It was announced several days ago that NASA is planning to send a rocket to the sun.  It will leave in 2015 and fly close to the sun to collect data to help scientists better understand the sun and how it works.  The reason given for this is that despite learning a lot in the past several decades, there is still a lot we don't know about the sun.
    That all makes very good sense but the one question that I have is "why now?".  All of this has been true since the beginning of space flight and, since the sun is so vitally important for life on earth, doesn't it make sense that it should have been one of the first things we investigated?  Once we got past the moon and Mars, shouldn't we have then sent a rocket to the sun rather than investigating planets like Saturn and Jupiter?  Sure, the other planets provide a lot of interesting information about the solar system and the greater universe, but they are no where near as important to us and our continued existence as the sun is.  So why did NASA essentially ignore the sun for decades, but now finds it important to go there at a time when budgets are being cut and the entire space exploration program being questioned by some?    
    I can only think of one answer.  Something is happening on the sun that has scientists stumped.   It is changing in a way they cannot understand.  The changes don't conform to the accepted theories on what the sun is and how it works.  It's bothering them and they want to take a closer look.  Of course, if they read their Bible, particularly the Book of Malachi and the story of the Sun of Righteousness, they would understand.