We will experience the first total lunar eclipse over North America in almost 3 years this next week, the night that begins on December 20. Will this be a bright blood moon or a dark moon (sackcloth)? If depends on things in the atmosphere. If we had volcanic eruptions, the moon would be dark during this eclipse, but most likely this lunar eclipse will be dull red to bright blood red.
When was the last lunar eclipse and what were the headlines? (The following headline information is from Watch.org by Bill Koenig, September 3, 2008)
August 28, 2007: A Blood-Red Moon Rises over North America, Olmert Offers Temple Mount Sovereignty to the Palestinians, Olmert and Abbas Meet on Israel’s Land and Jerusalem, Bush Says Iran’s Actions Could Lead to a Shadow of a Nuclear Holocaust, and Bush Arrives in New Orleans for his 15th Post-Katrina Visit.
Another total lunar eclipse/”blood-red” moon occurred on July 16, 2000, while U.S. President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Yasser Arafat were at the Middle East Summit at Camp David. The sticking point that caused the summit to fail had to do with who would have sovereignty over the Temple Mount-The Israeli’s or the Palestinian Arabs.
A lunar (moon) can only occur during a full moon, always the middle of a Hebrew month. A solar (sun) eclipse can only happen at the end or beginning of a Hebrew month. If you don’t have a Jewish calendar, you can always tell what time of the month it is by the moon. A sliver of the moon shows the beginning or ending of the Hebrew month while a full moon is the middle of the month. In order for an eclipse to fit into Biblical prophecy it must fall on a Feast of the Lord or a Holy Day
When the signs are in the heavenlies over God’s appointed festivals (Feasts of the Lord) it is calling us to attention, watch. Luke 2:25, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; (28) Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Also Daniel 6:26-27; Joel 2:31; Isaiah 34:2-5) [my comment- look up, WATCH the heavenly signs]
What do Rabbinical historical records show us regarding eclipses:
- R. Meir said, “Whenever the luminaries are in eclipse, it is a bad omen for Israel since they are inured to blows. This may be compared to a school teacher who comes to school with a strap in his hand. Who becomes apprehensive? He who is accustomed to be daily punished. Our Rabbis taught, ‘When the sun is in eclipse it is a bad omen for idolaters; when Lavanah (Moon) is in eclipse, it is a bad omen for Israel, since Israel reckons by Lavanah (Moon) and idolaters by the sun. If it is in eclipse in the east, it is a bad omen for those who dwell in the east; if in the west, it is a bad omen for those who dwell in the west, if in the midst of heaven it is bad omen for the whole world. If its face is red as blood, [it is a sign that] the sword is coming to the world; if it is like sack-cloth, the arrows of famine are coming to the world; if it resembles both, the sword and the arrows of famine are coming to the world. If the eclipse is at sunset calamity will tarry in its coming; if at dawn, it hastens on its way, but some say the order is to be reversed. And there is no nation which is smitten that its G-ds are not smitten together with it, as it is said, And against all the G-ds of Egypt I will execute judgments. But when Israel fulfill the will of the Omnipresent, they need have no fear of all these [omens] as it is said, Thus saith the L-RD, ‘Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the nation are dismayed at them, the idolaters will be dismayed, but Israel will not be dismayed.” (Talmud-Mas. Sukkah 29a)
As the shepherds, we should be ‘watching’ by night also. Mark 13:33, “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”
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