Blood Moon Tetrad: Sign or Hype?

Luke 21: 11, 25

Blood Moon
In 2008 the pastor of a congregation in Tacoma, Washington, by the name of Mark Biltz, began to teach that the
Second Coming of the Messiah might occur in the Fall of 2015. He based this prediction on the pattern of an
astronomical phenomenon that he had discovered. His speculation was picked up immediately by Bible
prophecy sensationalists. The result was that Pastor Biltz's theory became an Internet sensation.
The basis of his theory and not his conclusion has now been given some measure of credibility by the
publication of Pastor John Hagee's book, Four Blood Moons.
Red Moons

So, what is this omen that Biltz and Hagee have in mind and which they refer to as "the four blood moons"? A
"blood moon" is the name that has often been assigned to a complete lunar eclipse, which occurs when the earth
comes between the sun and the moon, putting the moon into a complete shadow. Such a moon often (but not
always) appears to be 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.
Complete or total lunar eclipses are relatively rare. During the 20th Century, there were a total of 229 lunar
eclipses of all types, but only 81 of these were total eclipses (completely obscuring the moon in the earth's
shadow). The rest were partial eclipses. In this century there will be 228 lunar eclipses of all types and 85 total
eclipses.

What is rarer is what is called a "tetrad." This is a series of four total lunar eclipses in a row over a two year
period of time. Since the time of Christ there have been a total of 87 tetrads, including the last one that occurred
in 2003-2004. In this century, we are scheduled to experience 8 tetrads, the most that can occur in a century's
time. Even rarer is a phenomenon that Mark Biltz discovered. Of the 87 tetrads that have occurred since the

time of Christ, only 8 have fallen on Jewish feast days. Those eight occurred in the following years: 162-163,
795-796, 842-843, 860-861, 1428-1429, 1493-1494, 1949-1950 and 1967-1968.
Biltz and Hagee both make much of the fact that the last three tetrads that fell on Jewish feast days occurred at
times when significant events were happening among the Jewish people:
1493-1494 This tetrad followed the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.
1949-1950 This tetrad followed the re-establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.
1967-1968 The beginning of this tetrad occurred right before the beginning of the Six Day war in 1967.
Blood Moons May Foretell of Changing Times
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful
day of the LORD. (Joel 2:31)
On July 29, 2013, Israel and Palestinians entered direct peace negotiations, and the world was very hopeful that
at the end of the nine-month negotiations a final status agreement would be reached.
But the talks broke down. Consequently, on April Fools Day, 2014, in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian peace
negotiations, Palestinian President Abbas moved to join 14 treaties and conventions and one United Nations
organization. The request was approved by UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon. All of this happened at the
outset of a very auspicious time: on April 15, 2014, the first of a series of four Blood Moons over a two year
period occurred. They coincided with the 2014 and 2015 Jewish festivals of Passover (Pesach) and Tabernacles
(Sukkot). Just after the first Blood Moon, Abbas announced the formation of a unity government with the
terrorist group Hamas. Israel responded by formally cancelling the release of the prisoners and imposing
financial penalties in the form of withholding tax levies collected by Israel on the Palestinian Authoritys
behalf.
Abbas and the Second Blood Moon of 2014
The second blood moon in the series of four occurred on the first day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) on
October 8, 2014, just after Abbas once again went to the UN. According to a senior Palestinian Authority
official, Abbas wanted the UN to replace the US as the leading peace broker in negotiations between the Israel
and the Palestinians.
Abbas Claims Jerusalem as Capital
One of the central issues of a two-state solution is the Temple Mount. Who will be worshiped therethe God
of Israel or another godand who will control its accessthe Jewish People or the Palestinians? Although
ostensibly Israel has had control of the Temple Mount since June of 1967, Moshe Dayan, who was Israel's
defense minister in 1967, gave Jordan control of the Mount through the Muslim Waqf or trust.
If Abbas takes the entire issue of a Palestinian state to the UN, there is no telling what the status of East
Jerusalem might become. The original UN Partition Plan of 1947 called for the internationalization of
Jerusalem. The rejection of that plan by the Palestinians and the following 1948 war when Israel declared
independence resulted in Jerusalem once again being re-established as the capital of the Jewish People.
Nevertheless, Jordan captured the eastern portion that included the Old City, where the Jewish People have
lived since antiquity, and the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples once stood, and kept control
of it until 1967. Today, the Temple Mount Faithful prepare for the construction of the Third Temple while
awaiting the return of the Messiah who will come to the rebuilt Temple. Only the Jewish People can rebuild that
Temple, not the Muslims.

