Major excitement, online and elsewhere, has been generated by the pending solar eclipse in the United States on April 8, 2024, together with predictions in the writings of Ellen White regarding balls of fire falling to the earth, particularly in Nashville, Tennessee.

Because the projected path of the coming eclipse’s totality extends over at least seven cities with the name of Nineveh, and another town named Jonah (Texas), some have tried to draw a connection between the ancient prophet Jonah’s message to Nineveh and what they believe could be a divine rebuke to the wickedness in some of these communities and in the United States generally, very possibly including destruction of the sort that befell the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah [1].

Is this just another eccentric prediction contrived in paranoia? Do either Scripture or the writings of Ellen White foretell these calamities? Where should our primary focus be placed so far as the soonness of Jesus’ coming and the preceding signs thereof are concerned?

Initial Errors: Historical and Biblical

Unfortunately, the predictions of these videos include some notable errors relative to ancient history and the Bible itself. For example, the claim is made in these presentations that a solar eclipse took place during the decisive Battle of Gaugamela between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius III, in which the Persians were defeated and Alexander victorious [2]. In fact, there is no record of such an eclipse taking place either during or preceding this battle. The presenters are probably confusing the aforementioned battle with what historians call the “Battle of the Eclipse” between the Medes and the Lydians in 585 B.C, in which a solar eclipse turned day into night and constrained the two armies to call off the war and make peace [3].

Secondly, the presenters of these videos claim a similar eclipse of the sun took place at the time of Jonah’s message to the Ninevites, allegedly during the reign of King Jeroboam II of the northern tribes of Israel [4]. No evidence, however, is offered during the video as to the timing of this eclipse and its relationship to Jonah’s preaching in Nineveh. The present writer’s purpose is not to deny that this eclipse took place at the time in question, only to suggest that harder evidence for its occurrence and timing is needed if such a claim is to be made.

Third, the assertion is made that Halley’s comet appeared above Jerusalem in 66 A.D, allegedly as a sign to warn the city of its coming destruction by the Romans [5]. The fact that Halley’s comet appeared in 66 A.D. is attested to by history [6]. Whether or not it was visible over Jerusalem at the time is not provable. What is interesting is that Ellen White speaks of how “signs and wonders appeared” over Jerusalem at this time, one of which was “an unnatural light {which] shone over the temple and the altar” [##7|Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 29.##]. If the inspired pen affirms this light to have been supernatural, one has a hard time equating it with Halley’s comet. Even if the latter did appear at this time, there is no guarantee it was visible in Judea. (Cloud formations are often an impediment to the viewing of comets by the naked eye.) But if Ellen White tells us that an unnatural light was in fact visible over Jerusalem at this time, that is a statement we can trust.

Finally, the suggestion that the pending eclipse of the sun on April 8, 2024 might be “the sign of the prophet Jonas (Jonah)” of which Jesus spoke (Matt. 12:39), is contradicted by Jesus Himself. Jesus went on to say, immediately following the above verse:

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (verse 40).

In other words, “the sign of the prophet Jonah” is not a coming solar eclipse in 2024 passing over towns named Nineveh and Jonah, but rather, the burial and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as identified by the Lord Himself.

It is never wise to take the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies as spelled out by the inspired text and give them applications and fulfillments contrived by ourselves. Such speculation is nothing more than uninspired guesswork. Enough that both Scripture and Ellen White have predicted about the last days is verifiable from objective historical records and current events, without our speculating about prophetic fulfillments which the inspired writings declare to have already happened.

Balls of Fire

The videos in question cite a number of Ellen White statements which speak of balls of fire falling to the earth, with at least one statement depicting an event of this sort as occurring in Nashville, Tennessee. It is claimed by the video presenters that a number of persons during the past century have had dreams of Nashville being destroyed by a ball of fire, and that the path of totality for the 2017 solar eclipse also passed over Nashville [8]. Following are the Ellen White statements cited in these videos which speak of these calamities:

While I was in Nashville, a scene was opened before me. A great ball of fire seemed to fall from heaven, and from it went forth flashes of light. When these flashes of light would strike a building, the building would burn like tinder. And then I heard someone say, “I knew that this was coming. These are the judgments of God that I knew were coming.” “You knew,” said another. “You were my neighbor. Why did you not tell me that these things were coming? Why did you not warn others?” [##9|White, Manuscript 154, 1904.##].

There was a scene presented to me. It was the night before the Sabbath. That is when that scene was presented. I looked out of the window, and there was an immense ball of fire that came from heaven, and it fell where they were casting buildings with pillars, especially the pillars were presented to me. And it seemed as if the ball came right to the building and crushed it, and they saw that it was branching out, branching out, enlarging, and they began to cry and mourn and mourn, and wring their hands, and I thought some of our people stood by there, saying, “Well, it is just what we have been expecting; it is just what we have been talking about; it is just what we have been talking about.” “You knew it?” said the people. “You knew it, and never told us about it?” I thought there was such an agony in their face, such an agony in their appearance [##10|——Manuscript 152, 1904.##].

As noted above, in at least one Ellen White statement cited in the video it is stated that one of these balls of fire would fall on Nashville itself:

When I was in Nashville, I had been speaking to the people, and in the night season, there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville. There were flames going out like arrows from that ball; houses were being consumed; houses were tottering and falling. Some of the people were standing there. “It is just as we expected,” they said, “we expected this.” Others were wringing their hands in agony and crying unto God for mercy. “You knew it,” said they, “you knew that this was coming, and never said a word to warn us!” They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all [##11|——Manuscript 188, 1905.##].

