A Total Eclipse of the Son: Seeing Christ More Clearly
On April 8, 2024, many of us stepped outside to watch the solar eclipse. It was my first time seeing a near-total eclipse, so Beverley and I hosted a small back-patio eclipse party. If you ever plan one yourself, here is my advice: planet ahead, serve plenty of Sun Chips, and do not worry too much about sunscreen. Just do not black out—that is the sun’s job. And whatever you do, do not use a colander to watch the eclipse unless you want to strain your eyes. If you look at it the wrong way and need help, well, that would be a site for sore eyes.
The eclipse drew strong reactions all along its path from Mexico to Texas, Arkansas, and on toward Niagara Falls and Ontario. In Arkansas, officials called it the biggest tourism event in state history. Schools closed so students could experience it. Some people described it as mystical. Others simply said, “During full totality it got kinda dark out.” And, as usual, flat-earthers were not impressed.
As memorable as a solar eclipse may be, it also gives us a useful reminder: people can become so fascinated by creation that they lose sight of the Creator. That is the deeper concern of this post. Let us enjoy the wonder of the heavens without letting anything eclipse the Son of God.
What Is a Solar Eclipse?
During a solar eclipse, the moon moves between Earth and the sun and temporarily blocks the sun’s light. That alignment depends on remarkable precision in God’s created order. The sun is vastly larger than Earth, and although the moon is much smaller, it is also much closer to us. That is why the moon can appear to cover the sun so exactly during totality.
An eclipse can also affect the natural world. Temperatures may drop, winds can shift, animals may become confused, and brighter stars or planets may appear more visible in the darkened sky. Even that brief change reminds us how much life depends on light.
The Bible does describe supernatural darkness, though not a natural solar eclipse. The plague over Egypt lasted three days, and the darkness at the cross lasted three hours. Luke 23:44 says, “It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour” (Luke 23:44). Because a natural solar eclipse cannot last three hours, this darkness points to a miraculous act of God rather than an ordinary event in nature.
Do Not Let Anything Eclipse the Son
Spiritually speaking, many people allow Jesus to be eclipsed in their lives. They let other things block their view of Him, even though He has not moved. Like the sun, Christ remains constant. The problem is not His absence, but our distractions. Here are several ways people block out the light of the Son.
1. When We Worship Creation Instead of the Creator
One danger is admiring creation while ignoring the One who made it. Scripture tells us that Christ is not only the Savior but also the Creator. John writes, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:3–5). Colossians 1:16 adds, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).
That means a solar eclipse should lead us to worship, not just wonder. Isaiah 40:26 says, “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name” (Isaiah 40:26). Genesis 1:16–17 reminds us that God made the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. Psalm 8:3–4 humbles us with these words: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3–4).
The order and precision of the universe do not point to chaos or chance. They point to design. As Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Genesis 1:1 still says it best: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
2. When We Choose Darkness Instead of Light
Another way people eclipse the Son is by loving darkness more than light. Jesus said, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19). He continued, “But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (John 3:21).
Christians are called to live differently. Ephesians 5:8 says, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). First John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). And 2 Corinthians 4:6 reminds us, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
When believers walk in that light, they stand out in a dark world. Philippians 2:15–16 says that we are to be “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15–16).
3. When We Settle for Emotion Instead of True Spirituality
Some people call an eclipse a “spiritual experience,” but emotion alone is not spirituality. True spirituality begins with God and His truth. First Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Awe can be a starting point, but it should lead us to God, not stop with a feeling.
4. When We Chase Predictions Instead of Readiness
Every few years, someone uses an eclipse to predict the end of the world. Those predictions may sound dramatic, but they are not biblical. Jesus said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36).
So yes, enjoy the eclipse—but do not confuse it with the apocalypse. A clever sign I once saw at Dairy Queen got it right: “It’s an eclipse, not an apocalypse, so relax.” Even better, keep your eyes on Christ and be ready for His return. Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him” (Revelation 1:7).
5. When We Miss the Time God Has Given Us
Jesus rebuked people in His day because they could read the weather but not recognize the spiritual moment before them. In Luke 12:54–57, He warned that people can become skilled at observing signs while remaining blind to what matters most. That warning still applies. We may know the date of the next eclipse, but are we ready for the return of Christ?
By all means, enjoy the beauty of God’s world. Watch the sky. Share the moment with family and friends. Laugh at the eclipse jokes. But do not stop with creation. Look beyond it to the Creator. Hebrews 12:2 calls us to live “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). A solar eclipse may last only a few minutes, but the call to follow Christ is urgent every day. Do not let anything eclipse the Son.
By Daniel R. Vess