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There is an aspect of the days prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus which is seldom if ever mentioned. Some of them may be called common place, such as earthquakes, famines and pestilences for these are not unusual occurrences on the earth. However, Jesus added some unusual and certainly fearful events which will precede His coming. He called them fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Luke 21:12 Then, more specifically, He said that there would be signs in the sun, and in the moon and in the stars. Luke 21:25 Joel was given the same message in his prophecy pertaining to the events which lead up to the coming of the Lord Jesus. He said that the sun would be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord would come. Joel 2:30-31
At least a portion of what is intended in these prophetic utterances is revealed to John on Patmos. The impact of the sounding of the trumpet of the fourth angel will be weird and unusual happenings in the light giving process. One third of the sun, moon and stars cease to shine. A third of their surface will become dark. A circumstance which will most definitely create great fear on earth. Accompanying such troublesome signs one third of the day will become dark and a third of the night. If these are tied together where night follows day, that would be six hours of darkness. When the Lord turns out the lights, He does a thorough job. Consider what happened in Egypt. He caused a thick or a total blackout to come upon the Egyptians of such a complete degree that not one Egyptian moved for three days. Ex. 10:22-23 It was so black that they could not even see one another though in the same room or seated next to each other. Then, under the impact of the fifth vial and prior to the second coming, there will be a period of total darkness. The fact that they will gnaw their tongues for pain indicates the effect of a lack of light. Rev. 16:10
A key statement of the Lord recorded by Ezekiel is that the Lord said that He would ìturn His face from them.î Thus removing all Divine protection and creating an opportunity for all manner of unrighteousness to rule and reign. It is declared that the land would be full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence. Sounds exactly like a modern city, and it is, violence and crime will continue to increase until the Lord Jesus returns. The people are seen seeking a prophet or someone to give them a supernatural answer to their dilemma, but there is no answer for them. Their spiritual, leaders are without the presence of the Lord. Eze. 7:20-27.