Solar Eclipses | Try-God.org

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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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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The Biblical Astronomy of Pi Day, 3-14-2018

The Biblical Astronomy of Pi Day, 3-14-2018

As we recognize Pi Day on 3-14-2018, its great to give credit where it is really due; to the Almighty Creator and Heavenly Father Who as the Originator of Physics and Mathematics, was the first One to utilize the Pi ratio. As we realize how the Creator utilized this famous mathematical proportion of Pi in Scripture and practically in the Creation of the universe and the construction of His Temple and Tabernacle, we can see the patterns for the heavenly versions of the Creator’s dwelling place!

These applications of the Pi Ratio in the Bible, provide insights into the Creator’s Intelligent Design of His Creation, so that man would see the fingerprints of the Almighty embedded in the Natural Laws of the Universe, and the Mathematics of Astronomy, reflecting the same Pi ratio evident in the construction of the Great Pyramid.

What a great way to honor God and His Omnipotent Power and Wisdom as He illustrates the beauty of His Hand in operation in His Created Works…

This study is based on a study I posted on [try-god.com] over 16 years ago regarding the usage of the pi ratio in the Bible. The Hebrew word for “line” of thirty cubits, in 1Kgs. 7: 23 is “qav” [*H6957]. The word carries the primary meaning of a measuring cord, a ruler, or standard of measure in this case for circumference. We are also familiar with this concept by another term known as a “canon.” On the surface the Bible gives the basic mathematical value of pi as 3, but the surface is for the neophytes. The deeper truths of God’s Word lie below the surface, for those who have the heart and will to look for them. There are also clues in the text indicating potential mathematical truths hidden under wraps.

The letters of the Hebrew alphabet also have numeric value. As Jochen Katz points out: “we can take the ratio of (the gematria value of “qav“) in its unusual word form (having three letters), to the regular word form with two letters which is 111/106.“¹² The q is valued a 100; and the v is a value of 6; thus, the normal spelling yields a numerical value of 106. The addition of the h, with a value of 5, increases the numerical value to 111. This equals a ratio of 111/106, or 31.41509433962, which is the essential pi value with the decimal moved one space to the left. Derived another way, the value of this ratio (1.047198) when multiplied by the Bible’s basic value of pi; (3) gives the result of 3.1415, or pi accurate to five digits. This formula is revealing because it employs the computation of a ratio hidden in the number values of the Hebrew language, yielding a higher degree of mathematical accuracy for the pi ratio, than its surface value of 3. This information is helpful when we consider the application of pi in the Great Pyramid, and in light of the other Biblical uses of the word “qav,” that we covered in the study referenced above. This sub-surface meaning of how pi is used in the Bible again stretches the envelope of the historical awareness of the scientific sophistication in the ancient world. Since this expertise is revealed as an aspect of the dimensions of the sacred furniture of the Temple and Tabernacle, it makes sense that God’s knowledge of these matters would far exceed human knowledge. This is exactly what Isaiah tells us:

Isa. 55:8-9
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Only when we allow the Word of God to have its rightful say, are we allowed glimpses of His glory. We have seen that God’s use of Pi relating to the measures of our planet, the ecliptic, the “pattern of the tabernacle” [Heb. 8:5, Exod 25:9, 40] and the temple in Jerusalem, including the sacred geometry of the Menorah, revealing the Creator’s Omniscient wisdom and His Intelligent Design of Creation, far above any historical application of pi by man. Those who play with the surface values and external truths of the Scriptures in an effort to disprove it are doomed to fail. Only those who recognize God for Who He is, and give His Word the proper respect due it’s unique position in the history of literature, will even begin to see the wonders of His glory. Like the temple at Jerusalem, the Great Pyramid as a temple in stone witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ as one of the longest enduring monuments of its kind.

Figure 1. 7/11 ratio of the Great Pyramid’s Base to its Apex.

