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Four Blood Moons – Are They Prophetically Significant?
by Jim Josephsen
Are you aware of the coming Four Blood Moons?
Within the general public, among the media at large, the subject of Four Blood Moons is scarcely known; is given next to no exposure. An awareness of the subject and its significance has been getting traction on the Internet and of course within many Christian churches. Four Blood Moons is being fostered within Christian circles, along with Messianic organizations and those associated with the preservation of the nation of Israel.
Websites such as World Net Daily, World Watch Daily, Red Moon Rapture, Jesus on My Mind and a host of other Internet outlets and Christian ministries are rapidly getting on board, in their attempt to uncover the mysteries of this soon to play out celestial phenomenon. Of late, Fox News and commentators, the likes of Glen Beck have given the subject coverage. A recent book entitled,Four Blood Moons – Something Is About to Change, written by John Hagee, is capturing audiences.
Chief advocates of Four Blood Moons are Christian Evangelical John Hagee [photo on right above], founder and senior pastor ofCornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas and Pastor Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries.
This Four Blood Moons theory is uniquely religious and its intention, prophetic. Hagee and Biltz would have you to understand the coming Four Blood Moons might very possibly fulfill Bible prophecy, announcing the second coming of, and the great and terrible Day of the Lord. As they explain, the Bible talks about the sun turning to darkness (a solar eclipse they believe) and the moon into blood (a total lunar eclipse, so they conclude), consequently, the coming Four Blood Moons, combined with the many social, economic, geo-political and immorality factors of our time, can only point to end time Biblical prophetic fulfillment.
Equally important, they and many other ministries postulate, Four Blood Moons is a harbinger of significant events that will occur to the nation of Israel in the near future. What those events might be specifically, neither Hagee nor Biltz can tell.
Rooted in the concept of Four Blood Moons, giving this celestial phenomena religious footing, are the following scriptures. Joel 2:30-31which reads, And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke, The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible (glorious) day of the Lord.
Acts 2:20; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord cometh.
Luke 21:25-26; and there shall be signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s heart failing them for fear and for the looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
Revelation 6:12; and I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as blood.
Certainly, these scriptures sound ominous and those who respect Biblical prophecy will take notice. Will the soon to come Four Blood Moons really fulfill these scriptures?
What are these Four Blood Moons or as also called, Red Blood Moons?
The term Four Blood Moons is associated with two conditions; 1) an astronomical event called a tetrad and 2), specific Jewish Holy Days. Let us understand the details.
An astronomical tetrad is defined as four consecutive total lunar eclipses (the earth’s shadow completely totally covering or eclipsing a full moon), with no other lunar eclipses in between. Each of the four total lunar eclipses is separated from the other by five lunar months, which is to say five full moons. Those five full moons have no association to either a total or partial eclipse. Each of the five is just simply, a full moon. The four consecutive total lunar eclipses are what are emphasized. A tetrad is a very fascinating and rare celestial phenomenon. From 1 AD until 2000 AD, there have been 54 tetrads. In the 17th, 18th and 19thcenturies, there were no tetrads. In the 21st Century, there will only be eight tetrads.
These soon coming four consecutive total lunar eclipses, which are being given so much attention in religious circles, this tetrad, will occur on the following dates. In 2014, a total lunar eclipse, the first, will occur on April 14/15th. Then on October 8/9thanother, the second total lunar eclipse will occur. These are the first two of the four consecutive total lunar eclipses, with no partial lunar eclipses in between.
The next two come in the year 2015, with the third total lunar eclipse occurring on April 3/4th. And the fourth successive total lunar eclipse will occur on September 27/28th. These four total lunar eclipses occur six lunar months apart from one another and in between each are five full moons; none of which are eclipsed.
These four full moons, these four total lunar eclipses are the Four Blood Moons. Why are these four totally eclipsed full moons given a description of blood?
A total lunar eclipse is often called a blood moon, because its characteristics encourage that description. During a total lunar eclipse, the earth blocks the sun’s light as the earth’s shadow completely (totally) covers (eclipses) the moon. There then is no direct sunlight reflecting off the moon. The totally covered (eclipsed) moon will only reflect the colors of light contained in the earth’s shadow. Those colors of light are of the red, orange and yellow spectrum. Consequently, a total lunar eclipsed moon will often look reddish in the shadow of the earth. On other occasions the totally covered, eclipsed full moon will look orangeish or the color of pumpkin. But in general, to the average man, a total lunar eclipsed full moon looks reddish, looking bloody, “kinda like blood.” That fact is natural, logical.
