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The Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC and the Abomination of Desolation

The Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse Tetrad and the Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple

The solar and lunar eclipses in the Blood Moon Tetrads during the formation of the state of Israel in 1949-50, to the reclamation of Jerusalem by Israel, marked by the 1967-68 Blood Moon Tetrad, to the recent 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad, all exhibit how God speaks to His people via His Word, Spoken, written and incarnate, confirmed by these heavenly signs. As in the 1949-50 and 1967-68 Tetrads, the Blood Moons have indicated war in Israel was is the case historically in 168-66 BC.

As we have seen with previous Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses marking the defiling of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD [Table 2.], these are noteworthy and instructive concerning current and future events. The subject of this study concerns a relevant aspect of Biblical Prophecy relating to events of the end-times that we can see coming together before our eyes.

In end-time prophecy, Daniel 8 is a key section of Scripture. Scholars are agreed in Daniel 8 that the goat’s first horn (the horn that was broken) is Alexander the Great, and the four horns arising afterwards are four generals who divided his empire, from which Antiochus IV arose. The symbols of the ram and he-goat, in Daniel 8 are the kings of Persia and Greece.

Antiochus’ IV took the title “Epiphanes” (God Manifest) when he took the Seleucid throne in 175 BC. Antiochus’ IV efforts to Hellenize the kingdoms he conquered had an effect on other cultures besides Israel. Their various pagan idols or “stars” were cut down by Antiochus IV to establish Hellenized religious observances throughout his kingdom, [Dan. 8:10]. Although the books of the Apocrypha hold little Scriptural value in the Canon of God’s Word, the Books of the Maccabees are valuable concerning the historical record of this time period. These records from Maccabees show the nature of the conflict Antiochus IV engaged with Israel, his unbridled ego and events surrounding the Temple at Jerusalem.

Figure 1.

Bust of Antiochus IV at the Altes Museum in Berlin. 1

1 Macc. 1:7-10 [175 B. C. 137th Seleucid year; Antiochus IV begins his reign]

⁷ Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died. ⁸ Each of his officers established himself in his own region. ⁹ All assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasing evils on the world. ¹⁰ From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once a hostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

Daniel 8:1-22 reveals the times of Daniel, with a promise that God would bring an end to Israel’s oppression. Antiochus VI Epiphanes, took the Seleucid throne of Syria in 175 BC. In 167 BC that there was a revolt in Jerusalem, where he sent troops to suppress, halting the daily Temple sacrifices [Dan. 8:11] and polluting it, 167-164 BC. His attempt to blot out Judaism ultimately led to a reaction, led by Judas Maccabee and his cohorts, who won a series of dynamic military victories over the Seleucids to reclaim and purify the Temple three years later.

As a forerunner of the end-times Anti-Christ, Antiochus IV seemed successful in promoting his secular agenda. Circumcision and Sabbath-observance were being extinguished. Greek paganism under him, attempted to eliminate the true worship of Almighty God. But God chose Israel to bring the Messiah into the world, and He chose Jerusalem, for the location of His earthly Temple, as the place where the true Lamb of God would offer his life for all Mankind. The temple, the people of Israel, and Jerusalem were to be preserved together until the glorious arrival of Jesus Christ. Once the Messiah came to fulfill his ministry, the Temple would be razed in A.D. 70, as Jesus prophesied in [Matt. 24], but in 164 BC the temple had to be cleansed for God to fulfill His plan. A new aspect of this study compares the solar and lunar eclipses marking the 70 AD temple destruction with the Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC. Adding the Biblical Astronomy of the Solar and Blood Moon Lunar eclipse data provides a level of scientific verification to the historical data of this period previously not seen. Much of what was prophesied by Daniel has came to pass, but the complete story has not yet been fulfilled. This certainly puts a heightened focus on the current events leading to the Third Jerusalem Temple.

To accomplish this required the faithful of Israel to stand against Antiochus‘ IV political and military pressure. Among the resistance was the priest Mattathias, who fled Jerusalem to the mountains with his sons. Others joined them, and they began raids removing pagan altars. When Mattathias neared death, he appointed his son Judas Maccabeus as the rebel captain, whose power and influence grew in their battles against pagan enemies. Judas’ men fasted and believed God to defeat the armies Antiochus sent against them, and God aided their righteous efforts, so that in under 3 years the brave warriors of Israel prevailed.

Figure 2.

The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus, Rubens 2.

Antiochus VI Epiphanes, plundered the Jerusalem Temple in 169 BC and desecrated it in late 167 BC by commanding that sacrifices be made to Zeus on an altar built for him. Finally, Judas and his men reached Jerusalem. Upon seeing the desolation, the profaned altar, the gates burned, they made a great lamentation, rending their clothes and casting ashes on their heads. In only three days, 80,000+ were lost in a massacre of young and old, with many of these meeting a violent death, and a similar number sold into slavery, [2 Macc. 5:11-14]. They proceeded to cleanse the entire area, built a new clean altar, made new holy vessels, and put the lampstand, table, and altar of incense into their rightful places. On the 25th of Kislev, in the year 164 BC, when the Temple was rededicated they celebrated its cleansing and dedicated it anew to the living God, with great rejoicing. No pagan tyrant will ever be able to withstand Almighty God. This event is celebrated in the annual Hanukkah festival. As Jon Nessle suggests: “if we count back 2300 days from 164 BC, it brings us to the month of Av on the Hebrew Calendar in 170 BC.”3

Was the Sanctuary trodden underfoot for 2300 days by Antiochus IV? This is a feasible thesis, and a purpose of this study is to investigate whether the Biblical Astronomy supports it, which we consider below. Antiochus wished to conquer Egypt, but he had to stabilize his empire first, including Israel. His plan was to consolidate its cultural and religious aspects. During his return from the military campaign in Egypt via Jerusalem, Antiochus left a swath of destruction burning many houses, killing and enslaving tens of thousands of Jews and attacking the Jerusalem Temple, the center of life in Israel. The Syrian soldiers robbed the temple treasures and on 15 Kislev, 167 BC Antiochus IV, illustrating why he took the title “Epiphanes” (God Manifest), erecting a statue of the Greek god Zeus etched with his own face in the central altar of the Jerusalem Temple, (1 Macc. 1:54). Then on 25 Kislev, 167 BC he desecrated the most holy place in the temple while destroying the holy scrolls.

As Rev. Nessle states regarding the 2300 days: “In my analysis of the prophecies of Daniel, I showed that this time span very well could be the entire time span that the sanctuary was trodden under-foot by the army of Antiochus IV. We know from Maccabees that the end point of the “desecration of the Temple was on Kislev 25, or Dec. 16th, in 164 BC.”4 This initiated the Hanukkah festival when the Temple was rededicated, due to the desecration of the abomination by Antiochus IV, as a forerunner of the end-times Anti-Christ.

The prophecy in Daniel 8 is in two parts, “the first section covers the Persian Empire up through the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes whose desecration of the Temple was the first mention in Daniel of the Abomination that took place in the Temple.”5

Figure 3. Jerusalem Temple model-70 AD.