Great Pyramid of Giza: proportions height to lenght are 7:11, and the angle is 51º 51 seconds

In our previous blog post this month in March 2018, we focused on Virgo’s Triple Crown, and some of the astronomical alignments inherent in the Great Pyramid that centered on the 9/23/17 Rev. 12 sign. The application of the Pi ratio in the construction of the Great Pyramid is well-known, but the Jupiter-Venus conjunction series also plays a prominent role, as it highlights the signs of the Celestial Sphinx. What is interesting is the role the Pi ratio plays in the heavenly signs leading to the Rev. 12 sign. When viewed in the context of astronomical alignments and planetary conjunctions leading to the 9-23-17 Rev. 12 sign, we find a temporal aspect of the pi ratio that was not emphasized in some previous considerations.

As we view the Jupiter-Venus unions leading to the 9-23 to 9-25-2017 time frame, the 1st of two Jupiter-Venus unions is the close conjunction of Venus-Jupiter on August 27, 2016.
This conjunction is key since it marks the entrance of Jupiter into Virgo in preparation for its triple union with Spica and 2017 birthing from Virgo. Forty days prior to this union of Venus-Jupiter, a conjunction of Mercury and Venus occurred in the constellation Cancer, July 17, 2016. This is interesting when we discover that the prior conjunction of Venus-Jupiter in Cancer on August 18, 2014, was exactly 700 days earlier. This period of 700 days was also found between the October 25, 2015 conjunction of Venus-Jupiter and the Revelation 12 signs on September 23-25, 2017.

Image may contain: text

The Mercury–Venus conjunction on July 17, 2016 also occurred 400 days before the solar eclipse in Leo on August 21, 2017. One aspect of the previous conjunction of Jupiter-Venus in Cancer, on August 18, 2014 was that it came 1131 days before the Feast of Trumpets 2017. That sum divided by pi equals 360 days! This number 360 is not only a key in the measurement of time, but also is critical in the geometry of a circle-where pi is a ruling principle. The close conjunction of Venus-Jupiter on August 27, 2016 also came 360 days before the total solar eclipse in Leo on August 21, 2017. But there are more pi numbers found related to the Jupiter-Venus conjunction series before the Feast Trumpets 2017. Eight Hundred fourteen days before this feast there was a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on July 1, 2015. When we multiply 814 days by pi = 7 solar years of 2,555 days. This sum of days-7 years relates to the length of the Great Tribulation period. But there is yet another pi number produced from the second Cancer conjunction, on July 17, 2016, completing a 700 day count from the 1st Cancer conjunction of August 18, 2014. That first conjunction in Cancer also comes 1100 days before the total solar eclipse in Leo on August 21, 2017. The numbers of 700 and 1100 form a half pi ratio, and represent the ratio of the Great Pyramid’s base to its Apex; [Fig. 1]. Pi has been represented as the fraction 22/7, thus, 2 x 1100/700 [11/7] is also equal to pi. The day counts of 1100, 700, and 400 capture our attention, as they illustrate a half pi calculation relating to other numberas related to the tribulation.

