"SORTING OUT THE MESSAGE OF THE MOONS" BY GENE LAWLEY FROM THE "RAPTURE READY" WEBSITE.

Sorting Out the Message of the Moons

By Gene Lawley

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Anytime there is an eclipse of the moon or the sun it seems to stir up a lot of interest, sometimes almost as the time Hailey’s comet came in view from earth a few years ago. To me it looked like a smoky dust ball in our southeastern sky, hardly visible, even with binoculars. Then, it was gone in a few days, never to return in our lifetime.

But four total lunar eclipses in two years, projected by NASA are getting considerable attention among Bible prophecy adherents. There is much more to it in that regard, however, than just four lunar eclipses in two years. It’s their timing, visibility and repetitive appearances on certain days of the years. Here is a list of their salient characteristics:

• They will appear on specific annual feast days of Israel.  In 2014, on April 15, the Feast of Passover and October 8, 2014, the Feast of Tabernacles.
• They will appear in 2015 on the Feast of Passover, April 4, and on the Feast of Tabernacles, September 28.
• The moon and its signs are distinctly related to Israel. The Jewish calendar is based on a lunar month of thirty days and a 360-day year. Different phases of the monthly moon cycle become reference points for much of Israel’s society.
• The visibility of the eclipses around the world add to the mystery of these so-called “blood moons.”  The first one in 2014 will only be visible in Australia, Pacific and the Americas.  In October, it will be visible in Asia, Australia, Pacific and the Americas. In 2015, the first one will be seen in Asia, Australia, Pacific, and the Americas.  And, the last one will be visible in the East Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa, and West Asia. In the latter region it will be visible in Jerusalem as the moon sets.

Some Observations about These Characteristics

The full eclipses fall on the first and last feast days of the annual seven-feast cycle, seemingly and perhaps purposely bracketing the annual seven feast schedule for each year. Is it to call attention to this annually repeated pattern since God gave Moses the instructions for their observance so many centuries ago on Mount Sinai?

Is it not strange that while the signs of the moon are directed to Israel’s attention, rather than the nations (Gentiles), these total eclipses are not visible in Israel, except for the final one, and that, hardly at all? It begs the question, why?

FULL ARTICLE AT http://www.raptureready.com/soap/lawley40.html