My first interest in Biblical Astronomy was sparked during the study of the celestial signs surrounding the Birth of Christ in the late 70's and early 80's. This grew into a greater interest in Astronomy, resulting in numerous studies, clubs and activities as an amateur astronomer. Starting around 2003 I began working on the Try-God website, as a venue to publish my various articles and studies in Biblical Astronomy, which in the last 10 years, has garnered interest from an audience around the globe. With renewed effort and energy, we are expanding on our initial efforts with the website, for a more effective outreach to our growing audience.
Biblical Astronomy of the Venus-Mars Conjunctions of 2015.
The Biblical Astronomy of the Venus-Mars Conjunction of February 22, 2015 is a unique heavenly sign, the first of two Venus-Mars conjunctions in 2015. The first Venus-Mars union from Feb. 21-22 in Pisces, presages the Spring Equinox on March 20th/Nisan 1, while the second Venus-Mars conjunction occurs November 3rd, 2015 in Virgo. As we stated in our previous post, the Total Solar Eclipse on Nisan 1, opens the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew Calendar on the Spring Equinox, even as the Partial Solar Eclipse marks the opening of the civil yearon Hebrew New Years, Sept. 13, 2015 and the Feast of Trumpets.
Even as Jesus fulfilled the Spring Hebrew Feast and Holy days, from Passover through Pentecost in his first appearance on Earth, and his ministry to Israel, so we can expect him to fulfill the Fall feasts and holy days of the Hebrew calendar in his victorious return. We can see this in Christ’s ministry as Prophet, Priest and King because as he embodied the one-time perfect sacrifice for Israel as the Passover Lamb, so he also took on the duties of the High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek, whose eternal priesthoodhas permanently replaced the Aaronic Priesthood, with the sacrifices of bulls and goats. These duties were highlighted by the sufferings of Christ as he laid down his life not only for Israel, but for all mankind. The fall feasts however reflect his majestic glory and the inception of his Millennial reign on earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, returning to vanquish all his foes, installing his everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness.
We find this conjunction of Venus-Mars on Feb. 21-22, located on the ecliptic almost at the point where the Sun will mark the Spring Equinox in the following month, on March 20th. This directs our attention to the opening of an important Jubilee year on the Hebrew Calendar, on March 20th/Nisan 1 with a Total Solar Eclipse. Having this Sabbatical year marked not only by planetary conjunctions, but also with the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, certainly distinguishes the Biblical Astronomy this Sabbatical year above many others in the eyes of the Almighty. These two Venus -Mars conjunctions of 2015 effectively frame the crescendo of the Blood Moon Tetrad in 2015, between Feb. 21-22 and Nov. 3rd. This reminds me of some similar heavenly signs involving Venus and Mars that surrounded the Biblical Astronomy of the birth of Christ. Between the March 31st, 2 BC Venus-Mars-Saturn conjunction and the Venus-Mars union of 12-9–2 BC some key heavenly signs surrounding the birth of Christenlightened the heavens. The following segment of my DVD presentation on the Biblical Astronomy of the Birth and Return of Jesus Christ, details some of these heavenly signs for us.
For the complete story on these heavenly signs and the Biblical Astronomy surrounding the birth and return of Jesus Christ, you can order your copy of this DVD from our bookstore. [read more]
As we saw in our Biblical Astronomy DVD presentation, the June 17th, 2 BC conjunction of the King Planet Jupiter and Venus the bright and Morning Star was a key heavenly sign marking the birth of Christ. The fact that there were two Venus-Mars conjunctions bracketing this Jupiter-Venus conjunction, between March 31st, 2BC and Dec. 9th, 2BC, should alone arrest our attention. But when we add the fact that the greatest portion of heavenly signsmarking the birth of Jesus Christ in 3-1BC were also bracketed by two Jupiter-Venus conjunctions, really causes us to stand up and take notice. The first Jupiter-Venus Conjunction took place on August 31st 3BC, in Leo with the last one occurring on August 21st 1BC, in Virgo.
As the mainheavenly signs marking the birth of Christ are summarized in the Alpha-Omega signs of the Biblical Zodiac–Virgo and Leo, we see the signs of the celestial Sphinx emphasized once again. For more details on this topic, please refer to my study on the Biblical Archaeo-astronomyof the Great Sphinx @www.try-god.com. [read more]
Since the Venus-Mars conjunctions of 2015 bracket the crescendo of the Blood Moon Tetrad in the Sabbatical year of 2015, we see Venus-the bright and Morning Star unified with Mars, signifying the Warrior Archangel Michael, emphasized in their battle joined against the forces of darkness. Even as the Dragon attempted to take out thepromised seed of Israel, Jesus Christ at his birth, so the persecution of Israel has continued, as the series of Blood Moon Tetrads has witnessed over the last 200 centuries. Ever since the prophecy of the Promised Seed first took place in [Genesis 3:14-15] spiritual warfare has been waged [Rev. 12:7] between the forces of Light and Darkness, coming to points of crisis as seen in the dual fulfillment of [Revelation 12:1-4].
