Category: Astronomy

Biblical Astronomy of the August 21st Total Solar Eclipse-America Repent!

On Aug. 21, 2017, something is going to happen in the United States that has not happened since 1918. This Total Solar Eclipse event will unfold across America on August 21, crossing parts of 14 US states. Both professional and amateur Astronomers have been excited about the upcoming Pan-American Total Solar Eclipse on August 21 because it is very rare.

Figure 1. Paths of Two Total Solar Eclipses in 2017 and 2024 over North America

On that date, a Total Solar Eclipse will be visible all the way from the east coast to the west coast. Incredibly, another rare solar eclipse of this nature will move across the country just seven years later in 2024. The projected courses of these two solar eclipses form a giant “X” across the continental United States. In the Scriptures, Jesus told us that “there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon and in the stars” just prior to His return, causing many to wonder what this giant “X” of solar eclipses might mean. Some believe these two eclipses scheduled to be visible across the United States in 2017 and 2024, could be the starting and climax signs marking a seven-year period of tribulations spoken of in the Book of Revelation. These are rare events, which is why it is so extraordinary that another solar eclipse will be visible in large portions of the nation just seven years later in 2024. A solar eclipse only happens at New Moon. The Moon has to be between the Sun and Earth for a solar eclipse to occur. August 21, 2017 corresponds with the 29th day of the month of Av on the Hebrew calendar. On this day in the Hebrew year 2448, Moses carved the second set of Tablets as recorded in [Ex. 34:4]

These Solar eclipses could serve as a warning of impending judgments, since the crossing point of these eclipses is very near to the New Madrid fault zone. The New Madrid fault zone is six times larger than the San Andreas fault zone in California and it covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. Back in 1811 and 1812, a series of very devastating earthquakes along the New Madrid fault zone opened some deep fissures in the ground, caused the Mississippi River to run backwards in some places, and were reportedly felt as far away as Washington D.C. and Boston. They were the strongest earthquakes ever recorded east of the Rocky Mountains, and the heart of this “X” falls not only closest to its place of longest duration of totality, but also precisely in the area where we would expect such an earthquake. This does not mean these two solar eclipses are predicting an earthquake event, but it could serve as a warning for the U.S. to repent and turn to God, reminding us of the Day of Christ’s crucifixion darkness accompanied by a great earthquake.

Pastor Mark Biltz of Blood Moons fame, points out the similarity in these modern Solar eclipses to the setting in ancient Nineveh, where the Prophet Jonah was called to preach repentance.

Biltz said: “Just look at the biblical pattern. Many know the story of Jonah and Nineveh from the Bible, but not the historical background events as to what had already transpired, and why they repented. In 765 B.C., a plague broke out in Nineveh where even the king was not able to go out to war, as was custom. This was followed by a civil war and then another plague!”

The first plague Biltz refers to here took place in 765, followed by the civil war that started in 763, the same year as the eclipse.

“An archaeological find of cuneiform tablets was uncovered in the 19th century describing events in Nineveh. A famous eclipse mentioned in the tablets was known as the Bur-Sagale eclipse, which is verified by NASA as occurring on June 15, 763 BC. The path of totality passed right over Nineveh. God had declared the Sun and the Moon were for signs, and now the Ninevites saw evidence of God’s judgment coming even before Jonah arrived later. When Jonah arrived, they were ripe for repentance.”1

We know that the Prophet Jonah ministered during the reign of King Ashur-Dan III because the Bible mentions him in [2 Kings 14:23-5], placing his ministry during the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel. Since this solar eclipse was a most noteworthy highlight occurring in the reign of Ashur-Dan III, certain theologians suggest that the Bur-Sagle eclipse was a primary reason that the people of Nineveh were so ready to repent upon hearing Jonah’s message of judgment. “According to E.R. Thiele’s chronology, Jeroboam II was sole ruler of Israel between the years 782-753 BC, while Ashur-Dan III was king of Assyria between 772-755 BC.” Jonah’s entry into Nineveh may have even coincided with this eclipse. 2

The purpose of Jonah’s prophecy is to show the sovereignty of God at work in the life of an individual (the prophet Jonah, and his concern for His own people and that the way to avert national catastrophe is a concentrated outreach effort to all people). Jonah’s theme is God’s mercy to the individual (Jonah, a Jew), a group (the heathen sailors), the heathen world power (Assyria, a Gentile nation), and His people (Israel).

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 actually their Lord and Messiah. Jonah is a picture of Israel, who was chosen and commissioned by God to be His witness (Isa. 43:10-12; 44:8), who rebelled against His will (Exodus 32:1-4; Judges 2:11-19; Ezek. 6:1-5; Mark 7:6-9), but was miraculously preserved by God through centuries of exile and dispersion to finally preach His truth; (Jer. 30:11; 31:35-37; Hosea 3:3-5; Rev. 7:1-8; 14:1-3).