Figure 2. Signs of 2016-17

The day counts of these pi calculations are inclusive–in that they include the start and end days. Considering the day counts above, the period of 400 days is worthy of a closer look. By an inclusive count, its true sum is 401 days from the 2nd Cancer conjunction till the Total Solar Eclipse in Leo on August 21, 2017. If we take 401 days multiplied by pi, it equals 1,260 days. Of course, 1,260 is half the seven year Tribulation, but 1260 was also the number of days from the 1st eclipse of the Blood Moon Tetrad (April 15, 2014) until the Revelation 12 sign on September 23-25, 2017. This tells us the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-15 leading to the Rev. 12 sign on 9-23-17 is a warning for the Tribulation, again not a prediction for it as implied in [Figure 2]. The inclusive count of 1,260 days ends at September 25th. The final Blood Moon eclipse of this Tetrad on Sept. 28, 2015 occurred 2,520 weeks after the end of the Six-Day-War, during the previous Blood Moon Tetrad of 1967-68, when Israel reclaimed control over Jerusalem for the first time since 70 AD. As God continues to restore “Israel” to perhaps redeem a faithful remnant therein, the heavenly signs appear to be counting us down to the signs of the end, as the other Venus-Jupiter conjunctions, since the Blood Moon Tetrad have exhibited similar countdown traits focused on the Feast of Trumpets and beyond. The math and astronomy involved here get our attention, but when these alignments with key heavenly locales like the constellation Cancer, align the astronomy and math with prophecy, its something else. The Greek for “Cancer” is Karkinos, meaning to hold or encircle, as does the Latin “Cancer.“ In the Center of Cancer there is a bright cluster of stars, visible to the naked eye. The ancient name for this cluster is Praesepe, meaning a multitude or offspring. The brightest star in Cancer is Tegmine or holding. Another bright star in the lower claw is Acubene, meaning the sheltering or hiding place. Thus in Cancer we can see the Messiah’s redeemed possessions held fast. These Cancer signs point to the gathering of many to a sheltering place–that has been prepared for us. We will be protected on the day the pi ratio of the circle or encircling (the Greek meaning of Cancer) works to enact its protection for us.

Footnotes

1. Figure 1-Secrets in Plain sight [picture credit]
2. [watchfortheday.org] Big thanks to these folks for the data on day counts.
3. Witness of the Stars. E.W. Bullinger, p.148

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The Convergence of the Super Moon Triads with the 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad

The Convergence of Super Moon Triads with the 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad

Psalm 8:3
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained”

“ordained” here = appointed…or appointed times – Moedim or Moed – a fixed time. This tells us that the appointed times on God’s divine calendar play out on the celestial stage before the events they portray occur in terrestrial time. The Sun, Moon and Stars were placed in the heavens so we would know and understand God’s appointed times. The Blood Moon patterns on Hebrew Feast and Holy days are wonderful illustrations of this precept.

The Total solar eclipse on the Spring Equinox, March 20, 2015 seen above was not only the central sign of the 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad, but as a Super-Moon, it also linked to the Super Moon series. This was the first indicator of the convergence of a 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad with the pattern of Super-Moon triads. This Total Solar Eclipse on Nisan 1 2015, at the Spring Equinox with the Partial Solar Eclipse Sept. 13th, on Rosh Hashanah, divided the Hebrew Calendar in 2015 like a set of bookends, during the last Blood Moon Tetrad for the next 500+ years. The absolute rarity of a total solar eclipse at the North Pole on the Spring Equinox was evident, since it occurs only about once every 1000 years, but this Solar Eclipse was the first one ever on Nisan 1 on the Hebrew Calendar. If we view the Sept. 13th Partial Solar Eclipse as the start of a 7 year Shemita cycle [exactly 7 years and 13 days later] we find some interesting sky signs at the corresponding Rosh HaShana on Sep 26, 2022, also a Shemita Year. More on this later…

According to NASA: “Since the Moon’s orbit is elliptical, one side (perigee) is about 30,000 miles (50,000 km) closer to Earth than the other (apogee). The word syzygy, in addition to being useful in word games, is the scientific name for when the Earth, Sun, and Moon align as the Moon orbits Earth. When perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system occurs and the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, we get a perigee Moon or more commonly, a Supermoon!“1

A unique attribute about the lunar cycles in 2018 is that on July 27, 2018 there is a Blood Moon that will be the center of a Triad of Blood Moons nearly 7 years from the July Central Blood Moon in the 2011 Triad. Prophetically, 2011 and 2018 are tied together in multiple ways. Does this allude to a Tribulation period of 7 years? Based on these Super Moon patterns, the March 19, 2011 Perigee Moon may have been the start of a celestial prophecy ahead of the Great Tribulation. This cosmic pattern may foreshadow the Great Tribulation consisting of the 7 year “week” as foretold in Daniel 12:7-13. This prophetic sign signals an approximate 7 year Super Moon series 13 months apart, culminating in stellar signs predicting the rise of Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The nexus of this end time prophecy was seen in the Fall of 2015, when the Super-Moon Triads converged with the Blood Moon Tetrad on Sept. 28th 2015.

