An older article – still good information
[…]The Four Blood Moon Theory promotes the idea that these red moons have historically coincided with major events in Jewish history and thus “something will happen” during the current cycle. But is this theory Biblical? Is this something Christians should be concerned about? This article will show that in fact that this theory is a heresy not in line with Biblical prophecy and is actually encouraging practices that the Bible very strictly forbids.
Here is a trailer for Hagee’s best-selling book, ‘Four Blood Moons’:
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is directly in alignment between the moon and the sun, “blocking” the sun’s rays from reflecting off of the moon. However some sunlight filters through the Earth’s atmosphere and hits the moon, giving it a reddish color, hence the name “blood moon.” Hagee credits NASA for confirming that a sequence of four lunar eclipses, or a tetrad will occur in April 2014, on Passover, and then again in September 2014 during the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkoth. The timing is the same for 2015 — a total of four blood moons, all appearing on Jewish feast days.
“The sun and the moon and the Earth are controlled by God almighty,” Hagee said. “He is the one that is getting them in a direct alignment on a certain day at a certain time — but each time, it’s a Passover or Sukkoth. (source). Why NASA’s confirmation matters for Biblical prophetic fulfillment is unknown. But Hagee appeals to NASA to establish his credibility.
The Blood Moon Cycle – Prophetic Warning From God?
According to the Blood Moon theory, the world was warned about all these events.
According to Biltz and Hagee, when this rare occurrence of blood moons falling on Jewish feast days have happened, it has coincided with a major event in Israel’s history. Therefore, since another tetrad cycle has begun, “something big is going to change” or a major event is set to take place (and Biltz originally suggested that in 2015 Jesus would make His Second Coming but has since backed off). But is this really the case?
The blood moon cycle of 1493-1494 is where Biltz and Hagee claim that the world was being warned about the Jewish people in Spain being expelled. However, when one looks at the actual dates, the Jewish Expulsion took place in 1492– the year before the blood moon cycle even started.
Similarly, with the 1949-1950 blood moon/tetrad cycle, it occurred two years after the United Nation declared Israel a nation and one year after its official formation in 1948. So again, rather than being a “prophetic warning of something major changing!”, the blood moons came after the event. So how could it be a warning? Why would God “warn” the Jewish people about a persecution event one year after it took place? The Bible is clear that God warns of events in detail before they take place. Additionally there are other tetrad cycles that have fallen on Jewish holidays where no events of significance took place – a fact Biltz and Hagee readily admit. So on a basic examination, the Blood Moon Theory does not hold up.
Where Is This In Scripture?
Mark Biltz and John Hagee base their Bible prophecy on findings from NASA.
Hagee has pretty much based his entire premise on Joel 2:31. It is an end times prophecy that concerns the Day of The Lord – the end times outpouring of God’s wrath on the Earth in the final years before the Second Coming of The Lord Jesus Christ. It also serves at a time that God will reconcile Israel back to a believing faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Looking at the verse from Joel in context makes it clear that this pertains to the final years of this age:
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.- Joel 2:1-6.
The setting is proclaimed in verse 1: this is the Day of The Lord -thus it is in the end times. For more information on this, please see our article “The Day of The Lord – The Event That Starts The End of The World”, where we go into detail though all of the Old Testament references to Day of The Lord that confirm that it is and end times period after the Rapture and before the Second Coming of Christ to Earth. It is a very specific time where God will judge the unbelieving world with a series of supernatural punishments.
Hagee’s promotion of the Four Blood Moons has been a huge marketing success.
As stated in our article, the Day of The Lord is also a time when unbelieving Israel will become reconciled to God. This is made clear as well in Joel chapter 2:
Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. – Joel 2:15-18.
The implication here is that Israel will begin a call to repentance. They will cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy. And the response of God will be to go into action to defend Israel.
Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. – Joel 2:19-20.
God will then conquer the enemies of Israel and bless them with an abundance of goods.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. – Joel 2:22-29.
God will then initiate a spiritual revival in Israel by pouring out The Holy Spirit among the newly reconciled and repentant Israeli believers. This is established by the prophecies that will be spoken among the people. At this point, the context of Joel 2 should be clear: this is an end times revival in Israel. It is a time where God is directly intervening to carry out judgment on enemies of His people and restoring a nation that did not acknowledge Him and seeks repentance. And this is where we approach the critical verse for the Blood Moon Theory:
And I will shew 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 terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. – Joel 2:30-32.
So The Lord in His mercy provides an indicator of when this great era of Jewish revival will come to pass. “The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” (Joel 2:31). This will be the indication that the Day of The Lord has started. Lord willing it should be clear that this sign in the heavens is not just a general indication that “something is going to happen.” Notice verse 30 says there will be signs in Heaven and Earth with “blood, fire and pillars of smoke.” Biltz and Hagee make no mention of these signs.