Archangel’s Sword and the Blood Moon
As we have already seen, the dual fulfillment of [Rev. 12:1-4] is witnessed in the sufferingsof Jesus Christ, fulfilling the Spring feasts and holydays as the embodiment of the Passover Lamb in his ministry to Israel. The gloryof the Lord is seen in his fulfilling of the Fallfeasts and holy days in his victorious return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The events playing out in today’s Middle East region surrounding Israel’s current war, is setting the stage for the end of days– the final events of human history leading up to the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the 2015 Blood Moon Tetrad concludes later this year, a key aspect of Joel’s Prophecy[Acts 2:20] will have been fulfilled before our eyes.
Acts 2:20 “The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord Come.”
It was not a coincidence the Apostle Peter quoted the words of Joel in the preamble of his Pentecost sermon; [Acts 2:17-20] opening the Age of Grace. This period of God’s awesome blessing which brought us the availability of the spiritual new birth, was kept secret by God since the World began, [Rom. 16:25-27, Eph. 3:2-7]. Now we stand at the precipice of the fulfillment of this wonderful Age, the end of which Peter prophesied at its inception, whose conclusion will witness the ultimate victory over the forces of darkness told in the heavens by these specific celestial signs. The series of partial/total solar eclipses on the Lord’s Feasts and holy days, along with the series of Blood Moon Tetrads leading to theconcluding Blood Moons we are about to witness, including the first Blood Moon this year coming on April 4th in the Spring of this Jubilee year of 2015, initiates the completion of the set of preliminary heavenly signs that Joel prophesied would take place. Since there are no more Blood Moon Lunar or Solar eclipses scheduled to fall on Hebrew Feast days for the next 500 years, there has never been a time in human history where all the prophetic requirements leading to the End of Days has been in place like they are now. Joel told us these signs would occur “before the great and notable day of the Lord,” referring to the long-awaited return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Recognition of the specifics of how the second fulfilling of [Rev. 12:1-4] comes to pass, along with the key planetary conjunctionsand other heavenly signs, involved in the completion of this scenario, will tell the tale of the Biblical Astronomy of the End of Days, as we countdown to 2017.
The Total Solar Eclipse on the first day of Spring and the Equinox is a central day, not only in the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, but also the Hebrew Calendar. This day marked by a Super-moon Total Solar Eclipse falls on Nisan 1 as the first day of the Hebrew Ecclesiastical year, is mirrored in the Fall with another Solar eclipse falling on New Yearsand the Feast of Trumpets on 9-13-2015. These two key days divide the Hebrew Calendar in half since this fall feast marks the start of thecivil yearfor Israel. When we consider that 2015 is a Jubilee/Shemmitah year for Israel, we find a powerful emphasis placed on theholy days of 2015by the Hand of the Almighty, with the capping of the Blood Moon Tetrad in 2014-2015. These two Solar eclipses falling on Hebrew feast and holy days in the Jubilee year of 2015, not only represent a perfect division of the Hebrew Calendar according to Nisan 1 and the feast of Trumpets, but also in the case of the Nisan 1 Total Solar Eclipse falling on the Spring Equinox, we see an emphasis on the division of Day and Night, because the Spring and Fall equinoxes divide the length of the day and night equally. We can see important references in this light, and evidence of the Almighty Creator working in the Creation record of Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:1-5
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
In verses 4-5 above, The Creator-God institutedan initial act of division on the first Day of Creation, by separating and distinguishing between the light of Day and the darkness of Night. It is very important to note that God did this not only prior to the two great lights of the Sun and Moon being created on the fourth day, but even before the firmament, or the expanse of the Universe holding the celestial bodies was created on the second day! Thus only the Creator Himself could have been the Source of Light prior to the creation of these celestial bodies, since as verse 3 tells us; He Alone was in the Beginning, as the Source of Light and Life in the Heavens and Earth He created. Another basic division we can see is found in the Creation of Heaven and Earth itself, since the Heavens above the firmament, also called “Heaven of the Heavens,” are set aside as a dwelling for the Creator, while the earth is set aside for His creation.
Genesis 1:6-8
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
The Creation of the firmament of heaven was a secondary act of basic division by God, creating what we call the Universe,separated the waters above the firmament of heaven from those under or within the “Bubble Universe” that would contain the Sun, Moon and Stars, that did not appear till the fourth day. Obviously, the Biblical record of the Creation event does not agree with the scientific theory of “cosmic evolution” of stars and planets, but details an “ex-nihilo” Creation, where God spoke into existence that which had no prior existence. The Biblical definition of “Creation” requires no raw materials to work with, which sets it apart from any scientific version of our origins that man has ever proposed.
Genesis 1:14-19 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Blood Moon Tetrad Divided by the Nisan 1 Total Solar Eclipse
The Creator God established His initial division of light from darkness on the first day, by creating the celestial bodies of the Sun, Moon and Stars ruling over the temporal world of days and nights in His Creation. This not only established the Creator’s Temporal order over His Creation, by spinning the heavenly bodies in their orbits God established the cycles and circadian rhythms of “days and years” ruling over the four kingdoms of life on earth, but it also witnessed to the celestial gospel of someone significant to come; the redeemer of mankind-Jesus Christ, who will set the fallen Creation back in order. A primary focus of this Blood Moon Blog has been the heavenly signs marking the victorious return of Christ, as seen in the Blood Moon Tetrads taking place on Hebrew feast and holy days over the last 200 centuries, as the “seasons” or seasonal festivals God set aside for man’s observance in Genesis 1:14. The graphic above depicts another important division in the Jubilee year of 2015, dividing the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, with the Nisan 1 Total Solar Eclipse on March 2oth. A Blood Moon Tetrad has been defined as four successive Total Lunar Eclipses, falling on Hebrew feast or holy days, without partial lunar eclipses interspersed between them. Also each Total Lunar Eclipse is divided by six lunar months on the Hebrew Calendar. When we include the Partial Solar Eclipse on the Feast of Trumpets this fall, then we have six Hebrew feast and holy days in 2015, where “the Sun is turned into darkness and the Moon into Blood,” as prophesied in [Joel 2:31].