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

The two brightest planets –Venus and Jupiter –teamed up to provide the closest planetary conjunction of 2014, which has been the closest Venus-Jupiter union during the six Lunar Eclipses of 2014-2016, until August 27, 2016, when Jupiter entered Virgo eventually to be “birthed” in 2017. This Venus-Jupiter union on August 27, saw these two planets three times closer than during their 2015 union when they were separated by only 1/3 of a degree.

This comparison 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 of the Hebrew Calendar. This highlights the importance of the timing of the eclipse on 21st August 2017 in relation to the 1st Elul, marking a 40-day Season of Repentance to Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. As we find below, this Season of Repentance also relates to the Jupiter–Venus unions framing Christ’s birth. As we can see above, the celestial signs of Rev. 12 on Sept. 23rd, and the Total Solar eclipse on August 21st are also framed by Jupiter-Venus unions in 2017, between 2/26 and 11/13.

Figure 2. August 15th, 2016 Jupiter-Mercury-Venus triangular union in Leo. 3

There was also a 1 degree Triangular massing of Jupiter-Venus, Mars in Leo on October 28th, 2015, which is preceded earlier in the month in a planetary alignment with Regulus in Leo, [see Fig. 3 below]. This is significant due to the resemblance again of the Rev. 12 heavenly sign, where the Woman–Virgo is crowned with 12 stars, consisting of the 9 fixed stars in Leo, combined with the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mars, forming the Crown of 12 stars over Virgo’s head. This alignment set the stage for the Feast of Tabernacles week, marked by the Super Blood Moon on Sept. 28th, 2015, closing out the Blood Moon Tetrad. A very similar planetary alignment will be seen again in Sept. of 2017, involving the same players except Mercury will replace Jupiter in Leo, while Jupiter is birthed in Virgo. These heavenly signs of the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad depicted key celestial fore-shadowing 2 years before the 2017 birthing of Jupiter in Virgo. In fact, these celestial alignments and conjunctions which were so prominently associated with the Blood Moon Tetrad starting in 2014, have nearly been repeated with the Solar and Lunar eclipses on Hebrew feast and Holy days in 2016, linking the heavenly signs of the last three years on the Hebrew Calendar together leading to the celestial signs of 2017.

As we saw the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in 2015-17 mirror the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Venus both in 3-2 BC during the birth of Christ, we find Venus also united with Regulus and Mercury in 2016. Here the Archangel Gabriel announces the arrival of Regulus, the King star and brightest star in Leo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, [Rev. 5:5].

On August 12th, 3 BC, the first Jupiter-Venus union in Leo framing the birth of Christ took place, which was Elul 1 on the Hebrew Calendar, starting the Season of Repentance. Jesus was born Sept. 11th the following month, or Tishri 1-Hebrew New Years Day. Yom Kippur was Tishri 10 or Sept. 19th that year, making 40 days to the Day of Atonement, from Elul 1.

In the Great Sign of Revelation 12, a 400 day link was found to Yom Kippur 2017 via a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on August 27, 2016. However, when we note the Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017, this eclipse is 40 days before Yom Kippur 2017, which is on September 30. Before the modern Hebrew calendar, from Elul 1 till the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was 40 days, known as the Season of Repentance.  The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 begins this traditional 40 day Season of Repentance. The Season of Repentance is the call to repent before the Day of the Lord. Jewish tradition says those who are written in the Book of Life will be resurrected on the Feast of Trumpets. Elul is the month of repentance in the Jewish calendar, the time of turning in all the tithes to the storehouse. A month later, we find during the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah on Tishri 1 and Yom Kippur on Tishri 10, followed by a confirmation of celestial events as described in Revelation 12.

The proximity of this year’s August 21st total solar eclipse relating to the “Rev 12 sign” on 23rd September, 2017, is noteworthy. This date marks the culmination of an astronomical event which began on 20th November 20, 2016, when Jupiter (the King planet) entered into the body of the constellation Virgo. Due its retrograde motion, Jupiter spends 9.5 months in the “womb” of Virgo, until 23rd September, after which it will be “birthed” by exiting with the Sun rising directly behind the constellation Virgo, with the Moon at her feet and a crown of twelve stars (the nine stars of the constellation Leo, together with the planets Mercury, Venus and Mars).

Rev. 12:1-2
‘A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.’