“A prominent feature is that it gives a time span of 2300 days. This is exactly 78 Lunar months. When one compares with the Book of Maccabees, the time span does not fit the total length of time the Temple was actually desecrated. In (2 Macc. 1:54-59) Antiochus set up the abomination; the 15th of Kislev and sacrificed on 25th of Kislev [12/6/167 BC]. The Temple was cleansed three years later [2 Macc. 4:52, 25th of Chisleu 12/16/164). But there is more. The phrase “trodden underfoot,” is also included. History records that the Temple was rededicated on the 25th of Kislev in 164 which was the inception of the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah. If we consult Parker and Dubberstein’s ancient Jewish calendar, we can see that the years 170 and 167 had Intercalary 13th months (II Adar) in them. So counting back 78 months from the Temple cleansing and the end of the abomination desolation, brings us to the end of the 5th month Av, in 170 AD. Antiochus IV fought the Egyptians in the Battle of Mt. Kasios in early November in 170 AD. Parker and Dubberstein tell us that would have been in the middle of the 8th month. The beginning of the 2300 days was the 26th of Av (the month Av is always 30 days long). This date would have been 80 days before the battle. The [orbis.stanford.edu] website calculates that a Roman Legion would take about 50 days to travel 300 miles from Damascus to the Battle site of Pelusium via Jerusalem (at speed of Ox Carts). So it is not implausible at all that the Sanctuary was “trodden underfoot” by advanced elements from Antiochus in the Summer of 170.”6

Since Antiochus is a type of the Anti-Christ, this qualifies as a “preliminary fulfillment” of this prophecy, yet to be completed by the end-times anti-Christ. We can see however how Antiochus IV fulfills the prophecies of Daniel 8;

Dan. 8:11-14
11 Yea, he magnified {himself} even to the prince of the host [To God Almighty or the Jewish High Priest] and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the Sanctuary was cast down. [Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the Temple] 12 And an host was given {him} against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down truth to the ground; and it practiced [transacted business], and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint (angel) speaking, and another saint (angel) said unto that certain {saint} which spake, How long {shall be} the vision {concerning} the daily {sacrifice}, and the transgression of desolation, [reference to the “Abomination of Desolation”] to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; [Exactly 78 Lunar Months*] then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. [Time span includes all the parts of verse 13] {insertions by Jon Nessle in red} 7

*A numerical note on the 2300 days equaling 78 lunar months is that (78=6 x 13), 6 as the number of man destitute of God multiplied by the number of rebellion or apostasy.8 These are fitting links since Antiochus IV was a type of the end times Anti-Christ and he instigated this version of the Abomination Desolation. Also the relation between lunar months and this Blood Moon Tetrad marking key dates as the Temple was being trodden underfoot during the 2300 days is notable. Other elements of the history of these events are recorded in the Book of Maccabees and in our timeline below.

This explanation says that the entire temple defilement lasted 2300 days, or six years plus 110 days, about 6 1/3 years from 170-164 BC, not a complete 7 year period as is many times assumed.

Table 1. Book of Maccabees 9

1 Mac 1:10 175 BC. 137th Seleucid year; Antiochus begins reign

1 Mac 1:10-15 *171 BC. desolating covenant to worship Greek gods

26th of month AV, 170 BC- 78 Lunar months prior to the cleansing of the Temple in 164.

Antiochus fought the Egyptians in the Battle of Mt. Kasios early November/mid-8th month 170 BC. [Seleucid year 143]

1 Mac 1:20-28 169 BC; plunders Jerusalem temple

1 Mac 1:54-59 15th of Kislev, 167 BC; set up abomination 25th of Kislev 12/6/167, then sacrificed abomination of desolation in the Seleucid year 145

2 Mac 6:1, 2 “compel the Jews to forsake the laws of their fathers and cease to live by the laws of God. Also polluted the Jerusalem temple calling it the temple of the Olympian Zeus.”

1 Mac 4:42-58 25th of Chisleu 12/16/164; sanctuary cleansed; Antiochus died in Seleucid year 148. 10

2 Mac 10:1-8 Sanctuary purified

1 Macc. 1:20-28
²⁰ After his conquest of Egypt, in the year 143, Antiochus turned around and advanced on Israel and Jerusalem in massive strength. ²¹ Insolently breaking into the sanctuary, he removed the golden altar and the lampstand for the light with all its fittings. ²² Together with the table for the shewbread offering, the cups, the golden censers, the veil, the crowns, and the golden decoration on the front of the Temple, which he stripped of everything. ²³ He made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures and seized them. ²⁴ and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered words of extreme arrogance. ²⁸The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.

Key points of this record of Antiochus plundering and defiling the Jerusalem Temple in the 2300 days from 170-164 BC, are highlighted in the general celestial markings of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC. We will find added meaning as we compare this Blood Moon Tetrad to the the Solar and Lunar eclipses surrounding the Temple destruction in 70 AD.

Figure 4. Blood Moon over Jerusalem

The Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC.

The Solar and Lunar eclipse activity during this period from 168 BC to 166 BC is noteworthy around the desolation and plundering of the Temple at Jerusalem by Antiochus IV. Although there may have been other eclipse activity during this 3 year period, the focus of this study is the Blood Moon Tetrad and Solar eclipses starting in mid-168 BC. This Tetrad includes 3 Total Lunar Eclipses in 167-166 BC. Notably the Solar and Blood Moon lunar eclipses are paired in tight intervals starting with the first Total Lunar Eclipse of this Blood Moon Tetrad. 11

Total Solar Eclipse
On July 5th there was a Mercury-Regulus conjunction in Leo. On July 17th 168 BC, there was a Total Solar Eclipse with Sun and Moon in Cancer. Later in July of 168, a Jupiter-Mercury-Regulus Alignment occurred in Leo. These opening signs in Leo are similar to the opening signs of the 2016 Solar and lunar eclipses on Hebrew Feasts and Holy Days. [see Table 2 below].

Total Lunar eclipse
The first Total Lunar Eclipse of this Blood Moon Tetrad occurs on Dec. 27th, 168 BC, after the Winter solstice. The Blood Moon and Neptune were in Scorpius, with the Scorpion signifying the war Antiochus IV was bringing to Israel. The Sun was in Capricorn, with Saturn in Libra. Mars was unified with Leo the Lion, while Jupiter was in Virgo showcasing the signs of the Celestial Sphinx. Venus the Bright and Morning Star was in Sagittarius, whose arrows were aimed at Antares the heart of the Scorpion-enemy.

Partial Solar Eclipse
About 2 weeks after the first Blood Moon and opening the New Year on Jan. 10th, 167 BC, there was another Solar Eclipse with the Sun and Venus in Capricorn, close to the border of Aquarius. Mercury was in Sagittarius. Mars-Micheal was in Leo with Jupiter in Virgo, depicting the signs of the Celestial Sphinx, as seen at the birth of Christ. This was the first of 4 luni-solar eclipse pairs in this Tetrad.

Partial Solar Eclipse
Opening the Summer season on June 7th of 167 BC, was another Solar Eclipse, two weeks prior to the Summer Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse. Sun was in Gemini, with Mercury. Jupiter was near Mars in Virgo. Venus was in Cancer with Saturn in Libra. If we take into account the next solar eclipse a month later we can see the Second Blood Moon of this Tetrad bracketed tightly between these two Solar Eclipses.

Total Lunar eclipse
The 2nd Blood Moon of the Tetrad, was a Total Lunar Eclipse, June 21st, 167 BC, at the Summer Solstice. The Sun was in Gemini, and Saturn in Libra. Mercury and Venus in Leo, with a Jupiter-Mars union in Virgo again emphasizing the Celestial Sphinx. Mercury-Gabriel was heralding the Bright and Morning Star in Leo the Lion of the tribe of Judah, while the King Planet Jupiter was unified with Mars-the Warrior Archangel standing against the forces of Antiochus IV.

Partial Solar Eclipse
The following month on July 7th, 167 BC there was another Solar Eclipse, forming a pair of solar eclipses bracketing this Blood Moon. In July of 167 BC, the Sun was in Cancer, with Saturn in Libra. Mercury and Venus were in Leo, with Jupiter and Mars in Virgo again marking the Celestial Sphinx.

