BLOOD MOON
January 27, 2019
Those who took time to gaze up into the night sky on January 20th and 21st, may have seen a marvelous sight which men have called the “blood moon.” What a privilege it is that our Creator shows such things to us, that remind us of His wonderous works in creating all things. Modern man feels so proud that “he” has the knowledge and ability to name and explain in his “current” language this marvel. Yet modern man didn’t. In fact, many in both the Old and the New Testaments have spoken of the heavenly events using “astronomical language. Consider for example these scriptures: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31), or what John recorded “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and [a]behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the [b]moon became like blood” (Rev. 6:12). Did they observe and use “astronomical language” before modern astronomy? They spoke of total solar eclipse (sun turned into darkness) and total lunar eclipse (moon turned to blood). Many things we read in the Word of God concerning our planet and its relationship to the heavens about us agree with what we have been able to see in all that God has created. The things that are written came as “…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). God’s word reveals so many things about the heavens, and before “modern science”, before great telescopes, and before man ever venture out into the heavens above. One man saw earth from space and said, “The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it diminished in size. Finally, it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man, has to make a man appreciate the creation of God and the love of God – James Irwin” He mentioned the earth, “hanging in the blackness of space”. Yet, it was not Mr. Irwin who first spoke these truths. Job said, “He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7). Another astronaut said, “To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible, … It just strengthens my faith. I wish there were words to describe what it’s like – John Glenn”. Paul said, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). Just honestly looking at creation will strengthen your faith, that is, if you’ll look closely.
As the Psalmist said, ” When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit[a] him? (Psa. 8:3-4). It is true that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), and that all things were made through the Son, Jesus as recorded in John’s gospel; “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3). The writer of Hebrews also said of Jesus, “through whom also He made the [b]worlds” (Heb. 1:2).
When I consider these things God’s word spoke of before man became so smart. When man thought the earth was flat God said, “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” (Isa. 40:22). When man thought the earth was carried by a god, God said, “…He hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7). What this does for me is prove that God knew these things to be, before man! When you consider this in a more relative circle, you’ll find God in His infinite wisdom has provided through His written word many explanations for our existence, and reasons to believe the oracles of God.
I believe the Bible because what I see in the world, agrees with what I read in God’s word. Within the pages of the Bible are many intimate details of how things came into being, that only its Maker could have known, prior to recent discoveries. Look at the world, read the word, look again at the world, and again read God’s word. The more you do this the more you’ll be impressed with the harmony between the two.
Something else I’ve seen is that the Bible, though it is not a science book, a great deal of what it does say touches the field of science and is scientifically accurate. The word “science” suggests “knowledge” or “to know.” Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and [a]idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Tim. 6:20). Much of what is deemed “good science” is falsely so called, simply because it has never been seen or proven and are simply unproven theories of men. Not fact but theory.
I believe the Bible because it was written by about 40 different men over a period of some 1,600 years by writers who mostly were unknown to each other, of different backgrounds and lived in different times. Some spoke different languages, and wrote on a variety of subjects, yet, they all agree! Not a single, contradiction, discrepancy or error! I ask you, how do you account for the unity and harmony within the Bible? I account it to one author, God.
Do you know who will be president in 2020? How about 100 years from now? Read Ezekiel’s prophecies concerning cities and nations. Remember Tyre, the capital of Phoenicia, a major seaport? It was said, “I will make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets, and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,’ says the Lord God” (Ezek. 26:14). Add to this the hundreds of prophecies concerning Christ in the Old Testament, spoken hundreds of years before Jesus was ever born. What are the odds of one person fulfilling just a handful of those in his lifetime? There are prophecies concerning individuals, cities and nations, and concerning Jesus Christ. Read Isaiah 44:28-45:13 to see that king Cyrus was mentioned by name and the fact that he would be involved in the return and restoration of God’s people. Problem!!! This was spoken before the exile and 100 years before Cyrus was even born! Yet it happened just as it was told. As the final book of the Bible states, “…these words are true and faithful” (Rev. 21:5).
Far too many people, both religious and non-religious, will voice their opinions as to their faith or lack of, having never actually read the Bible for themselves. If you do not believe the Bible, give reason for why you don’t by proving what parts are not true or faithful? Show what prophecies have failed or where is it scientifically inaccurate? What do you observe in this world that strikes a discord with what you read in its pages? What do you believe, and why do you believe it?
In Love
Dave Scarpino