Witness of the Great Pyramid Star Shafts and the Birth and Return of Christ [Part 1]


Witness of the Great Pyramid Star Shafts and the Birth and Return of Christ [Part 1]

This July 2020 blog is the sixth anniversary of the opening of our Bible Astronomy blog. In the time since we began compiling this Biblical Astronomy blog in 2014, we have noted an abundance of celestial evidence including signs marking the birth and return of Christ, with many parallels between the two. We have also documented a host of celestial signs supporting my proposal of a Celestial Prelude, where signs leading to Christ’s birth, are precedents directly pointing to specific signs marking his birth. Just as this pattern is discernible leading to Christ’s birth, so we also find indicators of it leading to his return.

As Celestial signs marking the birth of Christ took place in about a two year period between 3-1 BC, marked by a series of signs in 5 BC, so the signs of Sept. 2017 were presaged 2 years earlier with Heavenly signs in 2015. At the end of June 2015, we saw the first of 3 Jupiter-Venus Conjunctions in Leo, that took place before the conclusion of the 2014-15 Blood Moon tetrad. The first union of these two brightest planets recalls their fantastic conjunction on June 17th 2 BC, that was part of a series of signs marking Christ’s birth, with the Star of Bethlehem.

Sept. 17th, 2015 was a key date since it marked not only the Rev. 12 sign of the Sun clothing Virgo with the Moon at her feet, but also the first of 2 Mercury-Spica conjunctions in Virgo within 6 weeks, the 2nd one on October 29th. The Sept. 17th, 2015 sign of Rev. 12, takes place two years before the Great Wonder of Rev. 12 was repeated in the heavens in Sept. 2017, as seen at the birth of Christ. Mercury-Gabriel, the messenger archangel announced the nearness of the Lord Jesus Christ, returning FOR his Saints in the Church of the Body of Christ. The star Spica, the brightest star in Virgo, embodies the Promised Seed-Jesus Christ in his four-fold ministry as King, Son of Man, Servant and Son of God, as seen in the Four Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

 

The Birth of Christ was first promised in the initial Messianic prophecy in God’s Word in Gen. 3:15. This is the alpha prophecy in Genesis, the Bible’s first book which is complemented by the OmegaRev. 12 sign, as Scriptural bookends for the Word of God in the FleshJesus Christ the Promised Seed. In viewing the Genesis 3:15 Planisphere Axis in Figure 1 below, we find clear evidence not only of the Gospel in the Stars, but also for the prophetic monuments of the Giza Plateau. As the Great Sphinx embodies the alpha-omega signs of the ecliptic while prophesying of Christ’s birth, so the Great Pyramid also is aligned with Bethlehem and Jerusalem by its geographic Christ angle 26.5 degree axis, known as the “Bethlehem line.”

The Gen. 3:15 Planisphere axis however, is an astronomical axis that embodies mankind’s transcendent hope in the Coming Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Our introduction of this planisphere axis in last month’s June 2020 blog, is a detailed account of its primary elements, but our review of it in this month’s blog will focus on the major aspects of its dominant theme. This references Genesis 3:15 as the 1st Messianic prophecy in God’s Word, and as such is a key reference, worthy of a closer look as a basis for and foundation of the Gospel in the Stars, and the birth of Christ.

Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Here we have a reference to the seemingly ageless struggle between light and darkness, embodied in the serpent and its seed, versus the Woman with her seed. God is telling the serpent that the seed of the woman who is Jesus Christ, would bruise the serpent’s head, indicative of the fatal blow that Christ inflicts on Satan, as opposed to the serpent stinging Christ’s heel, showing Christ’s sacrifice, that freed all mankind from the serpent’s curse. This story from Gen. 3;15 is depicted in astonishingly powerful ways in the Gospel in the Stars, as seen in this Planisphere Axis below.

Figure 1. Genesis 3:15 Planisphere Axis.


This “Genesis 3:15 axis” extends through the North pole intersecting a number of constellations and notable decans that relate aspects of the Genesis 3:15, theme from various teaching viewpoints. Opening at the bottom of the planisphere, we find the Scorpion constellationScorpius, whose prominent tail stinger is positioned under the heel of Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer constellation, who is engaged in a struggle with the serpent. The axis intersects the star in Ophiuchusheel, called Saiph, in the LXX Greek meaning “bruised.”1 This is the same Greek word used in Gen. 3:15 for “bruised,” while Ophiuchus’ other leg is poised over the head of the Scorpion, showing the fatal blow crushing the enemy. This enlargement of Ophiuchus wrestling the serpent for Corona-the Crown of Dominion, while the Scorpion stings his heel, in Figure 2 tells us how our spiritual adversary is pictured both as a serpent and a scorpion, in conflict with the man, fitting three Scriptural elements of the star picture. In Hebrew the Scorpion is Akrab, meaning war or conflict; [Ps. 91:13] with the man. 2

Figure 2. Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer, over Scorpius.

the serpent scorpion

If we now look at the other end of the Gen. 3:15 Planisphere Axis, we find amazingly that it intersects Orion, specifically at the star in Orion’s foot named Rigel, meaning “the foot that crushes,” which is fitting since it is pictured crushing the enemy. The main star in Orion’s other leg incredibly is “Saiph” the same word for “bruised we saw in Ophiuchus that is also used in Gen. 3:15! 3 Not only do we find both ends of this amazing Planisphere axis agreeing with the same star name tied to Gen. 3:15, but before the axis reaches Orion’s foot, it intersects the bright star in Orion’s shoulder called Bellatrix, meaning “swiftly destroying,” pointing to the swift destruction of the enemy at the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. 4

Job 38:31-33

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring forth
Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the Earth?

Figure 3. The decan of Orion, with his foot over the Hare initiating the River of Judgement.

zodiac stars

The original meaning of Orion is “coming forth as light.” The same word is used in Genesis. 1:17 and Isa. 60:1, referring to the light of the celestial luminaries. This light is both physical in Creation and spiritual as we trace the meaning and usage of these ancient star names, both in God’s Word and historical sources.

The linking of Christ’s identification with Ophiuchus and Orion in the Celestial Gospel, is supported in the obvious parallels in this stellar depiction of [Gen. 3:15.] As we let the stars speak, their witness of truth shines through any idols or star myths telling alternative stories. Frances Rolleston “observed that although in most charts Orion’s foot rests upon a hare, in at least one ancient Indian star chart there is snake in place of the hare. Presumably, this snake has bitten, or bruised, Orion’s heel, but he is crushing the serpent’s head in fulfillment of the first Messianic prophecy (Genesis 3:15).”5

Of course, this depiction of a serpent instead of a Hare is not limited to Indian zodiacs, but was also the case in the Dendera zodiac below, along with Persian zodiacs as well. 6 In the Dendera Zodiac’s version of Orion, in red seen beside Taurus the Bull in orange, with serpent underfoot and bird of prey also above the serpent’s head, descending with extended claws.

Figure 4. The Dendera Zodiac version of Orion over a Serpent instead of a Hare.

Temple of Hathor Dendera Zodiac and Great Year/Precession of the ...

This image agrees with Seiss, showing both the Persian and Egyptian zodiacs, including the image of the serpent under Orion’s foot, caught in the claws of a hawk or eagle. 7  As we have seen in one of the most ancient planisphere’s– the square Dendera Zodiac, as found with its depiction of the Great Sphinx, but it is also a uniquely wonderful source for the identification of ancient decans, showing Lepus the “hare,” as a serpent.

Since the Gospel in the Stars is a pictorial representation, that parallels God’s Word, at times they tell a composite story of the truth of Christ. This axis is a good example of a composite pictorial depiction of Gospel truth, that is backed up by the meanings of the individual star names in the constellations and decans of these star pictures. The combined image of this Gen. 3:15 Axis not only presents 3 heavenly giants in combat with serpentine enemies, but there is also a forth decan on this axis shown taking the central star of the heavens away from the dragon’s control. Once the serpent replaces the Hare from later zodiacs, this Gen. 3:15 axis shows a powerful unified image in multiple constellations, all centered around the Gen. 3:15 theme.

Figure 5. Draco and Cepheus at the North Pole.

draco

The fourth decan referred to above is Draco the dragon, seen in Figure 5 above, with Hercules’ Foot above its head, inside one of the circles of the Northern Polar Venn Diagram. This is pictured astronomically as the dynamic equatorial pole slowly moves around the static pole of the ecliptic, at the center of the upper circle. The common area between these overlapping polar wheels we find as a vesica of the Venn Diagram. This gives us another viewpoint of the precession of the poles, as the equatorial pole shifted from Thuban, in Draco’s tail to Polaris of Ursa Minor over the past 5000 years. This fulfills the promise of the coming redeemer, as our Gen. 3:15 axis passes through the current pole star Polaris, seen between the feet of Cepheus, the Crowned King, [Eph. 1:20-22]. This celestial image of the King of kings is realized and fulfilled in Christ Jesus, who now presides over the central star of the heavens, formerly under the dominion of the Dragon. Within this Polar circle, we find a triangle that encloses the Little Bear of Ursa Minor. The Triangle roughly consists of the Ecliptical pole at the center of this upper circle, along with two pole stars. One is Thuban the former pole star in the Dragon’s tail on the circle’s perimeter at the upper right corner, and the other is the current pole star Polaris, at the lower-left corner. As we find in Figure 6 below, the Pole star marked Al Ruccabais under the foot of Cepheus, meaning “the Branch,” 8 exerting his authority over all Creation. Thus the man’s wounded foot has become the instrument of the serpent’s destruction, not only seen in his crushing fatal blow to the serpent’s head, but also is witnessed in the outcome of Ophiuchus’ struggle with the serpent for the Crown [in Fig.2] of Dominion, in the crowned King Cepheus seated, reigning over the North Pole.