Partial Solar Eclipse
On Dec. 1st there was another key Solar Eclipse, which gets our attention 1st because it occurred only 5 days after Antiochus set up the abomination on Nov. 26th, or the 15th of Kislev, sacrificed 10 days later on 25th of Kislev or 12/6/167 BC. Venus and Mars were in Capricorn as the righteous sacrifice opposed to Antiochus’ abomination. The Sun was in the Bow of Sagittarius with arrow aimed at the heart of the Scorpion enemy. Mercury was near Neptune in Ophiuchus showing the ongoing conflict between the Serpent bearer and Scorpius. Saturn was in Libra. Then only 10 days later the 3rd Total Lunar Eclipse of this Blood Moon Tetrad followed.

Total Lunar eclipse.
167 BC closes out with a Third pair of Eclipses in December. followed by the 3rd Blood Moon of this Tetrad, with a Total Lunar Eclipse on Dec. 16th. On Dec. 14th, 167 BC, the Blood Moon and Jupiter were at Virgo’s Feet, moving towards Scorpio. The Sun in Sagittarius, Mars and Venus in Capricorn, and Saturn in Libra. This sign in mid-Dec. 167 BC with the Moon at Virgo’s Feet, recalls the Rev. 12 sign, at the birth of Christ. It is notable that this Blood Moon on Dec. 16th foreshadows the cleansing of the Temple and the initiation of Hannukah, 3 years later on Dec. 16th, 164 BC, or the 25th of Chislev. This is verified in 1 Macc. 4:54 below where “the altar was dedicated, at the same time of year and on the same day when the Gentiles had originally profaned it.”

Annular Solar Eclipse
The year 166 BC also witnessed eclipse activity starting the 28th of May with a Partial Solar Eclipse. The Sun and Mercury are in Gemini, with Mars and Venus in the Bull of Taurus. Saturn is in Libra, with Jupiter is at Virgo’s feet. Here we see a 4th pair of tightly packed eclipses wrapping up this Blood Moon Tetrad.

Total Lunar eclipse
This was followed the next month by the final Blood Moon of this Tetrad, in a Total Lunar Eclipse on June 11th, with the Moon in Aries less than two weeks from the Summer Solstice. The Sun is still in Gemini, with Mars and Venus in the Bull of Taurus. Mercury has now moved into Cancer.

Annular Solar Eclipse
Later on Nov. 20th, 166 BC there was a Annular Solar Eclipse, framing the final Blood Moon of the Tetrad. The Sun, Moon and Neptune were in Ophiuchus. Jupiter was in Libra, with a Mercury-Saturn union in Scorpio. Venus in the Bow of Sagittarius. Mars was in Virgo protecting Israel.

Partial Lunar Eclipse
Finally on Dec. 6th there was a Partial Lunar Eclipse closing out 166 BC, with the Moon grazing by Jupiter in Libra. Jupiter is at Scorpio’s border joining Saturn in Scorpio, with Mercury and Neptune in Ophiuchus. The Sun and Venus were in Sagittarius. This was 1 year to the day after the sacrifice of the Abomination Desolation on 25th of Kislev or 12/6/167 BC. 12

1 Macc. 1:37-57 documents the year 168 BC that witnessed the plundering of Jerusalem, and the halting of sanctuary services, not to mention the abomination desolation under the decree of Antiochus IV.

1 Macc. 1:54-57

⁵⁴ On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built an appalling abomination on top of the altar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah. ⁵⁶ Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned. ⁵⁷ Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practicing the Law, the king’s decree sentenced him to death.

1 Macc. 4:49-59

⁴⁹ They made new sacred vessels, and brought the lamp-stand, the altar of incense, and the table into the Temple. ⁵⁰ They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lamp-stand, and these shone inside the Temple. ⁵¹ They placed the loaves on the table and hung the curtains and completed all the tasks they had undertaken. ⁵² On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, Chislev, in the year 148 they rose at dawn ⁵³ and offered a lawful sacrifice on the new altar of burnt offering which they had made.

⁵⁴ The altar was dedicated, to the sound of hymns, zithers, lyres and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the Gentiles had originally profaned it.

⁵⁵ The whole people fell prostrate in adoration and then praised Heaven who had granted them success.

⁵⁶ For eight days they celebrated the Dedication of the altar, joyfully offering burnt offerings, communion and thanksgiving sacrifices. ⁵⁸ There was no end to the rejoicing among the people, since the disgrace inflicted by the Gentiles had been effaced. ⁵⁹ Judas, with his brothers and the whole assembly of Israel, made it a law that the days of the Dedication of the altar should be celebrated yearly at the proper season, for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the month of Chislev, with rejoicing and gladness; [164 BC]

Thus was fulfilled that which was spoken by Daniel, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (8:14). This began the Feast of Hanukkah (meaning “dedication”), that Israel celebrated in Jesus’ day (John 10:22-23) and every December until today. (1 Macc. 1-6 and 2 Macc. 3-10.)

After three years of struggle, the Greek armies retreated from Jerusalem, and the Maccabees entered the Holy Temple which the Greeks had defiled, reconsecrated it to God, and began again the Temple service. Among other things, they wanted to relight the olive oil candlestick (Exodus 25), but could only find one day’s supply of undefiled oil – and it would take eight days to make and bring more oil. Miraculously, the Menorah stayed lit for 8 days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought. The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that the Hand of God was present. The faithful were overjoyed, because the Hand of God meant everything to them. This
is what Hanukkah represents: remaining close to God; and the rejection of Hellenization. The priests instituted the festival of Hanukkah to honor the miracle. This became known as the festival of lights, and the purpose for lighting the Hanukkah-Menorahs. This Hanukkah-Menorah, is a special version of the original seven-branched Menorah, with eight candles, commemorating the miracle of the oil lasting eight days, and the ninth to hold the central candle used to light the others. The military victory would not be celebrated if not for the miracle of the oil.

Roman Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Over the last 2000 years the history of Blood Moon Tetrads starting in Peter’s Sermon opening the

Age of Grace, [Acts 2:20] has seen a steady progression of Bible Prophecy related to Israel, being

progressively fulfilled. This includes prophecies of the Jerusalem Temple’s Destruction spoken by

Jesus, marked with Blood Moons fulfilled in 70 AD. We witnessed the dispersion of the Jews around the world, as we have seen the Jews return to a reformed State of Israel in 1948-1950, marked by a Blood Moon Tetrad. In 1967-68 we saw the 6-day war with Egypt, when Jerusalem was first reclaimed under Israel’s control, since 70 AD, also marked by a Blood Moon Tetrad, all leading to the next logical step of prophecies to re-build a Third Jerusalem Temple. A chart of the Blood Moon Tetrads over the last 2000+ years is available in our blog post @ Biblical Blood Moon Calendar. The following summary from this link, shows the 70 AD Roman Temple Destruction as Jesus Prophesied, alongside the 2016 Solar and Lunar Eclipses.

