Examiner 05-04-2012: This weeked: Supermoon appearing in Arizona Night Sky

This Saturday around 8:35 p.m., Arizona residents will be able to experience the biggest moon of 2012.

For all the trivia buffs out there, the technical definition of this event is a Perigee-syzgy.  However, it is more commonly referred to as a supermoon.  It occurs when the moon, in its oval orbit, is at the closest point to earth.  This moon will be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal moons when it is on the horizon Saturday night.

Arizona’s last supermoon occurred over a year ago on March 19, 2011.

The term supermoon was originally coined by astrologer, Richard Nolle, who believes that the supermoon is connected to destructive weather patterns, including the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake of 2011.  Although there are no conclusive studies on the supermoon’s effect on the weather, it does make for some interesting conjecture.

The Bible Prophecy Connection

The moon plays a significant role during the Last Days.  In Joel 2:31, the Hebrew prophet prophesied that the moon would be turned to blood before the coming of the Day of the Lord.

³¹The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

The fulfillment of this prophecy is seen in Revelation 6:12 at the opening of the sixth seal.

¹² I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,

Further on in Revelation 8:12, at the revealing of the fourth trumpet judgment, the moon is darkened.

¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

This event is prophesied in other scriptures throughout the Bible (See, Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; and Isaiah 13:10).

Wake Up!

Although this Saturday’s supermoon will not be the Biblical moon that is turned to blood and darkened heralding the coming of the Day of the Lord, it is a good reminder that those who follow Christ Jesus should WAKE UP! and look up for their redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28).

For more interesting information on the moon and how it relates to the Bible, click here.