Blood Moon Hysteria 2.0

This bulk of this newsletter was first published in September of 2014, as the excitement concerning the coming 4 Blood Moons was gaining momentum.

Much has happened in the last 10 years since this was first written and published. Some of the predictions that were made, and promoted, have proven to be false. But given the events that have occurred over the last year, (like the conflict in Yisra’el that began in 2023), interest in the Blood Moons appears to have been revived.

Stoking the fires of interest was the Revelation 12 Sign* that occurred in 2017, and the solar eclipse that occurred on October 2 of this year - 2024. Many put forth the speculation that because the eclipse happened on what coincided with Rosh Hashanah**, the Rapture of the Church was imminent. Obviously, the alleged Rapture did not take place!

The Word of Elohim calls this Yom Teru'ah, the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets. On this Holy Day, trumpet's, or rams horns called shofars, are sounded. This concludes with one long shofar blast that many consider is a reference to the so-called Rapture.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with

the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead

in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thessalonians 4:16 KJV

* The Revelation 12 Sign; https://slhos5.wixsite.com/thewildernesscry/rapturefever

**Rosh Hashana is the modern term for the first day of the Hebrew seventh month. However, this phrase does

not appear anywhere in scripture. Biblically this day is known as "Yom Teru'ah", the day of the blowing

of trumpets. https://slhos5.wixsite.com/thewildernesscry/calendar

It was believed that October 2 would also coincide with the First Day of Tishri, the 7th month on the Hebrew calendar. The First of Tishri is called Yom Teru'ah in the Word of Elohim.

"Speak to the children of Yisra’el, saying, ‘In the seventh new

moon, on the first day of the new moon, you have a rest, a

remembrance of Teru‛ah." Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 23:24

I use the term believed, because the actual date that begins the 7th Hebrew month of Tishri, does not happen until the new moon is sighted. The New Moon proclaiming the beginning of the month of Tishri was sighted at sundown on October 4, 2024.

Moons seem to be important to Yehovah Elohim! It is recorded in His Word that He calls the moon His steadfast witness!

“Like the moon…the witness in the heaven

is steadfast. Selah.” Tehillim (Psalms) 89:37

Due to the renewed interest in these topics, it only seemed appropriate that they be revisited. Hence the addition to the title of 2.0!

It was around 2008 or so that I started hearing about The 4 Blood Moons. These celestial events would occur in two concurrent years - April and October of 2014, and then again, in April and September of 2015. According to certain preachers, the Blood Moons are harbingers of coming events; such as The Rapture, and The 7 Year Tribulation. It was taught that they would appear precisely ON Elohim’s Feast Days as revealed in His Word.

Predicted Dates VS. Actual Dates

The predicted Biblical feast dates, and the appearance of Blood Moons that corresponded to the Gregorian Calendar, were to be:

2014

Pesah (Passover) which would take place from sundown

April 14th to sundown April 15.

The First day of the Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), which would take place from sundown October 8 through sundown October 9.

2015

Pesah which would take place from sundown April 3 through sundown April 4.

The First Day of Sukkot which would take place from sundown September 27 through sundown September 28.

However, since the first day of a Hebrew Month is based on ACTUAL new moon sightings, only one of the dates lined up with Elohim’s calendar. That would be Passover of 2014, which occurred on April third of that year. This is also the only date that corresponded to a Blood Moon event.

Based on reported new moon sightings from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem); the three dates of the occurrences of Elohim’s Feasts that correlated with the Gregorian calendar were as follows:

2014

Pesah (Passover) 2014 - Sundown April 13 through sundown April 14

First Day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) 2014 - Sundown October 10

through sundown October 11.

2015

First Day of Sukkot - Sundown September 29 through sundown September 30.

The Blood Moons that occurred in 2014, and 2015, DID NOT fall on Elohim’s Feast Days as was predicted. The actual dates of the Blood Moons were April 15, 2014, October 8, 2014, and September 28, 2015.

The reported sightings of the new moons can be found at: www.whenisthenewmoon.com

The Blood Moons Phenomenon

The first person to notice and discuss the 4 Blood Moons was Mark Biltz, Pastor of El Shaddai Congregation in Washington State. I was a member of El Shaddai when the revelation of the 4 Blood Moons began to find an audience outside of the congregation. This new insight was so "astronomical" that Mark Biltz began to become a featured speaker on varied Christian programs. During a Prophecy in the News broadcast of 2008, Mark Biltz stated:

"If these events (the Blood Moons and solar eclipses) happen as it

says in Matthew and Luke, at the END of the Tribulation; and

if that's 2015 - you back up seven years - that puts 2008 as

a very critical year."1 (emphasis mine)

He alluded to a strong possibility that the Rapture and the 7 Year Tribulation would begin in 2008, and conclude on Rosh Hashanah 2015.

