Whatever God's people thought for three or four minutes is really irrelevant in the historical scheme of things.

God promised regularity in the seasons. He also promised special signs in the heavens that would bring wonderment to mankind. (Genesis 1:14; Psalm 65:5 )

There are more pertinent verses, those are the ones that comes to mind at the minute.

It's doubtful that many, if any, could have reached a sufficient state of panic in that brief timespan to do themselves or others any permanent damage.

After all, they were momentarily
stumbling around in the dark!

Being in on the ground floor of this first time phenomenon was an honor.

After this, it would be but another eclipse.

” One reason why many people find Creative Evolution so attractive is that it gives one much of the emotional comfort of believing in God and none of the less pleasant consequences. When you are feeling fit and the sun is shining and you do not want to believe that the whole universe is a mere mechanical dance of atoms, it is nice to be able to think of this great mysterious Force rolling on through the centuries and carrying you on its crest. If, on the other hand, you want to do something rather shabby, the Life-Force, being only a blind force, with no morals and no mind, will never interfere with you like that troublesome God we learned about when we were children. The Life-Force is a sort of tame God. You can switch it on when you want, but it will not bother you. All the thrills of religion and none of the cost. Is the Life-Force the greatest achievement of wishful thinking the world has yet seen?”

-C. S. Lewis

From: Mere Christianity