Figure 4. below depicts the moment of the Solar eclipse at the heart of Leo next to Regulus. Thirty days later Venus conjuncts with Regulus prior the Feast of Trumpets. The previous total solar eclipse just before Elul 1 that last introduced a Season of Repentance occurred on August 11, 1999. But only the 2017 eclipse is next to Regulus. Since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, no other total solar eclipse has occured next to Regulus (the King star) opening the Season of Repentance. If God’s people are to return to the heart of fellowship with their Maker, we must return to the heart of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ first, our Intercessor and Mediator, [Rom. 8:34, I Tim. 2:5, I Jn. 1:3].

Figure 4. Total Solar Eclipse near Regulus in Leo, 8/21/2017. 4

From the Total Solar Eclipse on Aug. 21st, the Moon proceeds to the cover the face of the brightest star on the ecliptic–Regulus the heart of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, on the same day it eclipses the light of the Sun. This Lunar Occultation of Regulus is part of a series, the present of which began on December 18, 2016, and will end on April 24, 2018. Refer to the section below for more info on this interesting lunar cycle. “Now fast-forward to another solar eclipse on August 21, but this time in 1914,” Biltz said. “This is the first day of the month of Elul, which began the month of repentance.’ The first of Elul is when Jonah began prophesying for 40 days. Just before the eclipse, we see on June 28th, 1914, through the month of August, the events of World War 1 begin! The path of totality of this eclipse was over Eastern Europe and the Ottoman Empire or Middle East, including Nineveh again. This foretold the destruction of the Ottoman Empire in World War I.”

Biltz suggests such cataclysms may be in store for the United States, especially given the timing of the event.

“Now, this Aug 21, 2017, we have a total solar eclipse going over the United States,” he noted. “This is again at the beginning the month of repentance on the first of Elul! Could God be giving us a warning that we need to repent or judgment will be coming to the United States? The timing of this celestial sign and its relation to the Rev. 12 sign certainly attracts our attention, and should provide a serious warning of a much needed national spiritual course correction!

“We also find seven years later there will be another total solar eclipse running from south to the northeast across the United States on April 8, 2024, with St. Louis in the cross-hairs between the two eclipses, [Fig. 1]. April 8 is significant because it is the anniversary of the dedication of Moses tabernacle, when God reasserted Himself into the affairs of men with His glory coming to earth.” This could link to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ with his Saints in judgment to put down the darkness and bind the enemy for a thousand years.

If the American eclipse of 21st August, 2017 is indeed part of a “sign of Jonah” sequence related to this event, serving as a prophetic warning to the people of America, it is logical to apply the words of the Prophet Jonah himself:

[Jon 3:1-10] 3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. ⁶ When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. ⁷ This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. ⁸ But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. ⁹ Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” ¹⁰ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened.

Verse 3 tells us how great and large Nineveh was. Both Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus say it was 60 miles in circuit and twenty miles across. Verse 4 says during his first day’s journey into the city that in 40 more days it would be overthrown. It is interesting that this 40 day period links to the Season of Repentance ending on the day of Atonement. The response of the people was universal, from the King to the lowest. The combined witness of plagues, civil war, the eclipse and the Prophet Jonah caused every soul in the city to repent.

When the eclipse hits the entire US mainland from coast to coast for the first time since the start of WW1 perhaps the American nation will have had enough of the current division and social unrest to turn their hearts back to God. From the time of this writing to the August 21st Total Solar Eclipse is only about two months to act on a call to repentance for America. It is worth pointing out that exactly 40 days after the date of 21st August is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We have a unique opening to learn an especially important lesson for all people to “learn from Biblical and celestial history,” and partake in an urgent movement for repentance to the Almighty.

This is a time for believers to urgently unite in fasting and prayer for repentance in our nation!

 

Cycles of the Lunar Occultation of Regulus 5

Regulus is known as the heart of the Lion in Leo. It’s the only first-magnitude star – that is, the only bright star among all the sky’s brightest stars – to sit almost exactly on the ecliptic or sun’s yearly path in front of the constellations of the zodiac.

The Moon in its monthly journey around Earth moves more or less along the ecliptic, too. It can swing anywhere from 5^o north to 5^o south of the star Regulus. In cycles of about 9 years, however, the Moon actually occults – passes directly in front of – Regulus once a month for a period of about one and one-half years. For instance, the last lunar Occultation series began January 7, 2007, ending May 12, 2008, staging a total of 19 occultations. Regulus-the King Star symbolizes the royal throne of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, as seen in Psalm 89.

