This Saturday, April 4, just before Dawn, the third “Blood Moon” or Lunar Eclipse of 2014-15 Tetrad will be visible in the Western sky for the western half of North America.

During a Lunar Eclipse the Moon turns blood red as the sunlight is reflected through the Earth’s atmosphere. It is as if the Moon, called the “Faithful Witness in the Sky” (Ps 89:37) and representing the believers, was covered in the Blood of Christ. Thus, the Lunar Eclipse is a picture of God’s grace and mercy extended to believers. It also reminds us that we overcome Satan by our witness and the Blood of Christ (Rev 12:11), and thus a Blood Moon can also be called an “Overcomer’s Moon” (See our Blog of 4/9/14 “The Overcomer’s Moon”)

This April 4 Blood Moon occurs in the constellation Virgo (The Virgin) which tells of God’s promise given to our first parents to send the “Seed of Woman” who would crush the head of the Serpent (Satan) but be bruised in the heel (Gen 3:15). God promised to send the “Seed of Woman” through the family of Abraham (Gal 3:15) and later through the family of King David (Jer 33:15). The bright star Spica (The Branch) memorializes God’s promise to raise up the “Righteous Branch from David’s line”, and its message is highlighted for us because it will be only three degrees away from the Blood Moon. This Blood Moon therefore reminds us that God kept his promise.

To celebrate His promise, God instigated the Hebrew Feasts, with the Feast of Passover pointing to Christ’s sacrifice as the Lamb of God. The Feast of Passover also points back to the Exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were told to save themselves from death by sprinkling the Blood of the Passover Lamb on their door frames. Interestingly, on the historic first Passover date in 1446 BC, there was a Blood Moon in Virgo attesting to God’s mercy through the Blood of the Lamb. And our Blood Moon reminds us that we are also saved by the Blood of Christ, our Passover Lamb.

Of course the story does not end with the crucifixion of Christ. Look toward the Zenith point on April 4 and you will see the bright star Vega (He Will be Exalted). Further East is the little constellation Delphinus (the Dolphin) which tells of Christ’s resurrection (See our Blog of 1/14/15 “The Goat and the Fish”). And riding high in the South is the bright planet Saturn (The Ruler) which tells us that the Seed of Woman will triumph in the end.

The total Lunar Eclipse will be visible for only 12 minutes, beginning at 7:54 am EDT, 6:54 CDT, and 4:54 PDT on Saturday morning, April 4.

So have your Easter Sunrise service a day early this year and celebrate God’s salvation and grace, purchased by the Blood of the Lamb. And illustrated by the Blood Moon.