Table 2.
Solar & Lunar Eclipses from 69-71 AD. 2016 Solar & Lunar Eclipses omitting Adar 2:

Jupiter-Regulus Conjunction 10/15/69 in Leo

Partial Lunar Sukkot 10/18/69

Total Solar Nisan 1 3/30/70 Total Solar Eclipse 3/9/2016 on Nisan 1

Penum lunar Passover 4/14/70 Penum Lunar Eclipse-Passover 3/23/2016/Nisan 14

Rev. 12 Sign of the Woman 8/27/70

Annular Solar Rosh Hash 9/23/70 Annular Solar Eclipse 9/3/2016/Trumpets Feast

Penum lunar Sukkot 10/08/70 Penum Lunar Eclipse 9/16/Sukkot/9-16 to 9/23/16

Partial Lunar Purim 3/4/71

These dates may look familiar to those following my Biblical Astronomy Blog [blog.try-god.org], as the first 2 Total Solar Eclipses of 2016 form the continuation of Solar and Lunar signs on Hebrew Feast and Holy days after the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-15. Due to a lack of consensus on the appearance of Aviv Barley in Israel, the alignment of these solar eclipses with Hebrew Feast and holy days went mostly unnoticed in 2016. But they are key as they represent a direct link to the Aug. 21^st, 2017 Pan-American Total Solar eclipse. An intriguing detail about the 2nd Blood Moon of each lunar triple bracketing the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad is that it was visible over Jerusalem. This provides a direct link with Blood Moon Tetrad to the razing of the Jerusalem Temple in the Hebrew Sabbath years of 586-587 BC and 69-70 AD. Nebuchadnezzar burnt the Temple in 587-586 BC [2 Chron. 36:17-20], and in 69-70 AD, Titus and his Roman legions burnt the Temple. In both cases Jerusalem lay desolate for the next 50 years on the Jubilee Calendar. 13

With the solar and lunar eclipses marking the 69-70 AD destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, 70 AD was the last year Jerusalem was under control of Israel until the Blood Moon Tetrad of 1967-68. These Luni–Solar Eclipses of 2016 mirror exactly the 69-70 AD solar and lunar eclipses on holy days and Hebrew feasts. Its also noteworthy that the triple union of Jupiter-Regulus marking the birth of Christ, is linked to the Temple destruction in Jerusalem foretold by Christ [Matt. 24:2], since the next Jupiter-Regulus conjunction did not recur till Oct. 15th, 69 AD. 14

By putting these birth signs of Christ together with the physical Temple being destroyed, it recalls Jesus’ words in [Jn. 2:19-20] where Jesus links the Temple’s destruction, wherein he was standing when he said “destroy this temple,” with the “temple of his body.” Christ embodied the Temple in two aspects; first as the Bride of Israel when he spoke this prophecy, and later in the Church of Gentile Christians communing with the Heavenly Father spiritually after the Day of Pentecost in the Age
of Grace, [Eph. 2:11-22]. Since Jesus superseded the physical Temple in his Spiritual body of the Church, the Jerusalem Temple on the Mount will not be seen again until its daily sacrifices are restored prior to Jesus’ 2nd Coming. The 69-70 AD solar and lunar eclipses marking the Roman’s destruction
of the Temple are reflected in the solar and lunar eclipses of 2016, leading to the 2017 rewind of the Great Wonder of Rev. 12:1-2. Amazingly, another version of this Rev. 12 celestial wonder takes place on August 27th, in 70 AD, in between the 4/14/70 Passover Lunar Eclipse, and the 9/23/70 Rosh Hashanah Solar Eclipse! Wow, that (9/23 date) sure keeps popping up…

Figure 5. The Rev. 12 sign on August 27th, 70 AD: With a Jupiter-Venus union. 15

The woman has a crown of twelve stars, with Jupiter and Venus in such close union they appear to merge into one star just as they did in 2 BC, except this time in the lower rear paw of Leo. The Sun is clothing Virgo and the Moon near her feet. The planets Jupiter and Venus are also aligned with Mercury-Gabriel and the King Star Regulus in Leo. What is extraordinary with this version of the Rev. 12 Sign is that it occurs in the center of the solar and lunar eclipses falling on Hebrew Feast and holy days as they also marked the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD.

Just as these signs of the Celestial Sphinx are evident in the Blood Moon Tetrads of 168-166 BC with Antiochus, and 70 AD in Titus’ destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, by types of the Anti-Christ, they were also present not only at the birth of Christ, on Sept. 11th 3, BC, but also the Rev. 12 signs on 9/23/17. This of course supports our thesis of the Celestial Prelude. The reader can refer to previous studies on the Celestial Sphinx and the Celestial Prelude to gain added context for these subjects.

As we can see these celestial signs of the end-times lighting up the sky, we are encouraged and rejoice in the Hope of our quickly returning Lord Jesus Christ.

God Bless!

Footnotes

1. “Bust of Antiochus IV” [https://everipedia.org/wiki/Altes_Museum/].
2. The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Paul_Rubens]
3. “Analysis of Prophecies in Daniel.” [ppg. 15-16.] Jon Nessle
4. The Abomination of Desolation and other Prophetic terms of Biblical Eschatology. Jon Nessle.
5. “Analysis of Prophecies in Daniel.” [p. 15-16] Nessle
6. IBID
7. Ibid p.14
8. Number in Scripture, E.W. Bullinger
9. 1 & 2 Books of Maccabees
10. The sources of the dates above are a small representation which agree with Matthew Henry* and Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown. The Scofield Reference Bible, (Congregational), 1909; The New Bible Commentary, (Presbyterian influence), Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1953; The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Moody Press, 1962; The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1986.

11. Dates for Solar and Total Lunar Eclipse data are From NASA [https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEcat5/SE-0199–0100.html]

12. Planetary union and zodiac data are from Starry Night Pro Software program.
13. Number in Scripture, ppg. 237-38, E.W. Bullinger
14. http://www.777thsabbath.com/page97.html
15. Stellarium Astronomical Software on Aug. 27th, 70 AD

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Biblical Cosmology and the Precession of the Equinoxes

Biblical Cosmology and the Precession of the Equinoxes

Biblical Cosmology is focused on the Godly origin and structure of the Universe, viewing he laws of causality and Space-time in the context of the Creator as the First Cause. The traditional concept of the history of Cosmology reads as a timeline of the “discoveries” of the greatest scientists. Men like Ptolemy, Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Einstein and Hubble are the beacons of scientific progress, and certainly human science owes these men much. According to conventional history, the idea of a heliocentric “universe” or solar system, originated with the ancient Greeks, specifically Aristarchus of Samos back in the second century BC. This idea however, did not catch on in a big way until Copernicus, who while reviewing some of Aristarchus’ ideas, seized upon this concept and ran with it. He did this at his own peril due to the prevailing worldview of his time, especially that of the Roman Catholic Church, based on a geocentric view of the solar system espoused by Ptolemy, which held sway in intellectual and religious circles for over 1500 years. The graphic below from Harmonica Macrocosmica [A. Cellarius, Amsterdam 1660] depicts a Sun centered Copernican view of the cosmos.

This post on Biblical Cosmology will show that the idea of a heliocentric “universe” predates the 2nd Century BC and Aristarchus, by at least 1300 years, and its genuine roots are found in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. From a strictly historical perspective, this is somewhat of a radical statement, sure to have many critics, but once the following Biblical evidence is viewed in light of the principles of Biblical Astronomy, the foundations of this statement are inescapable. The subject of this blog states the case of potential revisionist power that Biblical Astronomy can have on the conventional view of the History of Astronomy. For Christian believers, knowledge of these truths provide a key historical view of the impact of the Biblical Patriarchs on the ancient world, which has been obscured by thousands of years of Astrology, pagan myth and yes, even human science. By restoring some of the original historical luster to these heroes of the Faith, [Heb. 11] we gain a fuller perspective of their mighty stand on the truth of God’s Word, as they upheld its general precepts including the Principles of Biblical Astronomy.

Our awareness of the history of Biblical Astronomy gains new insight as we consider the Biblical context of the Patriarchal astronomers, starting with Adam regarding their view of the heavens. God’s revelation and His Intelligent design of the cosmos, was taught to Adam personally and was handed down to the Biblical Patriarchs during Adam’s 930 year life span. In the Creator’s Revelatory Astronomy, the Patriarchs viewed the poles, ecliptic and Equator all relative to the orientation of earth’s axis, showing an aspect of precession as part of the Creator’s plan to depict a figurative geocentric position of earth’s central importance in the firmament. The earth, is not the literal center of the firmament, but because it is the object of the light shed by the other celestial bodies [Gen. 1:14-16], it is the figurative focal point of God’s Creation as man’s garden home. This is an aspect of the idea of the Sun’s dual year, since the solar year depicts a heliocentric, or sun-centered solar system, noting it’s daily illumination from earth’s view, as the central light of heaven. Thus the key implications of precession are seen, not only in the ages decreed by the Sun’s residence in one of the 12 signs of the zodiac, but also in the Biblical message that each zodiacal sign holds in relation to the returning Promised seed-Jesus Christ.