Figure 6. The 3 Belt stars of Orion reflecting the 3 Pyramids of Giza. 9

Related image

 As Scripture teaches the Great Pyramid has much to say as one of the oldest monumental witnesses of Jesus Christ on planet Earth. The Fig. 6 graphic above shows the Great Pyramid’s geographical position mirroring the star Al Nitak in Orion’s BeltIf one were at Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth looking up to the lower belt star of Orion (Al Nitak—the wounded one) at meridian, the angle of that star above the horizon would be at the same angle as the Great Pyramid itself—51 degrees and 51 mins. 10 If true, this is added evidence to the Pyramid’s existingBethlehem line” linking to the birth of Christ. Other star programs give different conclusions about the position of Al Nitak at the time of Christ’s birth, but this is not the only Great Pyramid witness we are interested here. Not only do we have the “Orion Correlation Theory” with the stars of Orion’s belt, aligning with the Pyramid’s of the Giza complex, but the witness evident in Figure 5 above, of the precession of the pole star from Thuban of Draco to Polaris of Ursa Minor, is also referenced in the Great Pyramid’s Star Shafts, as we find below!

Figure 7. Aligning the Star Shafts of the Great Pyramid. 11

The first thing to note about these 4 Great Pyramid Star Shafts is that originate in the Queen’s Chamber
and two also come from the King’s Chamber, with its Southern shaft aligned on Al Nitak in Orion’s Belt, and 
the northern shaft aligned on Thuban of Draco at its upper culmination. The Pyramid’s Descending shaft is aligned on Thuban’s lower culmination, showing Lucifer’s demise headed towards the pit at the bottom of this passage, [Isa. 14:15, 19]. Sir John Herschel calculated that Thuban was clearly visible from the bottom of the Great Pyramid’s Descending Passage at Thuban’s inferior culmination, when its circumpolar orbit was at its lowestPiazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland also calculated Thuban was 3 degrees 43 min. from the pole at its lower culmination in both 2123 BC and 3440 BC12  Beyond this, Piazzi Smyth surmised that if the Great Pyramid’s foundation containing the pit in its bedrock, was built on the autumnal equinox in 2170 BC, when Thuban was at the meridian below the poleAlcyone of the Pleiades was also crossing the meridian above the pole. 13  Could this be a reason why the Pleiades & Orion are always listed together in the Bible? [Job 9:938:31 Amos 5:8]. It gives one pause to consider, but after Piazzi Smyth’s reckoning, Percival Lowell in 1912, calculated that the “Descending Passage of the Pyramid was oriented to a point 3 degrees 34′ below the pole, the location which Thuban would have occupied, allowing for refraction some 645 years before or after its closest approach to the true pole.”14 Like Piazzi Smyth, Lowell also computed two potential dates for Thuban to occupy this position, with an updated slight revision yielding 3475 BC and 2185 BC. Lowell pointed out that “the more recent date is negated by what we know of Egyptian History, and we are thus left with the other”-[3475 BC] as a better candidate for the construction of the Great Pyramid. 15

Since this astronomical evidence involving the Great Pyramid from Herschel, Smyth and Lowell is incompatible with the orthodox Egyptian chronology of the 4th Dynasty under Khufu [2700-2600 BC], we should look at other archaeological and historical evidence that may support the highly accurate Great Pyramid astronomy. Some of this evidence is seen in the Great Sphinx, which was built as part of the Giza master-plan including the Pyramids, the causeways and the Great Sphinx, which is a developing concept as our narrative proceeds on the history of these famed monuments of ancient Egypt. The Inventory Stela provides strong evidence, by Khufu himself, that he was not the Great Pyramid’s builder, and that the Pyramid and Sphinx, already existed during his reign. Egyptologists like James H. Breasted, included the Inventory Stela in his official Fourth Dynasty list of artifacts, stating that it “bore all the marks of authenticity.” Also, the French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero whose popular work, “The Dawn of Civilization,” stated that this stela was indeed a factual record of the life and deeds of Khufu. 16

With the exception of a few die-hards, most egyptologists consent to the accumulating body of archaeological and geological evidence, indicating that the Great Sphinx dates much older than the 4th Dynasty, and that the Sphinx was only restored by Chephren, not built during his reign. Added evidence from the ‘Inventory Stele‘ uncovered near the Sphinx in the 19th century relates that Pharaoh Cheops/Khufu, Chephren’s predecessor – ordered a temple built beside the Sphinx, meaning the Sphinx already existed at this earlier time, and thus was not built by Chephren. Since the astronomical elements of the Dendera Zodiac that inspired the Great Sphinx must predate it, we can see how the ages of the Dendera Zodiac and the Great Sphinx are inseparably joined, giving us a truer idea for the ages of these monumentally intertwined ancient artifacts.

The Inventory Stela, the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid | Ancient ...

In building the Great Sphinx’s adjoining temple, quarried stone blocks of over 200 tons were used, with some of this Sphinx temple masonry matching stone-work in building the Pyramids. This includes the causeway link-ing the Pyramids to the Great Sphinx, showing the relation between these uniquely historic monuments on a number of levels. It is logical that some of the quarried blocks were used to construct the temple, as the Sphinx was carved out of nearby existing rock. It also suggests a master-plan for the blueprints in building these elements of the Giza Plateau including the Sphinx, its temples and the Pyramids. The masterplan idea for the Giza Plateau was shown to be based on the “Christ angleof 26.5 degrees, which not only happens to be the slope angle of the Great Pyramid’s Ascending and Descending Passage’s, but also was the alignment key for the entire Giza Plateau itself. 17

This is noteworthy since only the Great Pyramid, of all Egypt’s pyramids, was built with ascending and descending passages, which becomes more interesting as we take note of the related planetary alignments on Rosh Hashanah in 2017, marked by the Great Pyramid. The southern shaft of the Queen’s Chamber points to Sirius the Dog Star and brightest star in the sky. The Queen’s Chamber North shaft is aligned on the star Kochab of Ursa Minor, holding the same polar stars found on the Gen. 3:15 axis in Fig. 5. Ursa Minor is where we find the pole star todayPolaris under the feet of Cepheus, the Crowned King. This stellar image of the King of kings is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, who now rules over this central star of the sky, formerly Thuban under the dominion of the Dragon- Lucifer in his first estate. This documents a transition in spiritual power from Lucifer the fallen Morning Star, who was previously the prince and leading archangel over all angels of heaven, until iniquity was found in him, with his treacherous failed coup against the Heavenly Father, to Christ the ascendant Morning Star, who is now seated at the right hand of the Almighty, [Eph. 1: 1923]. This story of the fallen Morning Star is also related in the Star Sirius-the Prince, as we will see in Part 2 of this study.

The dual alignment of Thuban below the pole with the Pleiades above the pole in 2170 BC, calculated by Piazzi Smyth, not only supports the key application of the autumnal equinox related to Rosh Hashanah, as we will see below, but also reveals an important point about how the Pleiades witnesses to the fall of the first Morning StarLucifer.  [Isa. 14:12]

 In China’s astronomical records, the Pleiades star cluster was among the earliest of Lunar houses on record, dating to 2357 BC, when the star Alcyone in the Pleiades was near the vernal equinox18 The 7 stars of this famed cluster are identified by Job [9:9, 38:31] and referred to collectively as a “heap or accumulation, and the congregation of the judge or ruler,” said also to be referenced in Rev. 1 as a mystery.” Since the Mystery can refer to the spiritual body of Christ and the congregation of the church of the ruler or head of this church, who is Christ, this is a key aspect of the Mystery, which was not revealed before the day of Pentecost in 28 AD. But what about the relationship between Christ and the angelic realms? Rev. 1:20 refers to the angelic order in relation to Christ and the 7 churches in his right hand.