"...conditions are very favorable for the (7 Year)

Tribulation to begin this fall."2

Concerning solar eclipses that would occur between 2008 and 2010, he went on to say:

"Total solar eclipses means bad news for the [Gentile] nations...

For the next three years [from 2008-2010] we will see judgment

coming upon the [Gentile] nations."3

Judgment from Yehovah Elohim can mean many things. But it usually has to do with extreme destruction and devastation on a massive scale. Such as was the case concerning Mitsrayim (Egypt) during the time of Mosheh (Moses), or Sedom (Sodom) and Amorrah (Gomorrah). I also find it interesting that Mark Biltz claimed this only applied to Gentile Nations; which somehow exempted Yisra’el!

Intrigued by Mark Biltz's "understanding" of the Blood Moons and future eclipses, one of the hosts of the program, a man named J.R. Church; wondered if we were entering Daniel's 70th Week? Church went on to state:

"We can't tell you it will be - but listen -

if the world goes to war, then we'll know."4

According to the proponents of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Doctrine, the prophecy concerning Daniel’s 70th Week represents the 7 Year Tribulation.

“Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and for your

set-apart city, to put an end to the transgression,and to seal up

sins, and to cover crookedness, and tobring in everlasting

righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to

anoint the Most Set-apart.” Dani’el 9:24

Almost affirming the suspicions of the J.R. Church; Mark Biltz further stated:

“There's a good chance there will be war

(in Israel) this summer (of 2008)...”5

Looking in retrospect, we know that war did not break out in Yisra’el the summer of 2008. But predicting wars and conflicts between Yisra’el and Muslim countries, or Islamic factions; is almost like guaranteeing it will rain on the Coast of Oregon. Everybody KNOWS it's going to happen, they are just not sure when!

In a broadcast shown on the Jewish Voice program that aired in August of 2014, Biltz also made these statements concerning the coming eclipses.

“It’s not just the lunar, it’s the solar eclipses as well.

In 2015…Nisan 1 begins with a total solar eclipse.”6

However, there seems to be a discrepancy between Blitz’s statement, and what actually happened. Nisan 1 in 2015 corresponded to March 31st on the Gregorian calendar. According to the same NASA site Mark Biltz used to calculate the Blood Moon dates, the total solar eclipse occurred on March 20th, 2015; not March 31st.7

There were a couple of other issues I had with Mark's delineation of the meaning of the Blood Moons; and the solar eclipses that would occur in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Based on my years of researching Bible prophesy and the Last Days, I have never been a proponent of the 'Pre-Tribulation Rapture" theory. I also know that according to the Bible, not all things predicted to happen BEFORE the so-called Rapture has yet to take place. That also applies to this year, 2024. The great apostasy (falling away), and the revealing of the man of lawlessness, are just two of the many arguments against a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

“Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling away

is to come FIRST, and the man of lawlessness IS TO BE

REVEALED, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts

himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshipped,

so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim,

showing himself that he is Elohim.”

Tas’loniqim Bet (2 Thessalonians) 2:3-4 (emphasis mine)

The year came and went, and with it the possibility that 2008 was the beginning of The 7 Year Tribulation. I didn't think a whole lot about the predictions until the subject of the Blood Moons started to come up in 2017. This is when the so-called Revelation 12 sign began to be discussed.8

The impending solar eclipse (on the wrongly named Rosh Hashanah); caused social media to again be inundated with predictions of an imminent rapture of the Church! Many videos were put out tying the coming solar eclipse on October 2, 2024 with the last Blood Moon that took place on September 28, 2015. But, as it happened before, the internet videos tying the Rapture to the date of the solar eclipse have since disappeared.

I first met Mark Biltz when I began attending El Shaddai Congregation in 2006. A little before Passover in 2007, I had the chance to ask him what he thought of Easter, since it was also approaching. He replied that he considered it a completely "pagan holiday".

At the time El Shaddi used one of the local churches for their services and meetings. One particular Saturday that year, which also happened to be the day before Easter Sunday; he held a Passover Seder for the congregation and guests. But I couldn't help but wonder, since he believed that Easter was a pagan holiday, WHY was he holding a Passover Seder in a church so ornately decorated with EVERYTHING Easter?

As time went on I began to notice an ecumenical bent that was quite disconcerting. Because of this, I subsequently decided to no longer attend El Shaddai. A couple of years later, I became aware of something that caused me even greater concern. It was advertised that Mark Biltz and El Shaddai would be holding a Passover Seder at the Tacoma Dome. The event was open to ANYONE and EVERYONE that wanted to attend. But when I heard about it, one passage from the Bible kept coming to me.

“And when a stranger sojourns with you and shall perform

the Pesah to יְחוׇֹח*, let all his males be circumcised, and then

let him come near and perform it, and he shall be as a native

of the land. But let no uncircumcised eat of it.”