The Earth is thus the figurative center of Creation, as the object of the three-fold celestial light shed from the heavens. The purpose and beauty of this three-fold heavenly light is to illuminate the Earth, which God initiated with the two aspects of the Sun’s annual and precessional cycles, as seen in Joseph’s two dreams in Gen. 37:6-11. Joseph’s dreams reveal the basic correspondence of the 12 signs of the zodiac with the 12 tribes of Israel, among other things. Since the ancient view and knowledge of the Solar cycles, celestial signs, eclipses, and asterisms were based on line-of-sight relationships, that only have meaning from an Earth-bound view, over time this devolved into the view that the Earth was the literal center of all Creation, forming the basis of later geocentric theories, like those of Ptolemy. Similarly, as the figurative representation of the Sun as source of life, became literalized by the heathens, it resulted in the idolatrous Astrology of Sun worship inherent through much of ancient mythology and religion.

Plate I. Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction cycle

Another major influence on precession in the History of Astronomy was the Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction cycle. This was thought to open a window on the precession of the equinoxes, according to the base 60 mathematical pattern. The ancient Astronomy of numerous cultures including the Maya, Romans, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Chinese, and astronomers of ancient Egypt, calculated precession using this conjunction cycle in Pisces. The Chinese Zhuanxu Calendar is thought to have started in 1953 BC, linked with a significant predawn all-planet alignment on March 5th. According to astronomers Kevin Pang and John Bangert of the Jet Propulsion Labs, in an ancient text written by Liu Xiang [77-79 BC], this alignment took place near the Pegasus Square, [Plate II, below] between the two fish of Pisces. Pang stated: “While the beginning of a day is dawn, a five-planet conjunction occurring at dawn, with a new moon, and the start of spring would truly be the beginning of all cycles. For calendar makers, such a moment would also be an ideal starting point for counting days, months, years and planetary periods.” 1 The idea of a Jupiter-Saturn triple union taking place with a planetary alignment, indicates a possible termination point, where all solar system planetary cycles were in agreement early in their cycles. This idea agrees with Jupiter-Saturn triple unions occurring in Pisces only once every 800 years, showing how this Conjunction series subdivides the 25,920 year precessional cycle. Since 30 cycles of Jupiter-Saturn triple unions taking place in Pisces, totals a period of 24,000 years, it serves to generally break down this long cycle of precession, into 2000 year ages.

Figure 1. The Precession of the Equinoxes

There was also a greater 260–year cycle based on Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions, 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, equlling 130 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunctions.”2

Twice this 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, as seen in Figure 1 above. This agrees with evidence from Egyptian astronomy via their Dendera Zodiac.

The graphic of the Dendera Zodiac below shows the Pegasus Square, as a square scroll laid between the two Fishes, of Pisces with “Axis E” of this famed Egyptian Zodiac running through the corner of it. As we stated in our website study on the Stars of the Dendera Zodiac: the main Taurus-Scorpius Axis of this zodiac, with the Leo-Aquarius axis, match the main axes that identify the Age of Taurus in the Bible, in Numbers 24:7-9. The context of Numbers 2 shows us the order of 12 tribes of Israel in their wilderness encampment, matching the zodiacal order of the 12 signs/constellations on the ecliptic. In this way, the Dendera Zodiac not only provides key archaeological evidence that the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians both utilized a practical understanding of the precession of the equinoxes, but in the Hebrew’s case, they applied it directly to their belief in the prophecy of their coming redeemer, with Nature’s verification of their stellar gospel, in support of their Old Testament Holy Scriptures. Thus, the Zodiac of Dendera [See poster in the upper right margin of this blog Page] also provides strong supporting evidence from the history of Biblical Astronomy as to the belief in a coming redeemer, since this ancient Egyptian zodiac prophesies in very specific ways not only concerning the time he would appear, but also concerning his unique sacrifice via the very same celestial imagery utilized in the Bible. This important theme is set forth in John Lash’s realization of the presence of a 5^th axis on this Zodiac, seen in Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. 3 The Hebrew name for Spica [Al Zemach]-the Branch/offspring of God, [Jer. 23:5-6] is embodied in God’s only begotten Son– Jesus Christ. Spica is only one of just two stars specifically marked on the Dendera Zodiac, the other being Sirius, the central star linked with the flood stages of the Nile, and the Sothic Calendar, registering one of the oldest historical calendar dates, 4241 BC. The 1461-year Sothic calendar also conforms to the 260-day pattern of the Tzolkin Calendar [260 x 1461] the same as 365.25 x 1040 days, adhering also to the pattern of Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, as they break down the windows of the precession of the equinoxes through the ages.

Plate II. Axis “E” on the Dendera Zodiac

Lash’s comments concerning this 5^th Dendera Axis are enlightening when viewed in context of the history of the Hebrew’s in ancient Egypt with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses, as a forerunner of Christ, and Lawgiver of Israel, who lead them through the wilderness unto the Promised Land. As Lash states in his unpublished
book, The Skies in Memory:

“Whoever designed the Dendera Zodiac was looking ahead in time to our [Piscean] age, when the spring equinox occurs under the tail of the western fish, because this is the time that the entire cycle culminates. With the spring equinox at this position in Pisces, the axial cross locks into unique alignment with the Galaxy.” Lash goes on to say that he considers the star “Spica… to be the master key to the Dendera Zodiac…” 4

The Dendera Zodiac marks our Piscean Age with the first appearance of the Branch and offspring of God, seen in how the axis referenced above, coincides with the star Spica and the opening of the Age of the Fishes.

The following chart shows how precessional ages correlate to the Biblical Administrations, revealing a consistent progression of themes as God’s Plan of the Ages unfolds. This provides the overarching context for God’s plan of redemption and restoration of Mankind and Creation, through the redeeming work of Christ-the centerpiece of the Ages.

Plate III.

**Precessional Ages Aligned with Biblical Administrations**
Zodiacal Sign	Biblical Administrations	Heavens & Earth	Precess Age Start Dates	Scripture
Sirius	Angels First Estate	First		Gen.1:1-2
Gemini	Original Paradise	Second	6480-4320 BC	Gen. 3:8ff
Taurus	Bible Patriarchs	Second	4320-2160 BC	Gen. 3:23ff
Aries	O.T. Law	Second	2160-7 BC	Ex. 19:16ff
Pisces	Christ/Grace/Revelation /Millennium	Second	7BC-now	Matt. 3:11ff Acts 2:1ff IThess. 4:13
Aquarius	Final Paradise	Third	2153 AD	Rev. 21

This march of the precessional ages is recorded in certain ancient star maps like the Dendera zodiac, from ancient Egypt, in a recognition of the axes built into its structure. God designed triple Conjunctions of Jupiter-Saturn as individual markers and movements in a grand celestial Symphony of the Ages, ultimately leading to Christ’s Birth. The 1953 BC triple union of Jupiter-Saturn took place in the sign Aquarius, marking the Birth of Abram. As the Father of Many Nations, and progenitor of the believer’s line, Abraham via his offspring, Isaac and Jacob would bear the promised seed. This triple Conjunction confirmed that Christ came out of the nation of Israel, constituting the 12 tribes of Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, to reflect their spiritual inheritance.

This is the spiritual message the heavenly Father intended to be communicated over the face of the Earth, a far cry from the “astrological ages” promoted in various cultural myths throughout history. Only with a Scriptural view of the precession of the equinoxes in its true Biblical context, can we gain the wisdom that God has stored for us in Creation’s master temporal cycle. Although at times we see the true light shining through the broken symmetry of mythology and sometimes even Astrology, we gain an unobstructed view when we take heed to the two part harmony of God’s written Word, with His celestial gospel. This approach truly provides the missing history that archaeo-astronomy has longed for.