Rev. 1:20
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candle-sticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Figure 8. The Pleiades Star Cluster

[AAO Photograph]

Now that the ascended Christ has supplanted the fallen Morning Star, he inherited rulership over the remaining choirs and cohorts of the angelic hosts previously ordered under Lucifer. This is part of the mystery of the seven stars, of angels held in the right hand of Christreminds us of the divine seven-fold pattern of the order of Cherubim according to their regular distribution around the four colored curtains of Tabernacle walls of both the Holy Placeand the Holiest of all. As we find this pattern in the earthly Tabernacle, so we also find it in the Heavenly Tabernacle, as Rev. 15:5-8 reveals, as seen in Part 1 . [cp. Rev. 8: 2]

The pattern of the 7 angels of God in relation to the four “beasts” or living creatures, depicting the Four
Cardinal Directions is upheld in the heavenly Tabernacle even as we see in its earthly model. This 7 x 4 pattern yielding 28 Lunar Mansions relating to the lunar cycle, aligned with the solar cycle, evident also in structure of the Tabernacle. The enemy continues to adhere parasitically to the original order set down by the Almighty, in ordering and marshaling his legions of fallen angels. As we find the pattern of seven repeated in the fallen angelic orders, we also find an image of “four beasts” resembling the “dragon decans” or serpent monsters [Draco, Hydra, Cetus, & Serpens] in the starry constellations of the ecliptic, not to mention the Gen. 3:15 axis in the night sky.

This mystery of the seven stars also includes the Angel’s first estate prior to their revolt, when Lucifer as the Bright and Morning Star led the angels as Morning stars and sons of God, in their collective shouts of joy, praising the Almighty, [Job 38:7, Isa. 14:12-20, Ezek. 28:12-19]. But once iniquity was found in Lucifer, he was cast out of heaven taking 1/3 of the angels down with him. [Rev. 12:7-9]. The Prophet Amos reminds us to;

Seek Him that made the seven stars and Orion, and turned the shadow of death into the morning, and made the day dark with night: that called for the waters of the sea, and poured them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name …”  [Amos 5:8] KJV

We find hints of this in Milton’s description of Creation at the dawn of the world, in Paradsie Lost; where he says of the Sunrise,

the Dawn and the Pleiades before him danc’d, shedding sweet influence…19

He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” [Rev. 1:16]

This reference in Rev. 1:16 is certainly reminiscent of the helical rising of the 7 stars of the Pleiades, as seen in the Chinese and Egyptian Lunar Mansions. There is a legend linked to one of these seven stars, that was lost in infamy. The Poet Aratos wrote;

As seven their fame is on the tongues of men, though six alone are beaming on the eye… 20

This story fits the narrative of the fallen arch-angel Lucifer, who is no longer numbered among the Heavenly angels, having lost his initial place of honor. [Isa. 14:12, Rev. 12:7-9]

According to Daniel Matson, he explains the importance of viewing the autumn equinox instead of the spring equinox in this context, on his website;

“Robert Bauval first suggested the Orion Theory in his 1994 book, “The Orion Mystery.” His theory is that the Pyramids which he designates as Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, based on the idea that these pyramids were built in the reigns of these Egyptian Pharaoh’s, are aligned depicting the belt stars of Orion—meaning, if one looks south, the Great Pyramid (Khufu) is represented by the lower left belt star known as Al Nitak, and the Great Pyramid is the northeast pyramid. This is logical since viewing Orion at meridian means,  one must look south. However, this Orion Theory puts pyramid construction at 10,500 BC since it holds to a vernal equinox scenario, where Orion is at meridian during dawn at the onset of spring.” 21

Figure 9. The Great Sphinx facing due east with Orion & Sirius rising at its lowest point closest to the Horizon. 22

Img_9187a

As Matson states;
“The prophetic view taken here, is that the Giza pyramids were built looking forward down the corridors of time. This requires a view towards the other equinox, at the beginning of autumn when Orion will be at meridian during dawn.”23 This is supported also by the orientation of the Great Sphinx looking due east to the junction of Virgo/Leo at sunrise of the autumnal equinox. About 2000 years ago Orion (Al Nitak) hit the dawn-meridian in its heliacal rising, also the target of the Southern star shaft of the King’s Chamber, on August 26th, coinciding with the meridian passage of Kochab of Ursa Minor, aligned with the Northern star shaft of the Queen’s Chamber. Presently this alignment is on September 20th due to the precession of the equinoxes, making it was quite close to the Autumn Equinox in Sept. of 2017 when the signs similar to Christ’s birth were seen again, as we documented in the opening of this blog. This coordination of star alignments specifically marked by the Great Pyramid star shafts, carries a notable narrative that has gone unnoticed for millennia, that we are revealing here for the first time. This narrative is uncovered as we notice the original meaning of ancient star names marked by the Great Pyramid. Al Nitak of Orion means the “wounded one,” referring to Christ’s sacrifice laying down his life in his first advent, as we saw in the Gen. 3:15 axis. This heliacal rising of Al Nitak, not only coincided with the meridian passage of Kochab of Ursa Minor, meaning-“waiting for him who comes,” in reference to the Second Coming of Christ, but it takes place also with the Sunrise in Leo as seen in Figure 9 above. Even as these Rev. 12 heavenly signs were replayed in 2017, we will find similar signs the years 2028, and 2047. This prophecy of the Sonrise of the Ages forecasts the victorious return of Christ when he defeats and crushes the dragon enemy with a fatal head blow seen also in the star pictures of the Gen. 3:15 axis.

Certainly, the theme of this Sonrise is not unfamiliar, having circulated in the heavens for eons, as seen in the Gen. 3:15 axis. However, the witness of the star shafts of the Great Pyramid to this theme is decidedly news to modern ears. The names in this celestial showcase were changed to the idol gods of Egypt, due to an ancient corruption in the astrology of their star religion, but this darkness only shaded the truth for so long before the Light of the Almighty ultimately prevails. This ancient Egyptian Sonrise marked by the Great Sphinx and embodied in the Great Pyramid, resounds from the Giza Plateau foreshadowing the Son-set marking Christ’s birth seen from Jerusalem in 3 BC, in Figure 10 below.

The signs marking Jesus’ birth took place near the intersection of the ecliptic and the Meridian in Virgo.
Figure 13 below shows the moments of the birth of Christ, marked by the setting of the star Spica, between the setting Sun with the Moon at Virgo’s feet, [Rev. 12:1-2] and the supernova in the Coma Decan, likely visible to the naked eye, at this time.

Figure 10. Sunset Horizon view from Jerusalem at Christ’s birth on 9-11-3 BC.

Image result for Virgo-Coma images

Malachi 4:2 
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The word arise” in verse 2, is not only used of the Sun and light in general, but it and two of its derivatives occur in [Isaiah 60:1-3, Jer. 23:5]. As we have seen regarding Jer. 23:5, the planet Jupiter, the sedeq planet is linked with the Messiah, Jesus Christ the righteous zemach-branch, and is one of five primary Old Testament prophecies pertaining to this Branchas the coming promised seed.

According to Matson, the basic idea is that the Pyramid complex is a map of the heavens at a time near the return of Christ. The pyramids show what is to be at meridian (Al Nitak in Orion), while the causeways and the Great Sphinx are aligned east from the pyramids, showing the importance of the rising Sun or other stars rising in the east. The Figure 9 graphic above also shows the Sun in Leo with Orion on the meridian at dawn while simultaneously, Sirius is at its lowest point just above the horizon. As we will see in Part 2 of this blog, the role of Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, tells a key aspect of the story regarding the fallen Prince and Morning Star.

The point for Matson, was to find a candidate for an alignment on Rosh Hashanah with Orion’s meridian alignment at dawn. Since Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset and signs precede events, it is logical for Rosh Hashanah to begin at sunset on the 20th of September, which then puts Rosh Hashanah on September 21st. This also fits the astronomical scene for the precedent of these events, on Rosh Hashanah at Christ’s birth on Sept. 11th, 3 BC.

With Sept. 21st as the Autumn Equinox, coinciding with Rosh Hashanah and the meridian alignment of Al Nitak at dawn, could Rosh Hashanah be the real factor? The answer to Matson’s key question here is found not only in the heavenly signs surrounding the birth of Christ, but also the history and meaning of Rosh Hashanah. This Hebrew Holiday commemorates God’s Creation of the World, marking the start of a 10-day period called the Days of Awe, a time of repentance culminating in Yom Kippur the Day of AtonementRosh Hashanah originated as an OT royal enthronement ritual, while the “Day of Judgment” elements of the holiday surfaced later. In spite of Rosh Hashanah being the seventh month, it came to designate the New Year. A further significance of Tishri as the seventh month, is found in its consideration as the Sabbath of the year. Blasts on the shofar horn, are the most potent symbol of the holiday. The significance of shofar blasts is alluded to in recalling the Binding of Isaac in [Gen. 22]. The story and the shofar serve as reminders of God’s Covenant with His people-Israel, carrying with them the message of hope, looking forward to the sacrifice and return of Christ. Key aspects of the origins of Rosh Hashanah as the King’s enthronement ritual are found in the 2 Chronicles record below.

