Did Jesus lie about the sun being darkened and the moon not giving its light?
Question:
Hello
I have a question regarding a conflict that I see people bring up. People argue that Jesus is lying because Matthew 24:34 did not happen. The same thing is mentioned in Luke 21 as well, and also in Mark 13:30.
Matthew 24:29-34 says,
“Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Did this already occur in 70 AD with the destruction of Israel and the temple? Was this foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures, such as in Daniel 7:13 or Isaiah 13?
I am simply seeking some clarification and direction because many atheists are trying to use this as a reason to produce a lie when there isn't.
Answer:
When reading prophecies, we must recognize that many descriptions are written in figurative language. Figurative language is used to make the description more vivid and memorable. We do this all the time in our day-to-day language. "When the news arrived, it hit me like a ton of bricks!" The person isn't saying a bunch of bricks squashed him. In this case, the word "like" hints that figurative language is being used. "The fog crept in on the cat's paws" isn't saying that fog leaves cat tracks. Here, the hint that it is figurative language comes because what is described is impossible if the words are taken literally.
Jesus used descriptive terms to show the severity of the destruction of Jerusalem. Notice that the translators put quotation marks around the phrase that started, "The sun will be darkened ..." This phrase was used before in describing the destruction of other places:
- The destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:9-11, Joel 2:10)
- The destruction of Egypt (Isaiah 11:12; 19:1).
Failing heavenly lights represent government's destruction and the chaos (darkness) that follows.
- The destruction of Babylon (Isaiah 13:9-13)
- Destruction of Egypt where Pharaoh, who claimed to be the son of the Sun God, was the light put out (Ezekiel 32:7-9)
- Judgment on the nations surrounding Israel (Joel 3:11-16)
- The captivity of Israel (Amos 8:9-10).
A light going out is a way of discussing death or destruction (Job 18:5-6). A person or a nation's light is its influence in the world (Matthew 5:14-16); therefore, a light being put out removes that person or nation's power and influence. Luke’s account makes it clearer that the shaking of heaven and the extinguishing of lights deal with upsets in the powers of government. "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Luke 21:25-26).
Such did happen to Israel when Jerusalem fell.
“After the city was taken, Josephus says that Titus "gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple, except three towers, which he reserved standing. But for the rest of the wall, it was laid so completely even with the ground by those who dug it up from the foundation, that there was nothing left to make those believe who came hither that it had ever been inhabited." Maimonides, a Jewish writer, has also recorded that "Terentius Rufus, an officer in the army of Titus, with a ploughshare tore up the foundations of the temple," that the prophecy might be fulfilled, "Zion shall be ploughed as a field," Mic 3:12. This was all done by the direction of Divine Providence. Titus was desirous of preserving the temple; and frequently sent Josephus to the Jews to induce them to surrender and save the temple and city. But the prediction of the Saviour had gone forth; and, notwithstanding the wish of the Roman general, the temple was to be destroyed. The Jews themselves first set fire to the porticoes of the temple. One of the Roman soldiers, without any command, threw a burning firebrand into the golden window, and soon the temple was in flames. Titus gave orders to extinguish the fire; but, amidst the tumult, none of his orders were obeyed. The soldiers pressed to the temple, and neither fear, nor entreaties, nor stripes, could restrain them. Their hatred of the Jews urged them on to the work of destruction; and thus, says Josephus, the temple was burnt against the will of Caesar.--Jewish Wars, book vi., chap. iv. 5, 6, 7. “ [Barnes Notes]
The destruction of the city and temple was so complete that those who visited it afterward could hardly believe that it had ever been inhabited [Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 7.1]. The "lights" had gone out. Both attackers and defenders went crazy and could not be restrained.
For more, read The Fall of Jerusalem.