Figure 2. Earth’s Axis and Precession

As part of the Creator’s grand design, the 25,920-year precessional cycle of the sun’s apparent retrograde motion against the backdrop of the tropical zodiac, depicts the Sun’s dwelling in successive zodiacal signs, dictated by the earth’s shifting axis and equatorial pole. Thus, with the precession of the vernal point, or vernal equinox in mind, the Earth is centrally located, depicting the earth’s figurative geocentrism referred to above, but not merely with respect to the solar system. The centrality of the Earth involves a much larger cosmic district than our community roundabout of the solar system. As Genesis 1:16-17 states, not only the Sun and Moon but also the Stars were to shed their light upon the Earth. This encompasses the entire zodiacal structure, the stars of the ecliptic, the Equator and the poles.

With the earth as the figurative center of Creation and the object of the three-fold celestial light shed from the heavens, the purpose and beauty of the cosmos is to shed its threefold light upon the earth, and God began with the dual year of the Sun, as we will see in Psalm 19 and in Joseph’s two dreams in Genesis 37. We find this dual year, in the Sun’s annual and precessional cycles.

Similarly, as the figurative representation of the Sun as the source of life became literally deified by the heathens, a result was the idolatry of Sun worship inherent in much of ancient world myth and Astrology. The Earth, of course, is not the literal center of creation, but God created it as man’s garden home and as the object of God’s Love and care for His human family, He showers humanity with His greatest Love as witnessed in this threefold celestial Light. Let’s take a more detailed look at what Scripture tells us about the precession of the equinoxes.

We can see how the geographic and magnetic poles on Earth are reflected in the North Poles of the ecliptic and the Equator, in the heavens as seen in Figure 3. below.

Figure 3. Precession of the Equinoxes

The Sun’s Cycle of Precession

Let’s begin with some initial Biblical evidence of precession in Psalm 19, as an introduction to the significance of the Sun’s “dual year,” or its annual and precessional cycles, the two prime standards for astronomical time. This differentiates the Sun’s dual year, first seen in it’s annual cycle, spending one month in each sign of the 12 Zodiacal signs, versus the retrograde precessional cycle, where it spends a “great month” or 2,160 solar years in the 12 signs of the ecliptic. As the Sun moves through all 12 signs of the tropical zodiac, the Sun completes its cycle of the “great year,” in about 25,920 solar years. The sixth verse of the 19^thPsalm briefly refers to this apparent retrograde motion of the Sun:

Psalm 19:6
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

“His going forth is from the end of the heaven… a reference to the Sun’s path through the ecliptic, so called because all the solar and lunar eclipses occur on this course. The words “going forth” in Hebrew are mowtsa [*H4161], meaning the dawn, the east, a gate, the rising of the sun. ⁵⁵

Thus it refers to the place or gate of the rising of the Sun, also known as the vernal point of the Spring Equinox, the sign of the zodiac where the sun rise occurs, indicating the sun’s retrograde precessional movement, because the sun rises in a different “gate,” or successive zodiacal house on average every 2,160 years. The sun’s annual cycle, or solar year is seen in “his circuit” above, which in the Hebrew is (*H8622) tequphah: rendered, “at the end of the year” [2 Chron. 24:23],6 an obvious reference to this annual solar cycle. Thus we have in brief, a Biblical contrast between these two solar cycles. The record of Joseph’s dreams in Genesis 37 will take us into greater depth on the Biblical testimony of precession. Joseph’s second dream in Gen. 37: 9-11 reveals a precessional context, with its use of stellar terms, especially the “eleven stars making obeisance” to his star or sign of the Bull, Taurus. These 12 “stars” of Joseph’s dream correlate with Jacob’s 12 sons in Gen. 49 forming the Sidereal zodiac. One can also view the precession of the Vernal equinox as the Sun in retrograde against the fixed background of the sidereal zodiac of the stars. Thus, Joseph’s second dream reveals astronomical truth that his first dream with an agricultural theme, does not.

Genesis 37:5-11
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. [6] And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: [7] For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance [H7812] to my sheaf. [8] And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign [H4427] over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion [H4910] over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. [9] And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance [H7812] to me. [10] And he told it to his father and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down [H7812] ourselves to thee to the earth? [11] And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Taurus the Bull, as Joseph’s sign in the Hebrew zodiac was split into its two horns, representing his sons Ephraim and Mannasseh [Num. 2:18-20 & Deut. 33:17]. This was done to substitute for the rebellious tribe of Dan, made in the circle of the twelve Hebrew tribes, the twelve signs of the Sidereal zodiac. This allowed for the Levitical 13th tribe to be placed in the center of the zodiac’s circle, with the pattern of the stars mirrored in the seed of Israel, as they camped around their Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai during their forty years of wandering. This relation of the Levitical 13th tribe to the Sun, could be a symbolic reference to the Intercalation of a 13th month to align the solar and lunar cycles in the Hebrew Calendar. The Levites, being the priestly tribe, had the charge of the affairs for the Tabernacle, housing the Ark of the Covenant. An aspect of the Tabernacle’s celestial plan can be found in the edifice of the wooden framework that provided a foundation upon which the Tabernacle’s curtains [H3407]7 (Ps. 104:2-3, Isa. 40:22, Ex. 26:26-36), hung. They were assembled from 48 units, each ten cubits high, and 1.5 cubits wide…⁶ This implies the structure of these 12 zodiacal signs including their 36 decans, (12+36=48) divided into ten degree decans, showing not only God’s celestial order in the tabernacle of the Sun [Ps. 19:4], but also marking the earthly Tabernacle as the focal point reflecting the spiritual light of God’s presence among His people during the Old Testament. This was established in the priestly order of service instituted in the Temple by King David, with 24 courses of priests, each serving two times during Israel’s calendar year, totaling 48 weeks. When the three weeks of Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles are included, wherein all the priests served, we have the 51 weeks of Israel’s luni-solar year, divided according to sacred and civil standards. The sacred year began in Nisan, the month of the spring Passover, while the civil year in the fall started with the seventh month Tishri 1, the Day of Trumpets signaling the onset of Israel’s holiest month. This depicts the Creator’s light reflected in the celestial structure of creation, ruling over the Hebrew timekeeping, manifest in the sacred priestly service and architecture of the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple, fulfilled in Jesus Christ as the King and High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek.

The Ark represented the fullness of the presence and power of God that could be manifested on Earth, amid the men of the Old Testament Law. As the “Sun” of the Hebrew Zodiac, the risen Morning Star will enliven humanity as their Savior and enlighten them as the light of the world. Here we see the Sun functioning as a “solar collector” as it moves through the various 12 houses in precession, reflecting the stellar light of their age upon the Earth. Once again we find Biblical evidence regarding the Hebrew zodiac, structured as the earliest known heliocentric model, as seen in the Menorah Solar System, far ahead of Aristarchus of Samos (270 BC), the first of the ancient Greeks to re-submit the idea of a Sun centered cosmos. With the light of the world at the center of the Hebrew zodiac, we see the roots for a Sun-centered solar system that Copernicus gets credit for, in spite of the neolithic antagonism of the Roman Catholic Church centuries after his death. This idea was first put forth and established with the Hebrew Menorah, which was structured on a celestial plan of the ancient solar system of seven celestial bodies, with the Sun as the central candlestick [Rev.1:20], embodied in Christ as the light of the world, always enlightening the Earth.

