Four Blood Moons in 2014-15: Christ’s Second Coming & End Times or Israel’s Tragedy?

Introduction

In 2008, Pastor Mark Biltz of ‘Church For All Nations’ predicted that Christ’s second coming may occur in the Fall of 2015 (his book, “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs” is to be published on March 18, 2014). Subsequently Pastor John Hagee’s book “Four Blood Moons: Something is about to change” (published in October 2013) seems to endorse Pastor Mark Biltz’s prediction.

The four blood moon event is creating considerable interest in certain segments of Christianity that anticipate the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy about Christ’s second coming or the end times. The four blood moon event in 2014-15 is also predicted to bring a change / disaster upon the nation of Israel.

Blood moon is a reference to full lunar eclipse – the earth in between the sun and the moon. In a full lunar eclipse, earth’s shadow is cast on the moon so that the red light from the sun is reflected on to the moon making it appear red like blood - hence the term, ‘Blood moon.’

Four total lunar eclipses in a row are called ‘Tetrads.’

Significance of Tetrads Coinciding with Jewish Holy Days

NASA reports the following dates for lunar eclipses in 2014-15: ¹

Table # 1: Lunar Eclipse in 2014-2015

Date	Eclipse	Jewish Holy Days 2
15-April-2014	Total Lunar	Passover
8-October -2014	Total Lunar	Sukkot (October 9)
4-April-2015	Total Lunar	Passover
28-September-2015	Total Lunar	Sukkot

                                                                                                                               

The oncoming tetrad in 2014-15 (row of four total lunar eclipses) coincides with Jewish high holy days – hence the connection to the nation of Israel.

NASA has seemingly confirmed the occurrence of blood moons on the first day of Passover and first day of Sukkot, seven times on back-to-back years since 1 AD. In other words, tetrads coinciding with Jewish holy days have occurred only seven times since the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Table #2 describes the dates and historical significance of the seven tetrads that coincided with Jewish high holy days:

Table #2: Dates & Historical Significance of Seven Tetrads Coinciding with Jewish Holy Days Since 1 AD

#	Total lunar eclipse	Jewish Holy Days	Historical Significance
1	162-163 AD	Passover & Sukkot	Severe elimination of Jews in 3 years by Antonine Plague, following the tetrad.
2	795-796 AD	Passover & Yom Kippur (?)	Establishment of a demilitarized zone (DMZ) between France and Spain, ending centuries of Arab invasions into Western Europe, by King Charlemagne.
3	842-843 AD	Passover & Yom Kippur (?)	Shortly after the eclipses the Vatican church in Rome was attacked and looted by an Islamic invasion from Africa.
4	860-861 AD	Passover & Yom Kippur (?)	Shortly after the eclipses the Byzantine Empire defeated Arab armies at the Battle of Lalakaon in Turkey and stopped the Islamic invasion of Eastern Europe.
5	1493-1497	Passover & Sukkot	Tragedy: 200,000 Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. Triumph: America was discovered in the same year. Today America is the home for more than 5 million Jews (cf. Esther 4: 14à “…relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place…”).
6	1949-1950	Passover & Sukkot	Tragedy: Holocaust (1933-1945) – murder of 600,000 Jews and elimination of 5000 Jewish communities.3 Triumph: Israel’s war of independence - May 1948. Israel became 59th member of UN – 11th May 1949.
7	1967-1968	Passover & Sukkot	Tragedy: Israel’s six day war – 5th June 1967. Triumph: Jerusalem became a part of Israel.

(?) – There are references to these total lunar eclipses occurring on Sukkot.  

This video briefly outlines Pastor Hagee’s thoughts.

So there does seem to be an activity in the world during the tetrads that coincides with Jewish holy days. But we should also observe that the tetrads of 795-796, 842-843 and 860-861 have little or nothing to do with the Jews, although they coincide with the Jewish high holy days.

Significant ‘tragedy-to-triumph’ story for Israel have occurred in Israel during the previous three tetrads. These events around Israel are used by Pastor Hagee and Pastor Biltz to make significant claims.

        The Jewish Talmud, one of the central texts of the Jewish people, records the rabbinic teachings of 600 years, from 1 AD through to sixth and seventh centuries. The Jewish Talmud (Babylonian) states that it is bad omen for Israel when the moon is in eclipse. It also states that if the moon is as red as blood, there would be trouble in the world (Talmud - Mas. Sukkah 29a).⁴

Therefore there is a certain credibility built in the predictions that there could be trouble in the world with a possible localization to Israel during tetrads that coincides with Jewish high holy days.

        

        Must one be dogmatic in predicting a disaster upon the world or Israel during a tetrad? A report from NASA website states that there were other tetrads⁵ during the same periods as mentioned in table #2.

For instance, NASA website recorded a tetrad in 2003-2004: 16-May-2003, 9-Nov-2003, 4-May-2004, and 28-Oct-2004. None of these dates coincided with Jewish festivals.

Notably no major disasters were recorded around this period, except for a 6.6 magnitude earthquake on Oct. 23, 2004 in Niigata, Japan that killed 40, injured 3100, and affecting tens of thousands of people.⁶ This lone incident does not motivate us to claim that tetrads usher in disasters in the world, let alone Israel.

The Middle East is as similar to the other sensitive and potentially volatile parts of the world. The Middle East is a region with a definite possibility of escalation of unrest. The sectarian unrest in Islam – the Shia-Sunni tension, seems to escalate.