Psalm 89:34-37
³⁴ My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
³⁵ Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:
³⁶ His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me;
³⁷ It shall be established forever like the Moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah

The present occulation series began on December 18, 2016, and will end on April 24, 2018. Once again, there will be a total of 19 occultations in the series. But to see any lunar occultation of Regulus, you have to be on the right spot on Earth. This occultation occurs shortly after the total solar eclipse (see the following entry) spanning the contiguous United States just to the north. Though the event is not observable due to its proximity to the Sun,

The list of dates for this Occultation series are as follows: 5

1. December 18, 2016
2. January 15, 2017
3. February 11, 2017 [annular solar eclipse 2/26/17]
4. March 10, 2017
5. April 12, 2017
6. May 4, 2017
7. May 31, 2017
8. June 28, 2017
9. July 25, 2017
10. August 21, 2017 [Total Solar Eclipse 8/21/17]
11. September 18, 2017
12. October 15, 2017
13. November 11, 2017
14. December 8, 2017
15. January 5, 2018 [Jan. 31st Blood Moon total lunar eclipse]
16. February 1, 2018 [Feb. 15th Partial Solar Eclipse] 
17. March 1, 2018
18. March 28, 2018
19. April 24, 2018

Exactly midway through the occultation series – on August 21, 2017 – the Moon actually occults Regulus on the same date that the moon totally eclipsed the sun.

How’s that for precision in the Creator’s divine system of celestial mechanics of Biblical Astronomy! How does this relate to the birth of Christ? In previous blog posts we have noted the importance of Jupiter’s Retrograde motion relating to the Signs of the Celestial Prelude.

In November of 3 BC, Jupiter reached its first stopping point in retrograde motion relating to Christ’s birth. Jupiter the king planet had already exhibited its link to Regulus the king star in Leo at Christ’s birth on Sept. 11th 3 BC, with the first of three unions starting Sept. 14th. With Jupiter’s triple crowning of Regulus, the celestial coronation of Jesus Christ was shed forth in the heavens by the hand of the Almighty, Who spun the planets in their courses at Creation. On Nov. 26/27 in 3 BC, the Moon occulted Regulus. The coordination of Jupiter standing still in retrograde with the Regulus’ lunar occultation together is very rare, occurring only once about every 5,000+ years. The blocking of the light from the king star Regulus by the Moon, while Jupiter-with the scepter of the righteous branch standing still in the heavens, foreshadows a relationship seen in Ps. 89 above and Genesis 49.

Genesis 49:8-10.
⁸ “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

On January 20 in 2 BC Jupiter rose just after sunset (acronycal rising). During this is a key phase of Jupiter’s cycle, the full Moon occulted of Regulus. This is a kind of replay of the event previously in Nov. 3 BC. The king star Regulus is occulted by the Moon while Jupiter is standing still at sunset in the heavens. This event took place in the Hebrew month of Shevat, a name which is taken from the Hebrew word for the ruler’s staff/scepter, [shebet], found in Genesis 49:10 [scepter] above. The “lawgiver from between his feet” is a direct reference to the king star Regulus in Leo.

September 18, 2017 – the Moon will occult three planets (Venus, Mars and Mercury) and one first-magnitude star (Regulus) in less than 24-hours time! This will be the first time since March 5, 2008, that three planets have been occulted by the Moon in less than one day. The next time won’t be until July 24, 2036.5 This string of planetary occultations generates more spiritual than observational interest because most of the world is not well-situated for watching even one of these four occultations. With the close proximity to the Great Sign of Rev. 12 on Sept 23rd, this Lunar Occultation of three planets and a first magnitude star on the same day is noteworthy. Of these three planets aligned with Regulus in Leo similar to [Fig. 3] above, only the Moon and Venus will be easy to spot in the predawn/dawn hours, as the Moon blocks the light of Venus as the Bright and Morning Star. Regulus should also be visible below Venus as the Moon passes in front of it next before dawn. You may need binoculars to see the occultation of Mars and finally Mercury.

Three other 1st-magnitude stars – that is, bright stars – reside close enough to the ecliptic to be occulted by the moon: Aldebaran, Antares and Spica. As it happens, Aldebaran, too, is in the midst of an series of 49 monthly occultations that started on January 29, 2015 and will conclude on September 3, 2018.

Antares and Spica have no occultaion series going on at present. Spica will have a series of 20 monthly occultations from June 16, 2024 to November 17, 2025; whereas Antares will have a series of 68 monthly occultations from August 25, 2023 to August 27, 2028. 5

The Great American Total Solar Eclipse is a uniquely powerful sign in the Heavens leading to the celestial fireworks of the Rev. 12 sign in September of 2017! The Almighty has pulled the plug on Heavenly Wonders to get His people’s attention to Repent in these Last Days!! Pray God you are ready for what is coming…

Footnotes

1.  [http://www.wnd.com/2017/04/solar-eclipse-across-u-s-called-a-sign-from-god/]