The Hebrew Menorah

A key to understanding this part of Genesis 37 is found as we take notice of details in the record, specifically the obeisance made by the sun, moon, and the eleven stars to Joseph’s sign of Taurus the Bull. The first dream makes no reference to Joseph’s parent’s who are represented as the Sun and Moon in the second dream. Their praise of Joseph’s star is added to that of the eleven stars of his brothers. The meaning of the Hebrew word (*H7812 shachah) to bow down, is to depress, prostrate oneself (in homage to royalty or God), to bow oneself down, to humbly beseech, worship or to do obeisance.⁸This word is used as indicated in verses 7, 9 & 10 above, in reference not only to the sheaves of the field, but also to the sun, moon and eleven stars, with Joseph being the twelfth. Here we can see an image of the Hebrew zodiac foreshadowing the prophecy of Jacob over his twelve sons in Genesis 49, as an image of the Sidereal zodiac, seen as both the sheaves (earthly seed; Gen. 13:15-17) and stars (heavenly seed; Genesis 15:4-6), both relating to prophecies concerning Israel. Here we can see a record where the witness of the Stars lines up with the witness of the Scriptures according to the revelation of God to Joseph, to preserve the line of the promised seed of Israel, that the enemy was trying to wipe out with the famine that took Jacob to Egypt. We also find these two seeds mirrored in the horizontal and vertical fish of Pisces.

Joseph’s first dream had a terrestrial interpretation which was seen in [Gen. 45: 8 & 26], where the same Hebrew word used in verse 8, for “dominion” (maschal), is used with an immediate application to Joseph’s political position as “ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” This was fulfilled when Jacob brought his family to Egypt according to God’s direction [Gen. 46:3-4], where Joseph was Grand Vizier.

The second dream however, being celestial in nature, shows a clear distinction from the first dream, indicating that there is another aspect of these signs of the ecliptic that we, as students of Biblical Astronomy, need to be aware of. The usage of (*H7812) here in Genesis 37, in relation to Joseph’s sign of Taurus, is distinctly different than in Genesis 49:8, where it states regarding Judah that: “thy Father’s children shall bow down (*H7812) before thee.” Obviously, even though the same Hebrew word is used for the homage that Jacob’s children would give to both Judah and Joseph, it cannot mean for the same reason.

The homage due Judah in Genesis 49 has a distinct celestial significance since the Messiah came from this tribe [Rev. 5:5]. You can view my Biblical Astronomy DVD for added insight in a detailed look at Gen. 49:8 in the triple Conjunction of Jupiter-Regulus marking the birth of Christ. For our purposes here Judah’s dominion refers to the Sun’s annual cycle through the zodiac seen in the Great Sphinx, where the woman’s head in Virgo, and the body of Leo the Lion are married, joining the two ends of the zodiac in this famous guardian of Giza. This also depicts one way that the Great Sphinx prophesies of the birth of Christ.
[What does this say for precession?]

The regal lion represents the homage due to Leo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the king of the Hebrew zodiac, seated on David’s throne; [Luke 1:32], born from Virgo the Woman and queen-Israel the earthly seed. Conversely, Joseph’s dominion refers to the Sun’s cycle of precession, and its dominion over the Sun, Moon, and the eleven Stars. The rule of the precessional cycle as the master cycle of the heavens is seen here in its Biblical context, as the Sun, Moon and Stars are interpreted in light of where the Sun rises at the vernal equinox in each precessional age, setting the over-arching context for each of the 2160 year ages. The precession of the equinoxes occurs due to the Sun’s annual path on the ecliptic in all 12 signs of the zodiac taking a solar year to complete, but at the end of that year the Sun does not return to the same point in the sign where it began the year, but is a little behind it… about 1 degree every 72 years. This takes about 25,920 years for the sun to complete this vast retrograde circle through all 12 signs on the ecliptic.

Genesis 37:10b-11 “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Jacob’s response to Joseph’s dream is enlightening because Jacob himself and [Rebecca] are represented by him, to be the Sun and Moon, who together “made obeisance” to Joseph’s sign–Taurus, in his dream. This shows the Sun’s solar year and Moon’s lunar year, along with the star’s sidereal year, all in subjection to the base 60 standard of the Sun’s abode in precessional cycles. Jacob’s reference to the Sun and Moon in the dream as, “I and thy mother” shows the marriage of the solar & lunar calendars, harmonized according to the phi ratio, synchronized to the fifty-year Jubilee cycle of Israel. This accents the custom of Intercalation by the Biblical Patriarchs, Jacob and Joseph prior to Moses. When we consider the influence of Joseph as the Grand Vizier of Egypt in this record in Genesis 37, we find some of the earliest recorded incidents of Intercalation of the luni-solar calendar harmonized according to the phi ratio. Thus on one level, this record of Joseph’s dream underscores the kinship between the cycles of the Sun, Moon & Stars in view of both precession, and in light of the annual feasts Hebrew calendar. This sets the stage for later Biblical evidence of the Intercalation of months according to the Mosaic standards set in Num. 9:11ff. The record of the second Passover carried out by King Hezekiah in II Chron. 30:1ff, is an example of the insertion of a second Adar (13th) month. This was done usually when the two years had gotten too far out of synch.⁸

This insight into the record of Joseph’s dreams in Genesis 37 provides a basis for the Astronomy of the Biblical Patriarchs, especially their knowledge of the twelve signs of the zodiac, the harmonizing of the solar and lunar years, all in the ruling context of precession. We must be mindful that the Biblical Patriarchs were the experts of Biblical Astronomy because their gospel was the Stars. They had not received the written Scriptures as of yet, but they knew the “Covenant of Day and Night,” as Jeremiah [33:25] called it, better than anyone and were privy to its hidden mysteries, whose surface we are only scratching! Their astronomical expertise was carried into ancient Sumeria in Ur of the Chaldees, as seen in the “Tower of Babel,” [Gen. 11] record as the basis of ancient Babylonian Astronomy and was later perverted in their Astrology. This astronomical expertise of the Biblical Patriarchs like Abraham is one reason why Jacob “observed the saying,” of Joseph’s dream as Genesis 37:11 says.

The Hebrew word for “observed” [*H8104–shamar], means: “to keep, guard, preserve, protect, retain, to observe as a covenant the commandments of God [Gen. 17:9-10, 18:19], and to revere.”⁹ It refers to the careful attention paid to the obligations of a covenant, as Abraham gave orders to “Keep the Way of the Lord.” The details of this Covenant of day and night, written in the stars are exactly what Jacob was protecting. When he noted the details of his beloved son’s celestial dream, he took great care to scrutinize the Word of the Lord as it came in this dream. After all, he was only following his Grandfather’s instructions, to keep the way of the Lord, for their Patriarchal Administration. In the oracle of Balaam in [Num. 24] below he is beholding the glory of Israel’s wilderness encampment, and he identifies three of the four tribes at the cardinal points of the compass; Aquarius in verse 7, with the water buckets, Taurus the wild Ox in verse 8, and Leo the Lion in verse 9.

Num. 24:2-9 [ESV]

²And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[a] ⁴the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: ⁵How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! ⁶Like palm groves[b] that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. ⁷Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. ⁸God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. ⁹He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”

The cycles of the Sun and Moon bowing down to Taurus tells us that the precessional Age of Taurus is indicated, which is consistent with the witness of Numbers 23-24, that detail the precessional markers or cardinal points for this age. This precessional knowledge filtered through ancient Egypt and was applied along with the Sothic Calendar, during the Age of Taurus, as many archaeo-astronomers have documented. Even as Abraham is historically recorded among the first teachers of the ancient Egyptians, there were others before him. As Jacob’s grandfather, Jacob also would have been schooled in this Academy of Patriarchal Astronomy. This exerted a powerful influence on the Astronomy of the ancient Near East. We find this knowledge applied in the stellar alignment of many ancient Egyptian temples oriented to zodiacal signs signifying the related precessional age, providing strong evidence that the Biblical Patriarchs not only knew of the precessional cycle, but also applied it in a spiritual context, like their wilderness encampment around their Tabernacle.