The sectarian unrests are escalating in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Iran and Syria are sensitive locations. So we cannot eliminate the possibility of anything in and around Israel anytime, let alone during the tetrads.

However, an assertion that something significant could happen in and around Israel when a tetrad coincides with Jewish festivals is not totally out of order. But an assertion that something significant will happen in the world during a tetrad seems totally and surely out of order.

Tetrads and Christ’s Second Coming & End Times

Pastor Hagee seems to make two contradictory statements. On the one hand, he asserts that no one would know when Christ would come. On the other hand, he confidently speculates the possibility of the oncoming tetrad ushering in the messianic age – the Lord’s second coming.

        

       In line with the second coming of Christ, the Bible articulates three thoughts:

        1. The Bible unequivocally speaks about the signs that would precede the Lord’s return (Matthew 24; Luke 21: 7 - 36). Lunar and solar eclipses are mentioned as signs - blood moons are presented as signs (Joel 2: 31; Matthew 24: 29; Acts 2: 20; Rev 6: 12).

So the tetrad coinciding with Jewish holy days in 2014-15 cannot be discounted as totally irrelevant, considering the previous three tetrads.

2. The Bible says that the Lord’s coming is near (Zephaniah 1: 14; James 5: 8). It has been 2000++ years since this was said. So as much as we eagerly await the Lord’s return, HIS return is nearer than before, for 2000++ years have elapsed since this statement was first made.

But knowing that one day is like a thousand years in the Lord’s sight (2 Peter 3: 8), any prediction about the season or the day of the Lord’s glorious return will always be in the realm of uncertainty. All we can say is that the Lord’s return is near.

3. No one knows the exact timing of the Lord’s return. Mark 13: 32 states, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

It is quite interesting to observe Christ mentioning the shorter time period (hour), and the longer time period (day), while making this statement. The word “day” in this verse could mean a 24-hour time period or of time in general (cf. John 14: 20).

        Thus it would be wise not to speculate the hour or date or even the season in which Christ will return in all HIS glory.      

Conclusion:

1. Tetrads need not bring disaster upon the world.

2. Tetrads that have coincided with Jewish high holy days have not brought disaster or changed Israel’s political climate, every single time. Out of the seven occurrences (Table #2), the Jews were affected by four tetrads, and were unaffected by three tetrads.

3. The previous three tetrads that have coincided with Jewish high holy days did surely have an impact upon Israel.

4. The turbulent political climate in the Middle East at present does indicate a possibility of increasing unrest in the region in the near future. This may include Israel.

5. Although something could happen to Israel in 2014-2015, one need not be dogmatic to assert a sure possibility of such an event occurring. This is based on (2).   

6. With reference to the Lord’s glorious return, we can most surely assert that the Lord’s return is near, for the signs of HIS imminent return are in abundance. There is nothing wrong in eagerly expecting the Lord to return in 2014-15.

But in light of Mark 13:32 and the likes, it would definitely be unwise and futile to mention a timeframe for the Lord’s return.

7. Yes, we should be on the alert (Matthew 25: 13; Mark 13: 37), for the Lord’s return to judge the world is certain. But then our life in this world is uncertain, for our life is like a vapor – alive one day and dead the next (James 4: 14).

We could be dead even before we encounter the tetrad. But we would be safe, come what may, death or tetrad or anything, if we are with the Lord Jesus Christ – if we have accepted HIM as our God, and love HIM will all our life (cf. Romans 8: 38 - 39).

My prayer is that all who read this should be with the Lord Jesus forever and ever. Amen.

Endnotes:

Yom Kippur: Eight days after Rosh Hashanah, is the Day of Atonement, of Divine judgment, and of “affliction of souls” (Lev. 23:26-32), so that the individual may be cleansed of sins.

Passover (Pessah): Festival celebrating the Exodus from Egypt and liberation from bondage.

Sukkot: Described in Leviticus 23:34 as the “Feast of Tabernacles.” Begins 5 days after Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement & divine judgment (Lev 23: 26-32).

…the information on Israel high holy days is available at:

http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/IsraelExperience/AboutIsrael/Spotlight/Pages/Jewish%20Festivals%20in%20Israel.aspx

¹ http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/lunar.html 

² http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?country=34

³ http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/history.html

⁴ Talmud - Mas. Sukkah 29a - http://juchre.org/talmud/sukkah/sukkah2.htm#29a

⁵ Other tetrads:

AD 162 – 163, 180 – 181, and 198 – 199

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE0101-0200.html

AD 766 - 767, 784 -   785, 795 -   796

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE0701-0800.html

AD 802 -   803, 813 – 814, 824 – 825, 842 – 843, 860 – 861, 878 – 879, 889 – 890

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE0801-0900.html

AD 1428 - 1429, 1457 - 1458, 1475 - 1476, 1493 - 1494

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE1401-1500.html

AD 1909 – 1910, 1927 - 1928, 1949 - 1950, 1967 - 1968, 1985 - 1986

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LE1901-2000.html

⁶ http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922878.html#ixzz2vI1F68O7

Useful Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_antisemitism

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-25471361

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-25458755

http://redmoonrapture.com/portfolio/history

http://www.pray4zion.org/TheComingBloodMoons.html

http://blogs.christianpost.com/comets-of-god/four-blood-moons-19804/

http://www.voiceofrevolution.com/lineoffire/shows/line_of_fire_03_04_14.mp3