We have pointed out in previous blogs, how the dual significance of the Rev. 12:1-2 prophecy, applies not only to the birth of Christ, but to his victorious return also! Even as heavenly signs specifically marked the birth of Jesus Christ, supporting the witness of God’s Word, so we have seen similar sky signs marking the Lord’s Return.
Even as these Rev. 12 heavenly signs were replayed in 2017, we will find similar signs the years 2028, and 2047.
As we have noted in our study of the Blood Moon Tetrad 0f 2014-2015Blood Moons embody key aspects of the heavenly signs that occur “before that great and terrible day of the Lord comes;” [Joel 2:28-32]. The Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses in 2014, along with the Blood Moons and Solar Eclipses on the Lord’s Feasts and Holy days in 2015 are highly significant prophesies before our eyes, marking the end of days, and to the victorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. A precursor for the King’s coronation as the king stands next to his pillar, is found in 2 Chronicles 23.

Figure 11. The Temple at Jerusalem with the two pillars of Jachin and Boaz at the entrance.

The Two Brass Pillars Jachin and Boaz

2 Chron. 23:11-14 11 Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king. 12 Now
when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the
house 
of the Lord13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes
and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason. 
14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the Lord.

2 Chron 23:13 puts this “pillar at the entering in,” and if this is entrance of the temple, then we have a reference to the Temple’s great ornamental pillars of brass called Jachin and Boaz. This agrees with the New Bible Dictionary which states: “The entrance to Solomon’s Temple was flanked by two gigantic bronze pillars, [I Kgs 7:15-22]. It was apparently by one of these that the king stood on ceremonial occasions [II Kings 23:3, II Chron. 23:13].” In II Chron. 34:31King Josiah stood in his place (*H5977omed) and made a covenant before the Lord to keep His commandments. The word translated “place” has the same Hebrew root [*H5975amad] as the word “pillar” above. 24 The King’s rule was blessed in the degree and to the order, where he kept the Covenant of God’s Word in his rule, indicated in the names of the temple pillars.

1 Kings 7:21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.

According to the New Bible Dictionary in reference to the significance of the names Jachin and Boaz; “the names may be the first words of oracles giving power to the Davidic dynasty: perhaps ‘Yahweh will establish (yakin) thy throne forever’ and ‘In the strength (beoz) of Yahweh shall the king rejoice‘.”25 Thus, as the kings of Israel stood in their place, by their pillar in the temple during the coronation ceremony, so the coronation of the King of kings, seen in the stellar announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ, also marked by one of the four celestial pillars of heaven. In the first phase of the Lord’s appearances on earth, fulfilling Rev. 12:1-2 in the birth of Christ, we can see in the Fig. 13 Virgo image below, the sufferings of Christ are emphasized indicating the primary purpose of his ministry to Israel, as the one-time embodiment of the Passover lamb sacrifice for the sins of Israel. This is detailed in the graphic taking note of the intersection of the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator. This intersection is one of the Four Corners, or literal Pillars of heaven, also called Cardinal Points which “square the circle” of the Ecliptic, the circle of the zodiac. The intersection point is right at Virgo’s feet, marked by the New Crescent Moon opening the New Year on Rosh-Hashanah, with the birth of Jesus Christ. As the Celestial Equator extends to the horizon it marks the Star Spica [Al-Zemach], the branch and offspring of God the Father, while under Virgo’s feet it bisects the sign Libra. In the Hebrew ZodiacLibra symbolizes the price of redemption being paid by the Lord’s sacrifice. This puts the focus on the purpose of Christ’s ministry to Israel, and the sufferings he had to endure to pay this price of redemption, not only for Israel, but all mankind. The woman’s promised seed is called “the branch” identified with the star Spica in the following references; [Jer. 23:4-6, Jer. 33:14-18, Zech. 3:8].

Figure 12. The Scales of Libra

Primary Constellation #2

There are numerous legal requirements that Jesus Christ had to fulfill if every aspect of the Law was to be upheld as Christ stated, [Matt. 5:18]. In order for Jesus Christ to fulfill the OT law as the legal sacrifice for Israel and all mankind, he had to keep all stated “ordinances of Passover,” [Num. 9:12]. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, [Heb. 9:22] and only Christ had the sinless and innocent blood qualifying as the perfect sacrifice to redeem mankind. Even Judas after betraying Jesus confessed: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood;” [Matt.27:4]. This condition is clearly stated in Ex. 12:5, as a lamb without blemish, [I Pet. 1:18-19] with the key truth that it had to be a lamb of the first year, which discounts any hypothesis of a 3-year ministry of Christ. If these conditions were  not met according to the standards of God’s Word, then those partaking in the Passover were cut off from Israel; [Ex. 12:15]. Even more critical was that Jesus himself had to fulfill all these conditions to the last detail, or mankind would remain in a sinful unredeemed state, before the liberating work of the Redeemer of mankind was “finished,” [John 19:30]. In this study our focus is on this important Biblical condition and legal requirement of the OT Law, that the Passover lamb had to be a male lamb of the first year, to fully redeem Israel. In the case of Jesus Christ, he did not fulfill this requirement until he became an adult male of the full age of 30 years old. The gospels record that
Jesus was recognized by John the Baptist as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” in 27 AD, [John 1:29, 36] the 30th year since Jesus’ birth in 3BC. The truths told by the sign Libra, or the balances, tell us all men fall short of Jesus Christ paying the perfect redemption price for their brothers [Ps. 49:7-15], because all men are weighed in the balances and found wanting, except Jesus Christ; [Rev. 5:9]. This truth, is seen in the Figure 13 graphic below, as the celestial equator bisects both of Libra’s balances between the Moon and Virgo’s feet, while aligned with the setting Star Spica, marking Christ’s birth.

Figure 13. Sunset as seen from Palestine on September 11th 3 BC, with the Sun in Virgo and the Moon at her feet. 6  [Rev. 12:1-2]

Virgo Clothed with the Sun on 9-11-3BC

Isaiah 4:2 contains some wonderful details linking directly to the stars of the Constellation Virgo.

Isa. 4:2-3 In that day shall the branch of the LORD the beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:

The word “beautiful” in verse 2 above corresponds to the meaning of the star “Zavijava” in Virgo, a true trait of the promised seed of the woman. It is truly wonderful to witness the inborn symmetry of God’s Word, flowing from the divine revelation of the Gospel in the Stars, as the pattern of the Stars and the Scriptures unfolds in unison before our eyes. The 2nd phase of the Rev. 12:1-2 prophecy, does not pertain to the sufferings of Christ, but to his Glorious return to install his Millennial Reign, inheriting the throne of the Davidic dynasty marked by the Temple pillars Jachin and Boaz. The “glory” of the promised seed referred to in Isa. 4:2 is also foretold in one of the decans of Virgo known anciently as Coma, the desire of the nations. This was prophesied in God’s Word in Haggai 2.

Haggai 2:6-7 6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

At this center point in history, at the celestial pillar of the Rosh Hashanah, with the Moon at Virgo’s feet, and the setting of the star SpicaAl Zemach, the moments of the birth of Jesus Christ were framed in the heavens. This was followed 3 days later, by the first celestial union of the triple coronation ceremony that took place, beginning in the first Jupiter-Regulus Conjunction in Leo, on Sept. 14th 3 BC. This occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles, which along with Passover divided the sacred calendar in half, reminding us of the luni-solar year evident in the cycle of Jubilees. This also is reflected in the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, with these Blood Moons and Solar eclipses marking the holy feasts, with increasing intensity as we approach the end of days leading to the victorious return of Jesus Christ. Since a Blood Moon Tetrad was completed in 2015 as a celebration of Jubilees on the Hebrew Calendar, we should pay special attention to the crescendo that is being reached, in the compiled Blood Moons and heavenly signs, on the Lord’s feasts and holy days.

With a better understanding of the Great Pyramid Star Shafts and the message of specific stars highlighted by these shafts, we have a clear grasp of how the Great Pyramid [Isa. 19:19-21], witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God.

Isa. 19:19 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender, and he will
will rescue them.

In Part 2 of this study, we will consider in greater detail the planetary alignments marked by the Ascending and Descending passages of the Great Pyramid around the Rosh Hashanah date of 2017, as they relate to the master-plan of the Giza Plateau. along with Job’s record of Sirius the Dog Star as it tells the rest of the story concerning the fallen Morning Star, whose former seat is now occupied by Christ.

I am truly thankful for all our friends and readers as we stand together in the prevailing spiritual light of God’s Word, ready to help those who are looking for a hand of protection and blessing over and above the darkness of this world.  Be that hand for someone today!

God Bless!

