Since childhood, we often gaze at the skies at night and witness the magnificence of the moon. As one of God’s greatest and most awesome creations in the galaxy, it also performs other functions that are vital to our very existence on earth. So, what is the blood moon meaning in the Bible?
We become enthralled when we see an eclipse happening in the sky. Many also think of the supernatural relevance or prophetic signs that arise from the unusual movements or alignments of the sun, moon, and earth.
The Blood Moon, or a total lunar eclipse, is often referred to by many people as a sign of prophetic proportions, as mentioned in the Bible. What is a Blood Moon? Do these occurrences really mark the end of our time?
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What Are Blood Moons?
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.—Genesis 1:14–15
The Role Of The Moon
- The main purpose of the moon is to give light to humanity at night. The moon reflects the light from the sun, though they are far apart from each other.
- The moon also serves as the basis of our seasons and calendars. The moon orbits the earth approximately 29 days per cycle. Our forefathers used the moon to mark their dates and seasons and guide them when to plant or harvest crops, without calendars or watches.
- The moon controls the tides, which are vital to the earth’s ecosystem. Tides clean the seas and keep the water currents circulating and active for the promotion of marine life. The huge energy caused by tides is also harnessed to help provide electricity.
The Types Of Eclipses
The Darkened Sun or Solar Eclipse
This event happens when the moon gets between Earth and the sun. The moon casts a shadow over the Earth, which makes the sun appear dark. There are three types of solar eclipse[1]: annular, total eclipse, and partial solar eclipse. A fire solar eclipse happens when the moon is too far from Earth, leaving what looks like a fiery ring around the moon.
The Blood Moon Or Lunar Eclipse
The earth gets in between the sun and the moon. A lunar eclipse happens when the moon moves into the Earth’s shadow and the moon shows a reddish color, alluding to the phrase “Blood Moon.” The air molecules from the Earth’s atmosphere disperse most of the blue light, which makes the moon appear red. A Super Blood Moon occurs when the moon is full and nearest to Earth at the same time.
Traditional And Folklore Meanings Of Blood Moon
- The Blood Moon was believed to be an omen by the ancient Mesopotamians and Incans relating to the death and ouster of their ruler or king.
- For some members of Native American tribes, a Blood Moon signifies that the moon is in need of care and concern.
- In traditional society, there are 12 names for lunar eclipses given to each full moon of the month. January: Wolf Moon, February: Snow Moon, March: Worm Moon, April: Pink Moon, May: Flower Moon, June: Strawberry Moon, July: Buck Moon, August: Sturgeon Moon, September: Harvest Moon, October: Hunter’s Moon, November: Beaver Moon, December: Cold Moon.
What Does The Bible Say About Blood Moons?
I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.—Joel 2:30–31
The phrase “Blood Moon” or a full lunar eclipse does not appear in the Bible. But it is often alluded to in terms of the sun or the moon having the appearance of the color red or being dark. A Blood Moon is often referred to as an apocalyptic end-time event that ushers the second arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and the New Heaven and Earth.
The apostle John mentioned in Revelation 6 (the Lamb opened the sixth seal) that the “whole moon turned blood red.” This event will be preceded by a great earthquake and the sun will be turned into darkness like sackcloth made of goat hair. Also, the sky fell to the Earth.
In both the Old and New Testaments, the phrase also often illustrates a compelling sign from God or the heavens of some significant or cataclysmic event in the history of mankind.
The Tetrad
A lunar tetrad is a phenomenon where four consecutive lunar eclipses happen, or four “Blood Moons” in a row, approximately six months apart. Blood Moon Tetrads or total eclipses of the lunar surface are rare, having only happened 55 times since 1 AD. The Tetrad phenomenon has only occurred 10 times since 1 AD and only three times since 1492.
In recent times, prominent preachers John Hagee and Mark Blitz claimed that the series of four full Blood Moons in 2014 and 2015 was the beginning of the end times as foretold in the Bible, specifically in Revelation 6:12, Acts 2:20, and the Book of Joel.
These four consecutive lunar eclipses coincided with the Jewish holidays having six full moons. Both of them saw a correlation between the prophecy of the Blood Moon Tetrad and two important festivals of God: the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Does God Want Us To Understand The Blood Moon Prophecy?
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.’—Matthew 24:29
God definitely wants us to understand all His prophecies as written in the Bible, including the revelation of end times with the symbolism of the Blood Moons. On the other hand, a solar eclipse is more often attributed to God’s glory in the Bible.
- Prophecy is an integral part of the Bible. It accounts for roughly 30% of the entire scriptures.
- The apostle Paul mentions the return of our Lord 50 times.
- The prime focus of prophecy is the arrival of the Lord, which is mentioned 318 times in the New Testament.
- The topic of salvation is mentioned more frequently than the second arrival of Jesus Christ.
Fulfilled Prophecies
Around 75% of the prophecies laid down in the Bible have already been fulfilled. That means about 25% of the predictions are still about to happen, and this is mostly regarding the end of times. Most of the details are outlined in the Book of Revelation and supported by the writings of the other Old Testament prophets. These prophecies are said to be the final call and warning before the Great Tribulation happens.
Should We Be Careful When Obsessing About Blood Moons?
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.—Mark 13:32–33
Yes, we should be careful about obsessing about Blood Moons as a heavenly sign, especially the four consecutive total eclipses. They may bring us unnecessary fear about the end of the world, as we know it. Today, much of humanity is held captive by the bondage and things of the earth—money, possessions, pleasures, and idolatry. These vile ways of life push us away from the reverence and worship of our true God.
In our lack of knowledge and faith about end-time events, including the Day of the Lord and the imminent heavenly signs, we might be misinterpreting or miscalculating biblical prophecy as revealed in the Bible.
We may misunderstand the right implications of the four blood moons and solar and lunar eclipses. This anomaly may lead to the distortion of the truth and how to rightfully remain prepared before these things begin to take place on the great and awesome Day of the Lord.
Instead of worrying about the exactness of the end of days, we must focus on the present state of our faith and salvation. Moreover, as Christians, our work is still not finished. The Great Commission reads:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19–20).
Conclusion
The world is careening toward the end of time. Today, we are inundated by the utter phenomena of disaster, war, famine, and disease. Our seas are drying up, and the forests are being wiped out by climate change. We can almost sense the days when we run out of food, potable drinking water, and fuel to sustain our very existence.
Let us not get startled. This is part of God’s plan—destined to doom because of our sins and departure from the worship of our true God. The manifestation of Blood Moons is just part of the Bible’s prophecy that the promise of eternal life is forthcoming. Paradise beckons where death, disease, and pain will no longer exist.
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