Nisan 1/March 20th of 2015 is also unique because when the Sun sets, it marks not only the start of a new day, but also the dawning of the Jubilee andecclesiastical year in Israel. This key day on the Hebrew Calendar is marked by sunsetwhich opens a special Sabbath festival taking place between the Total Solar Eclipse and the Spring Equinox on March 20th. As we may recall from the previous post on our Try-God Blog; The Birthdate of Jesus Christ[read more], when opening his ministry to Israel during a Jubilee year, Jesus found the place in Isaiah’s scroll [Isa. 61:2], and he declared that time as the “acceptable year of the Lord,” in a 7-fold prophecy; (Lk. 4:18-21). Then Jesus stopped short in mid-sentence, and closed the book telling those present, that scripture in Isaiah had been fulfilled in their ears, because the next phrase of the prophecy is still future. The gap of time symbolized in the comma separating those two phrases, representing our current Age of Grace is rapidly nearing completion. As we are actively watching the heavenly signs associated with the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, marking the time before the great and terrible day of the Lord, we must ask ourselves if we are prepared to meet the Lord when he comes. This brief study has pointed out the following seven areas we have seen the Lord’s division in creation;
* Division of Light from Darkness
* Division of Day from Night
* Division of the Firmament
* Division of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015 by the Total Solar Eclipse of 3-20-2015
* Division of the Hebrew Calendar
* Division of the Hebrew Jubilee
* Division of the Equinox
As we have seen the Lord’s division in Creation, so we will also see his division within the nation of Israel.
Matt. 25: 31-36 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[c] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
Let us all be vigilant and on watch, doing the Lord’s work so that we can inherit the eternal blessing that he has set aside for the faithful.
In Part 2 of our study on The Birth date of Jesus Christ, we pick up where we left off, with the significance of the king’s coronation tied to Rosh Hashanah, New Years Day and the head of Israel’s calendar. This depicts Christ as King of Kings presiding over all temporal, civil and sacred matters as the King-High Priest of Israel. As we have noted in prior posts on this Blood Moon Blog, the king’s coronation was framed in the heavens by Blood Moons surrounding the Birth of Christ. [read more] The Blood Moons of 5 Bc and 1 BC not only framed the birth of Christ but the Jan. 9, 1BC Blood Moon also marked the death of Herod. An example of the coronation tradition, which served to proclaim the birth of Jesus Christ as the King in the kingdom of Israel can be seen in II Kings 11: 2 Kings 11:12-14 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. [13] And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord. [14] And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason. The chronological alignment that we should recognize regarding the reigns of Judean kings being calculated from the New Moon on New Years Day, Rosh Hashanah on the Hebrew Calendar, coincides with the birthday of Jesus Christ. This alignment calculated from Tishri 1 to Tishri 1, is established in the celestial coronation ceremony of the promised seed, with a triple planetary union of Jupiter-Regulus marking the birth of Christ. The graphic below shows the King planet Jupiter, crowning the king Star-Regulus in Leo, resulting from Jupiter’s retrograde motionthrough Leo in 3-2 BC. This triple conjunction of “His Star” Jupiter and Regulus starting on September 14th, 3 BC, three days after the actual birth of Christ, are unmistakable signs in the heavens marking the long awaited arrival of God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We have pointed out previously, how the dual significance of the Rev. 12:1-2prophecy, applies not only to the birth of Christ, but to his victorious return also! Even as the heavenly signs specifically marked the birth of Jesus Christ, supporting the witness of God’s Word, so we expect to see similar signs in the heavens marking the Lord’s Return. As we have recognized in our study of the Blood Moon Tetrad 0f 2014-2015, the Blood Moons are key aspects of the heavenly signs that occur “before that great and terrible day of the Lord comes;” [Joel 2:28-32]. The Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses already seen in 2014, along with the Blood Moons and Solar Eclipses coming on the Lord’s Feasts and Holy days in 2015 are highly significant prophesies being fulfilled before our eyes, marking the end of days, leading to the victorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jupiter Crowning Regulus
Even as all Israel rejoiced at the coronation of the King, so all creation will rejoice at the crowning of the King of Kings. There are 10 steps recorded in the king’s coronation here in II Kings 11:12-14, once he had been brought forth, the 7th of which is “the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was.” This 7th step in the king’s coronation procession corresponds to the 7th month Tishri on the Hebrew Calendar, marking the birth of Christ. 2 Kings 11:13 above notes that the coronation ceremony took place in the Temple of the Lord, which is logical since the king was ordained and anointed of God. II Chronicles shows us this record in greater detail. 2 Chronicles 23:13 [13] And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason. There has been conjecture as to the meaning of this pillar[*H5982ammud]. However, the record in 2 Chron 23 puts this “pillar at the entering in,” and if this is entrance of the temple, then we have a reference to the Temple’s great ornamental pillars of brass called Jachin and Boaz. This agrees with the New Bible Dictionary which states: “The entrance to Solomon’s Temple was flanked by two gigantic bronze pillars, [I Kgs 7:15-22]. It was apparently by one of these that the king stood on ceremonial occasions [II Kings 23:3, II Chron.23:13].” In II Chron. 34:31, King Josiah stood in his place (*H5977–omed) and made a covenant before the Lord to keep His commandments. The word translated “place” has the same Hebrew root [*H5975– amad] as the word “pillar” above.4 The King’s rule was blessed in the degree and to the order in which he kept the covenant of God’s Word in his rule, indicated in the names of the temple pillars. 