At least two other Ellen White statements, not cited in these videos, describe similar scenes, though without specific locations:

In the visions of the night a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard some one say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.” Others, with agonized voices, said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard similar words of reproach spoken [##12|——Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 28.##].

Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little.

It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world, and crushed large houses. From place to place rose the cry, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, “Praise the Lord!”

“Why are you praising the Lord?” inquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction.

“Because we now see what we have been looking for.”

“If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us, and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!” [##13|——Reflecting Christ, p. 243.##].

Several points stand out in these statements:

1. The cause of the disasters in question—military (perhaps a series of nuclear strikes), natural (asteroids), human terror attacks, accidents, direct divine punishment—is not given. Any or all of the above causes could be forecast by these prophecies.

2. While Nashville, Tennessee, is one location where these calamities are predicted, the lack of specific locations in the other statements indicates that the destruction here described could happen in a number of places.

3. The structures affected by the fireballs include beautiful mansions, houses, and buildings with pillars.

4. The destruction thus produced was seen by its victims, together with those found looking on, as a judgment from God.

5. Those who knew these judgments were coming, but didn’t warn others about them, were bitterly reproached for their neglect of duty.

The videos in question suggest that the revival of human trafficking in the United States, particularly in Nashville, may well account for the focus of divine judgment on this particular city as prophesied by Ellen White [14], together with the notable presence in that same city of immoral nightlife, drunkenness, and spiritually hurtful forms of music [15].

A Second Civil War?

In another Ellen White statement quoted in these videos, a prediction of starvation and poverty resulting in civil war is found:

In India, China, Russia, and the cities of America, thousands of men and women are dying of starvation. The monied men, because they have the power, control the market. They purchase at low rates all they can obtain, and then sell at greatly increased prices. This means starvation to the poorer classes, and will result in a civil war. There will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” [##16|White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, pp. 305-306.##].

Again, several points emerge from this passage:

1. The conditions described are observed not only in America, but in India, China, and Russia as well.

2. Inflated prices for goods and food are said to be the result of the wealthy controlling the market, buying products at low rates, and then selling them at greatly increased prices.

3. The negative consequences of these conditions will result in civil war, though the statement doesn’t specify where the civil war will occur. As four different countries are mentioned in the statement as suffering the conditions described, the civil war Ellen White predicts could break out in any or all of them.

4. The conditions described in this statement are depicted in the context of the great time of trouble foretold in Daniel 12:1.

The Ultimate Sign

We don’t know what April 8, 2024 will bring. None can be sure whether the path of the pending solar eclipse over towns named Nineveh and Jonah is anything but a coincidence. And none can be sure when Ellen White’s prophecies of fireballs destroying buildings, in Nashville or elsewhere, will come to pass. Certainly the people of God must do all in their power to sound the warning of coming judgment to all the great cities of the world, in America and beyond. None of us have any wish to be among those to whom unbelieving friends, neighbors, or relatives might one day say: “You knew! Why then did you not tell us?”

But at the bottom line, God isn’t waiting on natural or man-made disasters so that Jesus can come. Rather, He is waiting on the spiritual preparedness of His people, who through His grace will reproduce the character of Christ in their hearts and lives (I Thess. 5:23; II Peter 3:10-14; I John 3:2-3; Rev. 3:21; 12:17; 14:5,12). The winds of strife are presently being restrained so that God’s servants can be sealed (Rev. 7:1-3). And in Ellen White’s words:

Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully [##17|——Early Writings, p. 71.##].

This is the ultimate sign of our Lord’s coming. Not solar eclipses or fireballs destroying wicked cities. The inspired forecasts include many such portents, and when these occur, they should lead us to “look up, and lift up [our] heads, for our redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). But ultimately, it is the character calendar that will prove decisive. Only the fulfillment of that calendar in the hearts and lives of God’s saints will cause their names to be retained in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 3:5), and vindicated at last in God’s final judgment (Dan. 12:1).

REFERENCES

1. Part 1: “Urgent! April 8 Eclipse and the Coming Judgments! Nashville Destroyed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHUWATj735s

Part 2: “Eclipse Over Nineveh and Nashville: Sign of Jonah?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-ac8vSjRI

Part 3: “Will America Face Civil War? Eclipse and Judgment/Nashville’s Prophetic Sign on April 8”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG9L9UlPMxA

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-ac8vSjRI

3. “Battle of the Eclipse,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Eclipse

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHUWATj735s

5. Ibid.

6. “Halley’s comet,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halley%27s_Comet

7. Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 29.

8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-ac8vSjRI

9. White, Manuscript 154, 1904.

10. ----Manuscript 152, 1904.

11. ----Manuscript 188, 1905.

12. ----Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 28.

13. ----Reflecting Christ, p. 243.

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG9L9UlPMxA

15. Ibid.

16. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, pp. 305-306.

17. ----Early Writings, p. 71.

Pastor Kevin Paulson holds a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Pacific Union College, a Master of Arts in systematic theology from Loma Linda University, and a Master of Divinity from the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He served the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for ten years as a Bible instructor, evangelist, and local pastor. He writes regularly for Liberty magazine and does script writing for various evangelistic ministries within the denomination. He continues to hold evangelistic and revival meetings throughout the North American Division and beyond, and is a sought-after seminar speaker relative to current issues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He presently resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan