April 4th, Passover Blood Moon and Nova Sagittarii 2015
As a present and primary purpose of this blog, we have been documenting the Biblical Astronomy of the Blood Moon Tetrads, including the current April 4th, 2015 Passover Blood. As with previous Blood Moons in this Tetrad, it has appeared in Virgo, near Spica [Al-Zimach] which means “the Branch of God“- referring to Jesus Christ. Thus the Blood Moon Tetrads have prophesied of Christ and his Second Coming, not only according to the prophecies of Joel, that we have documented in previous posts, but in other ways also. It is thus significant that this Blood Moon takes place both on Passover and the Resurrection Sabbath when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The Passover is a major feast for Israel signifying their redemption from bondage and exodus from Egypt, while the Resurrection of Christ is a foundation for Christianity and the Gentiles for redemption from the bondage of this world. These heavenly signs also speak loudly of the unity that both Jews and Gentiles have in Christ, as the Apostle Paul relates to us in Ephesians.
Ephesians 2:11-22 (NKJV)
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Christ Our Cornerstone
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Without Christ there is no peace, only the same old divisions that still separate Israel from the world. To support these scriptural truths we have the heavens crying out to us in these Blood Moon Tetrads, for people to work together so that all can hear and share these truths of the redemption made available in Christ. Just as God had a plan for the believers of Israel to work with the Gentile believers in the first century Church, so He has a plan for these believers today in the unity of the spiritual body of Jesus Christ. We can see the witness of the stars aligning with the testimony of God’s Word around the unity that God has made for us in Christ. [Eph. 4:3-7]
One aspect that makes Biblical Astronomy so much fun is the Creator has utilized not only these Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses, as we have just seen in the last two weeks with the March 20th, Total Solar Eclipse on Nisan 1 and the Spring Equinox, but other astronomical signs like planetary conjunctions, meteor showers and even Novae and Supernovas, to speak to us via His heavenly tapestries. It is thus with great interest that I read about this kind of heavenly sign recently,- a Nova in Sagittarius that appeared on the scene just prior to the Total Solar Eclipse on March 20th. This new star has been dubbed “Nova Sagittarii 2015, #2” and has a very interesting story to tell. This Nova first appeared in Sagittarius in the teapot asterism on March 15th, at the heart of this constellation. According to Sky and Telescope, “the Nova peaked from March 21-22 @ 4.3 magnitude, then dropped to a 5.9 magnitude…”1 Thus it first appears as a new star in Sagittarius just prior to the Total Solar Eclipse on March 20th, and reaches its apex magnitude, as the brightest star in Sagittarius during and immediately after the Total Solar eclipse took place. The graphic below depicts the teapot figure in Sagittarius where the Nova appeared, in relation to the adjacent Constellation Scorpius.
This story however does not end here! Sky and Telescopegoes on to say that after Nova Sagittarii 2015 had brightened with the Total Solar Eclipse, it dimmed from March 23rd through April 2nd, but has “re-brightened to a magnitude of 4.6 as of 4/3/2015…”2 to coincide with the Passover Blood Moon following on 4/4/2015. The graphic below shows the Teapot asterism in relation to the Sagittarius Constellation star picture where the arrow from the Conquering Christ is aimed at the heart of the Scorpion, seen in its Red Star Antares. In Biblical Astronomy, the Star names of the constellations tell the story seen in the star picture, which we see in the Akkadian name of the star Nunki in the teapot, meaning the Prince of the Earth.3 Also, “the Hebrew and Syriac name of this constellation is Kesith, meaning the Archer [Gen. 21:20], while the Arabic name is Al Kaus-the arrow,” which is Sagittarius in Latin.4
We can thus see the original meaning of this constellation preserved in the modern usage, but to remind us of the Almighty’s intent in showing us this star picture, He has named and numbered the stars [Ps. 147:4] from antiquity. From the Heavenly Father’s Hand, we have a secondary heavenly sign supporting the theme of the Blood Moon Tetrads over the last 200 centuries, with a Nova that appears and re-brightens in synch with the Solar and Lunar eclipses opening the Spring of 2015, warning of the Second Coming of Christ! This is not the first time a Nova or Supernovae has figured prominently as a heavenly sign marking the Promised Seed. In our study of The General Sign, of the Celestial Prelude, leading up to the birth of Christ, a Supernovae was visible for over two centuries. The first decan, or subordinate sign of Virgo was originally called Coma, meaning; the desired or longed for, seen in the Book of Haggai.
Haggai 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.1
In his book Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger documents the perversion of the meaning of the sign and star picture of Coma, by the Greeks, into the hair or wig of Berenice. Coma was originally pictured as a woman holding her child, in the Dendera zodiac, who was the desired one of the nations. It was in this decan of Virgo that around 125 BC, a new star, so bright that it was visible in daytime, suddenly appeared in the head of the holy child seated in the lap of the woman in the sign Coma, pictured below.