1 Kings 7:21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. According to the New Bible Dictionary in reference to the significance of the names Jachin and Boaz; “the names may be the first words of oracles giving power to the Davidic dynasty: perhaps ‘Yahweh will establish (yakin) thy throne forever’ and ‘In the strength (beoz) of Yahweh shall the king rejoice‘.”5 Thus, as the kings of Israel stood in their place, by their pillar in the temple during the coronation ceremony, so the coronation of the King of kings, seen in the stellar announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ, also marked by one of the four celestial pillars of heaven. In the first phase of the Lord’s appearances on earth, fulfilling Rev. 12:1-2 in the birth of Christ, we find in the Virgographic below, the sufferings of Christ are emphasized indicating the primary purpose of his ministry to Israel, as the one time embodiment of the Passover lamb sacrifice for the sins of Israel. This is detailed in the graphic taking note of the intersection of the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator. This intersection is one of the Four Corners, or literal Pillars of heaven, also called Cardinal Points which “square the circle” of the Ecliptic, or the circle of the zodiac. The intersection point is right at Virgo’s feet, marked by the New Crescent Moon opening the New Year on Rosh-Hashanah, with the birth of Jesus Christ. As the Celestial Equator extends to the horizonit marks the StarSpica [Al-Zemach], the branch and offspring of God the Father, while beneath Virgo’s feet it bisects the signLibra. In the Hebrew Zodiac, Librasymbolizes the price of redemption being paid by the Lord’s sacrifice. This puts the focus on the purpose of Christ’s ministry to Israel, and the sufferings he had to endure to pay this price of redemption, not only for Israel, but all mankind. The woman’s promised seed is called “the branch” in the following references; [Jer. 23:4-6, Jer. 33:14-18, Zech. 3:8].
The Sign Libra-The Balances
There are a number of legal requirements that the Lord Jesus Christ had to fulfill if every jot and tittle of the Law was to be upheld as Christ stated, [Matt. 5:18]. In order for Jesus Christ to fulfill the OT law as the legal sacrifice for Israel and all mankind, he had to abide by all stipulations of the “ordinances of the Passover,” [Num. 9:12] as stated in God’s Word. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, [Heb. 9:22] and only Christ had the sinless and innocent bloodthat qualified as the perfect sacrifice to redeem mankind. Even Judas after betraying Jesus confessed: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood;” [Matt.27:4]. This condition is clearly stated in Exodus 12:5, as a lamb without blemish, [I Pet. 1:18-19] along with the important truth that it had to be a lamb of the first year. If these conditions were not met according to the standards of Scripture, then those partaking in the Passover would be cut off from Israel; [Ex. 12:15]. Even more critical was that Jesus himself had to fulfill all these conditions to the last detail, or mankind would remain in the sinful unredeemed state of us all, before the liberating work of the Redeemer of mankind was “finished,” [John 19:30]. In this study we will focus on this important Biblical condition and regal requirement of the OT Law, that the Passover lamb had to be a male lamb of the first year, in order to redeem Israel. In the case of Jesus Christ, he did not fulfill this requirement until he became an adult male of full age starting at 30 years old. The gospels record that Jesus was recognized by John the Baptist as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” [John 1:29, 36]. The truths told by the sign of Libra, or the balances, tell us all men fall short of Jesus Christ when it comes to paying the redemption price for their brothers [Ps. 49:7-15], because all men have been weighed in the balances and found wanting, except Jesus Christ; [Rev. 5:9]. This truth we find depicted in the graphic below, as the celestial equator bisectsboth Libra’s balances along with the Star Spica.
Sunset as seen from Palestine on September 11th 3 BC, with the Sun in Virgo and the Moon at her feet.6
Virgo Clothed with the Sun with the Moon at her Feet
Isaiah 4:2 contains some wonderful details linking directly into the stars of theConstellation Virgo.Isaiah 4:2-3 2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: The word “beautiful” in verse 2 above corresponds to the meaning of the star “Zavijava” in Virgo, a true trait of the promised seed of the woman. It is truly wonderful to witness the inborn symmetry of God’s Word, flowing from the divine revelation of the Creator, as the pattern narrative of the Stars and the Scriptures unfolds in unison before our eyes. The 2nd phase of the Rev. 12:1-2prophecy, does not pertain to the sufferings of Christ, but to his Glorious return to install his MillennialReign, inheriting the throne of the Davidic dynasty marked by the Temple pillars Jachin and Boaz. We will see more on the sufferings and glory of the Lord as it applies to the dual significance of Rev. 12:1-2 later in this study. The “glory” of the promised seed referred to above in Isa. 4:2 is also foretold in one of the decans of Virgoknown anciently as Coma, the desire of the nations. This was prophesied in God’s Word in Haggai 2.Haggai 2:6-7 6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 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. At this center point in history, at the celestialpillar of the autumnal equinox, with the Moon at Virgo’s feet, with the setting of the starSpica–Al Zemach, the moments of the birth of Jesus Christ were framed in the heavens. This was followed 3 days later, by the first celestial union of the triple coronation ceremony that occurred, beginning in the first Jupiter-Regulus Conjunction in Leo, on Sept. 14th 3 BC. This occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles, which along with Passoverdivided the sacred calendar in half, reminding us of the luni-solar year evident in the cycle of Jubilees. This also is reflected in the Blood Moon Tetradof2014-2015, with these Blood Moons and Solar eclipses marking the holy feasts, with increasing intensity as we approach the end of days leading to the victorious return of Jesus Christ. Since a Blood Moon Tetrad is completed in 2015 as a celebration of Jubilees on the Hebrews sacred Calendar, we should pay special attention to the crescendo that is being reached, in the compiled Blood Moons and heavenly signs, on the Lord’s feasts and holy days, filling the headlines of our current events.
