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Comet Giacobini-Zinner and the Birth and Return of Jesus Christ

Comet Giacobini-Zinner and the Birth and Return of Jesus Christ

The skies of September 2018 are full of signs for those who are watchful with eyes to see what the Lord has in store for his people! Not only are we recognizing the anniversary of the birth of Christ and all the events surrounding 9-11, but this is also the busiest month on the sacred Hebrew Calendar with the 7th month of Tishri opening on their New Years day, Sept. 10th. This day also marks a celestial event that was witnessed during the birth of Christ, with the appearance of the comet that caused the meteor shower at his birth. So from our initial awareness of this comet it signifies an important symbolism in connection with Israel, and Christianity. For the Christians, the Feast of Trumpets is one of the seven feasts of Israel, with the three spring feasts showing Christ’s coming, the Feast of Pentecost showing the coming of the Church, and the three fall feasts showing Christ’s Second Coming. The Feast of Trumpets is a prophetic representation of the trumpet call of God and the Second Coming of Christ, (1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Thess. 4:16).

Comet Giacobini-Zinner is officially known as 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. The “21P” label means it’s the 21st short-period comet with a calculated orbit. Comet 21P’s orbital period is ruled by the King Planet Jupiter, because the orbits of this class of comets don’t extend outside Jupiter’s orbit. Since Jupiter has the largest gravitational footprint of all planets in our solar system, it has not only captured numerous small comets, but it can also influence the orbits of by-passing comets. Short-period comets return to the center of our solar system in intervals of less than or equal to 2 centuries.

Comet 21P’s orbital period is about 6.6 years, and its closest approach to the Sun — can occur in any month. This takes place due to the changing orbit of the comet as it by-passes Jupiter. This year, Giacobini-Zinner arrives at perihelion on 9-10-18; or New Year’s day on Rosh Hashannah, in the Hebrew Calendar corresponding to the birth of Christ on Sept. 11th, 3 BC. Below we can see the trajectory of this comet moving through the sign Auriga-the Shepherd who provides safety for God’s people in the day of wrath. The chart in Figure 1 below is useful to track 21P/G-Z through mid-September. The comet’s location is shown daily at 0^h UT with positions marked every 5 days.

Figure 1. The Path of Comet Giacobini-Zinner 21p through Auriga and surrounding skies in Sept. 2018. 1

from SkyMap software

As the path of the comet G-Z 21p intersects the binary star Capella-the brightest star in Auriga, we find imagery of the Shepherd gathering his flock into his bosom, [Ezek, 34:22]. Another major star in Auriga is El Nath, in the Shepherd’s heel, meaning wounded or slain, which is pierced by the horn of the Great Bull-Taurus. This fact is emphasized in that the star El Nath is also part of the horn of Taurus the Bull, and is included in both signs. This depicts the sacrifice of our Great Shepherd Jesus Christ who gave his life for the Sheep, [John 10:11]. This does not refer to the gathering together of the Church, but to the rescue of the remnants of Israel from the evil persecution of the Beast out of the tribulation. 2

Figure 2. Constellation Auriga from Urania’s Mirror. 3

There is certainly much in current events regarding Jerusalem coinciding with these celestial events. Back on Dec. 6th of 2017 the Trump administration announced plans to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, causing great controversy among the Islamic nations opposing this recognition of Jerusalem by a major world power in connection with Israel. The timing of this is interesting when we look at the Jubilee calendar that has marked other key events related to Jerusalem in recent history. As we correlate the two previous Jubilees in 1917 and 1967, we find an intriguing history where in 1917, Jerusalem was liberated from the Ottoman Turks under General Allenby, just a few weeks after the Balfour Declaration promised Israel a homeland. This date is key in Dec. 1917 when viewed in a prophetic time span of Shemitah cycles [360 x 7] that total 2,520 years starting in 605-4 BC when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, leading Israel away into the Babylonian Captivity. In the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917-during the 1917-1918 Jubilee, to the retaking of the Western Wall during the 1966-1967 Jubilee, to the current Jubilee in 2017-2018, God is at work restoring His Jubilee Blessings to Israel in stages. The Temple Mount seems the next logical stage of this restoration process, where we could see provisions for a third Temple in Jerusalem. The new US Embassy was opened on the 70th anniversary of the rebirth of the State of Israel-May 14th, 2018. One key aspect of Biblical Jubilees is the restoration of the land to the original owners, thus it is interesting to see the progressive restoration of the lands of Israel including Jerusalem to the people who have returned to live in modern State of Israel.

This great 2520 year period is called the great seven times of prophecy in Leviticus 26:18, Then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. v.21 Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. v. 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. v.27 And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, v. 28 then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

God is certainly making a point in this record among other judgments, what He brings upon Israel if they continue to walk against Him in all their ways. After tyhe repetitions of the 7 times of Judgement, it also records the desolation of their cities including Jerusalem, and how their lands will not produce for them because Israel ignored the pattern of sabbaths to rest their lands [Levi. 26:34-37, 42-46] as God commanded-leading to the Jubilees Sabbaths.

Israel lost her sovereignty in 605-4 BC, yielding a perfect 2520-year period (360 x 7), minus the 70 years captivity in Babylon, was fulfilled in 1948 when Israel regained her independence. In 586 BC, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed as well as the Temple. This took place 19 years after 605 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar had removed their national sovereignty and sat King Jehoiakim as vassal ruler, (2 Kings 24:1). Using 586 BC as the start point of another time measurement, when Jerusalem is destroyed, another 2520-year period (again subtracting 70 years for the captivity of Jerusalem) is fulfilled in 1967 when Israel recaptures Jerusalem, June 7, 1967. The eternal covenant of God with His people Israel cannot be separated from the land of Israel (Psalm 105:7-11) and its ultimate fulfillment is in accordance with His precise timing.

The city of Jerusalem and the Temple lay desolate for 70 years. After that period of desolation the 2520-Year countdown began and culminated on June 7, 1967 when Israel regained control over Jerusalem. They also gained control of the Temple Mount, but they had to return control back to the King of Jordan, who still retains control of the Temple Mount today. In the 20th century, the Nation of Israel regained her sovereignty, celebrating her Independence on May 14, 1948. Nineteen years later, the city of Jerusalem came under Israeli control on June 7, 1967. This Gentile dominion over Jerusalem is structured in 2 1260 year periods [1260 x 2 =2520] leading up to the current countdown to the end times, where we will see a transition from 2520 years, to 2520 weeks, to 2520 days, leading us to a period just short of the 7-year tribulation period. As the time periods on God’s clock decrease from years to weeks to days and even hours, so the countdown to judgment of the world quickens as time grows shorter for our deliverance. As we read in the narrative of Biblical history, the nation of Israel did not repent to God for their shortcomings, and only a small minority returned under Ezra to rebuild the wall after the captivity. God anticipated this rebellion from what we see above in Leviticus 26. There, God warned Moses, if his descendants didn’t repent and return after the captivity, His seven-fold wrath would fall upon them. We have already seen [360 years x 7] = 2520 remaining years of judgment in the 1260 x 2 periods of Gentile dominion over Jerusalem in history.

Bullinger believed that these 1260 year periods marking the Gentile’s dominion over Jerusalem and its Temple in history, would foreshadow two 1260 day periods in the end-times, when the final Abomination of Desolation was to be fulfilled, before and during the Great Tribulation. [2 Thess. 2:1-4]. This time of the fullness of the Gentiles is supported in the heavens with findings in the 1260 days from the 1st Blood Moon Eclipse of the 2014-15 Tetrad to the Rev. 12 sign, @ 9/23/17, as a precursor to the 2 periods of 1260 days contained in the 7 year tribulation, [Rev. 11:1-3, 12:6, 14, 13:5].

