The Great American Eclipses - August 21, 2017 & April 8, 2024

There is so much information and interpretations about the April 8th total solar eclipse and the past one in 2017. It shows these celestial events are not the norm and have captured our attention. Included in this blog post are some unique facts about the Eclipse, along with links showing the confirmation to the research I did. Since I wrote two posts in 2017 that included Bible journaling the last eclipse, I thought this would be a good time to revisit my Bible journaling.

“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night.
And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,
and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’
And it was so.”

Genesis 1:14-15

August 2017 solar eclipse

August 21, 2017 was the last Great American Eclipse, nearly seven years ago that traveled from west to east across the United States of America. 6 years, 6 months, 6 weeks and 6 days between the two eclipses. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/this-is-getting-weird-upcoming-eclipse-april-8/ 

Since astronomy is one of my hobbies and the path of totality was close to where I live, in western Oregon, it was significant and fun to drive with friends to witness the event. That total solar eclipse in 2017 went over 7 cities named Salem, or Shalom in Hebrew, meaning wholeness/unity and peace.

In western Oregon we were able to witness the 2017 eclipse near totality near Salem Oregon. It made its way across the United States, exiting in South Carolina, in Fort Sumter at Charleston, where the Civil war began. https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/fort-sumter 

After we arrived at the park with excitement mounting, watching and waiting held its own surprises. As the sun and moon began to enter totality, the light shined through the trees in little dancing crescents like little eclipses. Looking through our glasses as the moon was moving across the sun, we saw the process. It was fun to share the adventure with friends

April 2024 solar eclipse

This year on April 8, 2024 the second eclipse will move across America and into a brief part of Canada. This eclipse covers a wider area and will last longer than the one in 2017. It is estimated that about 31.6 million people live within 200 miles of totality, so many people who live in the USA will be able to witness at least part of the eclipse. In 2017, the eclipse lasted 2 minutes and 42 seconds. In 2024, darkness from the shadow created by the moon blocking the sun will last up to 4 minutes and 48 seconds.

The eclipse enters in USA near Eagle Pass Texas at Shelby Park. As we know there are current events and conflicts in this area. It is also where the Civil War ended, where the last confederate commander buried the confederate flag. I find it interesting that the beginning of this eclipse enters where the Civil War is said to have ended and the last eclipse exited was where the Civil War began. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/01/us/shelby-park-texas-border-history-cec/index.html 

I learned something new!

In Matthew 16:1-4 (NLT) it says:

“One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. ” Then Jesus left them and went away.”

I’ve been taught and believed that ‘the sign of the prophet Jonah’ was Jesus being in the tomb for three after his death and then resurrected, in a symbolic way like Jonah was in the belly of the fish or whale. But the sign of Jonah to the world, specifically the city of Nineveh, was a solar eclipse, and/or darkness during daylight hours. On June 15, 763 BC, Jonah came to Nineveh during the same time as the solar eclipse, and told them they had 40 days to repent or be destroyed. It appears that the people of the city took the total solar eclipse and Jonah’s message seriously and repented of the evil they had done. https://epicarchaeology.org/2017/08/17/jonah-archaeo-astronomy-the-eclipse-of-ancient-nineveh/ There was also darkness during some of the time Jesus was on the cross.

Taking another look at the verses above, and in a few more translations, it sounds like the religious leaders were asking for an actual sign in the heavens, or ‘a sign from heaven’ (ESV). Taking the culture into account, an eclipse could fall into that category, and it makes sense that the people of Nineveh took this sign as a warning from God to repent.

I’ve heard and read that the April 8th eclipse will pass over seven cities in the USA named Nineveh. In researching, I came across some conflicting information about the eclipse’s path of totality going over 7 cities called Nineveh in the US and one near the path of totality in Nova Scotia Canada. Even the maps differed, but one thing is agreed on: two cities named Nineveh in Ohio and Indiana are definitely in the path of totality. There is even a city in Texas close to totality that is named Jonah. 

If you want to search further, the Nineveh cities in the US are in the states of: Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, and one it Nova Scotia, Canada.
https://geotargit.com/citiespercountry.php?qcountry_code=US&qcity=Nineveh
https://wltreport.com/2024/02/24/fact-check-upcoming-eclipse-will-cross-8-cities/.

