“And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit; and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (Luke 23:44-46).
On July 22, 2009, we had one of the longest total solar eclipses on record with a time of 6 minutes and 39 seconds.
There is, of course, a difference between a “solar” eclipse and a “lunar” eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon
passes between the earth and the sun, and blocks out the sun. A lunar eclipse is when the earth passes between the
moon and the sun, and blocks out the moon. Total lunar eclipses are much longer than total solar eclipses according to the keepers of longest records (“List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last.com”). They say, way back on May 31, 318, there was a lunar eclipse that lasted 1 hour, 47 minutes and 14 seconds. Total solar eclipses on the other hand, according to “Longest Stuff.com, Wikipedia Encyclopedia, and Hermit Eclipses,” are much shorter. They say the blackout of the sun on July 22, 2009, was the longest since July 11, 1991, which lasted for 6 minutes and 53 seconds. They also add that total solar eclipses usually occur every 18 months or so. The next one that will occur over the continental United States will occur on August 21, 2017. However, the next near perfect total solar eclipse which will last 7 minutes and 29 seconds will not happen until July 16, 2186. All the experts say, theoretically, the longest a total solar eclipse can last is 7 minutes and 31 seconds. Even the longest total solar eclipse on record is only 7 minutes and 8 seconds back in 1955. Think about it. The longest a total solar eclipse can last is only 7 minutes and 31 seconds. Period!
When Jesus was crucified there was darkness over all the land for 3-long-hours! Jesus was crucified about nine o’clock on Friday morning in the sun, “in the third hour” (Mark 15:25). After Jesus had been on the cross for three agonizing hours the darkness occurred at noon. “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour” (Mark 15:33). This means the darkness lasted for three hours until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Jesus was on the cross for a total of 6 very long excruciating hours and died in the “ninth hour.” Within the natural laws of our world the sun cannot be darkened in the daytime for three hours. It cannot happen! Natural phenomena cannot explain away what happened that day. Darkness lasting for three hours is proof that it was one of the supernatural events that took place during the crucifixion and death of our Lord. Notice these others: “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city and appeared unto many” (Matt. 27:51-53). Just as God plagued Egypt for three days with darkness (Ex. 10:21-22), so plagued He the crucifiers of Christ for three hours. When recalling Jesus’ crucifixion, do not dismiss the darkness. It was supernatural.
Richard Stevens, III