Rene’

Footnotes

1. Witness of the Stars, p. 58, E.W. Bullinger
2. IBID, p. 54
3. IBID, p. 127
4. IBID
5. Mazzaroth-Frances Rolleston
6. Gospel in the Stars, p. 116, Joseph Seiss
7. IBID
8.  Witness of the Stars, p. 152, E.W. Bullinger
9. The Orion Mystery, p. 134, Robt. Bauval
10. The Mystery of the Sphinx, p. 284. From measurements given by Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval.
11. Figure 7. Star Shaft Alignments of the Great Pyramid, picture credit, Daniel Matson [https://watchfortheday.org/signsoftheend/giza2024.html]
12. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p. 86
13. 
Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p. 87.
14. 
Burnham’s Celestial Handbook, p. 863. Robert Burnham
15. IBID
16. The Dawn of Civilization, Gaston Maspero
17. The Orion Mystery, p. 279, Bauval and Gilbert
18. Star Lore Myths Legends and Facts, p. 409 William Tyler Olcott
19. IBID, ppg. 408-409
20. IBID, p. 420
21. [https://watchfortheday.org/signsoftheend/giza2024.html]
22. Figure 9. picture credit; [http://myblog.robertbauval.co.uk/]
23. [https://watchfortheday.org/signsoftheend/giza2024.html]
24. Strong’s Concordance, [H5975] James Strong.
25. Tyndale’s New Bible Dictionary, p. 545, on Jachin and Boaz.

 

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The Lunar Mansions Part 3, Dendera Lunar Decans

The Lunar Mansions Part 3, Dendera Lunar Decans

In Part 3 of our series on Lunar Mansions we will focus on the Lunar Decans of the Dendera Zodiac. In the first two parts of this series, we reviewed how the Lunar Mansions were preserved in ancient China, India, Isreal and Arabia. In Part 3 our focus is on ancient Egypt. The Dendera Zodiac is the best-known example of Egyptian zodiacal monuments, whose temple dates from the 1st century BC. The zodiac however, is believed to date far older than the temple housing it, going back at least to 2100 BC. Now housed in the Louvre, in Paris, the Dendera Zodiac displays a rounded ceiling vault with the 12 major signs, as well as the Egyptian northern and southern constellations, the planets, the sun and moon, and the 36 lunar decans, arranged around the periphery of the circular zodiac.

An early scientific study of Egyptian archaeological sites was conducted as part of Napoleon’s campaign into N. Africa. Bonaparte included French Archaeologists and language specialists to research key sites including the Giza Plateau. Many French scholars of the day believed the Dendera Zodiac to be thousands of years older than the Ussher’s date of creation. This was not the ideal or most politically expedient date for the “Holy Roman Empire,” but with the entrance of Champollion, as the foremost French Egyptologist in Napoleon’s reign, he provided a later incept date for the Dendera zodiac. As the first to decode the hieroglyphics on the famed Rosetta Stone, based on his study of Temple cartouches near the Temple’s ceiling location of the Dendera zodiac, he dated the royal names and by association, the Dendera Zodiac itself to a period between 50-200 BC. 1

Library of Alexandria Documentary Series: Temple of Dendera ...

As a result, this late dating of the Dendera Zodiac has persisted in orthodox Egyptian archaeology to this day. But English scholars like Herman Lockyer provided evidence that the Dendera Temple housing the zodiac was probably “rebuilt at least three times since 3733 BC; once in the reign of King Pepi I, [which Lockyer dates at 3233 BC] once again by Thothmes III in 1600 BC, and finally by the Ptolemies about 100 BCAccording to Lockyer the temple may have been aligned previously at the star Dubhe, which ceased to be circumpolar about 4000 BC, and before that at gamma Draconis, which ceased to be circumpolar about 5000 BC.” [2]

Lockyer also held that these historical rebuilds of astronomical Temples, based on changing star alignments, shows an awareness of the Precession of the Equinoxes in ancient Egypt, that far predated Hipparchus‘ supposed c.140 BCdiscovery” of the precession of the Equinoxes. Another of these French Archaeologists; “Dupuis calculated the incept date of the Dendera Planisphere around 4000 BC.” 3 There is an obvious host of modern scholarship in agreement with Lockyer, opposing the orthodoxy of modern evolutionary archaeology, including “Hamlet’s Mill” authors George Santillianna and Von Dechend, who documented a number of tribal cultures like the Inuit, Persians, Norsemen, Native Americans, Hawaiians, Japanese, Chinese, along with the ancient Egyptians, who all recognized the sacred signs
and iconography of the precession of the equinoxes.

Champollion’s later date above, agrees with Lockyer’s date of the latest rebuild of the Dendera Temple by the Ptolemies around 100 BC, while ignoring the earlier temple rebuilds, going back to the Old Kingdom. As the oldest circular zodiac, Dendera holds a key place, not only in Biblical Archaeology, and Archaeo-Astronomy, but also with its system of Decans, from ancient Egypt, providing rare evidence supported in the most ancient texts, like the Pyramid Texts, predates any existing record for a Gospel in the Stars. In a recent critique of the writings of Frances Rolleston and the idea of the “Gospel in the Stars,” that she popularized in the later 1800’s, [Faulkner-2013] states;

Not only are there no texts preserving the original knowledge of the gospel in the stars, but we know of no sources before Rolleston that claimed that there ever were such texts, or that any ever lived who believed such things. The first source we know of to make this claim is Frances Rolleston’s book. Let me be clear—it is obvious from Rolleston’s book that she had no texts that clearly taught her thesis. Instead, she created the meanings to support her thesis without reliance upon any older texts. The evidence we have that is most consistent with the gospel in the stars thesis not being an ancient idea at all, but entirely the invention of Frances Rolleston less than 200 years ago.”4

Faulkner continues;
Although many ancient cultures referred to decans, they are defined differently than how  Rolleston used the term. These cultures divided each astronomical sign into three decans. Since there are twelve signs circling the sky, each sign stretches over about 30° of the ecliptic. Thus, each decan spans roughly 10° along the ecliptic. Since it takes approximately 360 days for the sun to complete a circuit with respect to the stars, the sun occupies each decan for roughly ten days.“5

Faulkner’s description of how these “ancient cultures” calculated decans in their calendars, is an exact match for how the Egyptians calculated them related to the Dendera Zodiac. 
Although our admiration and respect for Rolleston is great, due to her reliance on Scripture, our approach to Biblical Astronomy holds Biblical Scripture as the ultimate source of truth and the veracity of the Celestial Gospel. The evidence for the Gospel in the Stars we cite, comes primarily from the Scriptures of the Bible first and foremost, then is supported by historical research and secular sources in Biblical Astronomy. Few are aware of the evidence linking the Dendera Zodiac with prophecies of the birth of Christ, that I have advocated and posted [@try-god.com] for over 15 years, and continue to expand, including this blog in the Spring of 2020. Below is a Scriptural example of the three decans linked to Leo the Lion, highlighted in yellow. 6

Mazzaroth Chart - Hebrew Astrology - Constellation 12. Leo ...

Obviously, Faulkner is not familiar with the abundant Scriptural references to the Gospel in the stars, and the internal integrity of God’s Word at the basis of this subject, that provides all the ancient textual evidence required, far out dating Rolleston on this subject. Added awareness of how the ancient Egyptian monument, the Great Sphinx embodies the Alpha-Omega signs of the Hebrew Mazzaroth, with prophecies of the Birth of Christ, that adds historical support to the Dendera Zodiac. When taken with the other monuments of the Giza Plateau, the witness from ancient Egypt for the Gospel in the Stars becomes a deafening crescendo of truth, impossible to ignore for any honest seeker of evidence for an astronomical gospel. A key element of the Dendera zodiac is the recognition of the ancient Egyptian star names associated with it, and their meaning, compared to the Hebrew meanings of the same stars. This gives us a view of the similar approaches to practical Astronomy between the two cultures and the potential common source of these star names, from Biblical Patriarchs like Seth and Enoch, and how they convey the gospel message, prior to their corruption in the idolatry of the Egyptian star religion.

The Pyramids of the Giza Plateau

Egypt: Temple of Dendera - Smit & Palarczyk | Egypt, Egypt art ...

This evidence from the Dendera Zodiac, with its system of Decans predates the usage of decans in any of the oldest Greek or Latin texts by thousands of years, providing an ancient source far in advance of Rolleston’s writings, or even Ptolemy, as a basis for the Gospel in the Stars. We will explore the details of this in later blogs in 2020, as this blog serves to introduce the reader to some of the research in this field underlying Biblical Astronomy. This method of decan calculation was standard practice in ancient Egypt. With this ancient Egyptian historical background, we don’t have to rely on Faulkner’s opinion of how this ancient system of decans came together, since we have scholarly accounts from the oldest texts in history like the Pyramid Texts and the Book of Job, that make specific references to the decan system in ancient Egypt, based on the “Helical rising” of stars and asterisms used for time-keeping, from at least the end of the Old Kingdom in Egypt, [circa 2200 BC], if not earlier. 7

The Pyramid Texts, writings and tomb wall decorations, dating back to the Old Kingdom (2780–2250 BC) provide a bulk of decan references and ancient Egyptian creation myths. The progression of decan stars in Heliacal rising also explains how the series of 3 decans aligns with each of the 12 major constellations of the zodiac, giving a basis of the order of decans in the zodiac of Dendera, as stated by Rolleston and other Gospel in the stars advocates, witnessed with Leo’s three decans above.

