Reference: Moon
American
This beautiful and stately ruler of the night, Ge 1:16, is one of the chief witnesses to mankind of the goodness, wisdom, and power of the Creator, Ps 8:3; and as receiving all its light from the sun, and reflecting it on all around, it is a striking image of the church of Christ. In the clear sky of the East, the moon shines with peculiar brilliancy; and it was worshipped by most nations of antiquity, either directly, or as an idol-goddess under the name of Ashtoreth, Artemis, Diana, Hecate, Meni, Mylitta, Maja, etc. The Hebrews were specially cautioned against this form of idolatry, De 4:19; 17:3; and yet fell into it; 2Ki 21:3; Isa 65:11; Jer 7:18; 8:2; 19:13; 44:17-25. See LUNATIC and NEW MOON.
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And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and he made stars also.
Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
so that they have gone and served strange gods and worshipped them, whether it be the sun or moon or anything contained in heaven which I forbade,
And he went and built the hill altars again, which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars to Baal and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he bowed himself unto all the host of heaven and served them.
For I will consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained.
But as for you, ye are they that have forsaken the LORD, and forgotten my holy hill. Ye have set up an altar to Fortune, and given rich drink offerings unto the planets.
The children gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, the mothers knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.
and laid against the Sun, the Moon and all the heavenly host: whom they loved, whom they served, whom they ran after, whom they sought and worshipped. They shall neither be gathered together nor buried, but shall lie upon the earth, to their shame and despising.
For the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah are defiled, like as Tophet, because of all the houses; in whose parlors they did sacrifice unto all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto strange gods.'"
But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of victuals, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us. But since we left off to offer and to do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger. read more. Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?" Then said Jeremiah unto all the people, to the men, to the women, and to all the folk, which had given him that answer, "Did not the LORD remember the sacrifices that ye, your forefathers, your kings and rulers, with all the people, have offered in the cities of Judah, in the streets and land of Jerusalem? And hath he not considered this in his mind? Insomuch that the LORD might no longer suffer the wickedness of your inventions, and the abominable things which ye did? Is not your land desolate and void; yea, and abhorred, so that no man dwelleth therein any more, as it is come to pass this day? Did not all this happen unto you, because ye made such sacrifice, and sinned against the LORD? Ye have not followed his voice, to walk in his law, in his ordinances and statutes. Yea, this is the cause that all misfortune happened unto you, as it is come to pass this day." Moreover, Jeremiah spake unto all the people and to all the women, "Hear the word of the LORD all Judah, ye that be in the land of Egypt: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed. Yea, thus have ye said, 'We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven.' Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.
Easton
heb. yareah, from its paleness (Ezr 6:15), and lebanah, the "white" (Song 6:10; Isa 24:23), was appointed by the Creator to be with the sun "for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Ge 1:14-16). A lunation was among the Jews the period of a month, and several of their festivals were held on the day of the new moon. It is frequently referred to along with the sun (Jos 10:12; 72/5/type/mstc'>Ps 72:5,7,17; 89:36-37; Ec 12:2; Isa 24:23, etc.), and also by itself (Ps 8:3; 121:6).
The great brilliance of the moon in Eastern countries led to its being early an object of idolatrous worship (De 4:19; 17:3; Job 31:26), a form of idolatry against which the Jews were warned (De 4:19; 17:3). They, however, fell into this idolatry, and offered incense (2Ki 23:5; Jer 8:2), and also cakes of honey, to the moon (Jer 7:18; 44:17-19,25).
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Then said God, "Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the night; that they may be unto signs, seasons, days and years. And let them be lights in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth." And so it was. read more. And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and he made stars also.
Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
so that they have gone and served strange gods and worshipped them, whether it be the sun or moon or anything contained in heaven which I forbade,
so that they have gone and served strange gods and worshipped them, whether it be the sun or moon or anything contained in heaven which I forbade,
Then spake Joshua unto the LORD, the day when the LORD delivered the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of all Israel, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon."
And he put down the Chemarims which the kings of Judah had set to burn offerings in the hill altars in the cities of Judah round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
And the house was finished the third day of the month Adar, even in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
Did I ever greatly regard the rising of the sun? Or, had I the going down of the moon in great reputation?
