Appendix D: Signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars

Matthew 24:29 (NKJV) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Certain signs in the sun, moon, and stars provide important information establishing the time relationship between the Great Tribulation, Rapture, and Wrath of God. These particular signs are described in several passages in the Bible. In each Scripture passage listed in the following table, the descriptions of these signs are virtually identical. Each passage refers to the same event during the End Times and thus serves as a type of signpost or interlocking puzzle piece for determining relative timing of one set of Scriptures to another. For example if event A follows the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and event B precedes the signs, then event B must precede event A. Since this particular set of signs is described in relationship to the Great Tribulation, Rapture, and Wrath of God, the relative sequence of these three events can be determined.

The second table provides a detailed comparison between two of the passages listed in the first chart (Mat. 24:29-31 and Rev. 6:12 to 11:19). These two passages are especially important and are compared in more detail to show that they describe the same event.

As shown in this second table, the passage in Matthew reveals that the Great Tribulation precedes the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. This passage also shows that the gathering of God’s people follows immediately after these signs. The passage in Revelation reveals that the Wrath of God follows the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Therefore, these signs provide a key that reveals the time relationship between the Great Tribulation, Rapture, and Wrath of God.

Signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars
Scripture Passage	Sign Description in the Passage	End-Time Event Related to the Passage
Matthew 24:29	sun darkened, moon does not give light, stars fall, heavens shaken	Great Tribulation and gathering of the Church
Revelation 6:12-17	sun turns black, moon like blood, stars fall, sky splits, earthquake	Rapture and Wrath of God
Joel 2;10-11	sun dark, moon dark, stars dark, shaking occurs	Wrath of God
Joel 3:12-16 (cf. Rev. 14:14-20)	sun dark, moon dark, stars dark, shaking occurs	Rapture and Wrath of God
Isaiah 13:9-13	sun dark, moon dark, stars dark, shaking occurs	Wrath of God
Joel 2:30-31	sun turned to darkness, moon to blood	Wrath of God
Isaiah 24:19-23	sun ashamed, moon abashed (both dark), earth shaken	Wrath of God
Isaiah 34:2-8	heavens rolled up as a scroll, host of heaven (stars) wear away	Wrath of God

The two passages listed in the next table describe the same future event when they detail the signs in the sun, moon, stars, etc. This means both passages are describing the same time period during the End Times. By lining up the descriptions at the points where they are the same (as in this table) an overall view of the relationship (sequence) of the Great Tribulation, Rapture, and Wrath of God can be seen. Following is a chronological list of these events as derived from these two Scripture passages.

The time of great tribulation. (Mat. 24:21,29)

Sixth seal is broken. (Rev. 6:12)

Signs in the sun, moon, stars, and sky—the signpost (Mat. 24:29; Rev. 6:12-14)

All people will see the sign of the Son of Man in the sky. (Mat. 24:30; Rev. 6:16)

The people of the world mourn because they realize that God is about to pour out His wrath in judgment against them. (Mat. 24:30; Rev. 6:15-16)

Jesus comes on the clouds. (Mat. 24:30)

Jesus sends His angels to gather His Church. (Mat. 24:31)

Wrath held off until 144,000 sealed (protected) (Rev. 7:1-8)

The people of God stand before the throne of God in Heaven (they have come out of the Great Tribulation). (Rev. 7:9-17)

God pours out His wrath in the form of seven plagues on the inhabitants of the earth. (Rev. 8:6 to 11:19)

Two Passages Compared
End-Time Event	Matthew 24:29-31	Revelation 6:12 - 11:19
immediately after the Tribulation	24:29
sixth seal broken		6:12
earthquake—mountains & islands moved		6:12, 14
sun darkened, becomes black as sackcloth of hair	14:29	6:12
moon does not give its light and becomes like blood	24:29	6:12
stars fall from sky as figs from shaken tree	24:29	6:13
powers of heavens shaken, sky split apart like scroll	24:29	6:14
all tribes of earth will mourn while kings & others hide, they ask the rocks to fall on them to hide them from wrath of God	24:30	6:15-16
sign of Son of Man appears in sky and people see the Lamb (Jesus)	24:30	6:16
Son comes on clouds of sky	24:30
all tribes of earth see Son of Man coming, people see God on throne and the Lamb	24:30	6:16
Son sends angels with great trumpet	24:31
angels gather elect (i.e., Rapture)	24:31
great day of God’s wrath has come		6:16-17
judgment held off until 144,000 sealed		7:1-8
great multitude in heaven from every nation		7:9
the great multitude have come out of the Great Tribulation		7:13-14
The Wrath of God is poured out		8:6 and following

In summary, the relationships of certain end-time events to other events can be determined from their relative relationships to the signs in the sun, moon, and stars. The Great Tribulation will be followed by the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which will be followed by the Rapture which will then be followed by the Wrath of God. Each occurrence of the description of the signs in the sun, moon, and stars (as listed in the tables above) forms a helpful interlocking puzzle piece. This interlocking piece is a reference point showing how far down the road of prophecy a particular event is in relation to other events.

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Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. NKJV indicates quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. KJV indicates quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Numbers associated with Greek (italic) or Hebrew (upright) words refer to the corresponding words in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D.

Please make copies of this book to give to your friends. (A searchable and printable version in Adobe Acrobat format is available for download.) Your comments and suggestion are also welcome. Thank you for helping others to understand the Bible teachings on the End Times.

God bless you.
Sonny Bowman

If you have questions or comments, please contact Sonny Bowman.