Shemoth (Exodus) 12:48 (emphasis mine)

*The Name Yehovah written in Hebrew letters

Too many times I have witnessed unbelievers being invited to partake of the Pesah in order to "teach" them. But the scriptures are clear, the Pesah is ONLY for Believers! I am not speaking of physical circumcision; but as the Bible defines it - the circumcision of the heart.

“For he is not a Yehudi (Jew) who is so outwardly, neither

is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.

But a [True]Yehudi is he who is so inwardly, and

circumcision is that of the heart, in Spirit, not

literally, whose praise is not from men but from Elohim.”

Royiyim (Romans) 2:28-29 (emphasis mine)

The Apostle was not speaking only to those who were Yisra'el by birth, but he was speaking to those Hebrews and gentiles who had come to Believe and Follow, Messiah Yeshua.

"Now if the first-fruit (physical Yisra'el) is set-apart, the

lump is also. And if the root is set-apart, so are the branches.

And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being

a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and

came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree."

Royiyim 11:16-17 (emphasis mine)

"But to as many as did receive and welcome [Messiah Yeshua],

He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become

children of [Elohim], that is, to those who believe in (adhere

to, trust in, and rely on) His name who were born, not of

blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh

[physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a

natural father], but of (Elohim) [that is, a divine and

supernatural birth -they are born of (Elohim) -

spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]."

John 1:12-13 AMP (emphasis mine)

Signs and Wonders

It didn't take long for those looking for "signs and wonders", to jump on the Blood Moons, Tribulation, Last Days Prophecy bandwagon.

John Hagee was one such individual and released his version on the Blood Moons in October of 2013. I had heard about Hagee's book so I started doing a little research and found his youtube video on the subject. The picture at the top of this page was largely displayed behind him, and the first thing that caught my eye was the date for Sukkot for 2014. According to the poster Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) would begin on October 8 of that year.

As already pointed out, because I do follow the new moon reports, I knew the predicted date for the First Day of Sukkot was going to be incorrect. Now that I am revisiting this topic in 2024, this is very easy to verify. In 2014 the new moon that signaled Yom Teruah, (Tishri 1), was sighted on September 15th. Which as previously stated means that Sukkot did not begin until sunset on October 10, 2014.

“And יְחוׇֹח spoke to Mosheh, saying, Speak to the children of

Yisra’el, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh new

moon is the Festival of Sukkot for seven days to יְחוׇֹח.'”

Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 23:33-34

In 2014, when I first started noticing the discrepancies between the Feast dates and Blood Moons, I needed to go back to see if the first Blood Moon did indeed occur on Pesah that year. Because quite frankly, I couldn't remember. I have been following Elohim’s Calendar, and honoring the Feast Days as dictated in the Bible for decades; but the Blood Moon’s did not pique my interest at the time.

It was then that I discovered errors surrounding a Blood Moon occurring on Pesah as well. The new moon was sighted in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) on March 31, 2014, which was Nisan 1.

“In the first new moon, on the fourteenth day of the new

moon, between the evenings, is the Pesah to יְחוׇֹח.”

Wayyiqra 23:5

It is easily calculated that if the Hebrew day begins at sunset, then Pesah began at sunset on the 13th of April. However, the Blood Moon did not appear UNTIL the 15th.

So what we have here is that while teachers such as John Hagee and Mark Biltz have promulgated the above chart as being significant, especially as it relates to the so-called rapture - the chart itself is errant when it comes to Holy Days established by Yehovah Elohim.

In an interview on October 16, 2013 with Fox News; Hagee flatly stated that these moons occur ON Passover and ON Sukkot.

"[The 4 Blood Moons] starts April the 15th, 2014, next spring and it

happens on Passover. The second Blood Moon next year will be

October the 8th, on the Feast of Tabernacles."9

Interestingly, on the same broadcast, as he was trying to prove his point about the Blood Moons, John Hagee referenced that 4 Blood Moons happened in 1493. He stated that was the year that the Jews were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition. The problem with that statement is that it is completely false. On the same broadcast, he also claimed that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1493. Which is also NOT true.10

In determining if whether or not being close counts, we MUST take into account the preciseness of Yehovah Elohim; which began at Creation. If an approximation is acceptable, then maybe it only took 6&1/2 days to create the Universe, and Elohim actually rested on the 8th day. Obviously, almost and close do not work on the Creator's timetable. All one has to do is examine scripture to know how precise and exact Yehovah Elohim is.

“For every matter there is an appointed time...”

Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 3:1a

“Thus said יְחוׇֹח, ‘...My covenant is...with day and night, and...