For I will consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained.
Thou shalt be feared as long as the sun and moon endureth, from one generation to another.
In his time shall the righteous flourish, yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth.
His name shall endure forever; his name shall remain under the sun among the posterities, which shall be blessed in him. And all the heathen shall praise him.
His seed shall endure forever, and his throne is like as the sun before me. He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon, and as the faithful witness in heaven." Selah.
so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
before the sun, the light, the moon and stars be darkened, and or the clouds turn again after the rain;
What is she, this that peepeth out as the morning, fair as the moon, excellent as the sun, glorious as an army of men with their banners?
The Moon and the Sun shall be ashamed, when the LORD of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem with worship, and in the sight of such as shall be of his counsel.
The Moon and the Sun shall be ashamed, when the LORD of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem with worship, and in the sight of such as shall be of his counsel.
The children gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, the mothers knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.
and laid against the Sun, the Moon and all the heavenly host: whom they loved, whom they served, whom they ran after, whom they sought and worshipped. They shall neither be gathered together nor buried, but shall lie upon the earth, to their shame and despising.
But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of victuals, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us. But since we left off to offer and to do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger. read more. Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?"
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed. Yea, thus have ye said, 'We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven.' Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.
Fausets
yareach "yellow," and lebanah; "white" (Ge 1:14-16, "the lesser light".) Instead of being regarded as a person and worshipped, as it was by the surrounding nations, in Scripture it is God's creature "made for signs, seasons, days, and years" (Ps 104:19). The brightness of the moon in the East, guiding the traveler by night when the heat of day is past, gives it a prominence which it has not with us (Ps 8:3). In Ps 89:37 however the moon is not the "faithful witness," but God is witness to His own oath; translated "and the witness in heaven is faithful," so Ps 89:35. So Job 16:19, "my witness is in heaven," namely, God knows my innocence. The church is "fair as the moon, clear as the sun" (Song 6:10). As the moon shines in the night, reflecting the sun's light, so the church in this world's night (Ro 13:12) reflects the light of "the Sun of righteousness" (2Co 3:18).
Her justification in Him is perfect (1Jo 4:17 ff); in herself sanctification is yet imperfect, as the moon has less light than the sun on the illuminated part, and is but half illuminated. At His coming she "shall shine forth as the sun" (Mt 13:43). It influences vegetable growth; De 33:14, "moons," namely, its phases, others explain "months" as the times of ripening fruits. The cold night dews (Ge 31:40) and moonlight hurt the eyes and health of those sleeping under it; so Ps 121:6, "the moon shall not smite thee by night"; moon blindness is common in the East. The moon was worshipped as Isis in Egypt; as Karnaim, "two horns," of Ashtoreth, wife of Baal the king of heaven (the male and female symbolizing the generative powers of nature), in Syria; as Sin, "lord of the month," in Babylon.
Sabaism (from tsaabaa' "the heavenly hosts") was the earliest of false worships; it appears in our pagan names Sun day, Mon (moon) day; and in Job 31:26, "if I beheld the sun ... or the moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand" in adoration. Josiah put down those who burned incense to the moon (2Ki 23:5). She was called "queen of heaven" (Jer 7:18), though that may mean Venus Urania. "Cakes" (cawanim) round like her disc were offered to her. So far from being an object of worship, it unconsciously worships its Maker (Ps 148:3; 8:3).
The moon in Re 12:1 is the Jewish dispensation, borrowing its former light from the Christian but now become worldly, and therefore under the church's feet (Ga 4:3 end; Heb 2:1). The sea, earth, and its satellite the moon, represent the worldly element in opposition to the sun, the kingdom of heaven. Before Jehovah the moon has no brightness (Job 25:5; Isa 24:23; 60:19-20). He shall be His people's everlasting light when sun and moon shall have ceased to shine.
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Then said God, "Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the night; that they may be unto signs, seasons, days and years. And let them be lights in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth." And so it was. read more. And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and he made stars also.
