Mark Biltz, Blood Moons, Holy Days, and biblical prophecy

January 2014 edition of the Bible News Prophecy magazine

Years ago, I denounced the view that the ‘blood moons’ of 2014 and 2015 could mean that Jesus would return or that the ‘Day of the Lord’ was about to start. This was something that Mark Biltz (who practices Messianic Judaism) started promoting back in 2008–but he was wrong.

World News Daily (WND) promoted Mark Biltz before and here is something it posted related to him last night:

September 24, 2016

It’s a day which could mark the Second Coming itself. But for many Christians, the night of October 2 holds no special significance.

The “Feast of Trumpets” or Rosh Hashanah, begins then. It marks the start of the Jewish New Year and is celebrated by the sounding of a shofar, a ceremonial instrument made out of a ram’s horn.

Mark Biltz, the discoverer of the ‘blood moons’ phenomenon and the author of the explosive new book “God’s Day Timer: The Believer’s Guide to Divine Appointments,” argues the Feast of Trumpets will someday mark the beginning of the tribulation.

“I believe the tribulation will begin some year on the Feast of Trumpets at the beginning of the seven-year Shemitah cycle,” he told WND. “Some year, on this day, it is written in God’s day timer that the resurrection of the dead will take place!”

The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah is occurring soon, but there is a whole series of biblical feasts which have prophetic significance, according to Biltz.

The feasts include the spring feasts:

Pesach, or Passover – The fourteenth day of the month Nisan, begins on April 9, 2017, at sunset

Unleavened Bread – The next day, begins April 10, 2017

First-Fruits – Begins April 15 at sunset

Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, Pentecost – begins at sunset on night of June 3, 2017

And the fall feasts:

Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets – begins at sunset on October 2, 2016

Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement – begins at sunset on October 11, 2016

Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles – begins at sunset on the night of October 16, 2016

Every year, more Christians become curious about the relevance of those “Jewish” holidays to their own spiritual lives. http://www.wnd.com/2016/09/divine-appointments-on-gods-day-timer-looming/#EVF2lBctQg3DaVDK.99

The Bible teaches that the Feast of Trumpets is a time for the blowing of trumpets”

2 The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts…

24 In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:2,24, NKJV throughout except as noted).

In the New Testament, the Bible shows that during the time period known as the Day of the Lord that there will be seven trumpets blown. And the last one, the seventh one, announces the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saints, and meeting Jesus in the air:

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)

Notice that the Bible teaches that Jesus will come on the last trumpet blas. As Christians, we can draw comfort from these words of the New Testament.

Will that actually be on the Feast of Trumpets?

Possibly, though that is not certain.

If it were certain, I do not believe that Jesus would have said:

36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only…44…for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:36,44)

Notice something about the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15:

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Thus, Jesus will return with the sound of a trumpet. And we know this is a trumpet because it is the seventh as it is part of the sequence that is discussed in Revelation 8:

1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7 The first angel sounded … (Revelation 8:1-6)

We do not yet know when this final trumpet will be blown yet, but it will be to announce Jesus’ return.

Anyway, the Fall Holy Days are almost upon us as the Feast of Trumpets runs from sunset October 2nd through sunset October 3rd in 2016.

While Mark Biltz may have certain misunderstandings about it, he is correct to indicate that it should be observed by Christians and that it has New Testament significance. (In general, those who practice Messianic Judaism have wrong ideas about prophecy and the role of the true Church of God throughout history.)

To learn more about the Feast of Trumpets, here is a link to a sermon I made yesterday that many will listen to on the Feast of Trumpets in 2016: The Last Trumpet and the Book of Life.

Some items of related interest may include:

The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets? Are they related? Is so how? If not, where not? Here is a link to the sermon: The Last Trumpet and the Book of Life.
Offertory: Blowing the Trumpet Why should there be an offertory on the Feast of Trumpets. What does the Bible teach? How is the ‘trumpet’ being blown now? How is the Continuing Church of God reaching the world with the gospel of the kingdom? Do those in the Church of God also need to pay attention to the trumpet? Shofar blowing is also heard in this video. Here is a link to the: Donation page of the Continuing Church of God, which includes the ability to use PayPal.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
The Feast of Trumpets: Why Should You Keep It? What does the Bible say? What does this festival picture? A related sermon is available: The Trumpet Warnings.
The Trumpet Release This is a sermon focused on the Feast of Trumpets for 2013. What is the Feast of Trumpets? How can this be part of God’s plan of salvation? Why do the Jews refer to it as Rosh Hashanah? What is the seventh year of release? Should it be restored and proclaimed? Did early Christians keep the Feast of Trumpets? Why should any one keep it now? What will happen with the seven trumpets of Revelation? Why do many not understand aspects of it?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
How to Keep God’s Festivals Many have heard of God’s Holy Days and wonder how they are kept in the 21st century. This is an overview article. A related sermon is also available titled: How to Keep God’s Feasts.
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement.” Does it have any relevance for Christians today? What is the Jubilee? Is fasting healthy? Here is a link to a sermon: Day of Atonement: How Jesus fulfilled His part for the Atonement. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: El Día de Expiación –Su significado cristiano.
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach? A related sermon video is Feast of Tabernacles from Israel.
Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016 This is information on the planned Feast of Tabernacles’ sites for the Continuing Church of God in 2016. The Feast in 2016 begins the evening of October 16th.
Is Second Tithe and Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Should you save and use second tithe? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Jewish Beliefs.