The Sept. 23rd, 2017 Heavenly Sign of Rev. 12 in Teshuvah-The Season of Repentance
As a follow-up to our June blog post on the August 21st Total Solar Eclipse we will look further into the association of this exciting Solar Eclipse with the upcoming Rev. 12 celestial sign on Sept. 23rd, 2017. The Total Solar Eclipse was a heavenly spectacle that drew the attention of a national US audience, as they followed it racing across the country, starting in Oregon on the Pacific and exiting S. Carolina to the Atlantic. This once- in-a-century celestial event did not disappoint as mostly clear skies prevailed over 2/3rds of the US mainland, and even areas with cloud cover allowed the thronging crowds openings to view the key aspects of totality during the solar eclipse.
As we recognize the Biblical significance of the signs in the Heavens in the late summer of 2017, our understanding is increasingly enlightened as we notice the history behind the calendar of Israel with the origin of its feasts and holy days. Much greater attention has been focused on the Hebrew Feasts over the last few years due to the Blood Moon Tetrads of 2014-2015, as a series of Blood Moon Lunar and Solar eclipses fell on these holy days drawing the world’s attention to their importance. Fewer realized that this phenomena continued into 2016, which was missed by most due to the confusion of the modern Calendar of Israel with followers using mathematical formulas instead of original Biblical and agricultural determinants, for adding the extra 13th month of Adar. These practices include the sighting of the New Moon and the ripeness of Aviv Barley. The state of the barley requires verification at the end of the 12th month of the Hebrew Calendar. If the barley has not ripened enough, then another month [Second Adar] must be added and the barley checked again at the end of the 13th month. If the barley is Aviv at this time, then the next New Moon becomes the “New Moon of Aviv.” This was the situation in the Spring of 2016, as enough barley was ripe in Israel on March 9th, coinciding with a New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse. This allowed March 9th-to link with Nisan 1, in the sacred Hebrew calendar, followed by Passover two weeks later on March 23rd, aligning with a Full Moon Penumbral lunar eclipse! This provided two more solar and lunar eclipses on Hebrew holy days in the Spring, which were followed by two added eclipses in the late Summer/Fall of 2016, making a total of 6 Lunar Eclipses on Hebrew Feast days in three consecutive years leading into 2017.
This convergence of celestial alignments within the Lunar Eclipse Sextet from 2014-2016 with the Total Solar eclipse of August 21st, 2017, shows a series of Solar and Lunar eclipses on sacred feasts culminating in the Season of Repentance on the Hebrew Calendar in 2017. This highlights the importance of the timing of the Total Solar Eclipse on 21st August 2017 in relation to the 1st day in the month Elul, marking 40 days of Repentance to prepare for Yom Kippur- or the Day of Atonement.
The Season of Repentance also links historically not only to the Jupiter–Venus unions framing the birth of Christ, but also to current events of the Total Solar eclipse on August 21st, and the celestial signs of Rev. 12 on Sept. 23rd, that are also framed by Jupiter-Venus unions in 2017, between 2/26 and 11/13.
The Month of Elul serves as spiritual preparation for the High Feasts of Rosh Hashannah on Tishri 1, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement on Tishri 10. These 40 days from Elul 1 to Yom Kippur are historically related to Moses’ multiple ascents of Mt. Sinai where he spoke with God and received the 10 Commandments. However, when Moses descended into Israel’s camp, he found them committing the sin of the Golden Calf idolatry, where upon in his wrath, Moses smashed the original Tablet of Commandments. The Season of Repentance came about as a result of 40 days of Israel asking the Heavenly Father’s forgiveness in prayer for their grievous sin. This was followed by another 40 days where Moses ascended Mt. Sinai again to God, Who gave him a new set of Tablets with His Commandments. In the Old Testament Israel conducted sacrifices in the Tabernacle and Temple once annually, but only the High Priest was allowed in the Holy of the Holies with an offering for all of Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is our Anointed High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, who laid down his life as the perfect sacrifice in an everlasting Priesthood once and for all, setting the precedent for our spiritual new birth in Christ.
Jesus Christ our High Priest 1
This Season of Repentance or Teshuvah is not only critical for Israel, but for the Gentile Christian Church also, because even though we enjoy salvation wholeness in our spiritual rebirth in Christ, our continued repentance is required because we still break fellowship with God, as we lack the perfection of His Glory. Our continued striving in this life will only be complete once Christ returns to Gather Together the Messianic Jews and the Church of Christian Believers in His spiritual Body. [Rom. 8:28-30, 12:1-2, Cor. 5:17]
The 27th Psalm has always been linked as central to the Season of Teshuvah in Israel.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
The first phrase of this verse links the Light of the Lord [Jehovah] with His Salvation. The Torah has linked the light of Jehovah here with Rosh Hashannah, and Tishri 1. It has also tied the Salvation of Elohim together with Tishri 10 and The Day of Atonement.
