Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, has written a new blog post in light of the impending solar eclipse set to take place on August 21, 2017, titled “Is God’s Judgment Coming on America?”
In the post, Lotz states that she feels compelled to once again “be faithful to warn others of the danger coming against the land,” as we are commanded to do in Ezekiel. The passage states: “When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head” (Ezekiel 33:2-6).
Lotz likens the scheduled eclipse-viewing parties and celebratory nature of “The Great American Eclipse” to the drunken feast thrown by King Belshazzar of Babylon in the book of Daniel. “While Belshazzar and his friends partied, they were oblivious to the impending danger. Belshazzar wound up dead the next day, and the Babylonian empire was destroyed,” she said.
Included in the post is a video from Australian pastor Steve Cioccolanti who discusses the signs in the Bible that point to the possible significance of the upcoming eclipse.
It has been almost 100 years since the last solar eclipse was viewable from coast to coast in the contiguous United States. Naturally, the phenomenon has caused a great deal of excitement among eclipse enthusiasts and the millions of Americans who plan to participate in the viewing.
Could Lotz and Cioccolanti be correct about the significance of the eclipse? Perhaps. But maybe the importance of this rare event lies simply in the awe and wonder that results from witnessing God’s wondrous handiwork in the universe. For Romans 1:20 declares: “Since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Rather than a warning or sign of the destruction to come, it’s possible that such an occurrence is only a reminder of the power of our Creator meant to bring people to their knees.
Lotz concluded by saying, “Regardless of whether or not the conjecture regarding America’s Eclipse is accurate, we know our nation and our world is in turmoil. Without doubt this is the time for God’s people to get right with God. To repent of our own sin. To share the gospel with our neighbors. And to pray that in the midst of his coming wrath, God would remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).