It is beyond interesting to consider the points below concerning the last Blood Moon (9/28/2015) of this Tetrad – an ABSOLUTE statistical impossibility, apart from God’s divinely planned design!

A. The occurrence of a perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system – a “Super Moon”
B. where the Super Moon is also a Blood Moon
C. and conditions A & B occur on one of God’s appointed Feasts and Holy Days
D. and conditions A, B & C occur in the sequence of a Tetrad, all occurring on God’s appointed Holy Days – the 8th Tetrad all occurring on Holy Days since Christ (8 in the Bible represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation.)
E. and the 2014-2015 Tetrad (4) of the lunar Blood Moon eclipses coincides with 3 sets of Perigee Lunar cycles of 3 consecutive Super Moons culminating with the September 28th Super Blood Moon (an unprecedented occurrence!)
F. and the Super Blood Moon is visable from Jerusalem (not all blood moon are)
G. and all the conditions above occur in a Shemita year
H. and all the conditions above complete at the start of a Jubilee Year
I. and the 2016 Jubilee is the 120th since the beginning of Creation – “…the Lord said, My Spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh; but his days shall yet be 120 [Jubilee] years.” Genesis 6:3 [http://www.watchmansview.com/Blood_Red_Moons.html] 2

J. Also during the 2016 Jubilee Year there are 4 additional luni-solar eclipse events occurring on God’s appointed Holy Days directly mirroring the Lunar Eclipse Tetrad of 70 AD marking the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. This was the last time the Temple was under control of Israel until the 1967-68 Blood Moon Tetrad, when it was regained by Israeli forces during the 6-day war.

Figure 1. The Super Blood Moon over Jerusalem-9/28/2015

For nearly two decades I have advocated the concept of a Celestial Prelude that allowed the Magi to recognize the celestial signs marking the birth of Christ, in the well known historical event called the “Star of Bethlehem.” There were a number of critical triple planetary conjunctions and Blood Moons around the King Star–Jupiter, that the Magi recognized as the Star of Jesus–King of the Jews; [Matt. 2:2]. The Magi noted the triple union of Jupiter–Saturn in 7 BC, 4 years prior to the triple conjunction of Jupiter-Regulus in 3 BC marking the birth of Christ. There was also a triple conjunction of Jupiter-Venus that framed the birth of Christ from 3-1 BC, which was documented and seen again in the convergence of the Super-Moon Triads with the 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad, leading to the 9-23-17 Rev. 12 sign. With the rise of the Blood Moon Tetrads, most notably the “modern” Tetrads from 1949-50, 1967-68, and 2014-15, we find an increasing emphasis on the series of Super-Moons leading to a 2022 Super-Moon Tetrad. This seems to begin with a single Super-Moon on Jan. 26th, 1948, ahead of the 1949-50 Blood Moon Tetrad marking the formation of the State of Israel.

The Lunar Perigee or Super-Moon cycles are consistent and predictable but they usually occur only in pairs. The focus of this study points out that having 3 Perigee or Super Moons in a row is rare; to have two Triads of Super Moons is amazing; and three Triads in two consecutive years is unheard of, anything beyond that is Biblical. Moreover, this Super Moon pattern puts a strong emphasis on the 2014-15 Blood Moon Tetrad. 2015 held 2 Super Moon Triads, totaling 6 Super Moons. There were three New Moons at the start of the year and 3 Full Moons toward the end of 2015. What is singularly amazing is that the 2014-2015 Tetrad of Blood Moon lunar eclipses coincides with the Perigee Lunar cycle of 3 Super Moons in a row in 2014, plus the 2 Super–Moon Triads of 2015! If this was not enough, and what others have failed to notice is that there was yet another Super-Moon Triad in 2016! In the fall of 2016, three consecutive Super-Moons linked with a Luni-solar Eclipse Tetrad on Hebrew Holidays that was mostly missed or ignored completely, due to an adherence to a mathematically based Hebrew Calendar instead of determining Hebrew Feast and holy days according to the Bible based standard of sighting the New Moon. These 2016 celestial signs are charted below.

