The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just describe a cosmic light show; it points to a dramatic upheaval of earthly powers before God's judgment. The darkening sun and blood-red moon symbolize the collapse of civil and religious leadership, marking the end of an era before the ultimate reckoning.
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joel is describing the terrifying signs in the heavens that will precede a monumental day of judgment—the "great and awesome day of the LORD." This isn't just a general prediction of future doom; it's specifically linked to the impending devastation of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans, a judgment so severe it would obscure the sun and turn the moon to blood, marking the end of their civil and religious systems.
Have you ever seen a sky so dark or a moon so red it felt… ominous? Joel paints a picture of the heavens themselves in turmoil, acting as a dramatic announcement.
Joel uses powerful, unsettling imagery of the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood. This isn't just poetic language; it's meant to grab attention.
Cosmic Disruption
These aren't natural eclipses but divine signals. Think of it like the ultimate alarm system going off. The very sources of light and order in the sky are disrupted, showing that something monumental and terrifying is about to happen.
More Than Just Weather
Commentators note this could refer to actual atmospheric phenomena like sandstorms or smoke from destruction, making the darkness and 'blood-red' moon visible and tangible. But it also carries a powerful symbolic weight. The disruption of the sun and moon, which govern day and night, signifies a total upheaval of the existing order – political, social, and spiritual.
Joel doesn't just talk about judgment; he calls it 'great' and 'terrible.' What makes a day of the LORD so significant?
The phrase 'the great and terrible day of the LORD' is key. It’s a recurring theme in the Old Testament, marking moments when God’s justice and power are overwhelmingly displayed.
Divine Justice Unleashed
This 'day' signifies a moment of ultimate divine intervention. It's 'great' because of its immense scope and the profound consequences it brings, marking a turning point in history. It’s 'terrible' because it involves severe judgment against sin and rebellion. For those on the receiving end, it’s a day of dread and destruction.
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Dual Fulfillment
While often pointing to future eschatological events (like the final judgment), these prophecies also found fulfillment in historical judgments. For Israel, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans is seen as a prime example of such a 'great and terrible day,' fulfilling God's warnings against their disobedience. The cosmic signs precede this historical and ultimate judgment, underscoring its gravity.
Understand the original words
shemesh · Hebrew Noun
The central luminary of the solar system, often used in biblical prophecy as a symbol of divine presence, glory, or, when darkened, as a sign of judgment and divine intervention in history.
choshek · Hebrew Noun
A state of absence of light, frequently associated in Scripture with judgment, chaos, the realm of the dead, or the removal of God's favor and presence.
yareach · Hebrew Noun
The night luminary; in prophetic literature, celestial phenomena involving the moon often signal dramatic transitions, apocalyptic events, or the disruption of the natural order at the approach of God.
yom YHWH · Hebrew Noun phrase
A significant period of divine intervention in human history, characterized by the manifestation of God’s holiness, the judgment of the wicked, and the salvation of the righteous.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The proper name of the covenant-keeping God of Israel, revealed to Moses, representing His self-existence, eternity, and personal relationship with His people.
Joel's prophecy uses vivid, apocalyptic imagery of celestial disturbances to signify the profound judgment and societal collapse preceding God's 'great and terrible day,' which many scholars see fulfilled in the catastrophic Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
c. 8th Century BC
Joel's Prophecy Issued
The prophet Joel issues his message, foretelling a devastating locust plague and a subsequent outpouring of God's Spirit, all preceding a great 'Day of the Lord'.
c. 6th Century BC
Babylonian Exile
The southern kingdom of Judah is conquered by Babylon, and many of its people are exiled. This period deeply shapes Israel's understanding of judgment and restoration.
c. 4th Century BC
Malachi's Message
The last of the Old Testament prophets, Malachi, also speaks of the 'great and dreadful day of the LORD,' urging people to remember the Law of Moses.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
The Messiah begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and ultimately being crucified, an event with cosmic implications.
c. 33 AD
Day of Pentecost
The Holy Spirit is poured out on Jesus' followers in Jerusalem, fulfilling part of Joel's prophecy and marking the birth of the Church.
c. 40-60 AD
Early Church Growth and Persecution
The Gospel spreads among Jews and Gentiles, but believers face increasing opposition. Astronomical portents are noted, potentially linked to unrest.
66-73 AD— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War and Siege of Jerusalem
Massive rebellion against Rome leads to the brutal siege and destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. Astronomical phenomena and societal upheaval mark this 'great and terrible day of the Lord'.
Jesus directly quotes Joel's language about celestial signs to describe the destruction of Jerusalem and the signs preceding His return, showing how this prophecy is fulfilled in historical events and points to future eschatology.
Revelation 6:12The imagery of the sun turning black and the moon turning to blood is echoed in John's vision of the sixth seal, linking the Old Testament prophecy to cosmic disturbances that accompany divine judgment in the end times.
Amos 5:18This passage also speaks of the 'day of the LORD' as a day of darkness and not light, reinforcing the theme of divine judgment being a time of dread and upheaval, not relief.
Malachi 4:5Malachi anticipates a 'great and dreadful day of the LORD' before the coming of Elijah, directly paralleling Joel's phrase and further connecting these prophecies to significant divine interventions.
Luke 21:25Jesus speaks of signs in the sun, moon, and stars in His Olivet Discourse, again connecting celestial portents with the impending judgment on Jerusalem and His future coming.
clarkeJoel 2:31: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come."
The sun shall be turned into darkness - The Jewish polity, civil and ecclesiastical, shall be entirely destroyed. Before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come - In the taking and sacking of Jerusalem, and burning of the temple, by the Romans, under Titus, the son of Vespasian. This was, perhaps, the greatest and most terrible day of God's vengeance ever…
cambridgeJoel 2:31: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come."
31 . Celestial portents. The imagery may be suggested partly by eclipses (cf. on Amos 8:9 ), partly by unusual obscurations of sun or moon through atmospheric disturbances,—for instance, sand-storms, cyclones, flights of locusts, &c. “A dreadful whirlwind occurred here [in Allahabad] on June 2, 1838. The whole sky was blood-red , not with clouds, for there was not…
The verse doesn't just describe a cosmic light show; it points to a dramatic upheaval of earthly powers before God's judgment. The darkening sun and blood-red moon symbolize the collapse of civil and religious leadership, marking the end of an era before the ultimate reckoning.
Joel is describing the terrifying signs in the heavens that will precede a monumental day of judgment—the "great and awesome day of the LORD." This isn't just a general prediction of future doom; it's specifically linked to the impending devastation of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans, a judgment so severe it would obscure the sun and turn the moon to blood, marking the end of their civil and religious systems.
Joel is describing the terrifying signs in the heavens that will precede a monumental day of judgment—the "great and awesome day of the LORD." This isn't just a general prediction of future doom; it's specifically linked to the impending devastation of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans, a judgment so severe it would obscure the sun and turn the moon to blood, marking the end of their civil and religious systems.
"The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes." — The verse doesn't just describe a cosmic light show; it points to a dramatic upheaval of earthly powers before God's judgment. The darkening sun and blood-red moon symbolize the collapse of civil and…
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Last reviewed October 2026