defense pact that would be signed before the 2024 presidential election. Recently Saudi Arabia said a political commitment to create a Palestinian state would be enough for them in order to sign a defense pact. Yet less than week later the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that for ties to be normalized, Israel must recognize a Palestinian state. The election time line and the ongoing war with Hamas is causing the State Department to spend a lot of its time toward this effort. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has gone to Israel several times since the war started. The peace efforts will also be affected by who wins the 2024 presidential election and what kind of policy changes will take place if Donald Trump wins the election, although in 2020 President Trump himself released a peace plan that proposed to divide Israel.
What is the trigger point for this major New Madrid earthquake? The question needs to be considered as to whether the trigger point would be the signing of an agreement or the actual implementation of an agreement that was already signed (i.e., “day one” of an actual Palestinian state). The third possibility would be at a significant phase of implementation after the initial phase (i.e., if a later phase was what actually divided the city of Jerusalem). Historically, any of these types of moments would need to be considered. If Israel makes a light political commitment to create a Palestinian state at some point in the future in order to sign a defense pact with Saudi Arabia, is that enough to trigger the consequence of the earthquake? Or does a more formal and comprehensive agreement need to be signed? And even if an agreement is signed, is the consequence triggered when the deal actually takes effect? Keep in mind the possibility that a deal could take effect immediately on the day it is signed, or it could be a case in which it would take effect at a later date.
The most likely trigger seems to be when a deal actually takes effect so that a Palestinian state is actively considered to exist separately from the state of Israel. The next most likely possibility seems to be when a formal deal is signed even if it has not been fully implemented. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether either of these scenarios is even remotely possible in 2024, although it should not be discounted either. Generally speaking, these types of consequences often occur within 24 hours of the triggering event, although at least one of the people referenced further above believes the earthquake would occur three days after the triggering event. Perhaps this is in part because God would be giving His people some extra time to get to a safer location farther outside of harm’s way.
Does Daniel 9:27 factor into this? That is an interesting question to think about. First of all, there are different ways people have historically interpreted this passage. But let us look at the possibility of what this passage might mean if the Daniel 9:27 leader who makes (and then breaks) the covenant is the same leader mentioned in 1 John 2:18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The Bible specifically says the covenant is “with many” and not just a few. The Bible is not clear on how many this is, but it would seem a number of nations would be involved. Because the prophecy is given to Daniel in regard to the Hebrew/Jewish people, it is certain that Israel is one of those nations. Some prophecy teachers have held to the view that this is the peace deal that would create a Palestinian state and that the agreement is what allows the Jews to build a temple where “sacrifice and offering” would take place before the covenant is broken.
However, another possibility might be worth considering: that the two-state agreement could be something prior to the Daniel 9:27 covenant and that the Daniel 9:27 covenant would build upon the earlier agreement. The reason this possibility could be worth considering is that God is specifically warning the United States about not doing a two-state deal, yet many people believe the Daniel 9:27 leader will be from somewhere else, like the Middle East. Then again is the possibly that the United States would be a major facilitator of a peace deal, but that it is ultimately confirmed among the many by the leader of another country who would be the Daniel 9:27 leader. In that case, the United States is still accountable for the division of the land, even if another country’s leader takes over the ownership of the final deal. And keep in mind that the term used in Daniel 9:27 is “prince” rather than “king,” so this could indicate the possibility that a country’s secondary leader (such as a crown prince) could be the one who confirms the covenant.
Could this great New Madrid earthquake take place during the Tribulation? Many prophecy teachers believe that the “week” referred to in the confirmation of the Daniel 9:27 covenant is the start of a seven-year Tribulation period. The question about whether the New Madrid earthquake occurs during this period is again dependent on whether or not the Daniel 9:27 covenant is the two-state deal or something that occurs subsequent to it. One verse that may come to mind in regard to this topic is Revelation 16:18, which states, “And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth” (NKJV). If this “great earthquake” occurs during the Tribulation period (which, based on its location in Revelation 16, many people believe is the case), then the question can be asked, “Is the New Madrid earthquake the earthquake mentioned in this passage?” On the other hand, it is possible that the earthquake in Revelation 16 could be something even more earth-shattering than the New Madrid earthquake. The earthquake in Revelation 16 is associated with the seventh bowl of God’s wrath, and many people believe this judgment takes places closer to the end of the Tribulation period. The warning mentioned above with the eclipses and the New Madrid earthquake seems to point toward an earthquake that occurs in very close proximity timewise to the two-state peace deal and therefore would not be an event occurring at the end of the Tribulation period. It seems possible that the New Madrid earthquake is something that occurs years prior to the Revelation 16 earthquake and that if it were to occur in the Tribulation period, it would occur near the beginning of that period as a peace deal was signed―although, of course, there are alternate ways that people might view these timelines and sequences of events.
