Christians have been obsessed with astronomical phenomena for centuries and given when we’ve learned about astronomical signs in the Bible, it’s no wonder. Last year, quite a bit of buzz occurred about the numerous blood moons that took to the skies four times in the year 2020.
We have yet another penumbral lunar eclipse occurring on May 26, 2021, following by a “ring of fire” in June. On June 10, 2021, a ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse will show to the inhabitants of the northmost countries, according to Forbes.com. This "ring of fire" is a partial solar eclipse that will last 3 minutes and 33 seconds.
So why do Christians get excited about both of these events, and others such as the Christmas star we witnessed this past year? To answer this question, we’ll have to look at what the Bible has to say about blood moons and solar eclipses.
What Are Blood Moons and Solar Eclipses?
Before we dive into what the Bible has to say about these two astronomical phenomena, we need to first establish what happens during these events.
Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon): During a lunar eclipse, the Earth comes between the sun and moon. In doing so, the sun casts a red shadow on the moon. Hence why we call it a blood moon. The blood moon on May 26 is especially interesting because it’s a supermoon. We will have not seen a moon “this big” since 2015.
Solar Eclipse (Darkened Sun): According to Space.com, “A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets between Earth and the sun, and the moon casts a shadow over Earth.” In other words, the sun will appear to get darker. The type of solar eclipse we’ll see in June isn’t a total eclipse (where the moon covers the sun completely). A “ring of fire” will be visible when the moon sits in front of the sun on June 10th.
With this in mind, let’s explore what the Bible has to say about solar eclipses (darkened sun) and lunar eclipses (blood moons).
What Does the Bible Say about Solar Eclipses (Darkened Sun)?
In many apocalyptic texts, such as Revelation, we see astronomical phenomena play a large role in the End Times. Stars fall to the earth like figs, for instance (Revelation 6:12-17).
Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the sun getting dark.
Matthew 24:29: “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’”
Here Jesus speaks of the Last Days. In the End Times, the sun will go dark. A solar eclipse can remind of us what’s to come.
Revelation 6:12: “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red.”
We’ll address the latter part of this verse in the next section, but the Bible makes use of some vivid imagery here. Most of us don’t have goats in our backyards but imagine a dark goat coat. That’s what the sun will look like after the sixth seal of judgment is broken.
Mark 15:32-33: “Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.”
Some have suggested that a solar eclipse occurred during Jesus’ time on the cross, as the earth went dark at 3 in the afternoon. Although not totally verified, it could remind us that when the sun goes dark, that light will shine again once the Lord sets everything right. For Christians who fear the end times, they will not last forever, and we will experience eternal joy with our Father in the new heaven and new earth.
For some more verses on eclipses, check out this article.
What Does the Bible Say about Lunar Eclipses (Blood Moons)?
Let’s address blood moons, the astronomical phenomenon Christians seem to get especially excited about. Now, we’ll cover some verses that discuss this topic.
Joel 2:31: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”
Why blood? Blood tends to represent a number of things throughout the Bible. We see it in the sacrificial system. Blood being shed to cleanse us of our unrighteousness.
We also see it in the blood of martyrs, like this harrowing scene found in Revelation 6:9. Interestingly enough, the moon turning bloody happens right after the martyrs ask God how long until he takes vengeance for the wrongs done against them. Perhaps the blood moon symbolizes the vengeance God will take for the wrongful murders of his saints.
Revelation 6:12: “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red.”
For other great Bible verses on eclipses, check out this article here.
Why Are Christians Obsessed with Astronomical Phenomena?
We’ve touched on some of this above, that many apocalyptic texts point to rare occurrences in the celestial bodies as a sign that the Day of the Lord approaches. But I think it’s also important to note this verse:
Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
All of creation points to a creator. We see the salvation story through the symbolism of trees, we see the end times through eclipses … we get excited about creation because it shows us the story of our Creator.
Many of us yearn for when Christ will return. Especially for Christians who have grown older, they have seen the earth get more and more depraved throughout the years and cannot help but cry out, “Maranatha!”
Why Should We Be Careful about Obsessing Too Much about Blood Moons?
It’s far too easy to worship creation rather than Creator.
I remember, back during my junior year of high school, a teacher had me in tears. She had talked about the blood moons that would take place in 2015, and how they clearly meant that the world would end that year.
Although she meant well, she forgot the verse about how none of us truly know when the Son of Man will return (Matthew 24:36). Only the Father does.
We can point to several signs that the End Days are approaching, but we don’t know the day.
Furthermore, although we may get excited about the prospect of Jesus returning and setting things right, we can’t forget that we have a job to do. We still have unreached nations and language groups to share the Gospel, coworkers who need to see love in action, and for many of us, members of our own family who don’t know the Lord. You could be the person who plants that seed, who opens someone’s eyes to the Gospel, who shows what loving your neighbor truly means.
So we watch the skies in anticipation and delight, but we do not forget what our Creator called us to do in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/AB Photography
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
This article is part of our larger resource library of Christian questions important to the Christian faith. From core beliefs to what the Bible says about angels, we want to provide easy to read and understand articles that answer your questions about Christian living.
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