Bad Moon Rising?

The dreaded blood moon

According to Jesus Christ, one of the prophetic signs of the end times will be the appearance of false prophets who will announce that "the time is near" (Luke 21:8) concerning His return.

Certainly, various false prophets have boldly predicted the Rapture over the past two centuries, only to lose all their credibility when the event failed to occur.

The most recent example of that occurred three years ago when a false prophet named Harold Camping claimed that the Rapture was going to take place on May 11, 2011.

May 11, 2011 came and went, but no Rapture occurred. Camping reasoned that he miscalculated the date and he reset it for October of that year. When October came and went without a Rapture, Camping was dismissed as just another false prophet.

Many folks also remember the infamous Mayan calendar controversy that allegedly predicted the end of the world on or around December 21, 2012. Even many so-called Christians allowed themselves to be taken in by that bogus prediction. December 21, 2012 came and went and the world continued on.

And who can forget the infamous prophecy that was supposedly revealed by an obscure 12th century Irish archbishop and Kabbalist named Malachy?

Malachy's prophecy purportedly predicted that 111 popes would sit on St. Peter's throne after Celestine II (1143) before the final pope, who Malachy allegedly named as Peter the Roman would appear and then the end would come.

When Pope Benedict--who was the 111th pope--announced his resignation in February 2013, many folks--including professing Christians--actually anticipated that a pope named Peter the Roman would be named as Benedict's successor and Christ would return shortly thereafter.

Instead, Pope Francis became the 112th successor to Celestine II and the world has continued on as usual.

Now, a new mania is spreading across much of the Christian world, and this craze involves a series of blood red moons that are scheduled to appear in the next few years, beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, April 15, 2014).

The moon's reddish appearance is caused by a total eclipse of a full moon by the earth. This isn't unusual--it's occurred frequently throughout history.

However what's significant is the fact that biblical prophecy reveals that one of the signs announcing Christ's return will be the appearance of a blood moon.

The scripture is contained in a prophecy revealed by the Lord to the prophet Joel approximately 2,700 years ago. Here's what Joel wrote: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 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 2:28-31)

Joel's mention of the blood moon concerns the day of Christ's return. While we are getting close to Christ's return, the appearance of the blood moons in modern times may or may not mean anything.

Before Christ returns, several prophetic events must still occur. These events include: (1) The rise of a one-world government; (2) a new cashless global monetary system; (3) the appearance of a counterfeit global religious revival; (4) the construction of a new Jewish Temple in Jerusalem; (5) the appearance of the dreaded Antichrist and (6) the worldwide persecution of true Christians.

Christ won't return until all of these events have taken place. That's not my opinion--that's what biblical prophecy reveals.

And so, despite the appearance of blood moons, Christ isn't coming back just yet. Oh yes--there was one more thing that Christ warned about concerning those who ignore biblical prophecy and claim that His return is imminent: "Do not follow them." (Luke 21:8)