Alan Gross
Well-Known Member
Excerpt from Signs in the Sun, Moon and Stars pg 106;
Do you know how to interpret this passage?
See contents of full PDF her: The Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation by Phillip Mauro.
See full PDF of Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation/ click this link.
There remains for consideration a passage which is undeniably difficult. We refer to the Lord’s saying about signs in the sun, moon and stars, which, as given by Mark, is as follows:
“But in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars of heaven shall fall,
and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see
the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”
This passage might be taken to mean that the signs in the physical sun, moon and stars, were the immediate precursors of the revelation of the Son of man; but the teaching of Christ which we have just been considering absolutely forbids that interpretation; and to that extent it helps us in our search for the true meaning.
Looking closely at the passage we will see that it is very indefinite. All it tells us is that in those days after
that tribulation the commotions in sun, moon and stars will occur; but there is nothing to indicate at what
part of those days (which now have lasted over eighteen hundred years) the described commotions would take
place. Then which may mean any indefinite period in the future Christ Himself would be seen coming in the clouds.
Inasmuch as what we have learned from the latter part of the Chapter forbids us to take celestial disturbances here foretold as premonitory signs of the Lord’s coming, the question arises, for what purpose then did He mention them?
And this raises another question, namely, are we to take these words literally, as do the Adventists and some others? or are they to be taken as figurative, and as referring to the political heavens
(i.e., the sphere of governments) as understood by some able expositors, among whom one of the most prominent is Sir Isaac Newton?
We know of nothing at present whereby this question can be so definitely settled as
to put the matter beyond all doubt; but we will offer some further suggestions which may perhaps contribute
towards its solution.
In the first place, seeing we are debarred by the Lord’s plain teaching from taking these commotions to be
physical signs, visible to the eye, preceding and heralding His coming, or as having any special connection
with that event, it would seem almost imperative that we give the words a figurative meaning.
For it is not conceivable that, in speaking of this long age which was to be so full of important happenings, Christ would
single out for mention nothing but a few isolated phenomena of nature in the physical heavens.
This consideration practically compels us to find a meaning for the words which would make them descriptive of some distinguishing characteristic of the age, or at least of the latter part of it.
When we turn to Luke’s account we find strong confirmation of this view.
This confirmation appears in
two particulars, first in the manner in which the reference to the sun, moon and stars is introduced; and second in the fact that it is directly coupled with certain general characteristics of the age, such as we should expect in a brief utterance of this kind. For Luke gives it thus (we put the salient part in italics):
For there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of
the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring: Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken (Luke 21:23–26).
According to this account the Lord does not break off His predictions abruptly at the capture and destruction of Jerusalem, but follows the Jews in their dispersion unto all nations, and also foretells the treading
down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Thus we are carried into the periodi ot which follows after the tribulation of those days, and are informed that that period is divinely designated the times of the Gentiles. {1} And now immediately follows (in Luke’s account) the passage we are examining,
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. But here we have also the further statement, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them, etc.
From these words it is clear that the Lord is giving (which, as we have pointed out, is what we
should expect) some very broad and general characteristics of our age, with an eye especially upon the closing
part thereof. Moreover, in speaking of the unsettled state of the nations He uses a familiar figurative expression, namely, the sea and the waves roaring. This figure represents the turbulence of the peoples of the earth
(see Revelation 17:15, Isaiah 8:7), just as the sun, moon and stars represent rulership, governments, and
authorities.
Thus we find good reason for concluding that the Lord is here speaking figuratively of unusual
happenings in the political firmament, that is to say, in the sphere of governments, or what Paul calls the
higher powers (Romans 13:1).
In Isaiah 13:7–10 we have an example of the use of this figure. It occurs in connection with a description of
the day of the Lord. We quote verse 10:
“For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof
shall not give their light;
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine”.
Taking these words in connection with Genesis 1:16–18, and with Joseph’s dream about the sun, moon and stars (which his father and brethren had no need of one to interpret for them, (Genesis 37:9–10),
and in connection also with (Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:31, 3:15; Revelation 12:1) we get the idea that the sun stands for authority on earth in the broadest sense, and the moon for lesser authority, and the stars for prominent persons in the sphere of government.
Further reason in support of the view that the Lord used the sun, moon and stars as symbols in this passage, is found in the fact that, throughout the Scriptures, the prediction of political changes of this era are
given in a veiled form, that is to say, by figures and symbols.
Thus, in Daniel the successive powers are indicated first as parts of a huge metallic image, and then as great beasts, following one after another.
In Revelation the last of these beasts reappears, in its ten horned (that is its latter) stage of development, which is the state it will be in when destroyed by the coming of Christ. Individual powers are represented by horns, and
notable personages in the political heavens by stars.
That the sun, moon and stars are used in a figurative
sense in Revelation is proved by the words,
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven;
a woman clothed with the sun; and the moon under her feet,
and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1).
From this we may safely infer that the sun stands for supreme governmental authority over the earth, the moon for lesser dominion, and the stars for notable rulers or potentates.
Turning now to (Revelation 6:12) we read, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon be-came as blood, and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, which words are suited to present, symbolically, the complete overthrow of governmental authority, the bloody character of that which for the time takes its
place, and the downfall of all rulers and magistrates.
The reasons for speaking thus in veiled language of political changes in the world in this dispensation, are not hard do discern; for this is an era in which God’s people are strangers and pilgrims on earth, having no affiliations with the powers that be, but are taught to be in subjection to them.
Etc., etc., etc.
Go skip through it. It's great and enlightening, like these last pages are.
See contents of full PDF here:
The Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation by Phillip Mauro.