The last Blood Moon eclipse of the 2014-15 Tetrad on Sept. 28, 2015, as the only Moon in the Tetrad visible in Jerusalem, occurred 2520 weeks from the end of the 6-Day-War, during the previous Blood Moon Tetrad of 1967-68, as Israel reclaimed control over Jerusalem for the first time since 70 AD. This is enlightening when we recall the 7 weeks, or 49-day count between Passover and Pentecost, is also the basis for the 7 weeks of years that form the 50 Year Jubilee on the Hebrew Calendar, as seen in the 50 years between 1967-68 to 2017-18. This gives us a common standard for calculating weeks, days and years in Biblical time-keeping, established in the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and the Hebrew Jubilee. This manner of Sabbath counting can apply to a week of days, as the weekly Sabbath; a week of weeks, such as the counting from Passover to Pentecost; a week of years bringing a Sabbath Year; or even a week of Sabbath Years, bringing a Jubilee. And as we have seen in connection with the two princes of [Daniel 9:25-27] with Jesus it was a literal week of seven days, whereas with the anti-Christ it is a week of seven years wherein he disrupts the temple sacrifices in the 7 year tribulation at the halfway mark of 1260 days.

As a follow-up to the Giacobini-Zinner Comet 21p arriving on Sept. 10th this week at the Feast of Trumpets, the Trump Administration has also announced plans to reveal some details of a Middle-East Peace Plan at the UN, during the Feast of Tabernacles. We will have to wait and see how things develop along these lines, but it sure makes for an intriguing September!!

An interesting truth concerning the meteor shower related to Comet G-Z 21p is that this is the same comet that caused the meteor showers at the birth of Christ. I was first introduced to the concept of a meteor shower at Christ’s birth by Rev. Jon Nessle, when I heard a teaching he did years ago, linking this specific Meteor shower to the second celestial wonder of Rev. 12, relating the Eta-Draconid meteors surrounding the birth of Christ.

According to Rev. Nessle, there are actually three sets of Draconid meteors, two of which show a radiant from Eta-Draconis. One of these is viewed as the greater with the other the lesser of the Eta-Draconids. It is the lesser of these two that occurred during the period of September 9th-12th in 3 BC. What is unique about this Meteor shower is that the lesser Eta-Draconids are best viewed at sunset, or in the early evening, while most Meteor showers are best seen later at night, as stated in the excerpt below from the Oct. 2nd, 98’ Weekly News Bulletin of Sky & Telescope;

“On the evening of October 8th, debris from the Periodic Comet 21P/ Giacobini-Zinner may provide a stunning sky show. The Giacobinid Meteor shower produced two of the greatest Meteor displays seen in this century in 1933 and 1946. Lesser showers arrived in 1926, 1952, and 1985… Unlike most Meteor showers, the Giacobinids are at their best in the evening rather than after midnight. Their radiant is in the tail of the Constellation Draco. This point is highest right after dark at mid-northern latitudes; it moves lower throughout the night and is near the horizon by dawn.”⁶

This is a key because of the signs in Virgo at sunset on 9-11-3 BC, marking the birth of the promised seed occurred at the same time that these meteors were falling from the sky, signifying the casting down of the dragon from his former place of honor.

Even though the Earth’s passage through the comet’s trail can be predicted, the resulting intensity of the Meteor shower activity cannot be, with such certainty. It seems dependent upon how close the comet’s by-pass of the Earth is, and this year is one of the closest in modern history. It is intriguing that there were no Draconid Meteor Showers seen for over 1800 years since the birth of Christ until the year 1900.

Skywatchers first noticed these meteors in October 1926, two months before the comet itself passed by, coming from the direction of the head of the constellation Draco, the dragon. So, the meteors were christened the October Draconids, or Giacobinids. Stupendous meteor “storms” with rates of 4,000 to 6,000 meteors per hour accompanied the visits of 21P in 1933 and 1946. Nowadays, the
Draconid meteor shower peaks around Oct. 8, but usually only in those years surrounding 21P’s return, especially very favorable ones (such as this year). Let’s take a closer look at the reference to the crooked serpent in Job 26.

Job 26:12-13 He divideth the sea with his power, and by His understanding he smiteth through the proud. [13] By his spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

This record in Job is a unique reference to Draco, due to Thuban’s position as the pole star sighted down the descending passage of the Great Pyramid, garnishing the heavens. It was the omnipotent Hand of the Creator that formed the crooked serpent, garnishing the Heavens, with Draco the dragon originally at its pinnacle. We should also realize that even though the north-pole of the Equator has been wrested from the dragon, via the precession of the poles, he still holds sway over the pole of the ecliptic, the celestial center point around which the circle of the equatorial pole revolves. This is the still point in the heavens located in the core of the dragon, between the stars Grumium and Chi Draconis. A note of interest on the star Grumium, also spelled Grumian, meaning the subtle or deceiver, is that Denning: “considers it the radiant point of the Meteor stream seen about the 29th of May, also called The Draconids.”⁴ This probably identifies one of three separate Meteor showers emanating from Draco, with this one being the only one whose radiant is not Eta-Draconis.

September 9th to the 12th. TheEta-Draconid Meteor Showers, with their radiant in Draco, the Dragon cast down. The Moon was mid-body with the Sun in Virgo occulting the planet Venus, starting at 11:50 PM.

^{Revelation 12: 3-5} 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven”- “Another” is a Greek word indicating that this heavenly wonder was different from that described in Rev. 12:1. Even as the first heavenly wonder involved the Constellation Virgo, so this second heavenly wonder also involved a celestial Constellation, not a planetary Conjunction this time, but a Meteor shower. Since the Draconid Meteor shower historically began on the 9th of September, there were already some meteors falling two days before the big show came on the 11th. How do we know this was the Constellation Draco? God’s Word details it for us:

“and behold a great red dragon“- Although there are several celestial candidates for this sky dragon, including Hydra that also spans a third of the stars of the ecliptic with its massive size, it becomes apparent that Draco is the sign that is referred to here in Revelation. This is the first of 13 occurrences of the Greek word “drakon” in the book of Revelation, with the first 8 uses of this word here in Rev. 12, [Rev. 12:3,4,7,7,9,13,16,17, Rev. 13:2,4,11, Rev.16:13, 20:2].7 The number 13 is symbolic of rebellion and the dragon embodies the idea of spiritual warfare in the heavens. As we inspect the details of the Biblical record of Revelation 12, the characteristics of Draco the dragon come to the surface. The Constellation Draco the dragon, has 4 stars of the 2nd magnitude, one in the tail is Thuban the subtle; [Genesis 3:1]. The other second magnitude stars are located in the Dragon’s head, first; Rastaban meaning the head of the subtle, second Ethanin, the long serpent, referring to its massive size, that originally enclosed both Ursa Major and Minor. It is intriguing to note that the head and tail of the dragon are specifically marked by the second magnitude stars of this Constellation. As we will recall, the dragon’s head and tail came up in our study of the lunar eclipse cycle, as it was symbolized in the Old World. A point of interest in that study was how this lunar cycle indicated the workings of the serpent’s seed in a situation. As the dragon’s head tells it’s tail what to do, the desires of the dragon, contrary to the purposes of God, are carried out by both the serpent’s seed in the human realm, and in the spirit realm. The graphic of Draco the dragon shown below, winds his way down between the two flocks in the northern skies, with the lower coils of his tail beneath the star Thuban, the archaic pole star. Here the fallen Morning Star, in its first estate formerly lead the chorus’ of heaven in joyful praise of the true God, now is depicted as the source of division, sedition and destruction between these flocks, now pictured as bears. R.H. Allen notes the important point that for the ancient Chaldeans “Draco, a much longer Constellation than with us, is seen winding downwards and in front of Ursa Major, and even into later times, clasped both of the bears in its folds… with the combined title: Arctoe et Draco.“²

Figure 3. “Arctoe et Draco“

This depicts the spiritual battle for God’s people between the spirit realms of light and darkness that still rages today. These battles in life in which we are engaged all take place in time and space of this world, where the enemy has coveted to take as many people with him into destruction as possible. God through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ has provided our only way of escape and salvation to be victorious in the spiritual warfare where our lives hang in the balance. Only in Christ are we victorious, and we can find this illustrated in the perfect biblical numbers. The Bible speaks of four numbers that embody perfection:

First the number three speaks of divine completion as seen in Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd and the Chief Shepherd. We also find this in his role as Prophet, Priest and King.

Second the number seven embodies spiritual perfection like Seven Churches of Revelation, seven Spirits of God, the Menorah, many other examples.

Thirdly the number ten represents ordinal perfection as in ten toes, ten fingers, astronomical decans, etc.

And fourth the number twelve speaks of governmental or organizational perfection, as in the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the Twelve Apostles, etc.

What is interesting is that when you multiply these four perfect numbers, their product is 2520: 3 x 7 x 10 x 12 = 2520

E. W. Bullinger called 2520 “Chronological Perfection,” but there is also an element of universal mathematical perfection here since 2520 is the numerical least common multiple because it is the first number that evenly divides the first ten digits,
1-10.

As we approach the last days, we can always be sure that The Word of God will be vindicated; its prophetic truth will be verified; God Himself will be glorified; and His people saved with an everlasting salvation.

Meanwhile the members of His Body will “wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”(1 Thess 1:10). They will live “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people (RV, a people for His own possession) zealous of good works”(Titus 2:13,14). They will “look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,” from heaven, believing that there is no hope either for “the Jew, the Gentile, or the Church of God,” or for a groaning creation, until “the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN”(Acts 3:19-21).

Stay Strong in the soon returning Christ and our dawning eternal victory!!

Footnotes

1. Picture credit from Skymap software.
2. Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger, ppg 134-135.
3. Picture credit on Auriga from Urania’s Mirror
4. General reference; www.twenty5twenty.net
5. www.try-god.com/introduction-to-the-jupiter-regulus-conjunctions.php
6. Oct. 2nd, 98’ Weekly News Bulletin of Sky & Telescope
7. Strong’s Concordance on “drakon”. James Strong

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Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions and the Celestial Prelude

Birth of Jesus Christ — **Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions and the Celestial Prelude**

One of the singular aspects of my Biblical Astronomy research has revolved around the Celestial Prelude. I was recently encouraged by Jon Nessle to take a closer look at the historical aspects of Jupiter’s retrograde motion in light of Jupiter-Saturn triple conjunctions, that I believe influenced the Magi so powerfully, as a precedent to the astronomical signs surrounding the birth of Christ. I took his advice to heart because Jon has never steered me wrong, and there are always positive outcomes as a result. I’m so very thankful to Rev. Nessle for inviting me to take part in his ministry work and for our resulting fellowship. It motivates me even more to think that we have only just begun, and I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store!

Let’s do an overview of both the general and specific aspects of the Celestial Prelude. Its General sign, The Coma Supernova as we will see below, was visible for over 250 years, while of signs from 7-5 BC, focus on the triple Conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn during this period. These signs allowed the Magi to recognize the stellar details of the long awaited prophecy of the coming of the promised seed. Also during this same period referred to by Ptolemy, shekels from Judea struck during the period of the second revolt, [135-132 AD] bear the design of a bright star over the Jerusalem Temple, called Bar Kaukab. The leader of the Second Revolt was Shim’on Bar Koseba. He was known as Bar Kochba, meaning “Son of the Star,” in reference to messianic expectations of (Num. 24:17): “There shall step forth a star (kochab) out of Jacob.”

Figure 1. Bar Kochba, Silver Sela shekel coin from 133/134 AD, (Brom. 94) 1

Here the Temple is pictured with the Ark of the Covenant between its central pillars. This coin with the bright star over the Temple is assumed to refer to Shimon the “Son of the Star“ and leader of this revolt, but it could have also been a logical reference to the supernova that appeared in the head of the woman’s son in Coma‘s lap, the desired of the nations, and perhaps even a providential reference to Jesus as the true temple. Why would we even consider this as a possibility? Because the approximate 280 year period of visibility of the Coma Supernova began about 125 years before the birth of Christ according to Hipparchus, near the time of the 2nd revolt, with the appearance of this new Star over the Temple near the Second Revolt in Jerusalem, the impact of this “new star” was such that, one of the leading sages of that time known as Rabbi Akiva, proclaimed Bar Kochba as the messiah. This not only shows the Messianic expectations of this period, but also the impact of this New Star in the skies over Jerusalem, doubtlessly contributing to Shimon’s moniker as “Son of the Star,” commemorated by the coin. It was this kind of Messianic expectation that permeated Jerusalem at the time.

E.W. Bullinger uncovers below, the popular belief regarding this general sign that was prevalent in and before the first century BC: “a traditional prophecy well known in the East, carefully preserved and handed down, that a new star would appear in this sign [Coma] when he whom it foretold, would be born.” ² This tradition was at least partially based on Balaam’s declaration in Numbers 24, meaning that Balaam’s prophecy holds, for our purposes, minimally a twofold import.

Numbers 24:17

17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.⁴

First, Balaam’s revelation refers to the advent of Christ the King, the ascendant bright and Morning Star, who came forth out of Jacob’s genealogical line. This genealogy was marked astronomically by the similarity in the Jupiter-Saturn triple conjunctions surrounding both the births of Abram and Christ. Secondly, there is a celestial double meaning in the phrase: Star out of Jacob, with bearings on both the general and Specific aspects of our Celestial Prelude. The new star, or supernova in the head of the infant in Coma, visible to the naked eye for over 275 years, was the general sign, the Star out of Jacob, that prepared the Magi to watch for the specific aspects of the second part of the Celestial Prelude, which included the Jupiter-Saturn triple unions of 7 BC in Pisces. We find this second aspect of Balaam’s prophecy relating to the scepter as symbolic of the reign of the king planet; Jupiter. As we progress in our study it will become plain that Jupiter was the planet that the Magi referred to as “his Star” in Matthew 2:2. The Magi had noted the triple Conjunction of signs from 7-6 BC, involving Jupiter and Saturn, that gave them a blueprint for the Jupiter-Regulus triple union marking Christ’s birth, starting in 3 BC. An early sign in August of 3 BC motivated them to begin their caravan to Jerusalem. Both of these aspects of the General and Specific celestial signs marking the birth of Christ are apparent in the study on “The Stars Over Bethlehem,“ which provides further details of what the Magi observed in the skies overhead at the Messiah’s birth, both in main constellation of Virgo, and its decan of Coma.

The decan of Coma is pictured below as the three bright stars forming the inverted “L” shape, that significantly contains the North Galactic Pole, located 5 degrees west of Beta Coma. Its interesting in light of the original star picture associated with this decan, as seen in the Dendera Zodiac, of a mother holding her Son in her lap, known as “the Desired of the Nations,”[Hagg. 2:7] [Figures 2, and 3. below].

Figure 2. Coma Decan in the Dendera Zodiac 3

sun of righteousness

The Prophet Daniel taught the Magi and other astronomers of the king Nebuchadnezzar’s court [Dan. 5:11] about these planetary unions from the contemporary example of a Jupiter-Saturn triple union 523-522 BC in Virgo. Less than 400 years later, near 132 BC a new star as the Coma supernova exploded onto the scene, in a decan of the sign Virgo called Coma. This is intriguing when we remember that much of this tradition was based on the teachings of the Prophet Daniel, who was made the master of the Magi, the Chaldeans and stargazers of the King’s Court in Babylon. He continued to preside over this august group in the reign of Darius I, [Dan. 6:1-3] when the Persians took control of the Babylonian empire. Daniel’s influence on the genuine sect of the Magi, not the Magicians who followed the path occult and Astrology, represented a critical impact on the astronomical doctrines of these Gentile scientists, especially regarding the widely held belief in the general sign marking the coming of the Messiah during this period in history. Obviously the Magi were aware of the truths of the celestial gospel concerning the coming redeemer, since it was their unrivaled expertise in Astronomy that led them to Jerusalem in the first place. As Matthew 2:3 tells us, their reputation clearly preceded them as Herod, and all Jerusalem were troubled at their appearance. Herod seems to hold the Magi’s opinion regarding the star that lead them to Jerusalem, above those of his own scribes and chief priests, which is evident in the secret meeting he arranged with he Magi in Matt. 2:7.

The Biblical references to Christ associated with the Sun as the “light of the world,” the “Sun of Righteousness” [Mal. 4:2] and in Psalm 19: 4-6, are only a few of many such references. Thus, in the case of the promised seed, Zero-ashta, the religion of the Magi served as a vessel for many principles and astronomical precepts, that led mankind to the birth of Jesus Christ as the Promised Seed of the Woman, [Gen. 3:15-16].

Ignatius, one of the Church Fathers and the Bishop of Antioch, in about 69 AD, records that, “At the appearance of the Lord a star shone forth brighter than all other stars.”4 If we are careful not to confuse this reference with the planet Jupiter, we can deduce that this supernova was still visible about 275 years after it was first seen as the celestial marker of the general time frame of Jesus’ birth. Thus, the Celestial Prelude proposes that the Coma Supernova that occurred in the head of the infant “Christos,” nursed by his mother as the General Sign marking the general time-frame of the Messiah’s birth. The close proximity of the Northern Galatic Pole, in Coma recalls the imagery of Cepheus “the crowned king” who regally sits astride the Celestial Pole star polaris, picturing Christ seated in the heavenly temple at the right hand of the Heavenly Father [Eph. 1:20-23]. Seiss has some viable historical references on this point:

“Hipparchus about one hundred twenty-five years before Christ, observed it [Coma supernova] as a new star, and was led by it to draw up his record of stars. Ptolemy, about one hundred and fifty years after Christ, refers to it as having been observed by Hipparchus, but as having become so faint as hardly to be any longer discernible.”⁵

(parenthesis and emphasis mine) From these key historical notes, we have temporal references from about 125 years before Christ’s birth, extending to about 150 years after his birth; giving us a period within about 280 years of when the Coma Supernova was visible as the General sign of the Celestial Prelude.

Figure 3. Virgo with the Decan Coma-Stellarium 6

The Magi would have witnessed both this new star shining brightly in Coma, a decan of Virgo, while Jupiter was in retrograde, standing still on the Meridian in Virgo, in December of 2 BC. The general sign of our Celestial Prelude thus harmonizes with the specific signs, as the Magi headed south from Jerusalem, their visit with Herod just concluded, towards Bethlehem in search of the promised seed. This also explains why the Magi were the only group to recognize these specific celestial signs of the Messiah’s birth, because the general sign was a fixture in Coma for about 130 years prior to this period. The typical person wouldn’t have noticed anything out of the ordinary in the heavens, because it would not stand out unless coupled with the knowledge of the specific signs, bringing the Magi to Israel in the first place. This is another reason why the Magi were so joyful when they saw “his star,” Jupiter over Bethlehem. This scene of what the Magi beheld in the skies over Bethlehem in December of 2 BC, is depicted in the banner of this article above, and covered in detail in our website article on the Skies over Bethlehem. In Numbers 24:17, when Jacob is referred to in Balaam’s prophecy, it refers not only to the seed of Jacob, but also to the land promised to him as an inheritance, in his Covenant with God [Gen. 15:18]. Francis Rolleston has notable remarks regarding this:

“The Magi forewarned that the star must appear over Jacob, over his inheritance, would see that star in Coma passed over the center of that inheritance: but as it would also appear to pass vertically over every part of it that was nearly in the Latitude of Jerusalem, they could not at once fix on the spot of the Messiah’s birth, therefore they went to inquire; the Latitude, as it were, being given by the star, the longitude by the prophecy.“^{7 [mazzaroth]}

Here we find the witness of the stars, and the Scriptures, working together to bring the Magi to the toddler Jesus, because their alert observation of “his star” brought them to Jerusalem and the scribes declaration from Micah 5:2, when Herod questioned them, sent the Magi to Bethlehem. While en route they witnessed the heavens come alive with the proof that their historic journey was not in vain, because they saw both the Coma Supernova, and Jupiter in Virgo in the same skies over Bethlehem. This puts both elements of the General and Specific Signs of the Celestial Prelude in the same skies observed by the Magi leading them to the birth place of Jesus Christ.

Plate 1. Jupiter in retrograde its triple union with Saturn in Pisces in 7 BC. 8
Triple conjunction

This initial set of signs indeed set the stage for the actual signs announcing the birth of Christ. The Charts below reflect the signs of 7-5 BC, leading to the signs of 3-1 BC, displaying the principals of the Celestial Prelude. For our purposes here, our main focus will be on the triple Conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn not only from 7-5 BC, but also those preceding it with close proximity to the Coma Supernova in 126 BC, and the Jupiter-Saturn Triple conjunction in Cancer in 146-145 BC. We will consider how these previous Jupiter-Saturn triple unions with their planetary signs, more fully sketch out and establish the signs of Christ’s Birth.

Figure 4. Jupiter-Saturn Triple Conjunctions

Date Time Jupiter Saturn

SEP 10, –581 | 06:56 AM | 000 | 16VI47 | 16VI47 |
|JUL 27, –562 | 12:09 PM | 000 | 07TA33 | 07TA33 |
|NOV 01, -562 | 02:11 PM | 000 | 05TA05R | 05TA05R|
|FEB 10, –561 | 01:21 AM | 000 | 02TA29 | 02TA29 |
|DEC 13, –542 | 10:49 PM | 000 | 03CP51 | 03CP51 |
|DEC 16, –522 | 11:46 PM | 000 | 27VI59 | 27VI59 |
|MAR 14, -521 | 02:10 PM | 000 | 25VI54R | 25VI54R|
|JUL 10, –521 | 05:24 PM | 000 | 23VI07 | 23VI07

SEP 16, –164 | 02:16 AM | 000 | 08SC49 | 08SC49 |
|OCT 18, –145 | 11:50 AM | 000 | 16CA44 | 16CA44 |
|DEC 10, -145 | 12:56 PM | 000 | 15CA33R | 15CA33R|
|MAY 04, –144 | 03:15 PM | 000 | 12CA11 | 12CA11 |

|APR 24, –125 | 08:15 PM | 000 | 02PI14 | 02PI14

The Chart above from Richard Nolle, 9 reflects both “normal” and triple conjunctions of Jupiter-Saturn over the last 600 years leading to the birth of Christ. According to this Chart in Figure 4, above, there were Jupiter-Saturn triple conjunctions in Pisces in 861/860 BC and in 981/980 BC, marking the Temple of Solomon, where both times the proximity of Jupiter-Saturn was closer than 7 BC. The spectacular Jupiter-Saturn triple union in the constellation Cancer that occurred in 146/145 BC, was marked above as -145 and -144 as the others, due to the lack of a zero year on the timeline. The dates and planetary activity of this 146-145 BC triple union that are not supplied in Figure 5, fit in the gap between the 185 and 126 BC Jupiter-Saturn signs as follows:

1. Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Cancer on Oct. 18th, 146 BC, in the Crab’s lower pincer, with the Sun in Libra, Moon in Gemini, Venus at the feet of Virgo, Mars in Capricorn and Mercury in Scorpius.

2. Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Cancer on Dec. 10th, 146 BC, Sun & Mercury in Sagittarius, Moon between the Horns of Taurus, Venus in Libra, Mars in Aquarius.

3. Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Cancer on May 4th, 145 BC, Sun and Mercury in Taurus, Moon in Virgo, Venus in Aries, Mars in Gemini.

When any two planets outside earth’s orbit enter a conjunction, it has the potential for a triple conjunction, where instead of only one flyby the pair of planets can form a triple union over the space of a few months, based on the planet’s retrograde motion. Jupiter and Saturn had “normal” unions or conjunction phases nearly every 20 [19.85] years. Jupiter-Saturn triple unions have a rich astronomical cross-cultural history going back into ancient times.

The “normal” Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Pisces on April 24th, 126 BC is unique to our purpose due to its proximity to the appearance of the Coma Supernova. Since it was Hipparchus about one hundred twenty-five years before Christ, who observed this supernova in Coma as a new star, putting this sighting close to 128 BC. This sighting was confirmed by the Church Father Ignatius in 69 AD. After the Coma Supernova first appeared this notable Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Pisces on April 24th, 126 BC, took place. This Jupiter-Saturn union was one in a series on the ecliptic paralleling the Band of Pisces holding the horizontal fishtail of Pisces. Figure 5 below shows 7 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions in Pisces from 185 BC to 54 AD, leading to Jesus’ birth. During this Jupiter-Saturn union, Venus also appears in the loop of the Band located at the future location of the June 8th, 7 BC union of Jupiter-Saturn nearly 120 years in advance. The Band with the horizontal fish of Pisces, here embodies a countdown not only to the opening of the Piscean Age marked by this triple union of Jupiter-Saturn, but also the signs marking the birth of Christ.

Figure 5. 7 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions in Pisces from 185 to 54 AD. 10

185BC-54AD

According to Bullinger, the Fish of Pisces reflect “the multitude of Abraham’s seed where God compares his future posterity to the stars of the sky, and the sand upon the seashore. This very great multitude of fish [Ezek 47:9] also recalls Jesus with his disciples during his resurrection appearance to them by the sea [John 21:5ff], and the miracle of the 153 fish in the unbroken net. Figure 5 depicts the triple union of Jupiter-Saturn in 7 BC in white letters with the June 8th, 7 BC union in the loop of the Band as Jupiter initiates its retrograde loop with Saturn. In 7 BC in the constellation Pisces, this Jupiter-Saturn triple Conjunction also coincided with the dawn of a new Precessional Age, the Age of Pisces, with a new age every 2160 years. After this Jupiter-Saturn triple Conjunctions, there was a planetary massing of Jupiter-Saturn and Mars, after which followed a key Conjunction involving Mars. This unique Feb. 25th, 6 BC, trianglar massing of planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, was referred to by Kepler; as the “decisive Conjunction of 6 BC that opened our precessional age of Pisces.” As we have noted, Kepler also advanced the idea that the Magi were guided to Judea by the appearance of this series of Conjunctions.

As we have noted, the importance of Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions is also recognized in close relation to the precession of the equinoxes in the Hebrew cosmology evident in Genesis 1:6-10, and the world-views of ancient cultures including, Sumeria, Babylon, Egypt and in Meso-America. According to this pattern, Jupiter-Saturn triple unions occur in Pisces
only once every 800 years. This exhibits how the Conjunction series subdivides the precession, which totals a period of about 25,920 years, because every 30 cycles of Jupiter-Saturn triple conjunctions that occur in Pisces totals the period of 24,000 years, a time close to the full cycle of precession.

Like the ancient Egyptians, the Maya pyramid-building culture of ancient Mexico had a very advanced Astronomy. They had their own version of the 360-day year, called a “tun” and added 5 extra days, called “haab,” considered an unlucky period, regularly. According to Peter Thompkins, the Mayans also; “calculated the orbit of the Earth about the Sun as 365.2420 days, and marked the close of the year by the erection of a stone they called a “tun.” They did likewise for a 20-year cycle or “Katun,” a period they considered governed by the Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.” ¹¹

Thompkins continues saying that; “The Maya had a very special sacred year of 260 days called tzolkin, that the Aztecs called tonalamatl.” This 260-day sacred calendar was “divided into 13 months of 20 days and the multiples of 13 and 20 became the heart of a chronological computation, stunning in its simplicity and exactness. A greater cycle of 260 years was 13 consecutive Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction cycles of 20 years.”¹²[emphasis mine]

Related image

This greater 260-year cycle based on the cycle of Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions, was also a tool anciently utilized by the Mayans to break down the very long cycle of the precession of the equinoxes. Thompkins states that: the “Maya also had a cycle of 942,890 days, or 2,582 years, that turned out to be 130 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions.”13 [10 x 13] Twice this 2,582 year cycle [5,163 years], not only gave the equivalent of the greater 260-year cycle of Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, but 100 of these greater 260-year cycles was equal to 26,000 years, often reckoned the length of the precession by the ancients. With Kepler’s recognition of the pattern of Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions and the Mayan tzolkin, we have two culturally distinct and seemingly independent views of how Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions subdivide the precession. Similarities not only in planetary and star names, but also in their symbolism, among widely removed nations in both space and time is a feature so common in the study of Astronomy, that it discounts any idea of mere coincidence. This adds to the mound of evidence favoring what Joseph Campbell called the world monomyth which is the idea that all world mythology is rooted in one Great Epic narrative based on stellar truths, which we contend is preserved in the ancient star names God first gave to Adam and the Biblical Patriarchs [Ps. 147:4]. This age-old system was organized around the continual nesting of shorter celestial cycles, like the precession of the poles, nested as gears within the larger stellar wheels of the precession of the equinoxes, a strategy we find utilized in the construction of the Antikythera Device. This provided the frame-work within which the truths of the celestial gospel were first unveiled to Biblical Patriarchs and later corrupted forming the basis of mythology the world over.

During the time of the rise of ancient Israel, in last millennium BC, there were 43 “normal” conjunctions between the two planets, with at least 7 Jupiter-Saturn triple conjunctions taking place, with varying intervals from 40 years (as from 861 to 821 BC and again between 563 to 523) to 377 years (as between 523 to 146 BC), as seen above. The events following the 7 BC triple union of Jupiter-Saturn are depicted in the chart below [Fig. 6], including other key celestial events leading to the birth of Christ.

Figure. 6 The Celestial Prelude of 7 BC to 5 BC

Date	Conjunction of Planets	Constellation
May 27th, 7 BC	Jupiter-Saturn	Pisces
Sept. 15th, 7 BC	Jupiter, Saturn; [ring cycle], Sun & Earth aligned	Pisces
Oct. 5th, 7 BC	Jupiter-Saturn	Pisces
Dec. 1st , 7 BC	Jupiter-Saturn	Pisces
Feb. 25th 6 BC	Triangular massing of Jupiter, Saturn & Mars	Pisces
Mar. 5th , 6 BC	Jupiter-Mars Conjunction	Pisces
April 15-20, 6 BC	Lunar Occultation	Series
Mar. 23rd, 5 BC	Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse/Nova	Virgo
Sept. 15th, 5 BC	Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse	Pisces

Finally, on the heels of this Feb. 25th, 6 BC Conjunction including Mars, in the next month came a remarkable series of lunar occultations, followed by two total lunar eclipses in 5 BC. One of these Lunar occultations has been proposed as the actual Star of Bethlehem recently by, Michael Molnar of Rutgers University. He has drawn attention to a lunar occultation of Jupiter in 6 BC in the constellation Aries. Molnar suggests that this 6 BC occultation was the Star of Bethlehem due to astrological associations, Aries being the ruling star sign of Judea and Jupiter symbolizing a king, with the occultation, and the reappearance of the planet from behind the Moon- symbolizing a royal birth. Although Molnar’s thesis is dubious as to standing on its own accord as the Bethlehem Star, this March 17^th 6 BC occultation took place very close to the Sun and just after sunset. Its observation would have been difficult with the Sun only 3 degrees below the horizon, and Jupiter in close proximity just 5 degrees above it. The nearness of this lunar event to the Sun, however is interesting as this exposure of the King planet occurred so close to the Sun as the light of the world.

Another sign that took place around the same time as this Lunar Occultation in Aries was a Nova most likely in Capricorn. Similarly, in mid-March of 5 BC there were Chinese reports that an object described as a Nova was stationary and seen for 2.5 months. Despite its longevity of visibility, the object was not a supernova, which was concluded from the lack of a visible remnant, or radio source. This bright Nova was seen in northern Capricorn or southern Aquila in mid-March 5 BC and chronicled by the Chinese and Koreans. The date (March 5 BC), date falls into the Celestial Prelude period leading to the birth of Jesus, its position in the sky (in the east at dawn) and long duration of visibility (70+ days), make it a key contribution to the Celestial Prelude before the Star of Bethlehem. Being another Nova sign while the Coma Supernova was still visible to the naked eye, only lends added credence to our thesis given that the Magi must surely have observed the importance of this Nova in this Celestial context including this Lunar Occultation.

These preliminary signs from 7-5 BC provided the Magi with the blueprints they would need to recognize the celestial signs identifying the time frame of the birth of Christ. The fact that the signs of this dress rehearsal unfolded over a period in excess of two years was also a clue of what to expect, when the curtain actually arose on the celestial pageantry of the birth of Christ. The Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015 was foreshadowed by lunar eclipses leading to the Rev. 12 sign of 2017 predicting the return of Christ, which we find in the 7th of the 12 traits of the Celestial Prelude. The Jupiter-Saturn triple unions in 7 BC, highlighted by a planetary alignment on Sept. 15th, initiated a pattern of heavenly signs reappearing in September of 5 BC with a pair of eclipses. This embodies the 10th trait of the Celestial Prelude. On 9-5-5 BC there was a partial Solar eclipse, with a Blood Moon Total Lunar eclipse following 10 days later on 9-15-5 BC. These heavenly signs exactly 2 years apart, enlightened the Magi that they should be on the lookout for heavenly signs marking the birth of Christ, in the next 2-years in September of 3 BC– the 8th trait of the Celestial Prelude. [Figure 6.] The fact that these 7-5 BC signs almost all occur in Pisces, is interesting due in part to ancient eastern tradition, that the influence of the sign of Pisces, the fishes presided over the land of Israel most likely linked to God’s promise to Abraham. This included the Pisces symbolism of the House of Jacob, with the obvious presence of the King planet Jupiter, detailing why the Magi came to Jerusalem looking for the King of Israel.

This further evidence provides strong support for the thesis of the Celestial Prelude, giving us a firm footing for the Sept. 11th, 3 BC, Tishri 1 birthday of Jesus Christ!

Footnotes

1. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/coins-from-the-second-revolt

2. Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed, V.P. Wierwille ppg. 63-64. 3. IBID p. 17.

3 Mysteries of the Mexican Pyramids. Peter Thompkins. p.289.

4 Ibid.

5. Gospel in the Stars, Joseph Seiss

6. Virgo-Coma Stellarium astronomical software

7. The Mazzaroth, Frances Rolleston

8. Graphic video credit on Plate II, from [Bobmoler.wordpress.com]

10. [http://uofgts.com/Magi.html]

11. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins

12. IBID

13. IBID

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Biblical Astronomy of the 2016-17 Comets and the Blood Moon Tetrads

2016-17 Comets and the Blood Moon Tetrads

There has been some noteworthy Comet activity in the heavens during 2016, going into 2017, relating to our previous November 2016 blog. We noted significant events in the Nov. 14th Super Moon post, which was the largest Super-Moon since the 1948 Super-Moon, preceding the Blood Moon Tetrad of 1949-50. We should also realize that other heavenly signs like Comets were prominent during this time, with Israel re-forming as a nation-state for the first time in nearly 2000 years.

The 1948 Comet-called the “Eclipse Comet” was a spectacular sight approaching the Sun during the first week of November with a total solar eclipse. This eclipse occurred after Sukkot week at sundown Nov. 1st, leading into the 8th month- Rosh Chodesh Chesvan. It was first noticed as a brilliant object about 2 degrees southwest of the Sun during the total solar eclipse on November 1st, mag. about -2, with a 20 degree tail. Its southwest path through Hydra during November and December as a 2nd magnitude object with a tail up to 30 degrees long, was visible mainly in the Southern and low Northern latitudes. This 1948 Eclipse Comet appeared near the eclipsed sun as if the Sun was holding a sword. With its position passing through Hydra-the Serpent destroyed, this sword was raised against the serpent-enemy persecuting Israel. As a prelude to the 1949-50 Blood Moon Tetrad, this Eclipse Comet brought attention to the luni-solar Eclipse Tetrads that would also take place in 1967-68 marking Israel’s re-taking of Jerusalem, along with the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015.

The Comet theme is not only consistent with the message of our previous November blog post on the Comets in Perseus, but also throughout 2016 going forward into 2017. Our December blog post will summarize the Comet activity through the year and give us a preview of Comet activity we can expect going into the New Year. The first Comet we will look at in Fig. 1 below is known as Catalina.

Figure 1. Path of Comet Catalina

Comet Catalina [C/2013 US10] is an Oort Cloud Comet that became visible to the naked eye around November 24th 2015, after coming to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 15 November, just after the conclusion of the 2014-215 Blood Moon Tetrad. In Figure 2 below we can see Venus just prior to its Lunar Occultation.

Comet Catalina was discovered in 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey, near Tucson, Arizona. The Comet was joined in an a dazzling celestial triad including the waning Crescent Moon and Venus in December 2015.

Figure 2. Venus on the Edge of the Moon.

Venus was seen just to the left- above the Moon, so bright in the sky it was visible to the naked eye in daylight. Around 12:30 p.m., the brilliant light of Venus the bright and Morning Star was covered by the Moon in an occultation, reemerging on from the lunar dark side a few hours later.

Comet Catalina is seen below in Fig. 3 moving northward through Virgo near Spica.

Looking southeast to left of the brightest planet Venus, about an hour before sunrise, Venus the bright and Morning Star, was near the star Spica in the constellation Virgo, very easy to see, out-shining the Comet like a laser beam.

Above Venus is the the-dimmer red planet Mars–Michael signifying the presence of the Warrior Arch-Angel. Also higher up in Virgo-is Jupiter the King Planet, forming a December Planetary Alignment as Jupiter heads towards Virgo’s womb, in the late Summer and Fall of 2017.

Figure 3. Virgo Planetary Alignment with Comet Catalina

On the Morning of Dec. 7th the comet paired with Venus and the waning crescent Moon as seen from the Central US, in Virgo close to her womb. This seems to foreshadow Jupiter’s 2017 “gestation period” in Virgo’s womb. As Catalina passed north at about 1° per day, it left Virgo into Boötes on Christmas Eve, on a beeline for Arcturus on New Year’s Day, 2016-marking the New Year in a solar conjunction as the comet glided 1/2 degree southwest of the Sun, preparing us for a year of unique Comet activity. The Constellation Böötes represents the work of the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd, laboring to enter into in the promised land resting place (H4496 menuchah, Ps. 23:2, Isa. 28:10,12; Num. 11:33) between the sheepfolds, opening the way as he leads his flocks.

Aratus’ name for Bootes is Arctophylax, ie. the guardian of Arctos, the flock of the greater fold, called today the great bear. This aligns with the name of the brightest star in Böötes, Arcturus, which was probably the name of this sign in antiquity [Job 9:9], providing a conclusive link with the celestial shepherd and his flocks. It is intriguing to see Draco the dragon depicted below, as winding his way down between these two flocks in the northern skies, with the lower coils of his tail under the star Thuban, the archaic pole star.

After the comet came closest to Earth at 66.9 million miles, on Jan. 12, 2016, the Comet swept just 1° north of the star Alkaid, at the tip of the Big Dipper’s handle, on January 14–15. Two days later it sped by the double star Mizar in the handle’s bend, as a magnitude 5 object. [see Fig. 1] After a fairly slow start in Virgo, the comet raced across the sky, becoming a circumpolar object in Ursa Major by mid-January. Then around Jan. 21st Comet Catalina crossed into Draco cutting thru the dragon’s Tail near the North Pole. Sky & Telescope

Figure 4. Comet Panstarrs in Pisces.

A few months after Catalina faded out of naked eye visibility, Comet C/2013X1 (PanSTARRS) stepped onto the stellar stage. Figure 4 above shows Comet PanStarrs moving through Pisces in mid-March near the Pegasus Square. It was seen with the Crescent Moon during this time, with a minimum Earth distance of about 1/2 AU through June 2016. This New Crescent Moon was significant this year as it followed a Total Solar Eclipse 3 days prior on March 9th, 2016 that was also Nisan 1 on the Hebrew Calendar. This was the first of four luni-solar eclipses on Hebrew feast and holy days in 2016, as a follow-up to the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-15. The second of these Eclipses was a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on Passover 3/23/2016, that was also Nisan 14, the very day of Christ’s crucifixion in 28 AD. It is noteworthy first that the four luni-solar eclipses in 2016 mirror luni-solar eclipses marking the Romans destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem in 70 AD. Secondly, Comet Panstarrs in Pisces represents Israel-the Redeemed.