The new star, or supernova in the head of the infant in Coma, visible for over 200 years, was The General Sign, the Star out of Jacob, [Num. 24:17] that prepared the Magi to watch for the specific aspects of the second part of the Celestial Prelude, which included the Jupiter-Saturn triple unions of 7-6BC in Pisces. We find this second aspect of Balaam’s prophecy relating to the scepter, symbolic of the reign of the king planet – Jupiter. We have shown in our study conclusively that Jupiter was the planet that the Magi referred to as “his Star” in Matthew 2:2. The Magi had noted the triple Conjunction of signs from 7-6 BC, involving Jupiter and Saturn, that gave them a blueprint for the actual signs marking Christ’s birth, starting in 3 BC. An early sign in August of 3 BC motivated them to begin their caravan to Jerusalem. Both of these aspects of the General and Specific heavenly signs marking the birth of Christ are apparent in our website study on “The Stars Over Bethlehem,“ providing further details of what the Magi observed in the skies overhead at the Messiah’s birth, both in Virgo and Coma. Even as a new star was prominent marking the birth of Christ, so it seems that new stars or Nova’s are also significant in marking his Second Coming. In some of the Psalms below we find references to the arrows of our King as he rides prosperously through the armies of the enemy. Starting in Psalm 45 we read of the Glories of our Messiah;
Psalm 45: 1-5 (NKJV)
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Contemplation[b] of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
45 My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. 3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. 4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.
Psalm 64:7-10 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. 8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away. 9 All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing. 10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.
Ophiuchus Wrestling the Serpent for the Corona [Crown of dominion]
Both of these chapters speak of the arrows of Sagittarius as deadly weapons in the hands of our King, the Prince of the Earth–Jesus Christ. The context of this study on Sagittarius and Scorpius, reveals key background information to understand the bigger picture of the truth seen in these heavenly signs. In the graphic above, the sign above the Scorpion is Ophiuchus, seen battling his dual headed enemy pictured in this Constellation group as the Scorpion and Serpens. This gives us an example of how to take a composite view to glean the truth from the starry signs. Man’s struggle for the crown of dominion against the serpent is highlighted by the temporary wound the serpent inflicts on him, as shown by the Scorpion stinging his heel, [Gen. 3:15]. The star picture of this initial prophecy of the promised seed cannot be fully grasped, unless we take a composite look at these signs [Ophiuchus, Serpens, Sagittarius, Scorpius & Corona]. A case in point we are illustrating in the graphic below relates to the Mayan myth of the end of the World on December 21st, 2012. Our view of this heavenly sign will always be focused more on the Biblical Astronomy than on Heathen myths and astrology. Here the galactic center of the Milky Way Galaxy, is the focus, with the Sun in its midst, as seen in the graphic below from the Voyager17 Astronomy program. This depicts the sky on 12-21-2012, the supposed end of the world in Mayan astrology. The main components of the scene include Sagittarius, representing the returning Lord Jesus Christ, riding his flying white steed in ultimate victory in the spiritual warfare over the dragon and his brood, represented by Scorpius the scorpion and the serpent. The Sun is centered at the tip of Sagittaruis’ arrow, pointed at the red star Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, as it’s simeultaneously being crushed from above by the foot of Ophiuchus.This reveals the light of the world shining his inescapable light on the kingdom of darkness, as he totally exposes the evil works of the enemy while conquering and laying waste to them all.
As The Sun of God arises here with healing in his wings, the light of the world is pictured at the heel of Ophiuchus. This is the heel wounded by the Scorpion, but the sufferings of Christ’s sacrificial death were only temporary, as they were followed by his resurrection from the dead, signifying his ultimate victory over death. However, the deadly wound Christ inflicts on the serpent in the Lord’s victorious Second Coming. is the final crushing blow that will destroy the works and kingdom of the adversary. Revelation 19 below relates the record of Christ’s victory over the Anti-Christ and his false Prophet at the end of days.
Revelation 19:11-21 (NKJV)
Jesus Christ Riding His White Horse
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had[a] a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,[b] followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp[c] sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,[d] 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free[e] and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
The heavens have come alive with numerous signs telling us that the end is near, and the Second Coming of Christ is at hand! We are only months away from the conclusion of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015 and with each Blood Moon Lunar and Solar eclipse the heavenly and earthly signs intensify. What are you doing to prepare for the Return of the Lord?
Footnotes
1. Sky and Telescope , 4/8/15
2. IBID
3. Witness of the Stars. E.W. Bullinger, p.63
4. IBID
