The Biblical Astronomy of the Mercury-Venus Conjunctions of 2016-2017
There are three Mercury-Venus Conjunctions taking place this year, leading up to the heavenly signs in the late summer and fall of 2017 corresponding to the signs of Rev. 12. These Rev. 12 signs mark both the birth and potential return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The preliminary 2015 Rev. 12 signs were also summarized below as they took place at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad in September of 2015 seen below.
BLOOD MOON TETRAD 2014-2015 Summary
Sept. 13th 2015 [Partial Solar Eclipse-Rosh Hashanah]
Sept. 17th 2015 [Sun clothing Virgo with the Moon at her feet]
Sept. 17th 2015 [Mercury-Spica in Virgo]
Sept. 23rd, 2015 [Hebrew Jubilee Year opens on the Day of Atonement]
Sept. 28th 2015 [Final Super Blood Moon, Feast of Trumpets]
October 8th, 2015 [Venus-Regulus in Leo]
These heavenly signs of Rev. 12 in 2015 occur two years prior to the replay of these signs in 2017. Of particular note from the summary above is the conjunction of Mercury with Spica/Al Zemach in Virgo, not only on Sept. 17th, but also the next month on October 29th 2015, which opened the Jubilee year of 5776 on the Hebrew Calendar. Al Zemach as the brightest star in Virgo represents the four-fold ministry of Jesus Christ as the King, Son of Man, Servant, and Son of God. The Four Gospels depict the four ministries of Christ, as seen in the Hebrew word “tzemach”-or the branch. This word is used 12 times in the OT, but these four usages delineate the 4-fold Ministry of the Messiah, Jehovah’s Branch, and offspring. The Virgo graphic below is an exciting new addition to our bookstore, featuring the 12 major signs of the ecliptic, with not only their Biblical star names and meanings included, but also their minor signs called Decans, as they represent signs in 10 degree sections of the primary zodiac sign covering 30 degrees each in the 360 degree circle of the ecliptic.
1. Matthew–King of Righteousness [“Kingdom” referred to in Matthew more than any-where else] [*Zech. 9:9, Jer. 23:5-6, 33:15] Thus the royal genealogy is in Matt. 1:1-17]. “Kingdom of Heaven” is only in Matthew, none of the other gospels.
2. Mark–Servant of Jehovah [“Lord” 30x here, 78x in the other 3 gospels] [Isa. 42:1, Zech. 3:8] Thus No genealogy is given in Mark.
3. Luke– Son of Man [Luke records his childhood, his dealings with women, publicans and other key aspects showing his humanity] [Zech. 6:12, thus the human genealogy is given going back to Adam, (Lk. 3:23-38)]
4. John– Son of God [Zech. 4:2][“father”-121x, only 66 times in the other 3 gospels. “My Father”-35x here, only 18x in the other 3 gospels, “only begotten” 4x here, none in other gospels] The purpose of every chapter in John’s Gospel reveals Christ’s true identity.
These heavenly signs relay an aspect of the central role of Mercury-Gabriel in announcing the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mercury symbolizes the messenger Arch-Angel Gabriel, who was instrumental in heralding the first appearance of Jesus Christ prior to his birth, [Luke 1:11-80]. This is emphasized in key planetary unions of Venus with Regulus and Mercury in August of 2015. On 10/29/15 following the conclusion of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2015, Mercury was also “birthed” in Virgo after a gestation period in Virgo’s “womb” area, of nearly 6 weeks. This symbolic “birthing” of Mercury in Virgo was based on Mercury’s retrograde motion in Virgo at this time. With these signs taking place 2 years prior to the Sept. 2017 replay of the birth signs of Christ, it is notable that they will be followed on Sept. 30th, 2017 with the lowest point retrograde motion of Mercury in Virgo. Below are the dates of the retrograde motion of Mercury in 2016-2017;
Mercury in Retrograde 2016
Jan 05 2016 to Jan 25 2016
Apr 28 2016 to May 22 2016
Aug 30 2016 to Sep 21 2016
Dec 19 2016 to Jan 08 2017
2017
Apr 09 2017 to May 03 2017
Aug 12 2017 to Sep 05 2017
Dec 02 2017 to Dec 22 2017
When we compare this with the three Mercury-Venus Conjunctions of 2016 and the two added conjunctions of 2017 a pattern arises. Below is a unique spectroscopic view of the planetary surface of Mercury.
