Day of Darkness?

Joel 2:1-2

"The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of YHVH come."

Joel 2:31

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon because as blood . . ."

Rev 6:12

"And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise."

Rev 8:12

It becomes obvious as we read the Scriptures that prior to Messiah's ultimate return to earth, the atmosphere will be darkened. The prophecies in Joel and Revelation are laced with the imagery of the sun snuffing out, the moon turning to blood, and the atmospheric heavens darkening before YahShua returns in power.

The question remains: What is this day of darkness? How does the entire atmosphere become so dark? Some giant meteor? Volcanic ash on a massive scale? Perhaps Yah simply turns down the lights?

The answer is in Revelation 6. Revelation is the only prophetic book that unfolds in a strictly chronological order. At Revelation 6, five seals have been broken. These seals include a false peace covering the earth (through the United Nations), war (through the Red communists), economic control and ultimate failure and famines of all kinds. But up until seal 6, there is absolutely no mention of the atmosphere darkening. We can understand that Revelation 6, with its sixth seal, is when the heavens become dark.

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."

We know this can't literally be referring to stars, because just one star hitting the earth would vaporize the entire globe. Even our moon hitting the earth would destroy it. John sees what looks like stars, shooting toward the earth, thousands of them. And what is the result? Why, he sees a terrible explosion. The sky literally departs, or opens up, and rolls in upon itself like a scroll. Now, what explosion have we seen in modern history that rolls in upon itself like a scroll?

That's right. A nuclear blast rips open the sky with terrible fury, before rolling in upon itself like a scroll, forming what we call a mushroom cloud. John was clearly describing nuclear weapons being launched across the earth.

The next four trumpets describe this nuclear war in detail. When Hiroshima was attacked, the city and its people were sucked up into the thick cloud rolling out and up like a scroll. Moments later, pulverized chunks of building and steel spit out of the cloud upon the earth. Is this not what the first trumpet clearly describes?

" . . . and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees burnt up, and all green grass burnt up . . ."

What would happen if Russian and China actually launched its nuclear doomsday scenario against the United States? Nuclear weapons would take out the coasts, hitting the huge cities of the Western World. Nuclear missiles hitting the coast would vaporize he infrastructure, crushing the coasts as the soup of radiation and smoldered ruins would cave into the oceans, poisoning the waters and killing sea life. And what does the second trumpet describe?

". . . and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures in the sea that had life died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed . . ."

Intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles, the mother of nuclear technology, has the power to literally punch holes into the earth, blasting far underground and poisoning water aquifers and underground water basins. The third trumpet describes this type of attack clearly.

" . . . and there fell a great star from the heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter."

The fourth trumpet goes on to describe the darkness which blankets the earth, an atmospheric darkness caused by the carnage of nuclear fury poured out upon the earth.

The Scriptures speak truly when they predict a day of darkness before the coming of YahShua. The Spirit of YahShua declares that He will destroy them that destroy the earth. It is obvious that Yah will allow mankind to destroy the earth, launching their nuclear weapons in all-out fury, well before YahShua ever returns. Mankind will drink the foul medicine of his own making.

But take comfort saints! Although this nuclear war launches the tribulation, opening the way for the remainder of the trumpets, thunders, last trump and seven bowls, YahShua will protect His sealed ones. And if He does allow you to perish physically, fear not, for you will partake of the resurrection if you remain faithful unto the end.