Figure 1. Dendera Zodiac with 36 Lunar Decans. 8

Figure 3. The figures represented in the Dendera Zodiac correspond to the traditional zodiacal signs

The color-coded image of the Dendera Zodiac below, shows specifically how the decans on the outer rim of this zodiac match up to the 12 main constellations in red, blueorange,  and Yellow. Another element of dominion seen in the four faces of the Cherubim, [Ezek. 1:5-6], shows what the Babylonians called the 4 royal signs, we find AquariusMan who is created after God’s image, with Leo the Lion the king of non-domesticated animals. With the Taurus the Bull as the king of domesticated animals, seen at the bottom cardinal point with the sign of the Bull in Fig. 3. and the Eagle-Aquila, king of the fowl of the air, [Gen.1 26-28], we find a composite image of these four signs of the zodiac in the Cherubim. These four Cardinal Directions, of the Hebrew Mazzaroth provide a template for the 12 major signs both in Egypt and Israel. [Num. 24:7-9]

Figure 2. A color-coded image of the Dendera Zodiac. 9


Sun, Stand Thou Still Upon Gibeon; And Thou, Moon, In The Valley ...

Schwaller De Lubicz is another scholar who argued in favor of the ancient Egyptian knowledge of precession. He points out 2 hieroglyphs on the outer rim of Dendera’s zodiac that mark a line between Aries the Ram and Taurus the Bull, correlating to a date around 2200 BC, in Fig. 3 indicating how the Egyptians wanted to mark the transition in ages of precessional ages, in this case from the age of Taurus to that of Aries. As De Lubicz states;

The mere fact that the cult of the Bull [Apis/Mentu] preceded the cult of the Ram [Amon]
in Egypt, and that the dates of these cults correspond to the equinoctial positions of their constellations at the appropriate time-approximately 4000 and 2000 BC-is conclusive.
“10

According to Schwaller DeLubicz, this was conclusive evidence that the ancient Egyptians were not only aware of, but applied their knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes. This evidence also speaks volumes concerning the age of the Dendera Zodiac, documenting this transition of the precessional ages of Taurus to Aries, following other elements of the calendar system inherent in the Dendera Zodiac before 3000 BC.

Figure 3. Overlaid Zodiacs of the Celestial Pole and Ecliptic Pole of the Dendera Zodiac. 11
zodiac poles

As we can see in Figure 3 above, the receding pole star is mapped on the smaller inner center circle, along with a series of four points related to the four axes on the larger outer circle of the zodiac. This shows us the pole star in the specific precessional ages going back to the Age of Gemini, marked on the larger zodiacal circle by the symbol “II“, prior to 4380 BC, portrays the transition from the Age of Gemini to the Age of Taurus. This depicts Gemini’s position at the early stages of Egyptian reckoning of precessional ages in Dendera’s zodiac, even though the latest version of the Temple of Dendera housing
this zodiac, was rebuilt in the late Hellenistic period.

Most of the prevailing sentiment in orthodox archaeology holds an evolutionary view where the sophistication of astronomical understanding of concepts like precession was beyond the ken of “primitive” cultures, despite abundant evidence to the contrary. The orthodoxy finds itself at a loss to explain how ancient history does not conform to their evolutionary view of increased astronomical sophistication with the passage of time, instead, they are faced with a reality where the older and superior application of this knowledge was corrupted by the mythology and idolatry of later cultures in the ancient world. As E.W. Bullinger stated:

All the ancient systems of idolatry connected with Astrology and mythology were in the same way, not original inventions of what was new but the corruption of what was old,
and the perversion of original truth
.”12

Figure 4. Ancient Archaeological depictions of the Precessional Age of Taurus the Bull.

What are some of the commonalities among the various myths across ...

This reflects a history of Dendera’s temple and associated Zodiac extending back into Pre-dynastic ages coincident to the Precessional Age of Taurus. We take added note of their recognition of the Precession of the Equinoxes in ancient Egypt, and how early Pharaohs took their titles. Starting with the Menuhopteps, and Menes/ Narmer, who ruled before the Amenhoteps in Pharaonic historical progression. Notably, the Old Kingdom Pharaohs adopted Mentu the Bull in their titles during latter parts of the Precessional Age of Taurus, before the precessional shift to the Age of Aries, around 2200 BC. This transition of ages of the precession of the equinoxes, occurred when the retrograde motion of the Sun caused the sunrise in successive signs of the zodiac every 2.160 years, opening a new precessional age.

Figure 5. Pharaoh Rameses II linked with the Precessional Age of Aries in a Ram-headed Sphinx.

What are some of the commonalities among the various myths across ...

Once the Age of the Ram Aries began, the Pharaohs began honoring the Ram-Amon in their kingly titles. During this period and following was also when Ram-headed Crio-sphinxes began showing up in Egyptian iconography, as a representation of their creator-god Khnum, who they believed, fashioned the universe out of clay. This also accounts for Khnum’s association with the fertility of soil and the annual inundation of the Nile, marked by the star Sirius. As Khnum’s influence grew in power in Egyptian pantheons, the symbolism of the previous precessional Age of Taurus decreased in value. Egyptologist Richard Parker deciphered early symbols carved on an ivory tablet from the First Dynasty as: “Sirius, the opener of the year, the innundation.” As Krupp observes: “This implies that the basic elements of the calendar system were in place by 3100 BC. The same celestial calibrations endure all the way into the Ptolemaic period, 3,000 years later. [13]

This 1st Dynasty Ivory plaque depicts the star Sirius as a hieroglyph of a reclining Cow with the Sun above her head, easily visible in similar form in the Dendera zodiac, marking not only the decan to open the New Year, but also denotes the precession of the equinoxes. Since Isis embodied this reclining cow pictured with a star between bovine horns, seen just above the “Decanslabel in the lower-left corner of Fig. 6, below, providing strong evidence of the use of the Sirius cycle, or Sothic Calendar in ancient Egypt, as a testimony to their advanced astronomical practices and recognition of precession
early on.

Figure 6. Dendera Zodiac cast at the Rosicrucian Museum-San Jose, CA. 14

The significance of the coordination of the lunar and solar cycles in the context of this New Year’s celebration is that the Heliacal Rising of Sirius also qued the Egyptians to add an  Intercalary month, keeping the calendar’s lunar cycles in line with the solar seasons. This luni-solar coordination also applies in view of the unity of lunar decans with the solar zodiac of 12 Constellations, on the Dendera Zodiac, not in disjointed separation. The calendars with long-standing and wide-spread use in Egypt included those of both administrative and religious uses. They date from Egypt’s unification around 3000 BC. The civil calendar consisted of 365 days, with 12 months of 30 days, and each month named for religious holidays during that month. On this lunar plan, each month consisted of 3 weeks, of 10 days, in-synch with their 36-decan system.

As the only circular astronomical model to be found in Egyptian antiquity, Dendera’s Zodiac depicts the 360 days of the Egyptian year, with decans arranged on the outer edge of the circular zodiac. Twelve signs with 3 decans each, in the 360-day year, even with a 37th decan allowing for the 5 extra days of the year, totaling 365 days of the Sothic Calendar. Figure 7 shows images of the specific star groups and asterisms in heliacal rising every 10 days on the Dendera Zodiac.

Figure 7. 36 Decans of the circular Dendera Zodiac with their star signs. 

Denderah Zodiac divided

As we have documented in parts 1 and 2 of this series on the Lunar Mansions, the Chinese, Arab and Indian zodiacs applied 28 Lunar Houses distinct from these 36 Decans. Some hold that the decans predate the use of the 12 signs in ancient Egypt to divide the ecliptic, but the Egyptian recognition of the ages of the precession of the equinoxes pointed out above, is contrary to that notion. It appears more likely that the decans were directly linked to each of the 12 tropical signs of the zodiac initially, in alignment with the theme of the Gospel in the stars. Thus the lesson of the decan supports that of the 12 constellations, even as we see with Leo’s destruction of the serpent- Hydra above. Bullinger tells us the Egyptian name for Leo was Pi Mentekeon, which means the pouring out, in reference to pouring out of divine wrath, as seen in the decan-Crater, the cup holding God’s wrath in the judgment of Christ’s victorious return, [Rev. 14:10, 16: 19]. The 3rd decan of the Raven Corvus also adds to this theme in one of the decan star names called Minchar al Gorab, meaning Corvus tearing to pieces the serpent’s remains;
[Prov. 30:17, 1 Sam. 17:46]. 15 

This attests to the integrity of the stellar witness, with all its elements reflecting the same truths of Scripture, as seen in the 19th Psalm. These ancient lunar calendar decans marked the Lunar Mansions, but due to inconsistent records of Decan stars, there was an occasional lack of consensus in Egypt, so with the exception of Sirius, the rest of these 36 decans endured several transformations during the Hellenistic period. 16

A good source for a specific list of these decan stars from the Middle Kingdoms was from an office-holder under Queen Hatshepsut (c. 1450 BC) of Egypt named Sesenmut, was buried near the queen’s tomb. On the ceiling of his burial monument was found an excellent example, from the Age of Aries of these 36 decans listed below.

