Repent! Blood Moon 2015 is upon us!
This Sunday — that’s Easter Sunday to you uninformed and doomed — there will be a lunar eclipse the likes of which the Earth has only seen dozens of times. When that happens, atmospheric factors and the natural refraction of light will make the reflected light that reaches the observing human eye appear to be more red.
It’s Blood Moon (2015)!
Professional prognosticator and collector of loose change John Hagee is making bank off this natural phenomenon. He wrote a book back in 2013 called Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change. In this book, Hagee plucked a Bible verse that has often been used to drum up Doomsday fears.
“The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” Joel 2:31
Of course, that’s an Old Testament verse. Some people might write that off as “old news.” But Hagee backs that one up with this New Testament humdinger, leaving no doubt that this Sunday’s light show is somehow relevant to something, somewhere.
“…There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars…Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25a, 28
Hagee’s assertion is that there are four of these “blood moons” (not a scientific term) in a row, one of which lands on Easter. He believes that these four in a row are significant because they all land on Jewish Holy Days. Spooky stuff.
Here’s what Hagee doesn’t tell you about Blood Moon 2015 — or any other Blood Moon, for that matter:
1) All “blood moons” are, by definition, full moons
2) Jewish festivals are always based around new or full moons, since the Jewish calendar is lunar
3) Whether you can see an eclipse — “blood moon” or not — depends on where you stand on Earth
When you combine these facts, the notion of some divine significance to a “blood moon” is pretty far-fetched. These are scientifically predictable events that are unremarkable when viewed without religious passion attached to them. Sure, they look beautiful — or scary, depending on your bent. But in the end, they are just shadows and timing, and no more serendipitous than noticing that your windshield wipers happen to match the rhythm of the song on the car radio — for a few seconds.
It would be like Hagee telling you that he predicts a cold Thursday in November wherein far more turkey will be consumed than on any other day of the year, followed by a day of lavish spending and beastly shopping behavior.
It doesn’t matter how far out he predicts it. Thanksgiving in the U.S. falls on a Thursday in November, just like how Jewish festivals fall on full and new moons.
It’s cold in November … in this hemisphere. You can see a “blood moon” this Sunday … but only in Asia, Australia and North America. Not even in The Holy Land, where Hagee feels this event will have the most significance.
But do buy the book and decide for yourself.