On the map, the city of where the two eclipses cross is Carbondale, Illinois. It’s interesting that the Carbondale area is referred to as Little Egypt. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=carbondale+illinois&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 

The Farmers Almanac adds a few more cities/towns: “Towns like Cape Girardeau in Missouri, Carbondale and Makanda in Illinois and Paducah in Kentucky all experienced totality on August 21, 2017, and will again on April 8, 2024. However, the path in 2024 also crosses the path of America’s next major total solar eclipse.”
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/10-strange-facts-about-the-2024-solar-eclipse

Hebrew letters & meaning

The crossing of the two eclipses’ paths of totality form an X shape, also an ancient Hebrew letter Tav, meaning sign or mark. Together the eclipse paths make an x or the ancient Hebrew letter tav. It is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and is also called Omega in Greek.

https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/solar-eclipse-sign-wonder/.
https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/ancient-alphabet/tav.htm 
https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-Aleph-Tav-in-the-Hebrew-Scriptures 

If you include the recent annular Eclipse the pathway lines form a Middle Hebrew letter Aleph, meaning power and authority, and is called Alpha in Greek. Aleph is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/ancient-alphabet/aleph.htm 
https://www.sgtreport.com/2023/07/do-you-know-about-the-3-eclipses-that-will-combine-to-create-a-giant-aleph-over-america/ 

Interesting facts surrounding the eclipse

The Sun’s magnetic field flips around every 11 years, which causes more sun activity such as solar flares. It may cause more flare patterns to be seen during this April 8th eclipse, rather than the calmer shining circle seen in 2017.
https://scitechdaily.com/2024-total-solar-eclipse-broader-path-longer-totality-and-increased-solar-activity/ 

Along with a line-up of 6 planets, a comet will be visible during the April 8th total eclipse. It is named Pons-Brooks also referred to as ‘Devil comet.’ It will show up near the planet Jupiter during the Eclipse.
https://www.astronomy.com/observing/a-comet-will-be-visible-during-the-2024-total-solar-eclipse/ 

NASA is sending 3 rockets up during the eclipse called Apep, which is an ancient Egyptian snake diety of darkness, the enemy of Ra, the sun/light god.  
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2024/03/26/why-nasa-will-fire-three-rockets-at-the-solar-eclipse/?sh=3c8f82d53d19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apep 

Comfort and Courage

If you’re like me, this can feel overwhelming. Art reflects life and this eclipse has prompted me to get out my journaling Bible. I find comfort in the ongoing dialog with God and security in reading the Bible, especially the Psalms. As I begin to seek what God says in the Bible and through listening prayer, I am gaining assurance of God leading me and getting ideas on making meaningful visual entries in the journaling Bible. 

There is a lot of information coming at us these days. Learning what is true takes a large measure of discernment and then time spent seeking truth out like a treasure hunt, while keeping an open mind, willing to change. 

I haven’t made a new Bible page yet, but am revisiting the tutorials shown below and trusting God to give me grace and seek Truth during this time. This has been an unusual post for me, but I thought if I’m thinking about these things, then it’s quite possible that you are too.

Bible Journaling the Great American Eclipse

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Remembering

Here is what I wrote at the end of the last eclipse entry in 2017. It is still true for me today, plus more.

In addition to the amazing experience of witnessing this major sky event, it was a spiritual experience for me. Here are some of the "take-aways"
~ God speaks to us through the wonders of the heavens and nature
~ Be present to what is happening in the moment, the person in front of me, and to God's presence
~ We need each other and our collective experience and expression is important
~ I am reminded to be aware of God's presence and desire to speak with me
~ God is God and I am not. This new eclipse is a reminder to be humble, to examine my heart and repent of my unbelief and sin
~ I am challenged to follow the path of totality with Christ, to be "all in," surrendered, seeking Christ first, seeing Christ in others, and finding Christ in the world around me and in the Holy Scriptures.
~ Pray for the world, my country, my state, and my city, to return to God in humility, turn from wicked ways, be heard from God and forgiven - for our land to be healed.

2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

"God's splendor is a tale that is told, His testament is written in the stars,
Space itself speaks His story every day through the marvels of the heavens.
His truth is on tour in the starry-vault of the sky,
Showing His skill in creation's craftsmanship.
Each day echoes its secret to the next,
Night with night sharing its revelation-knowledge.
Without a sound, without a word, Without a voice being heard,
Yet all the world can see its story,
Everywhere its gospel is clearly read so all may know."

Psalm 19:1-4
The Passion Translation

Be blessed with light and hope!
Valerie

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