Crescent Moon
The Feast of Tabernacles was the 3rd of the great annual feasts of the Hebrew sacred calendar, beginning on the fifteenth of the 7th month, at the height of the full Moon. It determined the start, and closed the sacred Sabbatical cycle, while marking the agriculturalseasons. Coming during the 7th or most sacred month with its Moon at full strength, shows us another mark of seven in the temporal order of this feast. We can see that the cycles of the Moonwere designed into the timing of feastsfrom the start by God, so it is interesting to see the message of the Blood Moon Tetrads, not only related to the feasts of Israel’s sacred calendar, but also the harvest seasons and resulting crops. The offerings of the people in recognition to the Creator were also directly linked, since they gave the first-fruits of all their increase to Honor His graceful abundance. Each of the offerings associated with the Feast of Tabernacles were marked also by the number 7, indicating its completion, satisfaction and spiritual perfection; 70 bullocks, 14 rams, 98 lambs, equaling 82 sacrifices [26 x 7] plus 336 [48 x 7] tenths of ephahs of flour for meat offerings}.7 Thus, man is to share of his abundance in honor and respect to God according to the same spiritual standard of abundance by which he had received it from the Creator, accordingly living his life in honor and praise to his Heavenly Father. As God’s people honor and Praise The Almighty, and the works of His Hands, we can share in the abundance that He has made available for His people. This highlights another purpose of the Blood Moon Tetrads marking the Hebrew feasts over the last 200 centuries, since these feasts are designed to Honor the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, from Whom all blessings flow. Even in the curse of the ground that resulted from Adam’s fall; [Gen. 3:17-19] men would suffer in the sweat of the labor on our faces as we eat of the ground in the sorrow of our days…but as we stay obedient to God and His ways of righteousness, we will reap a harvest not only in this world, but also eternal rewards in glory. Alfred Edersheim comments further on the significance of the number seven in his book; The Temple, where he states: “What the seventh day, or sabbath was to the week, the seventh month seems to have been to the year.”8 Thus it would follow that, as Pentecost was to Passover in that it followed it by fifty days (7×7+1), so the Jubilee followed in annual cycles. Leviticus 25:8 relates the “7 Sabbaths of years” to the 50th cycle of the Jubilee, which fell on the Day of Atonement, or the 10th day of the holiest seventh month of Tishri. In the same way that liberty was proclaimed in the Jubilee, throughout all the land and to all its inhabitants [Levi. 25:10], so Jesus set at liberty them that were bruised, while proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord at the opening of his ministry during a Jubilee celebration. The Jubilee celebration takes place in a single year, every 50th cycle, immediately following 7 Sabbatical cycles, marking the combination of 2 years for resting the land, with slaves freed and all debts cancelled. As Jesus proclaimed liberty in the land for Israel, so he will free all mankind from the bondage of sin and captivity in the Grand Jubilee of all time, in the harvest at the end of the world. Here we find evidence of Jesus’ recognition that he was the Lamb of the first year, because his quotation from Isa. 61 opening his ministry, makes specific reference to “the acceptable year [singular] of the Lord.” If Jesus were to complete the requirements of his assignment from the Heavenly Father, he would have to finish it within this acceptable year. This, allows no room for traditional teachings that the length of Jesus’ ministry was 3 years, because if so, then this critical “ordinance of the Passover,” coinciding with the Jubilee cycle cannot be fulfilled and mankind would remain unredeemed. Below we find that Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 very precisely to initiate his ministry to Israel. In fact, his quotation was left incomplete! The entire quote of Isa. 61:1-2, as recorded in Luke 4:18-21, is seen below. [Isa. 61:1-2]. 61 “The Spirit of the LordGodis upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed MeTo preach good tidings to the poor;He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captives,And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mournLuke 4:18-21 New King James Version (NKJV) Records Jesus quotation of Isa. 61 as he announced the opening of his ministry.
18 “The Spirit of theLordis upon Me,Because He has anointed MeTo preach the gospel to the poor;He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,[a]To proclaim liberty to the captivesAnd recovery of sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are oppressed;19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”[b]
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears.”