This passage details a very specific sequence of events culminating with the defense of Israel by God and their return to believing faith. This is emphasized as the final verse of the chapter stresses that whosoever calls on God’s name will be “delivered.” It is a time of salvation for the believing remnant of Israel. So why do we not see John Hagee or Mark Biltz mentioning the rest of the prophecies in Joel chapter 2? Why are they not talking about the mighty army that is going to ravage homes and destroy people in a manner never seen before? Why have they not mentioned these aspects and instead picking just one verse out of context? It is because they are not following Scripture but instead looking to the stars, NASA and Google for their prophetic interpretation.
Is The Blood Moon Even Mentioned In The Bible?
Even Prosperity Gospel false preachers are cashing in on the Four Blood Moon frenzy.
Hagee would have his readers and followers believe that the blood moon, which is a lunar eclipse, is what is being described in Joel 2:31. In fact it is not. As explained above a blood moon is a total lunar eclipse – a moment when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, putting the moon in a complete shadow. The moon during a lunar eclipse appears red in color because of the way light bends around the earth’s atmosphere, scattering short wavelength light (green through violet) and leaving longer wavelength light (red, orange and yellow). It’s why sunsets and sunrises generally are red. During the 20th century, there were 229 lunar eclipses and 85 of those were complete lunar eclipses which lead to the “blood moon.”
Joel 2:31 describes a sign in the sky when the moon is red and the sun is dark. The sun does not turn dark during a lunar eclipse (it looks as it would normally look on any day). The sun looks dark during a solar eclipse – which is when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun thus “blocking” the sun’s light and making it appear black. Thus what Joel 2:31 is describing is something that has never occurred before in history and could only occur by supernatural means. By putting all the focus on the Blood Moons, Hagee and Biltz have successfully ignored the very clear statement about the sun being dark at the same time, making Joel’s prophecy something far different from the naturally occurring lunar eclipse and tetrads.
The Fulfillment Of Joel 2:31
The real blood moon is described in the book of Revelation.
We find the fulfillment of Joel 2:31 at the sixth seal of Revelation chapter 6:
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; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? – Revelation 6:12-17.
This is the one time in scripture where the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood at the same time. It is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. And as detailed in our the Beginning and End Rapture Series, the 6th seal is the moment when the Day of The Lord begins. Notice the very specific events that take place: a global earthquake. All people in the world running for their lives. Stars falling from Heaven. But do Blitz and Hagee look to this prophecy and say this will all happen on Passover 2014? No. instead they make vague assertions that God is “trying to tell us something” and “something major” will happen in the Middle East. The Four Blood Moon theory is not proper Biblical interpretation. It is instead more akin to astrology and horoscopes.
The Heresy of John Hagee and Mark Blitz
Sadly, some Bible teachers are linking the blood moons to the Second Coming.
And as [Jesus] sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. – Matthew 24:3-5.
To no surprise, Hagee and Blitz are both teachers of blatant heresies and Biblical errors. Here is a video for Hagee’s book “In Defense of Israel” where he makes the outrageous claim that Jesus Christ did not come to Earth to be the Messiah:
These statements amount to pure blasphemy. In Hagee’s book, he attempts to clarify his intent by stating that the Messiah was meant to be a political deliverer – a role which Jesus rejected, not a spiritual savior of souls. Here are some excerpts where Hagee explains his position:
• ..God gave Moses four signs to convince the children of Israel that he was their messiah… He knew he was anointed of God to overthrow Egypt and lead the Jewish people to the promised land.” p. 136.
• “The next two signs God gave Moses were to convince the children of Israel that Moses was their Messiah.” p. 136.
Nowhere in Scripture was Moses ever called a “Messiah.” And he did not consider himself one. We can know this for certain from the book of Hebrews:
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. – Hebrews 11:24-27.
Moses, who was raised as a royal prince, and son of the of Pharaoh’s daughter, gave up his life of luxury to be with his own people the Israelites. Why? Because he believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ who God prophesied would one day defeat Satan (as recorded in Genesis 3:15, which was written by Moses himself). The Messiah, from the first prophecy ever made, was never a political leader. He was the “seed of the woman” who would one day conquer Satan. And thus Moses, by faith in God’s Word, was willing to suffer hardship in the name of Christ than worry about worldly power and glory – the exact opposite of what Hagee claims a Messiah would be doing. This absurd heresy should be a clear sign that Hagee is a false teacher.
The Bible affirms on more than one occasion that Jesus is indeed the Messiah or Christ (which is the Greek term for the Hebrew word “Messiah”):
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. –John 1:40-42.
The disciple Andrew readily identified Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. Additionally Jesus identifies Himself as the Messiah:
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.- John 4:25-26.
Despite these Scriptures, Hagee boldly proclaims in his video: “Jesus refused by word and deed to claim to be the Messiah.” Once again, the flagrant heresy should be a major red flag to anyone buying into the Four Blood Moon Theory.
Hagee also proclaims that Israel never rejected Jesus, because Jesus never offered to be Messiah. Again, the Word of God refutes this claim completely:
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. –Matthew 23:34-39.
