Once In A Blue Moon

Some of us attending a birthday party recently got into a discussion about the Blue Moon. Katy said that August, 2012 was one of those months to have two full moons and so that meant the second full moon was a Blue Moon. But, wondered another woman, why is it called a Blue Moon? No one seemed to know. Would the moon actually be blue? I had no answers. I only knew of the expression "once in a Blue Moon". I had never thought about what a Blue Moon is. So I did a little research.

The next Blue Moon is August 31, 2012 : August, 2012 is a month with two full moons. And, by popular acclaim, that means it’s a Blue Moon month—but it’s blue in name only. That’s because a Blue Moon is sometimes defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The first full moon is August 1. The second full moon is August 31, 2012. There are two more definitions for Blue Moon. It can be the third of four full moons in a single season. Or, someday you might see an actual blue-colored moon. For details check the link.

But what has that to do with anything? The Bible often refers to the moon. From the beginning we read,

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. - Genesis 1:14-15 ESV

And God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night--and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, - Genesis 1:14-17 ESV

What does it mean to rule the night? The Psalmist urges us to thank the LORD for the moon. The rule of the moon is part of the steadfast love of the Lord of lords.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; ... the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; - Psalm 136:3, 9 ESV

For a detailed study of the moon's importance check out The moon: the light that rules the night by Dr Jonathan D. Sarfati. He reminds us that the moon is critical to life here on the earth. It is over a quarter of the Earth's diameter. If it were smaller it wouldn't have enough gravity to maintain its spherical shape. It orbits the earth about once a month in regular cycles of 29½ days. This fact made calendars possible and helped people to plant their crops at the best time of the year. The entire Biblical calendar is based upon these phases of the moon. 

The moon also controls the tides. As the moon orbits the spinning earth it causes a cycle of two high and two low tides about every 25 hours. Tides are vital to life here. They cleanse the ocean's shorelines, keep ocean currents circulating and prevent the ocean from stagnating. Our shipping channels and sewage discharges are scoured out. It some places people exploit the enormous tidal energy to generate electricity.

Ethan the Ezrahite sings about the steadfast love of the LORD for His people, comparing that love to the ongoing rule of the moon.

Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." Selah - Psalm 89:37 ESV

All this is part of God's good and wondrous creation. We recognize it as we gaze upon the moon, but there is a dark side of the moon. By this I do not refer to the fact that the moon does not rotate like the earth. I refer to the worship of the moon as the Queen of heaven, as well as the idea that the moon causes lunacy and is related to ancient and current views about werewolves and vampires.

More on this next time.