The Answer

I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath.  Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.  (Acts 2:19-20)

Lunar eclipses are common; total lunar eclipses are not so common.  A tetrad of blood red moons is rare, and a tetrad with a solar eclipse occurring within the series is very rare, but…

A tetrad of blood red moons with a total solar eclipse in its series, historically significant to Israel, and each falling on a Jewish feast day, with a Shemittah (Sabbath) year corresponding with the Feast of Trumpets within its series is significantly rare!

Some Definitions and Facts

Tetrad:  A cycle of four consecutive total lunar eclipses.  The dates of the coming tetrad are:  April 15 and October 8, 2014, and April 4 and September 28, 2015.

Blood Red Moon:  The appearance of the moon in total eclipse, caused by white sunlight (comprising all the rainbow colors) passing through and being scattered by the earth’s atmosphere, leaving only red light to refract and reflect off the moon.

Solar Eclipse:  Two solar eclipses will take place during this tetrad series.  A total eclipse will occur on March 20, 2015 (Jewish New Year); a partial eclipse will occur on September 13, 2015 (Feast of Trumpets).

Jewish Feast Days (specific to these blood red moons):  Passover (4/15/14), Tabernacles (10/8/14), Passover (4/4/15), and Tabernacles (9/28/15).

Shemittah Year:  Seventh-year sabbatical commanded in Leviticus 25, occurring during the period of Feast of Trumpets (9/25/14) through Feast of Trumpets (9/13/15).

History Explains It

To put the rarity and the relevancy of this tetrad into perspective, consider this:

Only three tetrads of blood red moons taking place on Jewish feast days have occurred in the last 500 years (the next will not happen for another 100 years).  And each of the three instances were linked to significant events in Jewish history.

1493-94

Blood red moons appeared both years on the Jewish feasts of Passover and Yom Kippur, shortly after the 1492 Edict of Expulsion, the decree banishing all Jews who would not convert to Catholicism from Spain.

1949-50

Israel was in the midst of fighting against the Arab nations for independence when the blood red moon tetrad took place on Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles of each year.

1967-68

Four blood red moons occurred on Passover and Feast of Tabernacles in both years, during which time, the Six Day War occurred.

What’s the Meaning for Us Today?

Are the blood red moons a warning to Israel that she is about to face war again?  Is this the final tetrad, and is it leading the whole world to the great and awesome Day of the Lord?  There are signs all around (not just in the sky) for it being very possible.  However, there is still enough reason to believe it isn’t as close as we think.  It’s certain that the world is in a terrible state and ripe for the end, but when in history hasn’t it been?

Scripture stresses that the point isn’t in knowing if it’s today, tomorrow, next month, next year, or not for another century.  The point is in knowing that the end will surely come and that our life’s focus is to be on readiness–making sure we’re prepared and helping others to be prepared.

Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamp lit.  (Luke 12:35)

The meaning of the approaching blood red moons is that we are once again receiving a reminder from heaven.  We’re being given a sign of things to come.  Something–whatever it may be–is about to happen.  We need to be actively paying attention.

• If history is about to repeat itself with persecution and war coming against Israel, as in the past, then, as believers, we are to support them, in the least by praying for them….

• If what’s coming is to affect the whole world this time, then we need to be ready to respond as Jesus would have us, not in fear, not in unbelief, not in selfishness….

• If what happens isn’t catastrophic, but instead we see a turn toward repentance and revival, as so many of us are praying, then we should be prepared to express grateful praises to God who stays His hand, patient with the world yet a little longer, that none should perish!

It’s time to pray!

Pray now, not later.  Pray for Israel.  Pray for your nation.  Pray for the world.  Pray for your family and others.

It’s time to search and know God’s Word!

Search God’s Word for yourself on these matters.  The Holy Spirit will guide you and reveal it to you.

It’s time to seek wisdom and direction!

Study history.  Research how signs and prophecies have been fulfilled in the past.  Apply godly wisdom to present reports.

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Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  (Matt. 7:7)