Why did Jesus cut this Isa. 61:2 quotation off in mid-verse? Because “the Day of vengeance of our God,” refers to events in the Book of Revelation when the wrath of the Almighty will be revealed on the ungodly, which is still future. Here is an awesome example of Jesus “rightly dividing” God’s Word. The comma separating these two phrases in this verse represents the Age of Grace that we have been living in for the last 200 centuries. This Gap of Salvation between the sufferings and glory of the Lord, is perhaps best understood in I Peter 1.1 Peter 1:9-12New King James Version (NKJV) 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the gracethat would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us[a] they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Tabernacle Mosaic with Harvest and Animal offerings
Not the Prophetsor the angelsthemselves knew about the Great Mystery of the Age of Grace [Rom. 16:25-27, I Cor. 2:7-10], that was kept secret by God since the world began. Christ’s ministry to Israel preceded the Age of Grace, which opened on the Day of Pentecost in 28 AD, when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on mankind and the Apostles first spoke in tongues. How do we arrive at this date of 28 AD? Very simple, we merely count forward from Sept. 11th 3 BC at the birth of Christ-30 years, to Christ opening his ministry to Israel. This brings us to 27 AD, then allowing a year+ [70 weeks] for the Lamb of the first year to complete his work, which he finished in 28 AD. It is interesting to observe that there are thirty Jubilees that bring us from the Exodus to the opening of Christ’s ministry, when opening the scroll to Isa. 61:2, Jesus certified the “acceptable year of the Lord” in a 7-fold prophecy, (Lk. 4:18-21). This fits neatly with the truth that in fulfilling the O.T. Law, Jesus as the embodiment of the Passover male lamb of the first year [Exod. 12:5), Jesus was in the first year of his manhood according to Hebrew reckoning, starting at 30 yrs old. [Luke 3:23] This period of the Lamb of God in his first year is clarified even further by the Prophet Daniel. In Daniel 9, a specific period of 70 weekswas foretold; [Dan. 9:24] and decreed by God for Jesus to fulfill the Messianic redemption of his ministry to Israel. Here Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and ascended, exploding the myth that his ministry lasted any time beyond 2 years. This however, is not the only Biblical or historical evidence of Jesus’ birth on 9/11/3 BC, or regarding the length of his ministry. We must also consider evidence concerning the construction time to build Herod’s Temple, along with the Rule of Tiberius Caesar of Rome. History tells us that Tiberius’ rule [Luke 3:1], over the Rome Empire began in 12 AD, but he shared a co-regency with Augustus Caesar who died in 14 AD. This makes Tiberius’ 15th year of rule-26 AD, which was Jesus’ 29th year. 9 As the Bible states: he was “about 30 years of age.” Secondly, regarding the dating of the construction of Herod’s Temple, [John 2:20, read more] states; “46 years was this Temple in building…” John 2:20 was spoken at Passover in the month Nisan of the Hebrew Calendar, which calculated time regarding sacred matters. The construction time of the Temple qualifies as a great example of a “sacred matter.” According to dates provided by Josephus, construction began on the Temple in 19 BC, followed by 46 years, putting us in the week following the Wedding at Cana, [Jn. 2:1-11, 13 to 3:21] when Jesus cleansed the Temple [Nisan 14th-21st], or April 10th to the 17th in 27 AD. 10 By the time Jesus completed the work of his ministry, he was 31, which fits neatly in the time frames set forward above in God’s Word. Obviously this is 4-5 years short of the traditional, 32-33 AD dating of Christ’s crucifixion, prior to the Blood Moon Tetrad of 32-33 AD. Thus with all these historical and Biblical time markers in agreement with each other and established on Biblical truth, a strong case is presented contrary to traditional crucifixion dates of 32-33 AD, with a 3-year ministry of Jesus Christ. As a result, using this Blood Moon Tetrad to mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not consistent with, with the Scripture narrative on the subject.
Footnotes
5. New Bible Dictionary
6. Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed, picture credit; p.71
7. The Temple, Alfred Edersheim
8. IBID
9. A Harmony of the Gospels-Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ, ppg. 2, 12
10. Josephus, WarsI. xxi, 1
The Christmas Holidays and the Birth of Jesus Christ
Entering the traditional holiday season and the historical celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, always raises the question of when the actual birth of Christ took place. Most people realize that the date of Jesus Christ’s birth was not on December 25th, despite the nativity scenes or the historical “Christmas” holiday. In order to distinguish the truth about the actual birth of Jesus from what tradition has held for centuries, we must take a hard and detailed look at what the Bible says about the birth of Christ first and foremost. The Biblical witness to the birth of Christ, along with what history and astronomy tell us about not only the year, but also the day of Christ’s birth, is detailed here.
The birth of Christ as the anointed Savior of the world was a highly anticipated and longed for event, being prophesied not only in the Bible and Biblical cultures, but also non-Christian or Judaic religions. Many world cultures have a rich tradition of the coming of a foretold Savior of the world. Thus the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ has worldwide implications, but we must start with the Biblical record to get a clear understanding of what the Bible says about the birth of Jesus. As we begin our study of the Biblical record of the birth of Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew, we notice key astronomical events leading the Magi to Jerusalem in search of the new born King of Kings. It is therefore critical to recognize what the Bible says about Astronomy, along with the heavenly signs that took place from 3 to 1 BC. As we view the Biblical and historical record we will find awesome detail in how the celestial epistles support, compliment and establish the witness of God’s Word. Some astronomers and theologians have tried to link the 12 BC sighting of Halley’s Comet with the birth of Jesus Christ, as seen in the graphic below, but this is much too early to accurately tie into the biblical record of Christ’s Birthday. Comets also have been seen as a sign of evil and foreboding, not marking the coming of a great king. All the kingdoms of Creation truly stand in Praise and Honor to the witness of the Creator, Who founded the heavens, and set their combined beauty in motion, marking the birth of Jesus Christ the King of Kings.