2016 Luni-Solar Eclipse Tetrad on Hebrew Holidays with Super-Moon Triad

Total Solar Eclipse 3/9/2016 on Nisan 1

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse/Passover 3/23/2016/Nisan 14

Annular Solar Eclipse 9/3/2016/Trumpets Feast

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse 9/16/Sukkot/9-16 to 9/23/16

1st Super-Moon of Triad-October 16th, 2016.

2nd Super-Moon of Triad- November 14th, 2016.

3rd Super-Moon of Triad- December 14th, 2016.

Figure 2. The Nov. 14th, 2016 Super-Moon

In our previous blog post we showed an exact correspondence of these 2016 signs to the Blood Moons of the 70 AD Tetrad, marking the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, by Titus the Roman prince. This was the last time the Temple Mount was under Israeli control until the Blood Moon Tetrad of 1967-68. However, on the heels of this 2016 Luni-Solar Eclipse Tetrad was another Super-Moon Triad opening on October 16 to December 14. The central Super-Moon of this Triad on Nov. 14, actually became full within 2 hours of perigee. Based on astronomical observations this Perigee Moon of November 14, 2016 (5777) was the closest Super Moon to the Earth not only for the year, but was the closest full moon since Jan. 26th 1948, and to date in the 21^st century. The full moon won’t be this close to Earth again until November 25, 2034. 3

The Sukkot Super-Moon that capped the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad on September 28, 2015, followed a Partial Solar Eclipse as seen in our August 2015 Blog. This is notable in light of the Partial Solar Eclipse later this month on February 15th, 2018, 2 weeks after the Jan. 31st Super Blood Moon! This series of Super-Moon Triads bracket the Blood Moon Tetrad, while linking this series to the 9/23/17 Rev. 12 sign via the Tetrad of Eclipses on Hebrew Feast and Holy days in 2016, as we summarized in our Sept. 2016 Blog. The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse during Sukkot week from 9/16 to 9/23/16 aligned with the 9/23/16 Sukkot feast exactly a year later in the Rev. 12 sign of 9/23/17, providing a continual link between the Luni-Solar Tetrads of 2014-2016 to the Rev.12 sign of 9/23/17. Thus we can see how the Super-Moon Triad in July, August and Sept. of 2014 opened the 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad, while the 2016 Super-Moon Triad included the 2016 Luni-Solar Eclipse Tetrad in an awesome display of Super-Moon symmetry related to both consecutive Tetrads.

The Super Moon Triads thus validate the prophetic status of the modern Blood Moon Tetrads. Both celestial series converged at a singular point on the Hebrew Calendar, Sukkot of 2015. Does this near 7 year period foreshadow the 7 year Great Tribulation? If so, it could also mark the 50 year Jubilee; [1967-2017] if counted from the liberation of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 1967. September 2015 also started a new Jubilee cycle. The new Jubilee opens with the Sept. 13th, 2015 Partial Solar Eclipse, and is unique as the 40th Jubilee year since Jesus was crucified.

These Super Moon Triads bracketing the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-15 not only testify as a confirming witness of this Tetrad of Blood Moons, but since the Super-Moon series converges with a TETRAD of Blood Moons, it bids us to look for a potential Tetrad of Super-Moons with possible links to a 7-year period. This in no way is a prediction of the Return of Christ or the start of the Tribulation period, but with an awareness of the celestial signs of the times, we are considering candidates for the signs marking these events. With this in mind we present a celestial snapshot of a potential 7 year Tribulation period as follows:

Shemitah Year 2015

Jan 20 – Total Solar Super New Moon – 1st of Triad

Feb 18 – A New Super Moon – 2nd of Triad + Bulls Eye Black Moon

Mar 20 – Total Solar Eclipse New Super Moon – 3rd of Triad  

Apr 4 – Blood Moon on Feast Day – 3rd of Tetrad and Bulls Eye between the two Triads 

Aug 29 – Full Moon, Perigee Moon, Super Moon – 1st of Triad

Sept. 13th Partial Solar Eclipse on Rosh HaShana starting a 7 year Shemita cycle

Sept 28 – Full Moon, Harvest Moon, Blood Moon on Feast day, Super Moon, 4th of Tetrad & Bulls Eye/2nd of Triad [possible import- a Super Sign just for Israel, as it is the only one of the Tetrad seen over Israel. As Blood Moons denote the judgment of God upon Israel, it may be both a Super Sign wake-up call for Israel to turn back to God, and the coming of the Tribulation]

Oct 27 – Full Moon, Super Moon 3rd of Triad

Here are the signs of Shemitah Year 2022

May 17 – Total Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse at Perigee (Super Moon)

June 14 – Super Moon

July 13 – Super Moon

Aug 10 – Super Moon

[A successive Super Moon Tetrad of 4 consecutive months]

Rosh HaShana on Sep 26, 2022, completing a 7-year Shemita cycle

Nov 8 – Lunar Total Blood Moon Eclipse (only one)

Neither Blood Moon of 2022 falls on a Hebrew Feast or Holy Day 4

Figure 3. Jan. 31st 2018, Super-Blood Moon

For further evidence supporting the concept of Super-Moon Triads leading to a Super-Moon Tetrad, we only need to look as far as the Super-Blood Moon of Jan. 31st 2018, [above]. This establishes the pattern in another Super-Moon/Blood Moon convergence that just took place last weekend. Mark Biltz, who has been a central advocate of the Blood Moon Tetrads has some interesting observations on this Super-Blue Blood Moon. He stresses he is not saying anything will happen on Jan. 31, however, he argues the specific dates involved show God is sending an important message. 5

“These are very significant biblical dates, and now we have two Blood Moons in January of both 2018-19 bracketing the central Blood Moon in July of 2018 on Tu B’Shevat.” Biltz goes on to say, “The eclipse takes place on Tu B’Shevat on the Biblical calendar, the 15th day of the month of Shevat. This is important because this Blood Moon eclipse is only one of a Triad series. The next one is on July 27, which is Tu B’Av or the 15th of Av on the Biblical calendar. The following one is Jan 21, 2019 – which just happens to be Tu B’Shevat again!”6 Here again we find a Super-Moon Triad that includes the Dec. 3rd Super-Moon in Virgo as the only one in 2017, with 2018 opening with another in Taurus on New Year’s Day! This Triad is completed on Jan. 31st with the Super-Blood Moon. This is the 3rd convergence of Super-Moon/Blood Moon Triads since the two in 2015 showing a convergence series of these lunar signs.

According to Judaism 101: “Tu B’Shevat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. The fruit from trees may not be eaten during the first three years; the fourth year’s fruit is for God, after that, you can eat the fruit. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B’Shevat.“7 The Biblical significance of this more minor Hebrew holiday of Tu B’Shevat is found in Leviticus.

Leviticus 19:21-25
²¹And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering. ²²And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. ²³And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: 3 years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. ²⁴But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal. ²⁵And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the Lord your God.

Ever since Israel regained its statehood in 1948, this holiday of planting trees has taken on a symbolic significance as more and more Jews return to their homeland, from their diaspora around the world; [Isa. 11:11, Jer. 16:13-16]. The harvested crops of these planted trees were to be decided in their tithes of first-fruits by Tu B’Shevat. This also fulfills God’s promise to Israel regarding their homeland, a pivotal sign in the last generation of the end times that will witness the return of Christ. We also find added spiritual light shed on this as we consider the 1st Psalm.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ²But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

³And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Here we see the people likened to planted trees. Each brings forth fruit in their season, when they are acceptable to the Lord. At the proper time Jesus will return for the harvest. Jesus knew the right time and season to open his ministry, when the Heavenly Father revealed it to him on a certain Sabbath he read from the book of Isaiah in the Synagogue.