Moreover, by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
and with fruits of the increase of the sun and with ripe fruit of the months,
And he put down the Chemarims which the kings of Judah had set to burn offerings in the hill altars in the cities of Judah round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
For lo, my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth me, is above in the height.
Behold, the Moon shineth nothing in comparison to him, and the stars are unclean in his sight.
Did I ever greatly regard the rising of the sun? Or, had I the going down of the moon in great reputation?
For I will consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained.
For I will consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained.
I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David.
He shall stand fast for evermore as the moon, and as the faithful witness in heaven." Selah.
Thou hast appointed the moon for certain seasons, the sun knoweth his going down.
so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
Praise him sun and moon; praise him all ye stars and light.
What is she, this that peepeth out as the morning, fair as the moon, excellent as the sun, glorious as an army of men with their banners?
The Moon and the Sun shall be ashamed, when the LORD of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem with worship, and in the sight of such as shall be of his counsel.
The Sun shall never be thy day light, and the light of the Moon shall never shine unto thee: but the LORD himself shall be thine everlasting light, and thy God shall be thy glory. Thy Sun shall never go down, and thy Moon shall not be taken away, for the LORD himself shall be thine everlasting light, and thy sorrowful days shall be rewarded thee.
The children gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, the mothers knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.
Then shall the just men shine as bright as the sun in the kingdom of their father. Whosoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The night is past and the day is come nigh. Let us therefore cast away the deeds of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
But we all behold the glory of the Lord with his face open, and we are changed unto the same similitude, from glory to glory, even of the spirit of the Lord.
Even so we, as long as we were children, were in bondage under the ordinances of the world:
Wherefore we ought to give the more heed to the things which we have heard, lest we perish.
Herein is the love perfect with us, that we should have confidence in the day of judgment; For as he is, even so are we in this world.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
Hastings
The moon is 'the lesser light to rule the night' of the cosmogony of Genesis (Ge 1:16). Its importance was in part due to the recurrence of its phases, which formed a measure for time. Each new moon, as it appeared, marked the commencement of a new period, and so in Hebrew the word for 'moon' and 'month' is the same. Sun and moon occur side by side in passages of Scripture, and to the moon as well as to the sun is ascribed a fertilizing power over and above the gift of light which comes from them to the earth. Just as we have in De 33:14 'the precious things of the fruits of the sun,' so we have there 'the precious things of the growth of the moons.' As a consequence of this, the re-appearance of the new moon was eagerly looked for, and trumpets were blown and sacrifices offered on the day of the new moon. We gather also from Ps 81:3 (RV) that something of a similar kind took place at the full moon. The moon took its part with the sun in one of Joseph's dreams when it 'made obeisance' to him (Ge 37:9); and it stood still, 'in the valley of Aijalon,' at the command of Joshua, at the battle of Gibeon (Jos 10:12-13; cf. Hab 3:11). Language which must have been derived from the appearance of the moon during eclipses is used by the prophets. The moon is to be darkened or turned into blood (Joe 2:10,31) before 'the day of the Lord'; and similar language is used by our Lord (e.g. Mr 13:24). We are told of the redeemed Zion that the light of the moon is to be as the light of the sun (Isa 30:26), and that there is to be no need of the moon, because the glory of God is to be the light of His people (Isa 60:19; cf. Re 21:23). Cautions against the worship of the moon, and punishment by death for the convicted worshippers, are to be found in De 4:19; 17:3; whilst a superstitious salutation of the moon by kissing the hand, not quite unheard of even in our own day, is mentioned in Job 31:26-27. Moon-worship by the burning of incense was offered in Jerusalem, and put down by Josiah (2Ki 23:5).
Mount Sinai is supposed to have derived its name from the moon-god Sin, to whom worship was paid there.
For the worship of the 'queen of heaven,' see under Stars.
In the OT we meet more than once with crescent-shaped ornaments (Jg 8:21; Isa 3:18); whether these are an indication of the worship of the moon is uncertain.
