Stargazers and astrology fans will have their eyes set on the sky this week as a major astrological event, a lunar eclipse blood moon, illuminates the sky in rusty, red tones. But not everyone is looking forward to the rare celestial sight. In fact, some are going so far as to say the lunar eclipse will usher in a doomsday or apocalypse situation.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
For the second time this year, some preachers are warning that Friday’s lunar eclipse blood moon signals the end of the world. A similar hysteria happened on January 31, 2018, when the super blue blood moon emblazoned the sky. And yet here we are, with no doomsday to speak of. But one pastor, in particular, thinks the July 27, 2018 lunar eclipse is different.
Does the lunar eclipse blood moon signal the end of the world?
Indiana-based Christian preacher Paul Begley shared a sermon on YouTube in which he read scripture from the Book of Revelation, Joel and Act, which references the moon turning red just before the apocalypse. The sermon, which was called “Prophecy Alert: The Blood Moon Is Rising” and appeared to be shot in a bedroom, warned his live online audience that Friday’s blood moon is the longest blood moon of the century (which is true) but didn’t explicitly say that the world will end this week. Begley just strongly implied it.
“You know, God spoke to me and told me ‘go check out the Blood Moon’ back in June. He said ‘you need to find out what’s going on’ so I knew the Blood Moon was coming but we already had our four Blood Moon Tetrad back in 2014 to 2015, so I wasn’t really that worried about it.”
The Blood Moon Tetrad scare of 2014 was a series of apocalyptic beliefs stirred up by Christian ministers John Hagee and Mark Blitz. The tetrad referred to four lunar eclipses that happened on Jewish holidays, beginning in April 15, 2014. The second eclipse happened in October 2014, the third in April 2015 and the final one in September 2015.
Of course, nothing biblical came out of these astrological events, but the hysteria did garner national media attention.
Begley continued, “So the Lord said ‘you need to go check it out’ and I did and I found out it’s the longest Blood Moon of the century. I found out it was happening over Jerusalem and found that it would be unbelievable folks… Everything I’m saying is the truth, the facts, and it is a fact that Joel Chapter 2 says the sun will be darkened and the moon shall turn into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come.”
“It is a fact the scripture says in Acts 2 that the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall turn to blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes,” he said.
Warning signs of the end of the world?
In his sermon, Begley pointed to recent natural disasters as warning signs that the apocalypse is near. These include volcanic eruptions (Hawaii has suffered multiple volcanic eruptions lately) as well as hurricanes and earthquakes. Although these types of catastrophic natural events have unfolded throughout history, with no doomsday to follow.
According to Begley, Judgement Day won’t actually kick off on Friday July 27, 2018, during the blood moon, but rather, the blood moon will act as yet another natural warning sign that the end is definitely nigh.
Time will tell.