I have... appointed the laws of the heavens and earth.”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 33:25

To claim that Pesah and Sukkot occurred on these dates is blatantly false! But was it intentional? If so, that would be considered a lie.

“...no falsehood is of the truth.”

Yohanan Aleph (First John) 2:21b

On the same video where Hagee was teaching about the 4 Blood Moons, he stated:

"The Bible is not something [where] you can take something of

it, and leave something of it. It's either true or it's not true."11

At a Prophecy Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Mark Biltz echoed the sentiments of John Hagee.

"God has to be 100% accurate."12

However, in spite of their proclamations, John Hagee and Mark Biltz have both taken away from what the Bible states concerning the exactness of Elohim’s appointed Feast of Sukkot!

“And יְחוׇֹח spoke to Mosheh, saying, Speak to the children of

Yisra’el, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh new

moon is the Festivalof Sukkot for seven days to יְחוׇֹח.”

Wayyiqra 23:33-34

These obvious errors are very troubling. Mark Biltz is a highly skilled teacher on many things Hebrew, and should know that the sighting of the New Moon would signal the start of the month. Considering the size of John Hagee's support staff, how many people does he have at his disposal, to verify that what he is preaching is true? Perhaps John Hagee doesn't relay that heavily on those around him. On the same video where Hagee was teaching about the 4 Blood Moons, he stated:

"I have studied [the Bible] everyday for 54 years- there's

NOT ONE THING that has to happen before the Lord Himself

shall stand in the clouds of heaven, the Trump of God shall sound,

the dead in Christ shall rise, and we which are alive and remain,

shall be caught up in the twinkling of an eye...[and]whoosh...

we're out of here!"13 (emphasis mine)

The yearning for people to look for signs in the heavens to show when the Messiah will Appear to take them home is nothing new. It has been happening since the inception of the Church.

“As to the coming of our Master יֵשׁוּצַ* Messiah and our

gathering together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become

easily unsettled in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word

or by letter, as if from us, as if the day of יְחוׇֹח has come.”

Tas’loniqim Bet (2 Thessalonians) 2:1-2

*The Name Yeshua written in Hebrew

But apparently after 54 years of studying the Bible; Pastor Hagee is still clueless. Really…NOT ONE THING??? As previously noted:

"Let no one deceive you in any way, because the falling

away is to come first, and the man of lawlessness is to be

revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts

himself above all that is called Elohim or that is worshipped,

so that he sits as Elohim in the Dwelling Place of Elohim,

showing himself that he is Elohim.”

Tas’loniqim Bet 2:3-4 (emphasis mine)

What has been the result of this teaching about the 4 Blood Moons that occurred in 2014 and 2015? Those that expected 2008 to be the start of the Tribulation - were left disappointed!

John Hagee has another Best Seller to add to his list of accomplishments! And a little known Hebrew Roots preacher from Washington, now shares Center Stage with some of the biggest names known to the Prophesy Movement of modern Churchianity.

But as demonstrated here - the predicted dates for these signs in relation to Pesah and Sukkot - were completely false. What does that tell you?

To prevent any misunderstanding, please let me clarify my position. I do believe that Yehovah Elohim set the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky to proclaim His Glory, and announce His appointed times as the scriptures say. I also believe these signs are significant, and not random events. However, only time will tell us what they mean.

But are we to be looking to the heavens attempting to calculate the time of Messiah Yeshua’s Appearance?

“...while [Yeshua’s Apostles] were looking on, He was taken up, and

a cloud hid Him from their sight. And as they were gazing into the

heaven as He went up, see, two men stood by them dressed in white,

who also said, ‘Men of Galil (Galilee), why do you stand looking up

into the heaven? This same יֵשׁוּצַ, who was taken up from you

into the heaven, shall come in the same way as you saw Him go

into the heaven.’” Ma’asei (Acts) 1:10-11(emphasis mine)

End Notes

1. Prophecy in the News: The Blood Moons with Mark Biltz;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL0dv_3gdvg&t=863s

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. The Jewish Voice, Pastor Mark Biltz: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs (Part 2) (August 12, 2014), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kljg_lRY0l4

7. NASA Eclipse Web Site; https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2015.html

8. The Revelation 12 Sign; https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2015.html

9. Dateline Israel Signs in the Heavens of a Four Blood Moon Tetrad in 2014 and 2015 Oct 16, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTNHs9YN2_Y

10. The Spanish Expulsion 1492; http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/expulsion.html

11. Dateline Israel Signs in the Heavens of a Four Blood Moon Tetrad in 2014 and 2015 Oct 16, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTNHs9YN2_Y

12. Mark Biltz Prophecy Conference 7/29/18; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhvnLjqMro

13. Dateline Israel Signs in the Heavens of a Four Blood Moon Tetrad in 2014 and 2015 Oct 16, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTNHs9YN2_Y

Used with permission.