Isa. 61:1-4 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; ²To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

³To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. ⁴And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

As Jesus referenced this verse in Luke 4:18-19, he stopped at the comma after the acceptable year of the Lord, because the day of vengeance was still future as it remains today. However we are much closer to seeing God’s day of vengeance than Jesus was in 27 AD. As dwellers in the end-times we know the Lord is preparing to return to reap the harvest of his trees of righteousness that were spiritually planted during his first advent.

Biltz goes on linking this to a reference in Zechariah: “This is fascinating prophetically because there is a section of Scripture where Zechariah receives a revelation of a red horse being given a great sword to take peace from the Earth. And this takes place in the month of Shevat!”8

Figure 4. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse woodcut.

The relevant section of the Bible, Zechariah 1: 7-8, reads:

Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the 2nd year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

“Not surprisingly, Zechariah asks what this is all about, and he receives some incredible insight from an angel,” Biltz explained. In verse 12, we are told; “Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?” Biltz argues this message is of critical importance for people alive today. “The vision of the horses are of the four horses of Rev. 6:2-6. And this vision takes place at the end of a 70-year period (three score and ten) which is given to Israel. The State of Israel is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary.“9

Israel’s 70 years as a State began in May, 1948. This was marked astronomically by a Mars-Regulus Triple union in Leo, along with the first of the modern Blood Moon Tetrads in 1949-50 as seen below.

Mars-Regulus #1: Nov. 28th, 1947 in Leo
Mars-Regulus #2: Feb. 18th, 1948 in Leo
Mars-Regulus #3: May 19th, 1948 in Leo

The Third Mars-Regulus union took place 5 days after Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14th 1948.

Image result for 2014-2015 Blood Moon Tetrad images

The first Mars retrograde marked the Mars-Regulus triple conjunction in 1947-48. The closest Super-Moon since the recent Jan. 31st Super-Blood Moon fell between the 1st and 2nd Mars-Regulus union in Leo, on Jan.26th, 1948. In view of the link to the 1948/eclipse comet and the forming of Israel’s state, we find an emphasis on the 70 year period from 1948-2018. The last 7 years of this period are highlighted by the Super-Moon/soli-lunar eclipse signs, while marking the Hebrew Jubilee of 5777.

Biltz also argues the mention of the “2nd year of Darius” is of critical importance, as the 2nd year of President Trump’s administration approaches. As head of the world’s most powerful nation, Trump could substitute for Darius in modern prophetic terms. “What this suggests is the red horse of war being unleashed very soon, and these Moons heralding its arrival,” he said. “Again, I’m not predicting anything will happen on the day of the moon itself. Instead, I would look for war to break out between the two blood moons which take place a year apart on Tu B’Shevat. 10

According to some Middle Eastern media sources there is a real possibility of war in Israel starting out in Lebanon or the Gaza Strip in the near future. To put this in the proper recent astronomical context we should recall our blog post from the Christmas holidays of 2017 a little over a month ago…

During the 2017 holidays, there was a Christmas Day union of Saturn and Venus in Sagittarius! On Dec. 25th, 2017 Venus the bright and Morning Star united with Saturn, showing Christ’s victory over the evil one, as seen in Sagittarius where our quickly returning Lord Jesus Christ is portrayed in triumph, conquering to conquer! Here the star picture of the mounted Archer has his arrow aimed at the red heart of the Scorpion–Antares, while Ophiuchus’ foot crushes the Scorpion’s heart. As we noted in our previous blog post, Saturn had just completed its triple union with Saiph, the star in Ophiuchus’ other foot which was stung by the Scorpion, bruising the heels of the 1st and 2nd Adam, [Gen. 3:15]. This shows Satan’s persistent evil to obstruct God’s purposes any way he can, even though his defeat is sure. This planetary conjunction near the conqueror’s Bow, shows the deadly accuracy of our Lord’s aim [Figure 5] to destroy the works of the enemy, [I John 3:8b].