As the discovery of the Antikythera Device has rewritten the modern understanding of astronomy in ancient Greece and Rome, so the mysteries of God’s Word will continue to transform human knowledge as more light is shed on these long hidden truths…

Footnotes

1. Pang and Bangert-Jet Propulsion Labs
2. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins
3. Atlantis Blueprint, Colin Wilson and Rand Flem-Ath, ppg. 171-172.
4. Skies in Memory, John Lash
5. Strong’s Concordance [H4161], James Strong
6. Ibid, [[H8622]
7. Ibid, [H3407]
8. Ibid, [H7812]
9. Ibid, [H8104]

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The Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC and the Abomination of Desolation

The Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse Tetrad and the Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple

Figure 1.

Bust of Antiochus IV at the Altes Museum in Berlin. 1

1 Macc. 1:7-10 [175 B. C. 137th Seleucid year; Antiochus IV begins his reign]

Figure 2.

The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus, Rubens 2.

Figure 3. Jerusalem Temple model-70 AD.

Table 1. Book of Maccabees 9

1 Mac 1:10 175 BC. 137th Seleucid year; Antiochus begins reign

1 Mac 1:10-15 *171 BC. desolating covenant to worship Greek gods

26th of month AV, 170 BC- 78 Lunar months prior to the cleansing of the Temple in 164.

Antiochus fought the Egyptians in the Battle of Mt. Kasios early November/mid-8th month 170 BC. [Seleucid year 143]

1 Mac 1:20-28 169 BC; plunders Jerusalem temple

1 Mac 1:54-59 15th of Kislev, 167 BC; set up abomination 25th of Kislev 12/6/167, then sacrificed abomination of desolation in the Seleucid year 145

1 Mac 4:42-58 25th of Chisleu 12/16/164; sanctuary cleansed; Antiochus died in Seleucid year 148. 10

2 Mac 10:1-8 Sanctuary purified

Figure 4. Blood Moon over Jerusalem

The Blood Moon Tetrad of 168-166 BC.

Partial Solar Eclipse
On July 5th there was a Mercury-Regulus conjunction in Leo. On July 17th 168 BC, there was a Partial Solar Eclipse with Sun and Moon in Cancer. Later in July of 168, a Jupiter-Mercury-Regulus Alignment occurred in Leo. These opening signs in Leo are similar to the opening signs of the 2016 Solar and lunar eclipses on Hebrew Feasts and Holy Days. [see Table 2 below].

Solar Eclipse
About 2 weeks after the first Blood Moon and opening the New Year on Jan. 10th, 167 BC, there was another Solar Eclipse with the Sun and Venus in Capricorn, close to the border of Aquarius. Mercury was in Sagittarius. Mars-Micheal was in Leo with Jupiter in Virgo, depicting the signs of the Celestial Sphinx, as seen at the birth of Christ. This was the first of 4 luni-solar eclipse pairs in this Tetrad.

Solar Eclipse
Opening the Summer season on June 7th of 167 BC, was another Solar Eclipse, two weeks prior to the Summer Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse. Sun was in Gemini, with Mercury. Jupiter was near Mars in Virgo. Venus was in Cancer with Saturn in Libra. If we take into account the next solar eclipse a month later we can see the Second Blood Moon of this Tetrad bracketed tightly between these two Solar Eclipses.

Solar Eclipse
The following month on July 7th, 167 BC there was another Solar Eclipse, forming a pair of solar eclipses bracketing this Blood Moon. In July of 167 BC, the Sun was in Cancer, with Saturn in Libra. Mercury and Venus were in Leo, with Jupiter and Mars in Virgo again marking the Celestial Sphinx.

Solar Eclipse
On Dec. 1st there was another key Solar Eclipse, which gets our attention 1st because it occurred only 5 days before Antiochus set up the abomination on Nov. 26th, or the 15th of Kislev, sacrificed 10 days later on 25th of Kislev or 12/6/167 BC. Venus and Mars were in Capricorn as the righteous sacrifice opposed to Antiochus’ abomination. The Sun was in the Bow of Sagittarius with arrow aimed at the heart of the Scorpion enemy. Mercury was near Neptune in Ophiuchus showing the ongoing conflict between the Serpent bearer and the Scorpius. Saturn was in Libra. Then only 10 days later the 3rd Total Lunar Eclipse of this Blood Moon Tetrad followed.

Partial Solar Eclipse
The year 166 BC also witnessed eclipse activity starting the 28th of May with a Partial Solar Eclipse. The Sun and Mercury are in Gemini, with Mars and Venus in the Bull of Taurus. Saturn is in Libra, with Jupiter is at Virgo’s feet. Here we see a 4th pair of tightly packed eclipses wrapping up this Blood Moon Tetrad.

Partial Solar Eclipse
Later on Nov. 20th, 166 BC there was a Partial Solar Eclipse, framing the final Blood Moon of the Tetrad. The Sun, Moon and Neptune were in Ophiuchus. Jupiter was in Libra, with a Mercury-Saturn union in Scorpio. Venus in the Bow of Sagittarius. Mars was in Virgo protecting Israel.

1 Macc. 1:54-57

1 Macc. 4:49-59

⁵⁴ The altar was dedicated, to the sound of hymns, zithers, lyres and cymbals, at the same time of year and on the same day on which the Gentiles had originally profaned it.

⁵⁵ The whole people fell prostrate in adoration and then praised Heaven who had granted them success.

Over the last 2000 years the history of Blood Moon Tetrads starting in Peter’s Sermon opening the

Age of Grace, [Acts 2:20] has seen a steady progression of Bible Prophecy related to Israel, being

progressively fulfilled. This includes prophecies of the Jerusalem Temple’s Destruction spoken by

Table 2.
Solar & Lunar Eclipses from 69-71 AD. 2016 Solar & Lunar Eclipses omitting Adar 2:

Jupiter-Regulus Conjunction 10/15/69 in Leo

Partial Lunar Sukkot 10/18/69

Total Solar Nisan 1 3/30/70 Total Solar Eclipse 3/9/2016 on Nisan 1

Penum lunar Passover 4/14/70 Penum Lunar Eclipse-Passover 3/23/2016/Nisan 14

Rev. 12 Sign of the Woman 8/27/70

Annular Solar Rosh Hash 9/23/70 Annular Solar Eclipse 9/3/2016/Trumpets Feast

Penum lunar Sukkot 10/08/70 Penum Lunar Eclipse 9/16/Sukkot/9-16 to 9/23/16

Partial Lunar Purim 3/4/71

Figure 5. The Rev. 12 sign on August 27th, 70 AD: With a Jupiter-Venus union. 15

As we can see these celestial signs of the end-times lighting up the sky, we are encouraged and rejoice in the Hope of our quickly returning Lord Jesus Christ.

God Bless!

Footnotes

1. “Bust of Antiochus IV” [https://everipedia.org/wiki/Altes_Museum/].
2. The Triumph of Judas Maccabeus [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Paul_Rubens]
3. “Analysis of Prophecies in Daniel.” [ppg. 15-16.] Jon Nessle
4. The Abomination of Desolation and other Prophetic terms of Biblical Eschatology. Jon Nessle.
5. “Analysis of Prophecies in Daniel.” [p. 15-16] Nessle
6. IBID
7. Ibid p.14
8. Number in Scripture, E.W. Bullinger
9. 1 & 2 Books of Maccabees
10. The sources of the dates above are a small representation which agree with Matthew Henry* and Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown. The Scofield Reference Bible, (Congregational), 1909; The New Bible Commentary, (Presbyterian influence), Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1953; The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Moody Press, 1962; The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1986.

11. Dates for Solar and Total Lunar Eclipse data are From NASA [https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEcat5/SE-0199–0100.html]

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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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