In Joel 2:31, is this referring to the blood moon?

Question

Gramps,

In the latter days…..”and the moon shall turn to blood”, is this ” the blood moon”? This is mentioned in Joel.

Raymond

Answer

Dear Raymond,

Before I continue with basically a summary, let me point you to a couple of other questions and answers that appear on the Ask Gramps website regarding this same subject:

What do the scriptures mean that say that the moon will turn to blood?

Are the blood moons occurring this year a sign of the times?

About twenty years ago a series of wildly popular books titled “Left Behind” came out speculating about what the end times could look like. It’s since given birth to an entire genre of that type, and they provide an interesting look on what the end time could be like. Also, we hear about preachers claiming that this or that passage makes them feel that the end times are imminent. One does not need to name names, but some of these preachers have made news in the past few years and this will probably be the case for the future as well.

Generally speaking, those who make predictions about the end times mean well, and writers who create speculative fiction can provide us with an entertaining and fascinating story to listen to. However, one must be very careful saying that a certain event is a “sign” that the end times are coming. Scripture tells us that,

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36).

That is not to say that there won’t be signs or warnings. In his 1999 General conference talk M. Russell Ballard said,

“Brothers and sisters, the exact time of the Second coming is known only to the father. There are, however, signs that scriptural prophecy relating to that tumultuous day is being fulfilled.” Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers

So there will be signs indicating a second coming, but we don’t know the specifics.

Often times humans will read into things that simply aren’t there. While it’s true, there will be natural disasters and “blood moons” during the end times, that doesn’t mean that every cyclone or hurricane means that that end times are happening in the immediate future. Instead of focusing on when the end times might come, or what will happen during them, it’s best to live the most virtuous life you can right now, so if the end times do occur suddenly, you will be ready for them.

Gramps