Figure 5. Massing of Planets in Ophiuchus during Hannukah Week in Dec. 2017. 11

The Hannukah feast and celebration is founded upon the defiling of the Jerusalem Temple by Antiochus IV. As a forerunner of the future anti-Christ who will declare himself-God in the 3rd Jerusalem Temple [2 Thess. 2:3-12], the celestial signs surrounding Hannukah deserve closer scrutiny. We find during Hannukah week on 12/17/2017, a massing of planets in Ophiuchus, [Fig. 5] and Venus unified with Saiph the star in the Serpent-bearer’s bruised foot. This depicts the bright and Morning Star Venus in unity with the star that embodies the wound endured by the Son of Man for all mankind. In light of the false Christ, it may foreshadow the deadly wound that the anti-Christ will be healed from, causing the world to wonder after him, [Rev.13:3].

This planetary alignment in Ophiuchus includes the presence of Mercury, and the Sun. Also both the Moon and Venus are located in Ophiuchus’ wounded leg. This takes place eight days prior to the Christmas day union of Venus and Saturn in Sagittarius. Sagittarius like other Mazzaroth signs can have a dual meaning depending on the planets occupying its space. In the classic sense of the Sun moving in the 12 houses of the Mazzaroth [Ps. 19], each sign carries a specific meaning relating to the Sun of God-Jesus Christ, [Mal.4:2]. However, when a planet like Saturn-Satan enters a sign of the zodiac, it carries a darker significance related to the enemy. Normally, the 12 Mazzaroth signs tell of the Christ, but when we see Saturn in Sagittarius we may also be viewing signs related to the anti-Christ, especially during Hannukah with its historical links to forerunners of the Son of Perdition.

Figure 6. Sagittarius and Scorpius-Jamieson 12

As we shared in some recent blogs, the Saturn-Saiph triple union in Ophiuchus occurred while Jupiter was in Virgo’s womb. These concurrent triple conjunctions resulted from the retrograde motions of the planets involved. This included Mercury’s retrograde around Regulus in Leo, as Jupiter was exiting the womb of Virgo. Mercury’s retrograde during this time took place from Aug 13 to Sept. 5, 2017. As Jupiter departed Virgo’s birth canal, Saturn was moving towards the bow of Sagittarius. It is interesting that one of Sagittarius‘ brightest stars is named Nunki-meaning the “prince of the earth,” which also relates to the anti-Christ. We find an example of this in [Dan. 9:25-27] where the first prince refers to the Messiah in v.25, but the second prince comes with his army to destroy the city and the sanctuary, not something the Messiah would ever do. This prince was Titus the future Roman Emperor, who like Antiochus VI was a forerunner of the Antichrist. [12]

Thus the first of the apocalyptic riders going forth to conquer with a crown, and a bow on a white horse can be seen, followed by the red horse of war from the prophecies of Zechariah, announced by the 1st Blood Moon of 2018. This matches the first two riders of Rev. 6…

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the (which) DAY or the (which) HOUR” Matthew 25:13

Footnotes

1. NASA Definition of “perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system”
2. http://www.watchmansview.com/Blood_Red_Moons.html
3.[NASA; https://science.nasa.gov/news-articles/2016-ends-with-three-super-moons
4. http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/total_lunar_tetrad
5. Mark Biltz on Jan. 31st, 2018 Super-Blood Moon
6. IBID
7. Judaism 101
8. Mark Biltz on Jan. 31st, 2018 Super-Blood Moon
9. IBID
10. IBID
11. Stellarium Ophiuchus Planetary Alignment Hannukah 2017
12. Alexander Jamieson’s Celestial Atlas, 1822
13. The Abomination of Desolation and other Prophetic terms of Biblical Eschatology [ppg. 4,8] Jon Nessle

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