It has been always considered baneful in the bright clear atmosphere of the warmer regions of the earth to sleep exposed to the rays of the moon (Ps 121:6). The influence of the earth's satellite has long been considered burtful. Our word 'lunatic' reproduces the idea of the Western world of our Lord's time, that lunacy was due to the influence of the moon: the Greek word used in Mt 4:24; 17:15 shows this. In the RV the word is translated 'epileptic.' There are many still to be found who believe that the violence and recurrence of epileptic fits vary with the phases of the moon.
H. A. Redpath.
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And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and he made stars also.
And he dreamed yet another dream and told it his brethren, saying, "Behold, I have had one dream more: me thought the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me."
Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
so that they have gone and served strange gods and worshipped them, whether it be the sun or moon or anything contained in heaven which I forbade,
and with fruits of the increase of the sun and with ripe fruit of the months,
Then spake Joshua unto the LORD, the day when the LORD delivered the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of all Israel, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon." And the sun abode, and the moon stood still, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of the righteous, how that the sun abode in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down by the space of a whole day?
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, "Rise thou and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength." And Gideon arose and slew them: and he took away the chains that were on their camels' necks.
And he put down the Chemarims which the kings of Judah had set to burn offerings in the hill altars in the cities of Judah round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
Did I ever greatly regard the rising of the sun? Or, had I the going down of the moon in great reputation? Hath my heart meddled privily with any deceit? Or, did I ever kiss mine own hand?
Blow up the trumpets in the new moon, upon our solemn feast day.
so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
In that day shall the Lord take away the gorgeousness of their apparel, and spangles, chains, partlets,
the moon shall shine as the sun, and the sunshine shall be seven fold, and have as much shine, as in seven days beside. In that day shall the LORD bind up the bruised sores of his people, and heal their wounds.
The Sun shall never be thy day light, and the light of the Moon shall never shine unto thee: but the LORD himself shall be thine everlasting light, and thy God shall be thy glory.
The earth shall quake before him, yea the heavens shall be moved; The Sun and Moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shine.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the LORD come.
The Sun and Moon remained still in their habitation. Thine arrows went out glistering, and thy spears as the shine of the lightning.
And his fame spread abroad throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and gripings, and them that were possessed with devils and those which were lunatic and those that had the palsy: and he healed them.
"Master have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic, and is sore vexed. And ofttimes, he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Moreover, in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall wax dark, and the moon shall not give her light,
And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to lighten it. For the brightness of God did light it: and the lamb was the light of it.
Morish
At the creation the 'lesser light' was to rule the night. Its brilliancy is seen much more in the east than in the west, and its light is more appreciated in the former, especially when the heat of the day necessitates travelling by night. The NEW MOON among the Israelites was a festival: it was watched for on the hills, and as soon as it was seen, it was ushered in by sound of trumpet. Nu 10:10; 1Ch 23:31; Ps 81:3; Eze 45:17; Col 2:16: cf. 1Sa 20:5,18,24.
The Israelites were warned against worshipping the moon as well as the sun and stars. De 4:19; 17:3: cf. Job 31:26-28. Of Israel, in the time of Hoshea and of Manasseh it is said they worshipped 'all the host of heaven.' 2Ki 17:16; 21:3,5. Jeremiah also states that in Judah and Jerusalem cakes were made to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, which is commonly supposed to refer to the moon, worshipped as Astarte. Then when the residue of the people had gone into Egypt, they declared that in spite of the prophet's warning they would burn incense to the Queen of Heaven, and pour out drink offerings unto her. Jer 7:18; 44:17-19,25.
There will be SIGNS IN THE MOON as well as in the sun when the time of God's dire judgement has arrived. Joe 2:10,31; Lu 21:25; Re 6:12. As a symbol the moon is used in prophecy to signify derivative authority, the sun being the supreme source of heavenly rule.
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Also, when ye be merry in your feast days and in the first days of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt sacrifices and peaceofferings, that it may be a remembrance of you before your God. I am the LORD your God."
Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
so that they have gone and served strange gods and worshipped them, whether it be the sun or moon or anything contained in heaven which I forbade,
And David said unto Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the first day of the month, and I should sit with the king at meat. But let me go that I may hide myself in the fields unto this day three days at evening.
Then said Jonathan to David, "Tomorrow shall be the first day of the moon. And thou shalt be missed, because the place shall appear empty.