So it seems that in these last days it could be Gods plan that the Jews will maintain ultimate control of the
Temple Mount and not the Muslims, regardless of what Abbas has planned. That said, the Bible also indicates
that in the Last Days, the anti-Messiah will establish a temporary, false peace in the Holy Land. This Third
Temple might also be built after the false peace begins the final seven-year period. Half way through that
period, the anti-Messiah will stop the sacrifices and declare that he is God (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
Blood Moons and the Shemitah
September 29, 2014 was the fourth day of the Jewish year 5775, a very special year for several reasons. The
first reason is that this is the first Shemitah (Sabbath) year on the Biblical calendar to be celebrated in a
meaningful way since the Romans razed Jerusalem in AD 70. What is the Shemitah and why is it significant?
The Shemitah is an ancient Biblical mandate given by God to the people of Israel through Moses at Mount
Sinai. It is a God-ordained year of rest for the land that is to be observed every seven years. During this
Sabbath rest for the land, it is not to be sown, cultivated or harvested. (Leviticus 25:15)
The Bible makes it clear that failure to celebrate the Shemitah is a sin that brings judgment upon the land and
the people. (Leviticus 26:33) The destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem and the exile of the people of Israel
to Babylon happened in the year of Shemitah in 586 BC. On the final day of the Shemitah year, on Elul 29, all
accounts were to be wiped clean, but when people are in rebellion to God, the Shemitah can wipe away entire
cities. (Joel 2:31)
If the fact that the Shemitah is being meaningfully celebrated for the first time in about 2,000 years does not
grab your attention, this certainly will: two of the four Blood Moons from the current tetrad of lunar eclipses
occur in 5775. The second Blood Moon coincides with Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and the third with Pesach
(Passover) in 2015.
What's more, there was a full solar eclipse in 5775 between these two full lunar eclipses, halfway between the
four Blood Moons. The fourth and final Blood Moon of this significant tetrad will occur just after this special
Jewish year in 5776. In other words, 5775 essentially begins and ends with a full lunar eclipse. That final Blood
Moon will be a Supermoon, a full moon that appears to be bigger and brighter than usual because the moon will
be at its closest approach to earth. But it will not shine at its normal brilliance, because this moon will turn
blood red as it darkens in the eclipse. This rare confluence of events has the attention of many students of Bible
prophecy, and it certainly seems that God is trying to get our attention in this Jewish year. The question, of
course, is why?
In answering that question, we might remember that a new cycle of seven years begins after the Shemitah year.
Many Believers calculate, using verses from the Book of Revelation, that the Last Days will close with a final,
momentous seven-year period.
The bestselling author of The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn, makes a startling claim in his new book called The
Mystery of the Shemitah, stating that Rosh Hashanah in 2014 begins a cycle that will affect the entire world.
Cahn concludes that all the turmoil in the world todaythe wars, the threat of terrorism, the political upheavals
and economic instability, as well as the ever more frequent natural disasters and plagues are signs from God that
all of mankind needs to repentand quickly! It is worthwhile to understand how the Shemitah could relate to
past world history, current global events, and even the future, especially as it relates to Bible prophecy. The
word shemitah can mean release, but it can also mean shaking, fall or collapse. Rabbi Cahn, in his research, has
discovered that every major financial collapse or stock market crash in America occurred during a Shemitah
year. According to his calculations, each of the five major financial collapses that occurred in the last 40 years

