While many people fear the coming eclipse will be the end of the world, there’s hope to hold on to during this time.
The coming eclipse does not mean the end of the world. While it is a signal of the coming tribulation and a call to repentance as it passes over many cities named Nineveh just as it was in Jonah’s day, April 8 is not in itself doomsday.
In a recent video, podcaster Isaiah Saldivar explains why designating April 8 as the end of the world is unbiblical.
Looking at Matthew 24, Saldivar says that the wars and rumors of wars, the pestilences and earthquakes are all just the beginning of the sorrows. However, we have not made it to the place of tribulation yet where we are being killed for our faith.
“In America, we’re not here yet. We’re not being delivered up to tribulation and killed, but it will come and it is happening in a lot of parts of the world,” Saldivar says.
He further points out how the explanation of the sun, moon and stars being darkened does not occur until after the Tribulation. If we have not yet made it to the point of tribulation yet, then the eclipse coming on April 8 does not apply to this particular section of Scripture.
“We’ve got to be careful how we’re using these verses. This is after the tribulation,” Saldivar says. “Have we been in the Tribulation yet? No, of course not. The Tribulation will be the most horrific time in human history; you will know when we’re in the Tribulation.”
If this solar eclipse isn’t specifically discussing the tribulation, then could it at least be a sign of the end times?
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“It could be a sign, but it’s not the sign that the world is ending,” Saldivar says.
The most important piece of Scripture Saldivar further points out about why the eclipse date specifically is not the end of the world is Matthew 24:36 which reads, “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
“It’s impossible for it to be April 8 like everyone’s saying because nobody knows the day or hour,” Saldivar says.
While no one knows when the end is, Saldivar points out that one of the signs of the end times is that many will say trials have always been around, using it as their case that the world will never end. However, this too is contrary to the known end that the Bible says will happen.
“I think we’re in the last days, we need to be diligent, we need to be vigilant as the Bible says, but we don’t need to live in fear thinking the world’s ending,” Saldivar says.
While this coming eclipse is a sign of the things still to come, we need to make sure we are not living our lives in fear. Scripture tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. As we walk out each day with purpose, we can stay vigilant while also working to fulfill the Great Commission with our whole hearts.
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
James Lasher 