Other comets capturing our interest this month into 2017 include 45P/ Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova in January of 2017, depicted in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova in Capricorn.

This Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova should brighten quickly from mid-December into early January as it moves across Capricorn low in the southwestern sky at dusk. Capricorn the Goat calls attention to the perfect Sacrifice of Jesus Christ as he laid down his life for our sins, once and for all, enshrined at Passover. As we head towards the Spring of 2017, another Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak in March 2017, will attract our attention. These are the Comets with a greater potential of being visible to the naked eye in 2017, with the possibility of being close to Earth during these times.

Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak may also reach naked-eye visibility (magnitude +6) in Ursa Major in early April 2017. The comet has a history of outbursts. When Comet 41P/T-G-K passes closest to Earth (0.14 AU) in late March, it rushes across the circumpolar constellations Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Draco. The comet’s path in April and May takes it across the Tail and in front of the Head of the Dragon Draco @ the North Pole. Like Comet Catalina it cuts thru the dragon’s tail, but Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresakalso also slices through the neck of the dragon removing its Head. This appears a precursor of the Great Dragon’s coming destruction as described in Revelation with five names:

Rev. 12:9 “⁹The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who deceives the whole world.

All this circumpolar Comet activity going into 2017 is indicative of the disasters that will be inflicted against the Dragon and his minions, in the coming judgment of the world.

Figure 6. Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak

A point of interest here is that one of the namesakes of this comet [Giacobini] was also linked with the parent comet the spawned the meteor shower leading up to the birth of Christ on Sept. 11th, 3 BC. The excerpt below is from my study [www.try-god.com] the Introduction to the Jupiter-Regulus Conjunctions.

“R.H. Allen adds that; “the conclusion of the verse [Rev. 12:4] “did cast them to the earth,” would show a possible reference to meteors.”⁶ This is the earliest reference in print I have found that ties a potential Meteor shower to this section of Revelation 12. This Meteor shower that originates from the tail of Draco, the cast down dragon, is linked to its parent comet, known today as the Giacobini-Zinner Comet. Traditionally comets have been viewed as omens of disaster, perhaps another ironic twist from the Heavenly Father to mark the fall of the archaic morning star with a celestial sign pointing out the dragon’s own disastrous end. As we noted with the previous Comet Catalina, the lunar Occultation of Venus was also apparent leading to Christ’s birth from September 9th to the 12th. The Eta-Draconid Meteor Showers, with their radiant in Draco, the Dragon cast down. The Moon was mid-body with the Sun in Virgo occulting the planet Venus, starting at 11:50 PM.”6

To add to this heightened show of recent comets, according to scientific data regarding incoming Oort cloud comets, they appear to be originating from one localized point of the Oort cloud. This indicates not random influence, but an unidentified specific object, as the cause of comets or asteroids potentially being knocked from their Oort cloud orbits and sent on altered trajectories towards the Earth.

On November 8th, 2016, Earth had a close encounter with a sizable asteroid. The asteroid, designated 2005 YU55, shot by Earth at a distance of about 200,000 miles, just this side of the lunar orbit. Obviously, asteroids have come this close to the Earth before, but not 400 meters in diameter since 1976, and these scientists tell us its likely not to happen again until 2028. Its interesting to note that the “fly-by” traffic in our part of the inner solar system started getting heavier around September 2015, at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad.

In summary something may have disturbed an area of the Oort cloud recently, sending a stream of first time comets and asteroids hurtling in our direction that are now starting to arrive. What could have knocked these Oort cloud objects out of their orbits? Perhaps a distant planet from the outer solar system like the mysterious Planet X/Nibiru. We have also heard rumors of a red-brown dwarf star headed our way, or is it a star like Nemesis passing very close to, or even, breaching our solar system? Whatever form it takes it resembles what John described in Rev. 8:8-12.

Rev. 8:8-12
⁸The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— ¹¹the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

¹²The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

This is only part of the wrath that will be visited upon the inhabitants of the earth, during this quickly approaching judgment. The Christian believers as members of the spiritual body of Christ will already be seated with Christ in heaven during this time, so if you want to enjoy the eternal abundant blessings of Christ, with God the Father, you must come to him to receive your inheritance. [Romans 10:9-10]

God Bless!

Biblical Astronomy of the Super-Moon on November 14th, 2016

Biblical Astronomy of the November 14th, 2016 Supermoon

This month’s Super-Moon should provide two good nights of observation depending on local cloud cover and other observing conditions; Sunday evening close to sunset, 11-13-16 and the following Monday evening on 11-14-16. We’ve seen Super-Moons before — this will be the second in a series of three this fall. But the full moon that peaks on Monday, November 14 will be closer to Earth than any other since 1948. According to astronomers, the next full Super-Moon on November 14 will be the largest and brightest since January 26, 1948, and a full moon will not appear closer to Earth until November 25, 2034. There hasn’t been a full moon like this one in nearly seventy years.

What makes this Super-Moon appear so large to us? Scientifically its known as a “perigree moon” referring to when the moon approaches the closest point in its earthly orbit. Also, when a Perigree Moon combines with the full moon, it appears a more magnified, and super lit moon. NASA says the Nov. 14th Super-Moon will appear 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than a typical full moon.

We witnessed a Super-Moon just last year finishing the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad on Sukkot- September 28, 2015, as seen in the graphic below. This followed a Partial Solar Eclipse as we noted in our August 2015 Blog. Although this year’s November Super-Moon is not linked with a Blood Moon Tetrad, there was a Tetrad of Eclipses on Hebrew Feasts and Holidays in 2016 as we summarized in our Sept. 2016 Blog. Also the last time there were 3 consecutive Super-Moons was in July, August and September of 2014 which opened the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad, providing some super-moon symmetry to this tetrad. When the Moon as Earth’s primary natural satellite is closest in its lunar orbit, its presence can serve as a reminder or heavenly sign of Jesus’ intimate presence since the Moon symbolizes Jesus the Son reflecting the image of His Father, even as the moon reflects the sun-light.” As [II Cor. 4:4-6] tells us;

⁴The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

The excerpt below provides important context for a fuller understanding of this month’s Super Moon.

[Joel 2:31, Matthew 24:29-34, Mark 13:24, Acts 2:20].

There have only been eight Blood Moon Tetrads since the Ascension of Christ. The modern Blood Moon Lunar Tetrads have consistently happened on Passover and Tabernacles – the first and last of the 7 Biblical feasts, and have always been indicative of persecution and/or war for Israel. These Alpha and Omega heavenly signs linked to the Hebrew Feasts are notable also because they emphasize the entire set of 7 key feasts marking the first and last holy days with the Blood Moons. They have emphasized the order of these feasts in history related to prophecy and the Return of Christ. There is also a long standing Jewish tradition linking the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with the Feast of Tabernacles, since Christ will finally “Tabernacle among us.” During the last 2000 years of the Age of Grace, Israel has been dispersed and persecuted among the Gentile nations, yet the Almighty has protected them even though Israel did not keep God’s Feasts as a unified body. Since the Nation of Israel was reformed in 1948, the Heavenly Father has consistently reminded Israel of His providential protection, restoring them in stages. The Blood Moon Lunar Tetrads and Solar Eclipses have served to mark these feasts, with specific acts of God’s deliverance and restoration that brought Israel back together as a nation, retaking Jerusalem as their holiest capital city. As the citizens of Israel have shared in their national restoration, they have also re-awakened to recognizing the Heavenly Father, and His perpetual Feasts. The Blood Moon Lunar Tetrad and Solar Eclipses, have stood out because they are linked to Hebrew Feast and holy days. The Creator views these convocations as His Feasts. These perpetual feasts are designed for humanity to honor the Almighty as the ultimate Source of Light, Life and Love in Creation.