Nativity Scene
In earlier posts on this Blood Moon blog, we have seen how the heavenly signs of the Celestial Prelude set the pattern for the birth of Jesus Christ, as recognized by the Magi. As we have noted, the Magi would have perceived the tantalizing detail of heavenly signs from 7 BC to 5 BC, and we can imagine their excitement as they witnessed the heavens come alive with the prophesied signs of the Messiah’s birth. We have also come to realize the significance of the sacred feasts of the Hebrew calendar, marked by the Blood Moon Tetrads of the Age of Grace and the importance of Tishri 1, Rosh Hashannah linked to the first sighting of the New Moon at the feet of Virgo, on the equivalent of our September, 11th 3 BC. This highlighted Hebrew New Years Day in the most sacred seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, marking the birth of Christ.
Matt. 2:1-2, 9-10Mat 2:1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2]Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Mat 2:9 and are come to worship him When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [10]When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
When the Magi first noticed Jupiter, his star in the rising, in August of 3 BC, it began a corroboration of the celestial prelude of 7-5 BC, and it set the wheels in motion bringing them to their historic destination, to discover the promised seed of Israel in Bethlehem, in December of 2 BC. In Matthew 2:2 the Magi asked the first question recorded in the Gospels when they said; Where is he that is born King of the Jews?As the only ones aware of the true nature of the heavenly signs of Jesus’ birth, these Gentile Magi set the stage for all the world to salute the King of Kings.
The Greek words in Matt. 2:2, “in the east“ are en te anatole, literally meaning “in the rising, referring to the Heliacal Rising of a star in the dawn before sunrise.” 1 The “east“ is a Biblical figure of speech called an idiom representing truth, which is appropriate since the Messiah’s birth would bring the long awaited “all truth” [Jn. 16:13] of the ages. An interesting aspect of this word “anatole” is that it’s Hebrew equivalent is translated “tsemach.” This is a direct correlation to the star Al Zimach(the branch) in Virgo, known to us as Spica. This is the stellar representation of Jesus Christ as the promised seed of the woman Virgo, in a constellation representing Israel. Thus, the sunlightof the dawn and the light of “his star”–Jupiterare both seen prophesying the birth of “the branch” Jesus Christ. This witness of the Scripture not only alerts us to the roles of both Jupiterand the Sunin the stellar revelation of the birth of Jesus Christ the Promised seed, but it also reflects the year-month affinity between the cycles of the Sun and Jupiter. As the Sun spends a month in each of the 12 signs of the zodiac, so Jupiter spends a year enlightening each zodiacal sign.
Thus the light of the king planet Jupiter, in it’s Heliacal Risingin Conjunction with Regulus the king star in Leo, signaled the Magi regarding the birth of the Christ the King. With Jupiterinretrograde motion in Leo, it highlighted the king starRegulusin a tripleconjunction between 3-2 BC. [triple Gen. 49:9-10]
The accuracy of God’s Word here is truly breathtaking, when we consider that the same word for both the sunlight of dawn, and the pre-dawn light of Jupiterare translated as “the branch” in the Hebrew. This prophecy of Jupiter and the Sun, also witnesses to the 4 dimensions of Christ’s ministry as the branch;the King, Son of Man, Son of God and Servant, as seen in the four gospels;Matthew, Luke, John and Mark. When Jesus Christ matured to full manhood according to Hebrew Law, at age 30, he displayed the full awareness of his place in history, and his local circumstances, by announcing the opening of his ministry during a Jubilee year.
Just as the Sabbatical year was a year of rest and restoration for the land and soil, so also was the Jubilee, which was heralded by a chorus of trumpets. What better year than a Sabbatical year could there be for Jesus Christ to carry out his ministry? What better time could there be for the renewal of all Creation, than the birthday of the promised seed enacting its recovery? 28 A.D. was also the year that Jesus was resurrected and in this “year of our Lord,” Christ Jesus proved his Lordship over both the Sabbaths of days and years, for example by working seven healing miracles on seven Sabbaths of rest during his ministry to Israel. Of special interest in the sacred seventh month, is the lunar cycle which provided the basis of the Hebrew calendar, devoted to the Lord. On Tishri 1 the first-born or New Moon was specially celebrated at the “Feast of Trumpets,” which coincided with the first appearance of the thin crescent moon under Virgo’s feet on this natal day of creation, the Day of Trumpets, our September 11th, 3 BC. We have also noted in previous posts on our Blood Moon Blog, that the birth date of Christ was framed by Blood Moon Lunar eclipses near Passover in 5 BC, and coinciding with the death of King Herod in January 1 BC. [read more]
To grasp the significance of the the birth date of Jesus Christ in Biblical Astronomy terms, we need to take a closer look at the Creation record, when God first set the heavenly orbs into motion.