Mercury-Venus Conjunctions of 2016-2017
1. May 13th, 2016 in Taurus relates to the Apr 28 2016 to May 22 2016 Mercury retrograde.
2. July 16th, 2016 in Leo
3. August 27th, 2016 in Leo takes place on the eve of the inception of Mercury moving into retrograde starting August 30th, 2016
4. March 16th, 2017
5. December 15th, 2017 relates to the retrograde motion of Mercury from Dec 02 2017 to Dec 22 2017.
Here we can see that these five Mercury-Venus Conjunctions, are bracketed by the first retrograde motion of Mercury in May of 2016 to the last retrograde motion ending on Dec. 22nd, 2017. These Mercury-Venus unions represent Mercury-Gabriel heralding the appearance of Venus the risen Bright and Morning Star, leading up to his potential return in the Fall of 2017 marked by the Rev. 12 heavenly signs. With the first of these Mercury-Venus Conjunctions in 2016 set in Taurus, the Morning Star is seen in the aspect of the Coming Judge returning quickly. This Mercury-Venus Conjunction is followed by two in Leo the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the last zodiac sign emphasizing the lion’s destruction of the serpent.
In a recent blog post of April 2016, we referenced the Biblical Astronomy of the Mercury Transit on May 9th, 2016 as seen in Rev. 19:15-19 below.
Rev. 19:15-19
15 And out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod [sceptre] of iron: and he treads the [i]winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 17 And I saw [j]an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of [k]captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.
This Mercury Transit has been likened to verse 17 since Mercury symbolizes the Messenger Archangel Gabriel. The transit of Mercury crossing the face of the Sun is seen as this angel Gabriel “standing in the Sun” heralding the victorious return of the Light of the World and King of Kings, With his Saints, even as he announced the coming Promised Seed of Mary leading to his birth, [Lk. 1:26-38, Matt. 1:20-25]. This alignment of sky signs including the Lunar Eclipse Sextet from 2014-2016 in the current Jubilee Year of 5776 may signal a window for the Savior to return FOR his Saints that bookends the first appearance and return of the King of Kings at the right hand of God. This information provides plenty of reason to follow Mercury during this period, but this study would be lacking without a corresponding view of the activities of Venus at this time. Just as we have included a review of the May 9th, Mercury Transit so we also need to consider the most recent Venus Transit going back to June of 2012. The first Retrograde motion of Mercury in this period noted above, takes place 3 years from the Venus Transit of June 5/6th in 2012, also in Taurus.
Jupiter-Venus Conjunction
In addition to The triple conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in 2015, mirroring the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in 3-2 BC surrounding the birth of Christ, Venus also saw significant unions with Regulus and Mercury in 2015. Here the Arch-angel Gabriel announces the arrival of Regulus, the King star and brightest star in Leo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, [Rev. 5:5]. There were consecutive conjunctions and alignments on August 5th and 6th in 2015, including a Venus-Mercury conjunction in Leo on Aug. 5th, followed by a planetary alignment of Jupiter, Mercury and Regulus in Leo on Aug. 6th, 2015. If this were not enough, there was also a Mercury-Regulus conjunction the next day on Aug. 7th 2015! These Jupiter-Venus signs support and corroborate the themes of the Mercury-Venus conjunctions as we have seen in this study. This impressive parade of heavenly signs involving Mercury depicts some heavy celestial traffic leading up to and pointing us toward the Rev. 12 signs of 2017!
As the time gets shorter everyday approaching the victorious return of the Lord, the enemy gets bolder and more open about his will to oppose and destroy the purposes of God. He knows his time is short and he is eternally defeated, but he wants to take as many down with him as he possibly can. The key as Luke tells us, is do not be deceived! [I Cor. 6:9, Gal. 6:7]
Luke 21:8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draws near: go ye not therefore after them.
We must stand strong and vigilant against the wiles of the devil [Eph. 6:11] especially in these last days!
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Footnotes
1, 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad in September of 2015
2. Sun clothing Virgo with the Moon at her feet
3. http://www.almanac.com/content/mercury-retrograde
4. Mercury Transit on May 9th, 2016
5. King James Bible- Rev. 19:15-19
6. triple conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in 2015