[Darris McNeely] Here on Beyond Today, we've been receiving a number of inquiries about the issue of Blood Moons, and whether the upcoming Blood Moons are connected with prophecies about the end of the world, or related at all to Bible prophecy. The short answer to this is "no." Let's talk for a minute about this.

This year especially, on two dates, on April the 15th and then on October 8th, there are going to be special eclipses – what's called a lunar eclipse of the moon – to take place, which will create a phenomenon that is sometimes called a Blood Moon, where the moon looks to be like blood – red like blood. And this happens occasionally when a lunar eclipse takes place where the earth comes in between the moon and the sun, and then the light and the shadow that is cast back upon the earth makes the moon look like it's red and it's therefore called a Blood Moon.

There are four of these that are taking place – two in the year 2015 – 2014, and then two more in the year 2015 – and they will happen to fall upon four of the annual Holy Days that are described within the Bible, the Biblical festivals. And because of this, there's been a great deal of interest, there have been books written, a lot of prophecy buffs are talking about the fact that something significant could happen in the world scene, and they cite past experiences about events that especially have happened in the history of Israel or the Jews.

Now, the question again comes back – does this indicate something that we need to be aware of in regard to Bible prophecy? Well again, the short answer is "no." Many of these have happened throughout the years, without any significant event taking place. These particular ones that are predicted to come – and they will come, because scientists and astronomers can predict when eclipses of any sort take place – when they come, on these particular dates this year, in just a few weeks, actually, and even then next year, they will come – some of them will come in remote places of the earth, where people – most people on the earth will not even be able to see them. And at least two of them will be done – will not even be able to be seen in Jerusalem, which is a focal point of Bible prophecy.

Now, why is this something that people watch? Well, primarily because of two scriptures. The first one is in the book of Joel, chapter 2 and verse 31, where there is a prophecy that talks about the moon turning to blood. It's in Joel 2:31. It says, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood." Now, that's a supernatural event that is prophesied to take place in the time of the end. Jesus Christ Himself, in Matthew chapter 24, and verse 29, made another comment about heavenly signs that is also significant. And Jesus said, "'Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken'" (Matthew 24:29).

Now, is that what these particular events coming up in this year, 2014, and next year, are referring to specifically in these Bible prophecies? For the third time in this, I will say "no." There are a number of other events that have to take place – one of which is the great tribulation, that is a key event to Bible prophecy, that has not yet begun – before these events, especially in Joel chapter 2, begin to take place.

It's important to watch prophecy. It is important to understand what's taking place in our world. These particular events are supernatural events that will take place, and when they do, all will see them in all parts of the world, and they will be signals of divine intervention – quite different from what we are looking at immediately in front of us this year and next, with these particular Blood Moons, or these lunar eclipses.

So don't get too upset, don't get too concerned about this, but certainly put your nose into the Bible, and do understand the full spectrum of Bible prophecy and what it does tell us about the times and the events in which we live and participate today, and what they do mean about our lives and what we should be learning from them.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.