Figure 8. The Decans of Senenmut’s Tomb 17

The Egyptians divided the decans of the night sky in different constellations in a way similar to modern astronomySenenmut’s Tomb is a great example of the decans in painted ceilings of different Egyptian tombs, that allow us to establish their number from tomb to tomb. In spite of periodic uncertainty, it seems there were at least 36 decans consistently depicted. Egyptians divided the year in 5 days plus 36, 10-day periods, corresponding to the 10 days of consecutive risings of decan stars recorded in Senenmut’s tomb, listed below:

  1. tpc-knmwt. A set of three stars represented by a man with a solar disk on his head. It is linked to Geb. [Canis Major]
  2. knmwt. A boat with a head of a snake in the ship’s bow with a standing boy with one finger in his mouth. It is associated to Isis or Ba. [Canis Major]
  3. hr-hpt-knmwt. A set of three stars seen in a tailed man with a bird’s head with a double crown.  It is linked to Isis or Horus’ sons. [Cancer]
  4. h3t-d3t. A set of four stars represented by a falcon-headed man with 2 big feathers.  It is associated to Isis or Hours’ sons. [Leo]
  5. phwy-d3t. A set of three stars seen in a man with a white crown on his head and a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Horus’ sons. [Leo]
  6. tm3-hrt. A set of three stars represented by a man with two big feathers on his head and a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Duamutef or Mesti. [Virgo]
  7. tm3-hrt. A set of three stars seen in a falcon-headed man with horns and a solar disk over them. He also holds a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Duamutef or Qeehsenuef.  [Virgo]
  8. wsti. A man with the solar disk rounded by a royal snake.  It is associated to Duamutef.  [Virgo]
  9. bk3ti. A man with the double crown and a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Duamutef.  [Virgo]
  10. tp-chntt. Two stars represented by a falcon-headed man with a solar disk on his head and a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Duamutef or Hapy. [Scorpio]
  11. hntt-hrt. A set of two stars represented by a tailed man with a stick and a scourge in his hands.  It is linked to Horus.  [Scorpio]
  12. hntt-hrt. A set of four aligned stars seen in the four aligned stars, a head and an arm on a ship.  It is associated to Seth.  [Scorpio]
  13. tms-n-hntt. Three aligned stars represented by a baboon on a ship in front of a lunar disk.  It is linked to Horus.  [Scorpio]
  14. s3pthnnw. A set of 2 stars seen in Anu a falcon-headed man with a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Isis or Nephtis.  [Scorpio]
  15. hr-ib-wi3. A set of four stars represented by a falcon-headed man with a solar disk on his head and a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Seth or Ur.  [Scorpio]
  16. shsmw. Two stars seen in a man with a snake and a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Seth or Ur. [Serpens]
  17. knmw. A headless man with a solar disk on his shoulders.  It is linked to Hapy or Duamutef.  [Serpens]
  18. smdt. Three stars represented by a tailed man with a double crown.  It is associated to Horus. [Capricorn]
  19. tpcsmdtA tailed man with a double crown.  It is linked to Hapy.  [Capricorn]
  20. srt. A set of four stars seen in a falcon-headed man with the ateph crown and an animal tail in his skirt.  It is linked to Isis. [Aquila]
  21. s3wy-srt. Two stars seen in a woman with a scepter in her hand.  It is associated to Duamutef. [Aquila]
  22. hr-hpt-srt. A tailed man with scepter in hand, linked to Qebehsenuef. [Aquila]
  23. 3hwy. A tailed jackal headed man with a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Duamutef. [Pisces]
  24. b3wy. A set of 3 stars represented by a tailed ibis headed man with the ateph-crown and a scepter in his hands.  It is associated to Duamutef. [Pisces-Cepeus]
  25. hnt-hrw. A tailed falcon-headed man with a tadpole.  It is linked to Hapy or Mesti.
  26. hr-ib-hntw. A tailed falcon-headed man.  It is associated to Horus.  [Aries]
  27. hnt-hwr. A boy with one of his fingers in his mouth sitting on a lotus flower.  It is linked to Horus. [Aries]
  28. kd. Three stars represented by a boy with one of his fingers in his mouth sitting on a lotus flower and a solar disk on his head.  It is associated to Horus. [Taurus]
  29. s3wy-kd. Two stars seen in a tailed man with the ateph crown and a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Horus. [Taurus]
  30. crt. A tailed man with a papyrus plant.  It is associated to Qebehsenuef. [Taurus]
  31. h3w. Four stars seen in a tailed falcon-headed man with the double crown.  It is associated to Hapy. [Taurus]
  32. rmn-hrw-inw-s3h. 18 stars seen in a tailed man with the white crown and a scepter in his hand.  It is linked to Mesti. [Aries]
  33. msdr-s3h. A lioness headed woman with a royal snake and a crosier in her hand. It is associated to Duamutef. [Orion]
  34. rmn-hr-s3h. Three stars seen in a man with the white crown with a feather sitting on a throne.  It is associated to Horus. [Orion]
  35. cs3h. An ibis-headed man with the ateph crown and a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Horus. [Orion]
  36. s3h. Its corresponding is Orion and it’s represented by two ships. On the first one there are three people: a boy with one of his fingers in his mouth and a double crown on his head, a horned woman with a solar disk on her head and another woman with 2 feathers and the solar disk between them. On the other ship there is a snake in a lotus flower. It is associated to Maat-Horus.
  37. spdt. Its corresponding star is Sirius and seen in a tailed falcon-headed man with a solar disk on his head and a scepter in his hand.  It is associated to Isis. 18

This evidence reflects a long-standing history from Old Kingdoms and even Pre-dynastic ages of ancient Egypt of astronomical themes in support of the Gospel in the Stars. My encouragement to the reader is to review the links included here and the key background provided in presenting the case for the “Gospel in the Stars,” and Biblical Astronomy. Awareness of these related topics, present a more comprehensive view of Biblical Astronomy, depicting a grasp of sub-categories in this study, and how they support and inter-relate to the larger context.

God Bless!

Rene

Footnotes

1. [https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/circular-egyptian-mythology-does-dendera-zodiac-represent-most-ancient-021599]
2. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p.168
3. The Mazzaroth, Antiquity of the Chaldean and Egyptian Constellations, Frances Polleston
4.  https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/stars/a-further-examination-of-the-gospel-in-the-stars/
5. IBID
6. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/338614465705844552/ [picture credit]7
7. The Senenmut Project-Introduction, Jose Lull
8. [https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/circular-egyptian-mythology-does-dendera-zodiac-represent-most-ancient-021599] [picture credit]
9. https://www.starmythworld.com/mathisencorollary [picture credit]
10. The Skies in Memory, John Lash as quoted in The Atlantis Blueprint, Wilson & Flem-Ath. p. 169
11. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p.172
12. Companion Bible, App. 42, EW Bullinger.
13. Echoes of the Ancient Skies, p.172, E.C. Krupp
14. Dendera Zodiac cast at the Rosicrucian Museum-San Jose, CA. [picture credit]
15. Witness of the Stars, p. 163, 168. EW Bullinger.
16. The Discovery of Time, ppg. 82-83, Stuart McCready
17. https://themathematicaltourist.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/the-decans-in-senenmuts-tomb/ [picture credit]
18. IBID

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Are Virtue Signaling Pastors Breaking the Law?

As we are all making sacrifices and enduring certain hardships due to the Covid-19 virus,
I wanted to pass on Jon Nessle’s excellent article in a special blog post this month.

Are Virtue Signaling Pastors Breaking the Law?
(2020 Covid-19 Pandemic)
By Rev. Jon O. Nessle

It was the winter of 1974 and my first Sermon. The room had been rented and
everything organized and I was ready. But then a snow storm hit. Normally an inch
or two of snow would not thwart my congregation who were from small Midwest
towns and farms, who would not think much of it. But this snow fall was over 8
inches! I called everyone up and said, don’t come. We will reschedule it. I knew
that there would be some stubborn or persistent folks who would brave the elements
and still try to come and I had elderly members that I did not want to put at risk. So
I postponed the meeting and told everyone to even call folks that they didn’t think
would come, just to make sure no one tried.

Weeks later when the meeting was to be held again, it began snowing again. I
declared, not again! I called up a few strong believers and we prayed for the snow
to stop. At the same time another congregant was flying in to the local airport. He
later told me of a strange thing he witnessed. He saw the snow stop falling! He said
it happened all across the sky simultaneously. The snow stopped all at once and as
the plane was descending to land he watched the clear patch of sky increase in size
moving downward. The layer of snow fell together like a falling blanket, leaving
clear air above! I asked him when was this? It was exactly at the same time we were
praying. We on the ground saw the snow stop and so we continued preparations for
the meeting.