happened in the year of Shemitah: 1973, 1980, 1987, 20001, 20078. The Great Depression of 1929 also
began in a Shemitah year as did the major crash of 19378.
A Legitimate Omen?
So, what about it? Is the tetrad of 2014-2015 the herald of some major event that will impact Israel in
particular?
It could well be. The Bible makes it clear that God speaks through signs of nature, including signs in the
heavens. The very first chapter of the Bible affirms this fact: "Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the
expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and
for days and years...'" (Genesis 1:14).
As for blood moons, the Bible refers to them several times. Some of the references only imply a blood moon
when they speak of the moon being "darkened" (Isaiah 13:10, Joel 2:10, Joel 3:15, and Matthew 24:29).
Others specifically mention a moon "turned to blood" (Joel 2:31 and Revelation 6:12).
But the one thing all these verses have in common is that all of them refer to the Second Coming of the
Messiah, and since that cannot occur in 2015, the tetrad of 2014-2015 if it has any prophetic significance
cannot be a sign that the Messiah is going to return to earth at that time. It must have some other biblical
significance, if any at all as John Hagee argues in his book.
Areas of Concern
Is Mark Biltz's theory really legitimate? The first area of concern that must be considered is the source of the
theory. Mark Biltz is involved in what is called the Hebrew Roots Movement. It is founded on a private
interpretation of the scriptures which does not bear up to close scrutiny by the Word of God. Though claiming
to be Torah Observant Messianics they, like the Pharisees, use their personal interpretation of scripture as a
weapon to condemn. They seek to conform Christianity to its roots in Judaism in practice, belief and worship;
This movement seeks to destroy and blot out the name of Jesus. This is an anti-Christian, Judaizing movement.
Its members have done everything they can to delegitimize the writings of the Apostle Paul because of his
teaching that the Law of Moses was invalidated by the Cross.
The second area of concern is that Biltz is involved in date setting. Both Matthew 24:36 and Matthew 25:13
state that we cannot know the day or hour of the Lord's return. Biltz dismisses Jesus' warning by explaining
them away with bizarre interpretations.
The third area of concern is the inconsistencies surrounding the eight tetrads since Christ. There was no
significant event in Jewish history that was related to the first five tetrads that fell on Jewish feast days. Two of
these tetrads followed the significant events. Only one (1967-1968) served as a partial precursor of the event.
A fourth area of concern is that total lunar eclipses falling on Israel feast days are not unusual. Israel uses a
lunar calendar, and they base their feast days upon the phases of the moon. Logic would dictate that because of
this fact alone, lunar eclipses will fall on Jewish feast days with some regularity.
Jewish months began with the first appearance of the crescent of the new moon, which is a day or so after our
modern definition of a new moon (when the moon and sun are in longitudinal conjunction). Reckoning from
this point, fourteen days later, or the fifteenth of the month, always coincides with full moon. Lunar eclipses fell
on Passover and Sukkot, the same feast days as in the Blood Moon theory, in the 20th century 37 times.
A fifth area of concern is the fact that there is no way the Second Coming could occur in the Fall of 2015
because there are too many prophecies that must be fulfilled before the Lord's return. To name a few:

The Rapture of the Church must occur.

The seven year period called the Tribulation must take place.
The Jewish Temple must be rebuilt.
The Antichrist must be revealed.
A second Jewish holocaust must occur.
To his credit, John Hagee does not set a date for the Lord's return in his excellent new book, Four Blood Moons.
Instead, he simply takes Biltz's discovery and argues that it is an omen of a major development that will take
place a development that will most likely have a significant impact on the Jewish people.
A Caution
I think we should be very cautious about emphasizing things like the Jewish feast tetrads. Such "signs" usually
end up as prophetic embarrassments. Consider the mania that occurred in 1982 over the "Jupiter Effect." This
line up of the planets was supposed to cause giant earthquakes and tsunamis. The year came and passed with no
such significant events. Since that time, we have had to deal with similar manias concerning the Hale-Bop
Comet in 1997, the Y2K computer "crisis" of 2000, and the Mayan Calendar in 2012.
We should focus instead on the precise end time prophecies of the Bible that have been and are being precisely
fulfilled in our day and time clearly indicating that we are living in the season of the Lord's return.
A word of caution to those who are interested in end-times prophecy: First of all, whenever you hear a teacher
or so-called prophet tell you something about the end-times, always make sure you go to the Bible to see if its
really in there! But that being said, many of these teachers will twist the Scriptures, take it out of context and try
to make it mean something it doesnt. Thats where you need to rely on the Holy Spirit inside of you. If
something doesnt sit right with you, thats probably the Holy Spirit warning you dont ignore that!
One other thing the signs in the heavens mentioned in the Bible that will accompany the Lord's return may
not be natural astronomical occurrences at all. Instead, they may prove to be supernatural in nature, provided by
God to herald His Son's return. These prophecies may have nothing to do with lunar or solar eclipses. They
describe breathtaking signs in the heavens that cannot be missed and cannot be attributed to a natural event.
They are signs that will cause mens hearts to fail for fear. No one will need a book on prophecy to know that
something earth shaking is happening. These prophetic signs will occur during the Tribulation, during Daniels
70th Week as described in Revelation 6-18. They will not occur in the church age prior to the Rapture of New
Testament saints.
World changing events could take place during this tetrad, including significant events in Israel. But the Four
Blood Moons Theory is a sensationalizing of biblical prophecy and doesnt match with what the Bible actually
says. This is not serious Bible study: the events do not match, and the biblical event is still future beyond
2015. I am concerned that people understand the importance of biblical prophecy. But, the dramatizing of
prophecy is not beneficial to anyone when predictions are made based upon mystical thinking with regard to the
Bible. We need to understand that there is a lot of sensationalizing, even from some otherwise good Bible
teachers.