A rare celestial alignment has many looking toward the heavens.
For some Christians, the occasion of a blood moon—the reddish hue given to the moon during a lunar eclipse—is significant, and hearkens to the scriptural book of Joel 2:20-21 — “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
A docudrama about the event, Four Blood Moons, was released to sold-out crowds in theaters this week. The connection of these celestial events throughout history is explored in the movie in light of biblical prophecy, the future of the Jewish people, and the future of the nations of the world.
The movie is based on a book by the same name, written by New York Times best-selling author John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas and founder of Christians United for Israel.
But the film also has a local connection. Sunrise Beach resident Ron Starr produced the soundtrack for Four Blood Moons. Starr is the owner of INPOP Records, in Nashville, Tenn., which also produced the soundtrack for the highly acclaimed movie, God’s Not Dead.
Fourteen 12 Radio Network, based in Versailles, Mo., Owner Don Allen (left) and Technical Director Jay Dabbs (right) interviewed INPOP Records Owner Ron Starr (center) on Wednesday, March 18 at his home in Sunrise Beach. Check out their Facebook page to hear all about Starr’s involvement with the new “Four Blood Moons” movie.
Starr too believes that, as is depicted in several biblical stories, God is controlling the sun, the moon, and the stars to send a signal that something big is about to happen.
Beginning with an eclipse on April 15, 2014, four “blood moons” will occur within a two-year period. The cycle is known as a “tetrad.” Hagee and others point to the significance of the events, in part because they coincide with major Jewish holy days, including Passover and Sukkot or (Feast of the Tabernacles). The Jewish calendar is lunar.
Starr added, “These dates during which these tetrads fell historically involved world events that were at first bad, and then good, for the Jewish people.”
“There have only been three times in the last 500 years this has occurred,” Dr. Loretta Ollison said. Ollison is a co-pastor at Walk on the Water Faith Church in Osage Beach and is the State Director for Christians United for Israel. “God is showing us things to come because he loves us,” she added.
“God is showing us things to come because he loves us,” Dr. Loretta Ollison (left) said.
But not all Christians agree that the blood moons have theological, historical, or prophetic significance. Mike Moore, the former General Secretary of the organization Christian Witness to Israel, wrote a blog on Jan. 20, 2014 in which he dismissed any significance of the blood moons.
Amid the debate, one thing is clear, Four Blood Moons has garnered lots of attention and a substantial following, with sold-out viewings in nearly 700 theaters. Starr pointed out this has been the all-time best-selling event for Fathom Events theaters.
As a result, more movie show times and screens are being added; the closest showing to the Lake of the Ozarks that is currently scheduled will be on Thursday, April 9 in Columbia, Mo.
A docudrama named Four Blood Moons was released to sold-out crowds in theaters this week. Sunrise Beach resident Ron Starr produced the soundtrack for Four Blood Moons.
A docudrama named Four Blood Moons was released to sold-out crowds in theaters this week. Sunrise Beach resident Ron Starr produced the soundtrack for Four Blood Moons.
