2018 The Moon of Blood revives the debate on the signs of the end of the world

Between Friday (27) and Saturday (28) of July, will occur the largest lunar eclipse of the century. It will last 103 minutes and will be visible, totally or partially in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America (Brazil included), but not at all stages.

However, in the Middle East and North Africa region, it coincides with a phenomenon known as the "blood moon," where the star will be reddish because the sun's light that reaches the Moon during the eclipse, instead of reaching it directly, crosses the

In addition to astronomy, which explains the phenomenon, for some pastors and scholars, it is a question theological. The subject divides the opinions, but many of them claim to be a "sign" related to the end-time prophecies.

In 2008, the subject became popular because of Pastor Mark Biltz, who is a descendant of the Jews. He claimed to have had a revelation when he was studying the prophecies on the Sun and Moon of Genesis, where the Bible states that the lights in the heavens would serve "for signs and seasons."

"The Hebrew term implies what is not only a sign but a sign of its coming," he says, and Biltz also says that the word translated "seasons" has the meaning of "time." determined ", involving in the commemoration of the feasts established by God in the Old Testament and according to the lunar calendar adopted by the Jews.

He recalls texts such as Joel 2:31:" The sun will be turned into darkness , and the bloody moon, before the advent of the great and terrible day of the Lord, "repeats in Acts 2:20. It also states Matthew 24: 29-30, when Jesus says," The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light … And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in the sky "and Luke 21:11:" There will also be astonishing things, and great signs of the sky. "

However, a series of four moons of blood – between 2014 and 2015 – that coincided with the biblical calendar festivals, past and no great change has been observed in Israel.

Divine Warning

Now Pastor Paul Begley has again touched on the subject by speaking on YouTube videos about Blood Moon and Eclipse the following day 27. He argues that the astronomical event was predicted as a sign of the end in the texts of Joel, Acts and Revelation.

In an hour and a half sermon, Begley emphasized this moon of blood in conjunction with continuous volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and earthquakes are a divine warning.

According to the American pastor, the combination of "catastrophic events" that unfold all over the world is related to the Day of Judgment, but it explains "

Opportunity for Evangelism

At the same time , apologist Jeff Zweerink argues that Christians should consider these heavenly events as an opportunity to share everyday life. "

" God made a spectacular creation for us to contemplate, "said Zweerink, who is also an astrophysicist and researcher at UCLA.

These events, he insists, give Christians" the best of times ". opportunity to converse with non-Christians about the Gospel and the creation of God. After all, Creation is a great testimony. "

He says that he does not ignore the prophecies, but argues that natural phenomena can be predicted and explained." It's a biblical principle, "says Zweerink." The reliability that God fulfills His promises can be compared to the way in which Creation behaves. " With information from Express and Christian Today