And so David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon was come, the king sat him down at meat, for to eat.
But they left the commandments of the LORD their God and made them Images of metal, even two calves: and made groves and bowed themselves unto all the Host of heaven, and served Baal.
And he went and built the hill altars again, which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars to Baal and made groves, as did Ahab king of Israel. And he bowed himself unto all the host of heaven and served them.
And he built altars unto all the host of heaven, even in two courts of the house of the LORD.
Did I ever greatly regard the rising of the sun? Or, had I the going down of the moon in great reputation? Hath my heart meddled privily with any deceit? Or, did I ever kiss mine own hand? read more. That were a wickedness worth to be punished, for then should I have denied the God that is above.
Blow up the trumpets in the new moon, upon our solemn feast day.
The children gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, the mothers knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.
But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of victuals, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us. But since we left off to offer and to do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger. read more. Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?"
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed. Yea, thus have ye said, 'We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven.' Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.
Again, it shall be the prince's part to offer burnt offerings, meat offerings, and drink offerings unto the LORD, in the holy days, new Moons, Sabbaths, and in all the high feasts of the house of Israel. The sin offering, meat offering, burnt offering and health offering shall he give, to reconcile the house of Israel.
The earth shall quake before him, yea the heavens shall be moved; The Sun and Moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shine.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the LORD come.
And there shall be signs, in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars: and in the earth the people shall be in such perplexity, that they shall not tell which way to turn themselves. The sea and the waters shall roar,
Let no man therefore trouble your consciences about meat and drink: or for a piece of a holy day, as the holy day of the new moon, or of the Sabbath day:
And I beheld when he opened the sixth seal, and lo there was a great earthquake, and the sun was as black as sackcloth made of hair. And the moon waxed even as blood:
Smith
Moon.
The moon held an important place in the kingdom of nature, as known to the Hebrews. Conjointly with the sun, it was appointed "for signs and for seasons, and for days and years;" though in this respect it exercised a more important influence, if by the "seasons" we understand the great religious festivals of the Jews, as is particularly stated in
and more at length in Ecclus 43:6,7. The worship of the moon prevailed extensively among the nations of the East, and under a variety of aspects. It was one of the only two deities which commanded the reverence of all the Egyptians. The worship of the heavenly bodies is referred to in
and Moses directly warns the Jews against it.
De 4:19
In the figurative language of Scripture, the moon is frequently noticed as presaging events of the greatest importance through the temporary or permanent withdrawal of its light.
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Yea, and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars and whatsoever is contained in heaven, shouldest be deceived and shouldest bow thyself unto them and serve the things which the LORD thy God hath distributed unto all nations that are under all quarters of heaven.
Did I ever greatly regard the rising of the sun? Or, had I the going down of the moon in great reputation? Hath my heart meddled privily with any deceit? Or, did I ever kiss mine own hand?
Thou hast appointed the moon for certain seasons, the sun knoweth his going down.
For the stars and planets of heaven shall not give their light; the sun shall be quenched in the rising, and the moon will not shine with his light.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the LORD come.
Immediately after the tribulations of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall move.
Moreover, in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall wax dark, and the moon shall not give her light,
Watsons
MOON. Particular sacrifices were enjoined by Moses at every new moon, which day was also celebrated as a feast. It is promised in Ps 121:6, "The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night." The effect of a coup de soleil, or stroke of the sun, is well known; and in some climates the beams of the moon are reputed hurtful. Anderson, in his "Description of the East," says, "One must here (in Batavia) take great care not to sleep in the beams of the moon uncovered. I have seen many people whose neck has become crooked, so that they looked more to the side than forward. I will not decide whether it is to be ascribed to the moon, as people imagine here." In some of the southern parts of Europe the same opinions are entertained of the pernicious influence of the moon beams. An English gentleman walking in the evening in the garden of a Portuguese nobleman at Lisbon, was most seriously admonished by the owner to put on his hat, to protect him from the moon beams. The fishermen in Sicily are said to cover, during the night, the fish which they expose to dry on the sea shore, alleging that the beams of the moon cause them to putrefy.
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so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.