In a very scathing rebuke, The Lord Jesus Christ assails the Pharisees for not just rejecting the men of God sent by Jesus through the centuries of Israel’s history, but for killing them. Jesus then reminds them of His desire to gather them but they “would not.” The offer of Jesus was rejected and again Hagee is in deep spiritual error. These are major false teachings and truly blasphemous statements.
Mark Blitz – The Hebrew Roots Heresy
Mark Biltz predicted the Second Coming would take place in 2015.
Mark Biltz, found of El Shaddai Ministries, is a key figure in the Hebrew Roots Movement – an unbiblical, apostate movement that seeks to return Christians to the Mosaic Law and Old Covenant. Like Hagee, Biltz believes in ethnic salvation – the idea that Jewish people, by lineage, are automatically saved and do no need to hear or believe the Gospel to go to Heaven. Here is an excerpt from a post from his website:
“My goal is not to convert Jews to Christianity but to bring non-Jews to a better understanding of YHVH through a better understanding of Torah. I think most Christians do not know YHVH as He really is but know Him as they have tried to create Him in their image rather than understanding they were created in His image.
Many Christians believe they have a relationship with YHVH but they don’t. As far as “who’s in” and “who is not in” when it comes to a relationship with YHVH I have the same answer. That is above my pay grade! Who am I to say who has a relationship with YHVH and who doesn’t? I am not the door keeper. I don’t know people’s hearts and who am I to say to YHVH who is allowed in the Olam Haba (the age of the Messiah) and who is not. Sorry but that authority was not given to me neither would I want it.
As far as Yeshua goes I believe that He is the one Moses spoke of:
Deuteronomy 18:15 “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;”De 18:18 “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
Joseph was not recognized by his brothers because he looked Egyptian and spoke another language. Yet he was the one that brought salvation to Israel. I believe Christianity has hijacked Yeshua and has been presenting an Egyptian which is why Yeshua is not recognized. Just as Jewish children were taken, converted to Christianity and not given back to their parents after the holocaust the same has happened to Yeshua. I believe he desires to go home.” (source).
Once again, if you are a Christian who is buying into the Blood Moon fever, this should be an enormous red flag. Nowhere in Scripture are we told that Jesus “desires to go home” to the Old Testament law. Biltz does not agree with Biblical Christian doctrine and does not believe that Jews even have to believe the Gospel for salvation. He has completely ignored the rebuke Jesus gave to Israel in Matthew 23. He has ignored the fact that all people need the Gospel of Christ to be saved. He is instead preaching a works-based religion based on the law (which Beginning and End has shown is a false teaching). For a more detailed study exposing the many false teachings of Biltz, see Dr. Scott A. Johnson’s teaching here.
Leading Christians Into The Occult?
Many ministries have Christians looking to the stars instead of the Bible.
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. – Deuteronomy 18:9-10.
The Bible contains prophecies that run through the last day of the Earth and into the New Earth that will be created by The Lord. For a believer to gain understanding of interpreting and rightly dividing Bible prophecy, it should come through study of the Scriptures, not the stars. In Deuteronomy 18, God specially referred to those who are “observer of times” – a term for trying to determine the future by looking at constellations or other heavenly bodies, an abomination. Hagee defends his looking to the stars to tell the future by citing Genesis 1:14 – “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” Does this verse mean that Christians are supposed to look to the starts to gain knowledge about the future and to interpret a message from God?
Here is Christian expositor Jonathan Gill’s commentary on the verse:
“..for “signs” of good and bad weather; for the times of ploughing, sowing, reaping, &c. and for the “seasons” of summer and winter, spring and autumn; for “days” by a circular motion for the space of twenty four hours; and for “years” by annual motion for the space of three hundred sixty five days and odd hours. The Targum of Jonathan is, and let them be for signs and the times of the feasts, and to reckon with them the number of days, and, sanctify the beginnings of the months, and the beginnings of the years, and the intercalations of months and years, the revolutions of the sun, and the new moons, and cycles.” (source).
Celestial bodies light our world and provide a way to track time. We can keep the calendar and know the seasons of the year from the sun, moon and stars. The beauty of outer space and its vastness provide inherent proof of God’s existence and creative power at work. But these truths are a far cry from what Hagee and Biltz are teaching – which is looking to a lunar moon cycle to try and determine future events. In the book of Daniel, the prophet was able to identify and interpret dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar through inspiration of God. When the astrologers and the enchanters failed, the Word of God was true.
Not only that, The Lord pronounced a harsh judgment for those who dabbled in occult practices such as astrology or horoscopes:
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. – Isaiah 47:13-14.
Rather than worry that “something” may happen, we should rest on the more sure word of prophecy that we have in Scripture. Pray for Biltz and Hagee to repent of this false teaching and for Christians to use discernment when the latest prophecy craze is presented before them. Christians should indeed be interested in knowing the future and end time prophecy. But it can all be found in the pages of the Holy Bible.
“Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven…” – Jeremiah 10:2.
