Originally published on October 2, 2024 with minor subsequent revisions.
In considering what the October 2, 2024 annular eclipse could possibly mean as a "sign" (cf. Luke 21:25, Genesis 1:14), it seems there is a parallel here with what happened with the annular eclipse last year on October 14, 2023 and what is happening with this eclipse. Both of these eclipses were annular eclipses which are nicknamed "ring of fire" eclipses because at maximum eclipse the edge of the sun is still visible outside of the disk of the moon that blocks the rest of the sun.
The 2023 annular eclipse happened one week after Hamas' terrible October 7 attack on Israel. The 2024 annular eclipse is happening shortly after Israel made a major offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon and also right after Iran just unleashed an attack of ballistic missiles against Israel. Even though the path of full annularity of the 2024 annular eclipse passes mostly over the water, the timing of when it is occurring still seems to be significant. The eclipse is occurring at the time of the new moon that indicates the start of the Jewish month of Tishrei. The first day of Tishrei is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which is also known as the Feast of Trumpets.
In addition to this, Iran also attacked Israel earlier this year on April 13-14, 2024. This was less than one week after the April 8, 2024 total eclipse.
While the Bible is clear that there will be celestial signs, it is not so clear on how they should be interpreted. Still, based on the evidence above, these signs all seem to be referencing in some way military conflict and war. This definitely involves Israel, Iranian proxies (Hamas and Hezbollah), and Iran. And it seems at some point, Israel will deal with Iran's nuclear program. It is not fully clear yet whether that will happen in this season or at a later point. But given the two major Iranian projectile/missile attacks on Israel this year, Israel is certainly not going to keep putting up with it without a response. And Israel is already at least considering striking Iran's nuclear program in response to the most recent missile attack.
This way of looking at these signs seems to align with what Jesus said about "wars and rumors of wars" in Matthew 24:6.
For more background on this topic, earlier this year we released an article titled, "A Biblical Framework for Understanding the 2017 and 2024 Total Solar Eclipses and What the Eclipses Indicate Could Be Coming to the United States." This article looks at these eclipses through a scriptural lens that strongly takes into account Matthew 24 and Luke 21.
In another article, we pointed out some possible connections between last year's annular eclipse and what it might mean for the United States and that it could warn of an attack on cities in the United States. Thankfully, much prayer and intercession has been made over the last year, and perhaps that has prevented anything more major from breaking out. Still, it is possible this warning that was given last year could be a factor for events that could happen involving the United States in this next season. That article is available here, "The Prophetic Significance of the October 14, 2023 Annular Eclipse Across the United States."
In a different article, it has also been pointed out that the 2017 total eclipse seems to in part point to a pattern of war that references the World War I eclipse over Europe. This at least in part seems to have relevance for the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and the possibility that NATO could be pulled into it. (We need to be praying if that can be avoided.) This pattern also seems to point to military conflict involving Iran which has at least partially come to pass given recent events in the Middle East. There seems to be a specific warning here to the United States as well, since the 2017 eclipse look place over the US. The article is available here, "Did the 2017 eclipse contain a warning of a conflict involving Ukraine? What does that mean for the United States?"
In the event that the current military conflicts involving Israel in could lead to a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians (which seems unlikely in the short-term but should not absolutely be ruled out), the 2017 and 2024 total eclipses are a warning to the USA as described in this article, "The 2017 and 2024 Solar Eclipses: The Warning of a Major New Madrid Earthquake If America Facilitates a Two-State Agreement That Divides Israel."
One additional article about these topics is also available here, "The Biblical Significance of the August 21, 2017 and April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipses, and the Warnings of Coronavirus, War, Earthquakes and Famine." In the addendum of this article, there is a brief discussion of how the 2017 total eclipse where the solar corona appeared seems to have been a warning of the Coronavirus.
Given all of these things, we still need to be praying for God's mercy and trusting in Jesus. Our intercession is often a factor in why some things are delayed, prevented, or lessened. Although there may be some things that cannot be prevented. At the same time, as these challenges come on the world, Jesus will give grace and strength to His body the Church as it seeks Him in this next season.