The 12 Signs of the Zodiac
Gen. 1:14-18
14 And God Said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness, and God saw that it was good.
Menorah Mosaic
The word for “lights” in the firmament [Gen. 1:14, 16 “maor“] is the same word used in reference to the lampsof the Menorah, (Ex. 20:27, 35:14). This word shares the same root of the word used for “light” in Genesis 1:3-4, which God divided from the darkness, setting the standards of Day and Night. It is noteworthy that the Day was divided from the Night and the light from the darkness prior to the Creation of the Sunand Moon. Also, the foundational order of Creation seen in God’s command dividing the light from the chaotic darkness, incited by the enemy in his overthrow of God’s original order in the First Heaven and Earth, preceded God’s re-ordering of this light in the Second Heavensand Earth. The verses above also exhibit how the Sun, Moon and Stars regulate the seasons, feasts and years in God’s created temporal order. [read more]
They were also important markers for someone significant to come, in this case the Redeemer of Mankind-Jesus Christ, in both his birth and Second Coming. [Jupiter’s Triple coronation of Regulus video and graphic] As such, and within the context of the dual application of the prophecy in Rev. 12:1-2, and the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, with the other heavenly signs and celestial cycles involving the Sun, Moon and Stars, point out a general and even more detailed timing of the Second Coming of Christ, just as they did with his birth and first appearance. This reference from Genesis reveals the links between the cycles of the Sun and Moon, and the light which these two great lights shed upon the earth. The purpose of the Sun, like other stars, is to give light upon the earth, the nature of which is a three-fold light. First, it’s physical light in a literal sense because the stars along with the moon and planets illuminate the earth. Secondly, as we have seen in the study of astronomical cycles, their numerical model is based on the phi ratio, and the base 60 Space-Time standard of the precession of the equinoxes. This is an important aspect of Natural Law, reflected in the symmetry of creation. Phi ratio Symmetry is the basis of the nano-structure of microcosmic matter, the macrocosm of the firmament, and the conceptual world of mathematics. Symmetry is latent in God’s created temporal order, ruled by the regular cycles of the Sun, Moon and Stars, daily and yearly. Thirdly, the stars, planets, Sun and Moon illuminate earth in spiritual light: the eternal light of the witness of God’s Word, a primary theme of our study. The principles of these 2 great lights ruling over the day and night, marking out days, months and years, is also preserved in the luni-solar calendar of Israel, unified according to the phi ratio, in symphony with the 50-year cycle of the Hebrew Jubilee. The phi ratio, also known as the divine proportion, or golden ratio, is a central aspect of the Symmetry and beauty in God’s creation. We find this depicted in the word “Seasons” in Gen. 1:14 [H4150-moed] meaning an appointed or fixed time, signal, an assembly convened for a specific purpose, a solemn feast or festival, place of meeting, or year.2 Thus, as these 2 great lights of the Sun and Moon coordinate with the stars exhibiting special signs on the holy feast days and sacred festivals of the Hebrew calendar, we find the unification of these three celestial calendars in God’s created temporal order exerting a powerful influence as a “mandate from heaven,” over Israel and the cultures of the world. A great example of this is the current Blood Moon mania in the headlines of world media, raising the awareness of end times prophecy and the history of Israel in the collective public mind.
Since Rosh Hashanah as Tishri 1, is the “head” of the Hebrew calendar, New Year’s day and Jesus’birthday, the first day of the 50-year Hebrew cycle of Jubilees, it gets our undivided attention as we realize that New Years Dayon the Hebrew Calendar is also marked by the Blood Moons and Solar eclipses over the last 2000 years. Since the Blood Moons embody a state of crises or the bloodshed resulting from War in Israel, we can trace the activities of the spiritual enemies of Israel throughout Biblical and secular history. To gain a true insight into the links in Blood Moon Tetrads with Hebrew feasts, we need to grasp how Christ relates to these Hebrew feasts. Rosh ha-Shanah on Tishri 1, was the “head” of the Judean calendar as New Year’s day and Jesus’ birthday, the first day of the 50-year Hebrew cycle of Jubilees. This set the foundation temporal pattern of the holy seasons, and feasts of Israel’s sacred calendar. During the “Great Wonder” of Rev. 12:1, the feet of the woman, Virgo fall at the autumnal equinox, one of the so-called four “pillars of heaven,” the four Cardinal Directions on the compass. This celestial point was generally marked on the Hebrew calendar by the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurred later during this Seventh Month. The significance of Tishri 1 the seventh month, is seen in the following from Edersheim:
“Just as age was reckoned from Tishri 1 to Tishri 1, so were the regnal years of Judean Kings. The blowing of Rams horn trumpets was also part of the royal coronation ceremony of these Judean Kings.”3
Thus the inception of Jesus’ reign as King of Kings is marked on his birthday of Tishri 1, the “Day of Trumpets,” with heavenly signs in Virgo near Spica, so we see similar signs with Blood Moon Lunar and Solar eclipses occurring on Hebrew feasts marked by a series Blood Moon Tetrads. The significance of the king’s coronation tied to Rosh Hashanah, New Years Day and the head of Israel’s calendar, is that Christ is the King of Kings presiding over all temporal, civil and sacred matters as the King-High Priest of Israel.
This represents the first installment on our Blood Moon Blog post, on The Birthdate of Jesus Christ, with Part 2 coming later this month.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Folks!!
Footnotes
1. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, Thayer
2. Ibid-H4250
3. The Temple,Alfred Edersheim
4. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, H5982, H5975