The previous Blood Moon Tetrad to 2014-2015 took place in 1967-68, the year of the miraculous Six-Day War when Jerusalem and the Temple Mount were re-captured. Prior to that was the 1949-50 Tetrad, just after Israel became a nation in 1948. These were major prophetic milestones fulfilling many Biblical predictions of God’s restoration of Israel. These highly significant events were marked in the heavens, not only by the 1948 Super-Moon, but also tetrad Blood Moons of Soli-Lunar Eclipses. We should also beware that other heavenly signs like Comets were prominent during this time. These time frames, 1967 and 1948, are two of the most important periods in all history marking and fulfilling end-times prophecy.

2. Palestine Post

The 1948 Comet-called the “Eclipse Comet” was a spectacular sight approaching the Sun during the first week of November with a total solar eclipse. This eclipse occurred after Sukkot week at sundown Nov. 1st, leading into the 8th month- Rosh Chodesh Chesvan holy day. Its period of naked eye visibility extended from Nov. 1 to Dec. 20. It was first noted as a brilliant object about 2 degrees southwest of the Sun during the total solar eclipse on November 1st, mag. about -2. It was re-discovered in the morning twilight of November 4th as an object of zero to 1st magnitude with a 20 degree tail. Its southwest path through Hydra during November and December as a 2nd magnitude object with a tail up to 30 degrees long, was visible mainly in the Southern and low Northern latitudes. This 1948 eclipse comet appeared near the eclipsed sun as if it was holding a sword. With its position passing through Hydra-the serpent destroyed, this sword was raised against the serpent-enemy persecuting Israel. This imagery is consistent with the message of our previous blog post this month on the Comets in Perseus.

3. Astronomy Blog- Anurua Guruge

The Nov. 14th Super-Moon, being the largest Super-Moon since 1948, is a special sign concerning the restoration of Israel promised in Scripture prophecy. These heavenly signs are warnings that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is imminent, according to the Hebrew Jubilee Calendar. What follows is from our May 2016 Archive Blog Post on the Judah Ben Samuel’s Jubilee Prophecies.

“From the Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917-during the 1917-1918 Jubilee, to the retaking of the Western Wall during the 1966-1967 Jubilee, to the Jubilee just completed from September 2015 to the fall of 2016, God is at work restoring His Blessings to Israel in stages. The Temple Mount seems like the next logical stage of this restoration process, along with the nations attempt to divide the land of Israel.

In Israel’s War of Independence against five Islamic nations, Jerusalem remained a “divided city.” The Jordanian government controlled the eastern part of Jerusalem including the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem. A strip of land divided Israeli control of Western Jerusalem and Jordanian run East Jerusalem. This strip of land was called “No-Man’s Land” by both Israelis and Jordanians. After the 6-Day War, on June 17, 1967, the Israeli Army controlled the entire West Bank and all of Jerusalem was returned to their possession, 750 years after Judah Ben Samuel made this prediction, these events fulfilled all the conditions of the prophecy. Then came the Rabbi’s last piece of his prediction:

“In the ninth Jubilee, Jerusalem will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish nation – which will signify the beginning of the Messianic end time.”

As we have already seen with our opening verses in Luke 21:24-33, Jesus’ prophecy relating to Jerusalem being over-run by the Gentiles sets the context for the heavenly signs of the Sun, Moon and Stars of the end times. Scholars and Blood Moon enthusiasts have focused on the luni-solar signs, but have neglected their relation to Jerusalem. To understand this better, lets look at added evidence of this in Joel 2 setting the table for Joel 3.

Joel 2:30-32

³⁰And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. ³¹The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. ³²And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

This is one of the main “Blood Moon Prophecies” that occurs prior to the victorious return of the Lord, both FOR and WITH his Saints. These verses at the end of Joel 2 provide the immediate context for the prophecy relating to Jerusalem and the Gog-Magog alliance of Gentile nations we can see in current events gathering around Jerusalem setting the stage for coming final battle of Armageddon at the start of Joel 3.

Joel 3:1-2
1 “For behold, in those [climactic] days and at that time,
When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
²I will gather together all the [Gentile] nations [that were hostile to My people]
And bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Lord has judged).
And there I will deal with them and enter into judgment with them there
For [their treatment of] My people, My inheritance, Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations,
And [because] they have encroached on My land and divided it up.

The sensational focus on the Blood Moon phenomena, not only in Christianity but also in the secular media, has detracted from the reason for the Blood Moon Tetrads in the first place, which is the disposition of Jerusalem and specifically the Temple Mount that determines the final stages of God’s deliverance of Israel and the Church-the Body of Christ. The fact that we have completed the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, and the Shemitah/Jubilee of 5776/2016 with four more solar and lunar eclipses on Hebrew Feasts, indicating that we are in a final period forewarning of the victorious Return of the Lord Jesus Christ, closing out world history. Do the events of the US Presidential Election have any bearing on this scenario?

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled “Obama’s Israel Surprise?” which warned that Obama “may try to force a diplomatic resolution for Israel and the Palestinians at the United Nations” before the end of his term.

The options that Obama is reportedly considering include; “a resolution formally recognizing a Palestinian state.” The following comes from CNS News:

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that according to administration sources, “the White House has asked the State Department to develop an options menu for the president’s final weeks.”

It said the possibilities could include supporting – or not vetoing – a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements; or a resolution formally recognizing a Palestinian state, or setting “parameters” for a final settlement of the long dispute.

With this week’s defeat of Hillary Clinton in the US Presidential elections Obama knows that his time is short to “leave a legacy” in the Middle East, and seemingly at this point the only chance he may have to get something accomplished is at the United Nations.

Obama’s last day in office is scheduled to be Jan. 20, and so he is up against a deadline. Prior to the election he may have been more hesitant to act because he didn’t want to interfere with Hillary Clinton’s pre-supposed re-election, but after her defeat this week he sees the preservation of his “legacy” slipping away, which could embolden him towards potential action at the U.N.

Perhaps that is why the Obama administration recently told the Palestinians to wait till after the elections for something to get done at the U.N.

On the surface, the latest message to the Palestinian Authority from the Obama administration is no different from the past two decades of American policy: the U.S. will veto any resolution attacking Israel or demanding Palestinian independence without them first making peace with the Jewish state. As reported in Haaretz there was one significant caveat to the warning. They were told not to push for any such resolution until after the presidential election.

The rest of the U.N. Security Council has been ready to pass a resolution formally establishing a Palestinian state for a long time. The only thing holding it back has been the U.S. veto power. Thus, the fate of the land of Israel at the U.N appears to be under the influence of Barack Obama, and he only has until Jan. 20 to make his final decision.

If we do see the land of Israel divided at the United Nations, as prophesied in Joel 3:2 above, then we can certainly see the final stages being set for God’s Judgment on the nations arraying themselves against Israel. Thus we should keep a watchful eye on Obama and the U.N. Security Council as he finishes out the “lame duck” days of his second term ending Jan. 20 2017.

We truly do live in critical times, and the events of the next several weeks could go a long way in shaping the events of the near future, paving the way to the Lord Jesus Christ Gathering his Church. As we remain vigilant and prepared for the Lord’s return, we can spread the word to those distracted by the chaotic protests against the orderly transfer of power in this Great Country of ours-the United States of America.

God’s Abundant Blessings to all who enjoy the freedoms we have here to share God’s Word-as we guard against those dark forces who continually attempt to take them from us.

Your Watchful Servants in Christ

Footnotes

1. Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/3673732/biggest-supermoon-in-nearly-70-years-on-november-14-will-bring-jesus-second-coming-online/#tV3VK8F60AuBRKpA.99

2. Palestine Post-State of Israel 1948 [pictue credit]

3. Anura Guruge Astronomy Blog [picture credit]

4. Wall Street Journal

5. www.Charismanews.com/opinion/61040-the-biggest-supermoon-since-israel-became-a-nation-in-1948-will-happen-6-days-after-the-election

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