Then one hour before the meeting was to start, I received a phone call from my
Mother. Her house had caught on fire! Thankfully, it was put out in time and the
damage was not terrible. I was 30 miles away. I asked her if she was OK and she
said yes and I explained that I could be there in a few hours and she said that was
fine. So I taught my first Sermon and made the Devil sorry he ever messed with me!
What was the difference between those two incidents? Wisdom.

With this current pandemic, these are unprecedented times in our lifetime,.
Ecclesiastes, a book of wisdom declares:
2
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time
to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a
time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time
to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast
away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a
time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of
peace.

Perhaps this too is a time for wisdom : Because of the potential to spread the virus,
this is a time to refrain from embracing. Sometimes we face situations in which
there seem to be conflicts of priorities or Laws. This is one of them. On one hand,
the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution states that “Congress shall make no
law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
On the other hand, Regional Health Authorities and State and County Governments
are imposing quarantines or limits on the size of meetings including Church, to limit
potential exposure to the virus. What should we do? Normally such constitutional
things are adjudicated in a Court of Law in which a Judge weighs the issues and then
based upon his or her wisdom, applies the law. We do not have time for that, for
this virus does not wait. But since this conflict of law will ultimately be resolved by
wisdom, can we not appeal to wisdom now?

This is the key question: Is complying with the Government’s temporary restriction
on large meetings, including Church meetings, an act of fear and therefore a violation
of faith? Is there a Biblical precedent for this situation? Yes there is! Quarantines
are Biblical and the rules are outlined in Leviticus 13ff. Therefore, obeying
quarantines are not a questioning of our faith.
3
Leviticus 13:1-5
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,
2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab,
or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of
leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one
of his sons the priests:
3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh:
and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in
sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy:
and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be
not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white;
then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days:
5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if
the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the
skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:

The priests were tasked with the job of diagnosis and quarantine because they were
authorities who could be trusted. While some could dogmatically claim that the
observation of such things must be done exactly the same today, I say that the
principles that are here can transfer to our modern situation. Today the trusted and
licensed ones who are tasked with diagnosis of disease and setting quarantines are
Doctors. Back then the Priests were trained and experienced in this. Today our
equivalent, Pastors, Priests and Rabbis, etc. are not. But the truth of quarantining
for a period of time still stands.

The Law of Moses also contained fascinating details about hygiene that protected
the Jews from germs 3000 years before they were discovered by Louis Pasteur.
There are directives about washing after touching dead things, and being unclean for
periods of time. This also includes washing clothes that were worn and even shaving
and social distancing!
4
Leviticus 14:8
8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off
all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and
after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out
of his tent seven days.
9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair
off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he
shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his
flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

Leviticus 14:34-48 even speaks of checking homes and condemning the buildings.
Again in modern times, religious leaders are not tasked or trained for such things.
Other trained and licensed experts are. It is fascinating to read this section of
Scripture knowing that mankind did not know about germs (but God did…)
5
Leviticus 15:2-13
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any
man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is
unclean.
3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh
run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his
uncleanness.
4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and
every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even.
7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until
the even.
8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even.
9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall
be unclean.
10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be
unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until
the even.
11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not
rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue,
shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he
shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his
clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

Leviticus 17:15
And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which
was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a
stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water,
and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean

Disease was prevented by the requirement to go outside the camp and defecate there
and then bury it. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13.) Bloodborne diseases were prevented by
the prohibition of eating blood and viruses borne by unclean animals were avoided
by dietary laws. Leviticus 22: 4ff states that these rules even applied to the priests
themselves. Furthermore, Exodus 30:17-21 required the priests wash at the Laver.
While this would have ceremonial significance, it also has health implications for
the Tabernacle was a place of assembly for the congregation and as such, a common
source of the transmission of germs, much like schools are today. Social distancing
also was part of the Law:
6
Deuteronomy 23:10, 11
10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of
uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad
out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:
11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself
with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp
again.

So was the compliance with the Law a question of fear or faith? No, it
was of 
obedience. Therefore because of this precedent, I think that wisdom
should prevail 
and that we ministers who run Church meetings ought to think
of our most vulnerable congregants and not put them in harm’s way. Look. The Priests
and even Moses were super-believers and at times had interceded to miraculously stop
plagues, more than once. So why were these health related regulations even needed?
Wisdom

Yes, these times are fearful and assembling with fellow believers is a comfort, but
the mitigating factor of the potential for virus transmission discourages that. But
thankfully, because of our affluence and technology in the USA and other countries,
there are other ways of assembly. We can assemble virtually over the Internet or in
cell phone conference calls. But we also must reach the most vulnerable group
which is our elderly folks who make up a significant proportion of some Churches.
They do not tend to utilize technology to the same degree as younger generations.
But there are still ways of dealing with this. I heard of congregations who have
assembled in their cars in parking lots and the Pastor preached from horseback.
Churches could even utilize closed Drive in Theatres for this purpose.

Furthermore, I know of no general reason for any minister to require anyone
to break 
quarantine, unless, of course, one has technicolor revelation to do so.
I say “technicolor” because such a thing would violate what I have just shared from the
Bible. There is precedent for doing so like when Paul circumcised Timothy despite
what he wrote about circumcision, but again, he had technicolor guidance to do so.
So if a minister thinks he has such guidance, may I remind him that the rules for
prophets given in the Old Testament apply:
7
Deuteronomy 18:22

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow
not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not
spoken,
but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of [revere, (hence obey any more)] him.

There could be a miracle like what happened with the snow preceding my second
meeting. But if there is no divine intervention, people could get hurt. So if anyone
follows his so-called guidance and gets sick he cannot attribute that to their lack of
faith. There are healthy Churches and unhealthy ones, true ministers and false ones,
and there is a lot of gray area in between for both. When it comes to such
complicated analyses, the words of Jesus suffice: “By their fruits ye shall know
them.” He did not say “by their words…”

In my opinion, any organization who legalistically requires people to attend Church
is violating the spirit of assembly which is at the core of any ekklesia. People ought
to be coming because they want to, because they get results, fruit, not just words. If
people are criticized and judged there, something is wrong. It is not healthy. Or if
ministers feel they have to signify themselves or their Church by breaking the rules
of quarantine, both rules, I say, of our secular government and in the Bible, unless
they have “technicolor” revelation to do so, it is either that they are confused,
immature or virtue signaling. The English Oxford Dictionary describes “virtue
signaling” as: “a pejorative neologism for the conspicuous expression of moral
values.” That is, it is a newly coined term of communicating disapproval by
conspicuously expressing one’s moral values. They are disapproving of the
quarantine by signaling their supposed “holy bravery” by implying they have great
faith in spite of it. Well, that’s great for you, but what about grandma? You can be
responsible for your own risks, for the Bible says, “may your blood be on your
own 
head.” But what about the vulnerable folks in your congregation?

In a religious setting, virtue signaling is the “persistence or occurrence of various
costly religious practices such as circumcision, fasting, snake handling, and trial by
ordeal. This idea is that the participation in an act with a religious purpose serves as
a way to signal one’s dedication to the beliefs held by that religion, thereby signaling
personal morality to onlookers.” 1

These virtue signalers are trying to gain acclaim and followers like birds dancing and
displaying their plumage to attract mates. The Bible has another way of describing it.
8
Colossians 2:23a

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility…

The word “will worship” is ethelothrēskeia which is defined as a self-devised external form of ceremonial service. 2
Self-devised, as in not of God, external, as in showing off, ceremonial, as in not practical or useable. So my advice is find yourself another Church if they are requiring you to break quarantine. After this is all over you can go back if there is anyone left…

1 Bulbulia, Joseph; Schjoedt, Uffe (2010-07-16), “Religious Culture and Cooperative Prediction under Risk: Perspectives from Social Neuroscience”, Religion, Economy, and Cooperation, DE GRUYTER, pp. 35–60

________________________________________________________________

Jon’s reference to Ecc. 3 and the “28 times” as they relate to the 28 Lunar Mansions, fits in with our current series on the Lunar Mansions, which we will be wrapping up in our Part 3, blog post later this month.

From the 28 times in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 we see the obvious juxtaposition to “easy times
vs. “difficult” ones14 on either side, like 2 hands. These associated attributes with the twenty-eight “times” in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 come in pairs, and in each pair, one element is the opposite of the other. Birth/ Death; Planting/ Plucking; Killing/ Healing,
Breaking down /Building up, etc. This strongly suggests the goal is to portray a range
of human activity according to this pattern whether good or evil, depending on individual choice. Again, with the knowledge that all these results can occur in life, with God on our side in His path of righteousness, we can still prevail in the most difficult of “times” in this world. This brings to mind Deut. 30, where God’s Word lists some related pairs resulting from
freewill choice He has given to all men, to walk in their lives in the ways that they choose to go.

Deut. 30:19-20

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

God not only gives us this freewill choice, He also tells us which choice benefits us the most! We are thankful for Jon Nessle, providing us a perspective of added wisdom in these difficult times that clarifies the vagaries of choice we are faced with every day.

Let’s Choose life Folks


God Bless,

Rene’