Psalm 27:4-5
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The burning desire of the Psalmist is to “dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life.” In doing so God hides us in “the secret of his tabernacle,” and under the shadow of God’s wing no evil can touch us. This verse has been linked to the Feast of Tabernacles which is the 3rd Fall feast following those of Psalm 27:1 above. Thus we
see how the Season of Repentance sets the theme for the Fall feasts on the calendar of Israel. The heart of repentance before God is seeking His Face as it says in verses 7-9.
Psalm 27:7-9
7 Hear, O Lord, [Jehovah] when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God [Elohim] of my salvation.
When we seek God in repentance we not only turn away from evil, but we turn towards God. In doing so we replace our evil habits of the flesh with, the principles of walking in the light as He is the Light, [1 Jn. 1:7]. Thus we forsake the old man and put on the new, [Rom. 6:6, 2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 4:22, Col. 3:9] growing closer to God in Christ each day. When this becomes our delight then God gives us the true desires of our heart. This is when our righteousness truly is illuminated-shining forth for all to see.
Psalm 37: 4-6
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Since repentance can only exist after the entrance of sin, a primary purpose for God’s Creation of mankind is Repentance. This is man returning to God, turning away from evil, so that God can return to man. In God’s foreknowledge He foresaw the fall of creation and He knew mankind would sin and have need of a Savior from sin. So God allowed the sinner to be broken so he could of his own freewill, return to God’s light via His plan and purpose of salvation. This is a universal need since all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. 3 [Rom. 3:23, 512]
A month after, the Total Solar Eclipse we find during the “Days of Awe” from Rosh Hashannah on Tishri 1 to Yom Kippur on Tishri 10, a confirmation of celestial events as described in Revelation 12. As we consider the Great Sign of Revelation 12, on Sept. 23rd, 2017– a 400 day [40 x 10] link was found to Yom Kippur 2017 via unions of Jupiter-Venus, as seen below. But, the New Moon Total Solar Eclipse of August 21st, 2017, is 40 days before Yom Kippur 2017, falling on Sept. 30th. The Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017 starts this traditional 40 day Season of Teshuvah. The Season of Repentance is the call to repent before the Day of the Lord and the last 10 days from Tishri 1-10 are High Holy Days.
As we review the context of this total solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017 we find the following dates, shown with the Regulus unions in Leo, and the Jupiter-Venus conjunctions in Virgo in 2016-2017:
July 30th, 2016 Mercury-Regulus Conjunction
Aug. 5th, 2016 Venus-Regulus Conjunction
Aug. 26-27th, 2016 Jupiter-Venus conjunction [Jupiter enters Virgo]
Feb. 26th, 2017 Jupiter-Venus conjunction
August 21st, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse in Leo @ Regulus
Sept. 23rd, 2017 [Virgo clothed with the Sun/Moon @ feet]-Rev. 12:1-2
Sept. 30th Yom Kippur-Day of Atonement
Nov. 13th, 2017 Jupiter-Venus conjunction
As we saw in our June blog post, we saw the Biblical history of a prior Teshuvah Eclipse involving the Prophet Jonah, during his journey to Nineveh. The purpose of Jonah’s prophecy is to show the sovereignty of God at work in the personal life of Jonah, and his concern not only for His own people, but also for those of Nineveh to help them a avert national catastrophe. There are four steps to the process of Repentance that we find both with Jonah and the Ninevites in this record. The Chart below indicates the presence of these four steps first with Jonah first and then with the people of Nineveh.
1. Forsake Sin: [Jon. 2:1-2] Nineveh [Jon. 3:5]
2. Regret the Breach [Jon. 2:3-7] Nineveh [Jon. 3:6]
3. Confess and make amends [Jon. 2:8-10] Nineveh [Jon. 3:7-8]
4. Accept forgiveness, move with God [Jon. 3:1-3] Nineveh [Jon. 3:9-10]
Jesus employed the repentance of the Ninevites to rebuke the Pharisees, thereby illustrating the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts and their unwillingness to repent (Matt. 12:38-41; Luke 11:29-32). The heathen city of Nineveh repented at the preaching of a reluctant prophet, but the Pharisees would not repent at the preaching of the greatest of all prophets, in spite of overwhelming evidence that He was their Lord and Messiah.
