Topical Bible: The Moon: (Becoming Blood) of Judgments

◄ The Moon: (Becoming Blood) of Judgments ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The phenomenon of the moon turning to blood is a significant eschatological symbol found within the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of divine judgment and the end times. This imagery is primarily drawn from prophetic and apocalyptic literature, where celestial disturbances serve as harbingers of God's impending intervention in human history.

Biblical References

The concept of the moon becoming blood is most notably mentioned in the Book of Joel and the Book of Revelation. In Joel 2:30-31 , the prophet declares, "I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD." This passage situates the blood moon within a series of cosmic signs that precede the "day of the LORD," a time characterized by divine judgment and the fulfillment of God's redemptive purposes.

Similarly, in the New Testament, the Book of Revelation echoes this imagery. Revelation 6:12 states, "And when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the whole moon became like blood." Here, the blood moon is part of a sequence of cataclysmic events that unfold as the seals of a scroll are opened, symbolizing the unleashing of divine judgments upon the earth.

Theological Significance

The transformation of the moon into blood is rich with symbolic meaning. It serves as a vivid reminder of the sovereignty and power of God over creation, as well as His ability to disrupt the natural order to fulfill His divine purposes. The blood moon is often interpreted as a sign of impending judgment, a call to repentance, and a warning of the ultimate accountability that humanity faces before God.

In the broader biblical context, blood is frequently associated with life, sacrifice, and atonement. The imagery of a blood moon may thus also evoke themes of redemption and the sacrificial work of Christ, who, according to Christian belief, shed His blood for the salvation of humanity. This dual symbolism underscores the gravity of the eschatological events described in Scripture, where judgment and redemption are intricately intertwined.

Historical and Cultural Context

Throughout history, celestial phenomena such as lunar eclipses have been interpreted as omens or signs. In the ancient Near Eastern context, where the biblical texts originated, such events were often seen as portents of significant change or divine communication. The biblical authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, utilized this cultural understanding to convey profound theological truths about God's interaction with the world.

Conclusion

The imagery of the moon becoming blood is a powerful and evocative symbol within the biblical canon, pointing to the reality of divine judgment and the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan for creation. It serves as a call to vigilance, repentance, and faith, urging believers to remain steadfast in their hope and trust in the promises of God. As such, it continues to capture the imagination and devotion of those who seek to understand the mysteries of God's redemptive work in history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 6:12
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, see, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Give us Today Our Needful Bread
... that eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in ... cheered and nourished in such display
and becoming the readier ... and of that seventh month whose new moon is a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen on prayer/chapter xvii give us today.htm

Oh, How He Loves!
... began to sing, or the sun, and moon, and stars ... with the condescension of Christ in
becoming the Babe ... the Solemn League and Covenant with their blood; how many ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 56 1910/oh how he loves.htm

The Second vision "On Earth"
... Ask a little child what are the sun, moon and stars? ... And shall drink its fill of
their blood: For the ... Planchette is becoming a household god with many, and is ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the second vision on earth.htm

On the Glory of Martyrdom.
... to be described); since it is either not becoming to be ... him that he was to shed the
blood of his ... continued summer, since there neither does the moon serve the ...
/.../on the glory of martyrdom.htm

A New Year's Benediction
... good Mr. Whitfield said, "You might as well measure the moon for a ... Drop all idea
of becoming better through your own strength ... But that thy blood was shed for me ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a new years benediction.htm

Treatise v. An Address to Demetrianus.
... splendour; thus, in her declining course, the moon wanes with ... all lawful, as if it
were all becoming, as if ... and smitten, whoever is found in the blood and the ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise v an address to.htm

The Second Oration on Easter.
... cut off; the sun shall stand still; and the moon be restrained ... and next, On what
principle did the Blood of His ... For that is ever new which is now becoming known ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xlv the second oration.htm

The Gentle Boy
... made brighter by the rays of a young moon, which had ... on the mouth, so forcibly that
the blood issued in ... and Ilbrahim was on the point of becoming as veritable ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the gentle boy.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... in city and field, and, themselves becoming prophets, shall ... sun failing in mid-day,
and the moon's rays falling ... rivers, shall be stained with blood; for Libya ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Against those who Say that Demons Govern Human Affairs, and who ...
... in order that he, suffering expulsion, and becoming better by ... and cover their own
feet with blood, that they ... when the heaven indeed, and sun, and moon, and the ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily i against those who.htm