See full PDF of Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation/ click this link.
Do you know how to interpret this passage?
See contents of full PDF her: The Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation by Phillip Mauro.
See full PDF of Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation/ click this link.
There remains for consideration a passage which is undeniably difficult. We refer to the Lord’s saying about signs in the sun, moon and stars, which, as given by Mark, is as follows:
“But in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars of heaven shall fall,
and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see
the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”
This passage might be taken to mean that the signs in the physical sun, moon and stars, were the immediate precursors of the revelation of the Son of man; but the teaching of Christ which we have just been considering absolutely forbids that interpretation; and to that extent it helps us in our search for the true meaning.
Looking closely at the passage we will see that it is very indefinite. All it tells us is that in those days after
that tribulation the commotions in sun, moon and stars will occur; but there is nothing to indicate at what
part of those days (which now have lasted over eighteen hundred years) the described commotions would take
place. Then which may mean any indefinite period in the future Christ Himself would be seen coming in the clouds.
Inasmuch as what we have learned from the latter part of the Chapter forbids us to take celestial disturbances here foretold as premonitory signs of the Lord’s coming, the question arises, for what purpose then did He mention them?
And this raises another question, namely, are we to take these words literally, as do the Adventists and some others? or are they to be taken as figurative, and as referring to the political heavens
(i.e., the sphere of governments) as understood by some able expositors, among whom one of the most prominent is Sir Isaac Newton?
We know of nothing at present whereby this question can be so definitely settled as
to put the matter beyond all doubt; but we will offer some further suggestions which may perhaps contribute
towards its solution.
In the first place, seeing we are debarred by the Lord’s plain teaching from taking these commotions to be
physical signs, visible to the eye, preceding and heralding His coming, or as having any special connection
with that event, it would seem almost imperative that we give the words a figurative meaning.
For it is not conceivable that, in speaking of this long age which was to be so full of important happenings, Christ would
single out for mention nothing but a few isolated phenomena of nature in the physical heavens.
This consideration practically compels us to find a meaning for the words which would make them descriptive of some distinguishing characteristic of the age, or at least of the latter part of it.
When we turn to Luke’s account we find strong confirmation of this view.
This confirmation appears in
two particulars, first in the manner in which the reference to the sun, moon and stars is introduced; and second in the fact that it is directly coupled with certain general characteristics of the age, such as we should expect in a brief utterance of this kind. For Luke gives it thus (we put the salient part in italics):
For there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of
the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring: Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken (Luke 21:23–26).
According to this account the Lord does not break off His predictions abruptly at the capture and destruction of Jerusalem, but follows the Jews in their dispersion unto all nations, and also foretells the treading
down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Thus we are carried into the periodi ot which follows after the tribulation of those days, and are informed that that period is divinely designated the times of the Gentiles. {1} And now immediately follows (in Luke’s account) the passage we are examining,
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. But here we have also the further statement, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them, etc.
From these words it is clear that the Lord is giving (which, as we have pointed out, is what we
should expect) some very broad and general characteristics of our age, with an eye especially upon the closing
part thereof. Moreover, in speaking of the unsettled state of the nations He uses a familiar figurative expression, namely, the sea and the waves roaring. This figure represents the turbulence of the peoples of the earth
(see Revelation 17:15, Isaiah 8:7), just as the sun, moon and stars represent rulership, governments, and
authorities.
Thus we find good reason for concluding that the Lord is here speaking figuratively of unusual
happenings in the political firmament, that is to say, in the sphere of governments, or what Paul calls the
higher powers (Romans 13:1).
In Isaiah 13:7–10 we have an example of the use of this figure. It occurs in connection with a description of
the day of the Lord. We quote verse 10:
“For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof
shall not give their light;
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine”.
Taking these words in connection with Genesis 1:16–18, and with Joseph’s dream about the sun, moon and stars (which his father and brethren had no need of one to interpret for them, (Genesis 37:9–10),
and in connection also with (Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:31, 3:15; Revelation 12:1) we get the idea that the sun stands for authority on earth in the broadest sense, and the moon for lesser authority, and the stars for prominent persons in the sphere of government.
Further reason in support of the view that the Lord used the sun, moon and stars as symbols in this passage, is found in the fact that, throughout the Scriptures, the prediction of political changes of this era are
given in a veiled form, that is to say, by figures and symbols.
Thus, in Daniel the successive powers are indicated first as parts of a huge metallic image, and then as great beasts, following one after another.
In Revelation the last of these beasts reappears, in its ten horned (that is its latter) stage of development, which is the state it will be in when destroyed by the coming of Christ. Individual powers are represented by horns, and
notable personages in the political heavens by stars.
That the sun, moon and stars are used in a figurative
sense in Revelation is proved by the words,
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven;
a woman clothed with the sun; and the moon under her feet,
and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1).
From this we may safely infer that the sun stands for supreme governmental authority over the earth, the moon for lesser dominion, and the stars for notable rulers or potentates.
Turning now to (Revelation 6:12) we read, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon be-came as blood, and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, which words are suited to present, symbolically, the complete overthrow of governmental authority, the bloody character of that which for the time takes its
place, and the downfall of all rulers and magistrates.
The reasons for speaking thus in veiled language of political changes in the world in this dispensation, are not hard do discern; for this is an era in which God’s people are strangers and pilgrims on earth, having no affiliations with the powers that be, but are taught to be in subjection to them.
Etc., etc., etc.
Go skip through it. It's great and enlightening, like these last pages are.
See contents of full PDF here:
The Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation by Phillip Mauro.
See full PDF of Seventy Weeks and Great Tribulation/ click this link.
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