Elul is the month of repentance on the Jewish calendar, the time of turning in the tithes to the storehouse. In the 30 days prior to Tishri 1, the day of Christ’s birth in 3 BC, the shofar was blown each day except the Sabbath in preparation for Hebrew New Years day. The first shofar blast began with a long single tone in memory of the coronation of the King. This is noteworthy not only because all the Kings of Israel counted their reigns from Tishri 1, regardless of when their reigns began, but this is also a key with the birth of Christ whose celestial coronation was recognized with the first of 3 Jupiter-Regulus conjunctions starting Sept. 14th, 3 days after his birth on Sept. 11th, 3 BC. As we may recall it was by following the King Planet Jupiter that the Magi were led to the Christ child in December of 2 BC.
The proximity of this year’s August 21st total solar eclipse relating to the “Rev 12 sign” on 23rd September, 2017, demands our attention. This marks the culmination of an astronomical event which began on November 20, 2016, when Jupiter (the King planet & Sceptre) entered into the body of the constellation Virgo. Due its retrograde motion, Jupiter spends 9.5 months in the“womb” of Virgo, till September 23rd, after which it will be “birthed” by exiting with the Sun rising directly behind the constellation Virgo, [on 9/9/17] with the Moon at her feet and a crown of twelve stars above her head. Biblically, a Sceptre can also be symbolic of person. In Num. 24: 17, we read;
”I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Seth.”
That Sceptre embodies the prophesied return of the Promised Seed, who came first over 1,900 years ago and by his sacrifice, provided redemption for all mankind. All who believe in Him, and follow Him, have a pathway back to God, Who alone is able to deliver us. Our web-study on the General Sign of the Celestial Prelude covers this Numbers 24 record regarding this Sceptre, in the context of the heavenly signs surrounding the birth of Christ. It also provides perspective on the birthing of Jupiter from Virgo’s womb on Sept. 9th 2017. When Israel rejected the King-Jesus Christ, they also rejected his Kingdom, which has been in abeyance ever since awaiting the return of the King, which will happen in two phases. First Jesus will return FOR his Saints [1 Thess. 4:13-18] and take his Church to the right hand of the Father. Then Jesus will return WITH his Saints [Rev. 19:11-21] to conquer and vanquish the evil ones that remain on the earth.
With this impressive and breathtaking parade of celestial signs including Blood Moon Tetrads, a Lunar Eclipse Sextet, numerous Planetary Conjunctions and Alignments, prophesied celestial signs marking the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Total Solar Eclipses, all linked to High Feast and Holy days of the Hebrew Calendar, the Almighty has been screaming to get our attention that its high time to awaken, and Give God His due!!
We have also pointed out in the case of Nineveh that they experienced pervasive civil unrest and at least 2 plagues leading up to the Teshuvah Eclipse [Bur-Sagale Eclipse] that took place OVER NINEVEH on June 15th, 763 BC to kick off the 40 day Season of Repentance, [Jonah 3:4]. This has been documented in the Assyrian Eponym Canon as a solar eclipse identified correctly with the Total Solar Eclipse that occurred in 763 BC, confirmed by other astronomical observations from the same period. 2
With the recent August 21st Eclipse whose visibility was confined to the US mainland, Solar Eclipses [generally understood as signs for the Gentile world] we in the US have already seen flooding of historic proportions as a result of Hurricane Harvey, during the first week of Teshuvah 2017! Perhaps a National Repentance is in order from top to bottom, as we saw in ancient Nineveh, where even the livestock was covered in sackcloth and ashes; [Jon. 3:8], because with all the evil going on in our country, which is plain for all to see, we certainly need to turn back to the Heavenly Father in a “yuge” way! The heart of a national repentance is expressed in Hosea 14.
Hosea 14
14:1 O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur will not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. 7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they will revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof will be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim will say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. 9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors will fall therein.
Certainly if we return to the Lord, He will receive us graciously. Tis’ the Season to turn away from evil and turn towards God, and it all starts with each of us individually!!
*Please be aware that we are not predicting the end of the world. Nor are we predicting a date for “the rapture” or the second coming of Christ! We do see and believe that God is communicating a message through His celestial signs about the last days and general proximity of the gathering of the Church and Christ’s return. We believe that these prophetic events could occur soon, but only God knows the day and hour on which they will occur.
Footnotes
1. Jesus Christ our High Priest [picture credit] cafe.naver.com/sostv1004
2. Wikipedia on the Bur-Sagale Eclipse
3. www.hebrew4christians.com [General reference]
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