You may ask, as do those with no religious or Jewish persuasion, so what’s the big deal? These total lunar eclipses are just the earth and moon and the sun doing their thing, as they progress through their clockwork-like, established and sustained patterns, year after year, decades and centuries of consistent, recordable, predictable movement. And the color; isn’t that just simply the nature of chromaticity?
That’s true but there’s more, say those who promote the Four Blood Moons. Tetrads don’t occur very often. And regarding the dates – well, each is extremely significant.
Those four dates, each on which a total lunar eclipse will occur, are significant to the Jewish calendar. April 15th, 2014 is the First Day of Passover. This day is the fifteenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar.
October 9th, 2014 is the First Day of Succoth (a Hebrew word meaning tabernacles or booths). This day is the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
April 5th, 2015 is again the First Day of Passover (once again this day is the fifteenth day of the first month of the sacred calendar) and September 28th, 2015 is yet again the First Day of Succoth (once again this day is the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar).
Since the “Jewish calendar” reckons the start of each day at the time of sunset for Holy Days and the time of the appearing of the stars for all common days; the four Holy Days listed above all begin the evening before the actual day date. On all four evenings (April 14th, 2014, October 8th, 2014, April 4th, 2015 and September 27th, 2015), after the sun has set, a full moon will appear. And more specifically, each of these four full moons (which always occur on the 14th/15th of the lunar month), will be manifest as a total lunar eclipse.
To have four consecutive full moons; not just full moons, but four total lunar eclipses (a tetrad) occurring on four Holy Days, each six months apart in succession; why that must mean something! How rare is that?
Yes, rare. For in actuality, this occurrence, four total lunar eclipses, a tetrad, falling on four Jewish Holy Days within two years, has only occurred seven times since AD 1. This tetrad in 2014/2015 will be the eighth.
Wow, what a phenomena to occur in the next two years. Clearly, the likes of Hagee and Biltz would have you believe these “signs” in the heavens above portend prophetic events, and perhaps something big that will shake the earth is soon to occur. Is something about to change? How much more spellbinding can you get?
Now, to further add to the suspense of the Four Blood Moons, this alleged fulfillment of prophecy and in keeping with Joel 2:30-31, Acts 2:20 and Luke 21:25-26, in the next two years, the earth will witness an annular solar eclipse on April 29th, 2014; a partialsolar eclipse on October 23rd, 2014; a total solar eclipse (as seen from earth, the moon in front of the sun, thereby completely blocking the light of the sun) on March 20th, 2015 and finally another partial solar eclipse on September 13th, 2015.
Why these solar events must have something to do with the sun not giving her light, as the scriptures say will happen at the Lord’s return; so it is believed by those who advocate the Four Blood Moons theory.
The excitement and fascination, as advanced by Hagee and Biltz, continues. To add to the intrigue, recent history pertaining totetrads falling on Holy Days reveals that back in 1967-1968, the last time of Four Blood Moons, as so called, occurred, the nation of Israel fought and won the Six-Day War. Then it is thought the birth of the nation of Israel in 1948, giving the Jews a homeland was associated with the so called Four Blood Moons tetrad which occurred in 1949-1950. Then going back to 1493-1494, it is thought the expulsion of Jews from Spain under Queen Isabella had significance to a tetrad falling on the day of Passover and Sukkot. These are the surmisings of the likes of Hagee and Biltz.
However, there were four other times in history the so-called Four Blood Moons occurred. 162-163AD, 795-796AD, 842-843AD and 860-861AD. What about these four sequences? Any significance or earth shattering events happen to the inhabitants of the earth or to the Jews or the children of Israel then? Nothing has been specifically noted.
Nevertheless, putting all these facts together; four total lunar eclipses (blood moons), Jewish Holy Days, solar eclipses, and throw in Bible verses relating to the sun turning into darkness and the moon into blood; well, you have the stuff made for a movie, or at least a book.
