A Night to Remember, A Night to Ponder

I well remember the bright night many years ago in 1967, as Dad drove our family the dozen or so miles in the car back home to Madsen, the small mining town we called home for many years.  Dad and mom kept busy in their Madsen pastorate, and were making good progress in their pioneering evangelization efforts. Nearby Red Lake, Ontario, was the central town in that mining district.


As we often did, we had been to nearby Red Lake for the evening and now were driving southwest, heading home in our '63 Plymouth Belvedere and beginning to realize how breathtaking the eastern evening sky appeared.  ...but this night was different.  The night seemed unusual, not just because we were miles from the nearest community or even other lights.

The summer night was brightened by the rising golden glow of the huge full moonrise that had begun to make it's way skyward.  It glanced it's reflection off of the ponds and lakes we passed. It's seeming engulfing presence pulled away each of our thoughts and attention. The car became mostly quiet as we took it all in, except for moments of "wow, isn't that beautiful", or "would you look at that".  It seemed we could almost reach out and touch that big moon!  Dad drove slowly to give him time as well to enjoy it's peculiar beauty and appeared to be thinking about something.  We pulled over briefly, rolled down the window and just gazed outside.

After a few moments of silence, Dad thoughtfully said, " ... do you know that the bible says that in the last days, the moon will turn to blood?". At first I thought he was starting to tell us a story or perhaps a joke, but when I realized he didn't have that on his mind at all, I cringed at the sound of his words.  At only ten years old, chills suddenly went up and down my spine.  "Why?", I quickly asked him, as the thought of it sounded messy and very spooky to me.   "I'm not real sure....but this is what the bible tells us will happen in the last days, before Jesus comes", was his reply.    Realizing my alarm, he then added, " ....as long as we are christians, and living the way Jesus wants us to live, we have nothing to worry about".   I let out a sigh, as if I'd just dodged a bullet.  That evening and it's scene has been burned into my mind since that day when I was just ten years old.  I remember it as if it happened last week.  I had early on in life been aware that "because of Jesus" I was entitled to so much.

Fast forward a few decades .... where so much has completely changed since the now seemingly docile sixties I grew up in!  It seems we are much closer to this impending date.  In fact every indication is that it is imminent!  The signs of the times are all around us.  The middle east is a volatile powder keg more than ever before in history.   Biblically, no prophecy needs any further fulfillment before Christ's return. Middle east nations are drunk with their determination to eliminate Israel from her God-given land and position in history. Countries that Ezekiel of old prophesied boldly of, regarding end-time alliances against Israel are coming to the forefront as if they are actors entering for a stage command performance! Society is rapidly deteriorating against God's design.  The homosexual agenda has "advanced" from a criminal act of sodomy in the '60's to full acceptance by a godless society.  Secular humanism has infiltrated our society on every level pushing prayer and God out of our classrooms and life.  Hearts are so cool toward Christ, as busyness, fleshly desires and an instantly gratifying digital age has replaced so many traditional family relationships.

We now have a better understanding of  "blood moons" and lunar eclipses, thanks to NASA and christian leaders who are well-researched and risk their reputation to share their findings.  The blood moon phenomena spoken about biblically, is again set to appear three more times in the next 18 months, according to NASA scientists, then no more blood moons for the next 100 years.  The next total eclipse and subsequent Blood Moon will appear on October 8, 2014,  followed by the same event appearing on April 4, 2015 and September 28, 2015.  While we do not know the exact significance of these blood moons, we know they are spoken about in the bible and appear to be connected with "the last days".

While we are instructed to "occupy til I come", we also need to live more purposefully, as time appears to be short.  It is indeed an exciting time to be a christian as we see God has promised to use the heavens to signal to us "Get Ready, Watch & Pray!  ...I am coming soon!"

When Jesus comes for me, I want to be studying His Word,  and living for Him ....like He's coming for ME!  I want to be doing my part in fulfilling His Great Commission.