What are the effects of a two-state deal peace deal if it occurs prior to the Daniel 9:27 covenant? If this were to happen, it would likely mean there was a season of peace (at least short-lived peace) when a new temple would begin to be built (if it has not happened already by that point), and Israel would have diplomatic relations with additional Middle Eastern nations. But eventually there would most likely be more attacks and war, which at some point further into the future would end up leading to the Daniel 9:27 covenant. This scenario of two separate agreements would also cause a lot of prophecy teachers to reevaluate their timelines, especially if the church is still here when the two-state deal occurs. People would also be questioning whether the U.S. leader who initially signs the two-state covenant would (or would not) also be the leader who would eventually confirm the Daniel 9:27 covenant. Additionally, some people would likely reevaluate their views in regard to the timing of the rapture and the timeline of events leading up to it.
In addition to the warning of a major New Madrid earthquake, the 2017 and 2024 eclipses indicate a number of other things concerning America and the world. Whether or not we would see a peace deal in the near future, the eclipses indicate a warning of a number of other things happening if America as a nation does not turn back to God in repentance, some of which will happen in the near future. This includes warnings related to war, pestilence, famine, and earthquakes in various places (cf. Luke 21:9–11, Matthew 24:6–8). We will be discussing this in some future commentaries that we release. Additionally, there is the possibility we could still see a lesser New Madrid earthquake that is still significant in size (or multiple earthquakes) but not as devastating as the major one described above, even if the United States does not sign a peace deal.
What should the body of Christ do? We need to be praying and interceding about all of these things. If we as the church do our part to pray, it might be possible that these events related to a two-state deal and the subsequent earthquake could be held off for many years or even decades if the Lord tarries. Keep in mind that when God warns a nation of coming consequences, there is a path to avoid those consequences if the nation repents and turns from its evil (Jeremiah 18:8). However, to avoid the specific consequence of the major New Madrid earthquake described above, America must turn from trying to divide the land of Israel and facilitating a two-state peace agreement (cf. Joel 3:2). Even though some people mentioned above have shared that God has shown them about a coming peace deal, we have to be careful not to use that as a reason to avoid interceding about the matter. Even in the event we cannot ultimately stop it, perhaps it can be delayed, although it should be noted that the sign of the eclipses to the United States regarding Israel is a standing warning that applies continually going into the future.
Intercession is not just about praying to avoid or lessen the consequences of God’s judgment; intercession is also about praying for changes to occur so that God’s judgment will not need to happen. So, regarding the New Madrid earthquake, it is not simply praying for God not to let this happen or for God to have mercy if and when it does happen (although we should be praying for mercy too), but it is also about praying that the United States (along with other nations) do not divide the land of Israel so that the earthquake is not triggered in the first place. This principle also applies to a number of things we would intercede about in general, to pray that changes occur so that judgment will not have to. Praying that we do not divide Israel includes praying specifically that political leaders (including both Biden and Trump) will back off from supporting a two-state plan.
Do not live in fear, but take the warning seriously. As the Body of Christ, we are not called to live in fear or to make fear-based decisions (2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:18, Isaiah 41:10, Luke 12:7). However, God is giving serious warnings to America, and we need to be watching and to be aware of what God is saying through the signs of these eclipses. If for some reason it looks as though a peace deal is about to be signed to create a Palestinian state, then we need to be prepared for what will happen. This means that if you live along the New Madrid fault line or near one of the cities mentioned above, you may need to be ready to leave the area on short notice for your safety (cf. Matthew 2:12–23) should a peace deal be implemented. And given that we do not know the timing of these events, whether it would be months, years, or decades, it would be good to continually seek the Lord if you live in these areas to see if there is a time in the future when He would have you move to another area. This is likewise a good thing to do in general no matter where you live, as there will be some challenging times ahead in the very near future, especially in a lot of the major cities of the United States. Additionally, it would be good to seek the Lord about what kind of supplies and long-term food you may want to keep in the event of emergencies. And we must remember to pray for souls to come to know Jesus. In the midst of the challenging times ahead, God is still working to draw people to Himself, and we need to do our part too.