Four totally eclipsed moons that will look like blood (sort of), or at least have a reddish hue to them. Four full moons; total lunar eclipses occurring on four Jewish Holy Days. Add to the mix, four solar eclipses of some sort within the same general period, in the years 2014 and 2015. Eight celestial (heavenly) events in all; events that were accurately predicted centuries ago by the Jews and other calendar cultures, will occur on the dates that have been firmly established. Celestial activity is calculable and predictable as the heavenly movements are consistent and sustained. There will be no surprises, no panic, and no heart attacks. What was calculated to occur will occur, on time, as known in advance.
Yet because of Bible scriptures such as Joel 2:30-31, Acts 2:20, Luke 21:25-26, Revelation 6:12, there are individuals who are now teaching something is about to change and prophecy will be fulfilled.
To cut to the chase, you can rest assured the coming Four Blood Moons will not result in catastrophe. There will be no earthly doom or return of Christ. No tribulation, no spectacular array of heavenly signs, no destruction of the earth, earthquakes, no men’s hearts failing for fear of the horror striking the earth or the heavens.
Interesting fact: with regard to actually witnessing (viewing or seeing) these Four Blood Moons, it should be noted that of these four total lunar eclipses, three will not be visible from Jerusalem. Only at the beginning of the fourth total lunar eclipse, on September 27, 2015, will the residents of Jerusalem see a somewhat ruddy full moon. In addition, all four lunar eclipses will be visible for approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes. Again, hardly a display that would set the hearts of man in fear and dread!
Fear and dread; or lack thereof. That lies at the heart of the Four Blood Moons fallacy.
The soon coming solar and lunar eclipses to occur in 2014 and 2015 hardly fit the description of the heavenly signs and celestial calamity as portrayed by the prophets and Jesus Christ himself. To read the scriptures in context presents radically more intense conditions than the common predictable lunar and solar activity we will soon witness. The show of wonders (fantastic spectacles), as the Word of God reveals will happen, in heaven will be far more frightening at that time than the common eclipses we will witness in the next two years.
Acts 2:20; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord cometh. These were the recorded words of the Apostle Peter. Taken in context, we read and I will show wonders in heaven and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapour of smoke (Acts 2:19). What Peter spoke of here was quoted directly from the prophet Joel (cf. Acts 2:16).
Notice Joel 2:30-31: And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke, The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible (glorious) day of the Lord.
The prophet Joel wrote additional details about this event. The sun and the moon shall be darkened and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of His people and the strength of the children of Israel (Joel 3:15-16).
Consider the prophet Isaiah, as he wrote about the same event. Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give her light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine (Isaiah 13:9-10).
If we are to take the Bible at its word, as the Word of God and the truth of God, then the celestial events we read about are of suchimmense disturbing proportions that it is rather silly to think they can refer to the common, predictable eclipses we will (actually only certain areas on the earth and consequently only some of the inhabitants of the earth will) witness in the next two years.
No doubt, those who did the research, coming to the conclusion that something is about to change, believe the Four Blood Moons have significance. Are we now, yet again being entertained by false prophets?
Remember Harold Camping, with the dates he predicted would bring about the end of the world and the coming of the Lord? Those dates came and went and the man was exposed for what he was. Then of late, the world was entertained with the date 12-21-12 and the end of the world (you know, the Mayan calendar quandary). Again, to no avail and life goes on.
Of certainty, the prophecies of the Bible will be fulfilled and their realities will be completed. The sun will be disturbed by God’s intervention and will not give its light. The moon will be disturbed and not reflect the sun’s light, so much the so that it will look blood red. God’s involvement with the aberrations of the sun and moon will be unmistakable and will be noticed by all mankind.
When these events take place, the WHOLE WORLD will witness them and will be frightened to the point of induced heart attacks for the faint hearted.
Will the soon coming Four Blood Moons, as called, be the sign to usher in the Day of the Lord and the return of Christ?
The answer is NO and one way we can prove it is by reading Matthew 24:29-30. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven and all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Did you catch that? There must first occur a time of tribulation. Then the heavens will be shaken and then the sun and moon will be darkened.
Four Blood Moons certainly makes for intriguing reading and may be worrisome to many a Christian. However, come October 2015, the evidence will be clear (you can bank on it); the Four Blood Moons predictions will result in another prophetic flop, perpetrated by those who are misled and who mislead.
Republished from the US website of Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association:http://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/Mark_Wordfroms/manews0162.shtml
