8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES AMANDA GALE Groundcover vendor No. 573 Warning! This article is kind of an open article for Christians — and whoever else wants to come along. In the ageless, timeless Book it is declared: “Let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” (Gen 14.d-g, GNV) Like any widely observable and somewhat rare Heavenly phenomenon, the Great American Eclipse (April 8, 2024) came and went, and with it the typical doomsdayers and spin prognosticators seeking to capture it to their ends. If we consult The Maker of The Eclipse, however, we might just find HIS timeless, priceless message. It was widely advertised that the trajectory of the 2024 Eclipse that passed through North America included seven cities that are named Nineveh. There is also an eighth city of Ninevah that the Great American Eclipse passed through in Canada. Often in The Bible we find repeating names of people and places when GOD wants to emphasize certain indications and meanings from those names. Also, various Christian scholars throughout the ages (and in modern time, most notably D. James Kennedy, “The Gospel In The Stars”) have noted that stars, constellations and planetary signs are interspersed throughout The Bible. The scales of Libra make their appearance in The Book of Daniel (Daniel 5:27). WARNING! A Kingdom wanting for justice — will soon have it meted out. The Symbol of Libra also appears in Revelation with one of the four apocalyptic horsemen carrying it and crying out, “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny, and oil, and wine hurt [you] not,” (Rev 6:5), signifying economic hardship and/or famine. The Virgin of Virgo has an extra-special picture for us to wonder at; the Deliverer-Child birthed to Her, and the old cataclysmic battle from "The Dragon" against Her and This Child (Rev 12), enraged and doing all he can, however he can — to seek their demise (Rev 12:34, 6-7-17). Holy Scripture indicates eclipses as special attesting indications from GOD (Joshua 10.12, Isaiah 13.10, Acts 2.20) and we find a special eclipse or an eclipse-like effect occurring during the three hours CHRIST was atoning for our sins on HIS Cross (Luke 23:44-45). But it was to Jonah (Matt 12:39, 16:4) that CHRIST referred when people requested of HIM “a sign.” So what is the sign and message of Jonah? And what BLESSING is there if we receive its impact? Why will we not want to miss this special message, even after the Eclipse itself has come and gone? When Jonah was being RESCUED, he JULY 12, 2024 Jonah and the Great American Eclipse: are we yet missing it? declared, “They that wait upon lying vanities, forsake their own mercy”’ (Jonah 2:8, GNV). What if we observe Heavenly Signs and Earthly Wonders — and never really meet with and worship The GOD WHO made them? Why would we want to appreciate spectacular effects and not connect with the special, awesome PERSON from WHOM these proceed (see John 6:26 and Jeremiah 29:13)? Let’s step back in time; Jonah was one of GOD’s Prophets, though unlike most of the prophets, Jonah was sent to a “heathen” people — to Nineveh — to warn them that they might repent, turn to GOD and not face judgment. The Assyrian Kingdom that Nineveh was the capital of, and to which Jonah was sent, was expanding greatly. Meanwhile, Jeroboam II was a wicked King who was reigning over the Nation of Israel, with its capital Jerusalem. It’s like GOD was saying, “OK, the Nation of Israel through which I’ve been seeking to get my message of grace out to everyone in the whole earth isn’t cooperating; so, I’ll send SOMEONE (Isaiah 49:6-7, Luke 2:32) directly to these other people — starting at Nineveh.” Jonah didn’t want to obey GOD and tell this other group of people, this other nation, about GOD’s Mercy and Love they would experience if they would but turn to HIM (Jonah 4:2). Some of that seems to be nationalistic superiority; Jonah certainly was missing GOD’s plan and Heart (as in Luke 9:54-55). There also was likely understandable fear! “What will occur if that rival nation continues its expansion? Can GOD be trusted?” It would also be really embarrassing for Jonah and the Nation of Israel that GOD had been pleading to be HIS witness to everyone! In the whole earth, if Nineveh and not Jerusalem was repenting. However, even now the “religious Jerusalem” (See Rom 9:6 and Rev 21:2) isn’t repenting. Yet GOD will get HIS message of mercy to everyone somehow; and HE will not forsake his own nor any of HIS promises. We fallen and finite humans want “the Wrong Thing.” Instead of really caring about people and see JONAH page 11
9 Publizr Home