Solar Eclipse 2024: A Declaration Of God’s Glory

Solar Eclipse Day, April 8, 2024, was a historic day, and many traveled far to be on the path of totality. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon travels between the sun and the Earth and seems to cover the sun’s face entirely. Those observers in the center of the totality path will see it grow dark like night during regular daylight hours.

Living in Sherman, Texas, we were close enough to travel to a good totality sight of the solar eclipse. However, we chose to watch it on TV. The path of totality ran from Mexico through Texas and up a Northeast path through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It continued through Canada, entering Southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. It exited North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The eclipse path ranges between 108 to 122 miles wide. The totality period goes from a maximum of 4 minutes, 28 seconds in Mexico, down to about three minutes, 21 seconds in Canada. Before the time of totality, observers can see the moon slowly covering the sun and then watch the sun reappear.

The network news interviewed watchers at totality sites. Some observers commented how small they felt in relation to the universe.    Others were impressed by the beauty and complexity of the event. A retired science teacher noted how great it was for young people to be able to observe the eclipse. News commentators informed the viewing audience of the millions of years it took for this event to be possible.

However, the Bible gives a different and accurate viewpoint. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.” (Psalm 19:1). God states, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). God, being the only eyewitness, tells how creation happened in six literal days (Genesis 1) and then gave additional details in chapter two. The Psalmist describes creation this way:  “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” “For he spake, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.”  (Psalm 33:6-9).

God had a specific, detailed plan for all of creation. It is way too complex to happen randomly over millions of years. “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:18) The Earth is the third planet from the sun and is perfectly engineered for life. The Earth is approximately 93 million miles from the sun. If it were a little closer, polar ice would melt and sunlight would bake our planet. If it were further, large portions of Earth would freeze and make human life impossible.

God formed the moon intentionally to make life on Earth possible. The gravitational pull between the Earth and the moon is a significant cause of ocean tides. If the moon were larger or closer to Earth, the waters would cover a much more substantial portion of land and erode many low-lying landforms. The moon keeps the Earth’s tilt stable and prevents the Earth from spinning too fast, creating devastating weather.

The sun’s diameter is four hundred times larger than the moon’s and four hundred times farther away from Earth. These proportions make them look the same size in our sky and allow the moon to cover the sun fully during a total eclipse.

Many other facts about the Earth, moon, sun, and stars demonstrate God’s intricate plan for creation that makes our life possible on Earth. (The information in the above three paragraphs is derived from the book Unlocking Eclipses, written by various members of the Institute for Creation Research staff, copyright 2023.)

It is no wonder that the Psalmist, David, wrote, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:3,4).

The apostle Paul wrote, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20)

The heavens do declare the glory of God. Even though humanity today, in their supposed intelligence, want to substitute evolution for creation and its Creator, they will one day have to recognize Him as Creator and Eternal God. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

The foolishness of preaching proclaims that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” (Romans 6:23). “God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:9, 10, 13).

If you do not know Jesus, now is the time to trust Him as your Savior. If you are saved, now is the time to praise Him for His marvelous creation.