Bible, Cosmology And Biblical Astronomy

The Birthdate of Jesus Christ [Part 1.]

The Christmas Holidays and the Birth of Jesus Christ

Entering the traditional holiday season and the historical celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, always raises the question of when the actual birth of Christ took place. Most people realize that the date of Jesus Christ’s birth was not on December 25th, despite the nativity scenes or the historical “Christmas” holiday. In order to distinguish the truth about the actual birth of Jesus from what tradition has held for centuries, we must take a hard and detailed look at what the Bible says about the birth of Christ first and foremost. The Biblical witness to the birth of Christ, along with what history and astronomy tell us about not only the year, but also the day of Christ’s birth, is detailed here.

The birth of Christ as the anointed Savior of the world was a highly anticipated and longed for event, being prophesied not only in the Bible and Biblical cultures, but also non-Christian or Judaic religions. Many world cultures have a rich tradition of the coming of a foretold Savior of the world. Thus the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ has worldwide implications, but we must start with the Biblical record to get a clear understanding of what the Bible says about the birth of Jesus. As we begin our study of the Biblical record of the birth of Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew, we notice key astronomical events leading the Magi to Jerusalem in search of the new born King of Kings. It is therefore critical to recognize what the Bible says about Astronomy, along with the heavenly signs that took place from 3 to 1 BC. As we view the Biblical and historical record we will find awesome detail in how the celestial epistles support, compliment and establish the witness of God’s Word. Some astronomers and theologians have tried to link the 12 BC sighting of Halley’s Comet with the birth of Jesus Christ, as seen in the graphic below, but this is much too early to accurately tie into the biblical record of Christ’s Birthday. Comets also have been seen as a sign of evil and foreboding, not marking the coming of a great king. All the kingdoms of Creation truly stand in Praise and Honor to the witness of the Creator, Who founded the heavens, and set their combined beauty in motion, marking the birth of Jesus Christ the King of Kings.

In earlier posts on this Blood Moon blog, we have seen how the heavenly signs of the Celestial Prelude set the pattern for the birth of Jesus Christ, as recognized by the Magi. As we have noted, the Magi would have perceived the tantalizing detail of heavenly signs from 7 BC to 5 BC, and we can imagine their excitement as they witnessed the heavens come alive with the prophesied signs of the Messiah’s birth. We have also come to realize the significance of the sacred feasts of the Hebrew calendar, marked by the Blood Moon Tetrads of the Age of Grace and the importance of Tishri 1, Rosh Hashannah linked to the first sighting of the New Moon at the feet of Virgo, on the equivalent of our September, 11th 3 BC. This highlighted Hebrew New Years Day in the most sacred seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, marking the birth of Christ.

Matt. 2:1-2, 9-10 Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Mat 2:9 and are come to worship him When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

When the Magi first noticed Jupiter, his star in the rising, in August of 3 BC, it began a corroboration of the celestial prelude of 7-5 BC, and it set the wheels in motion bringing them to their historic destination, to discover the promised seed of Israel in Bethlehem, in December of 2 BC. In Matthew 2:2 the Magi asked the first question recorded in the Gospels when they said; Where is he that is born King of the Jews? As the only ones aware of the true nature of the heavenly signs of Jesus’ birth, these Gentile Magi set the stage for all the world to salute the King of Kings.

The Greek words in Matt. 2:2, “in the east“ are en te anatole, literally meaning “in the rising, referring to the Heliacal Rising of a star in the dawn before sunrise.” ¹ The “east“ is a Biblical figure of speech called an idiom representing truth, which is appropriate since the Messiah’s birth would bring the long awaited “all truth” [Jn. 16:13] of the ages. An interesting aspect of this word “anatole” is that it’s Hebrew equivalent is translated “tsemach.” This is a direct correlation to the star Al Zimach (the branch) in Virgo, known to us as Spica. This is the stellar representation of Jesus Christ as the promised seed of the woman Virgo, in a constellation representing Israel. Thus, the sunlight of the dawn and the light of “his star”–Jupiter are both seen prophesying the birth of “the branch” Jesus Christ. This witness of the Scripture not only alerts us to the roles of both Jupiter and the Sun in the stellar revelation of the birth of Jesus Christ the Promised seed, but it also reflects the year-month affinity between the cycles of the Sun and Jupiter. As the Sun spends a month in each of the 12 signs of the zodiac, so Jupiter spends a year enlightening each zodiacal sign.

Thus the light of the king planet Jupiter, in it’s Heliacal Rising in Conjunction with Regulus the king star in Leo, signaled the Magi regarding the birth of the Christ the King. With Jupiter in retrograde motion in Leo, it highlighted the king star Regulus in a triple conjunction between 3-2 BC. [triple Gen. 49:9-10]

The accuracy of God’s Word here is truly breathtaking, when we consider that the same word for both the sunlight of dawn, and the pre-dawn light of Jupiter are translated as “the branch” in the Hebrew. This prophecy of Jupiter and the Sun, also witnesses to the 4 dimensions of Christ’s ministry as the branch; the King, Son of Man, Son of God and Servant, as seen in the four gospels; Matthew, Luke, John and Mark. When Jesus Christ matured to full manhood according to Hebrew Law, at age 30, he displayed the full awareness of his place in history, and his local circumstances, by announcing the opening of his ministry during a Jubilee year.

Just as the Sabbatical year was a year of rest and restoration for the land and soil, so also was the Jubilee, which was heralded by a chorus of trumpets. What better year than a Sabbatical year could there be for Jesus Christ to carry out his ministry? What better time could there be for the renewal of all Creation, than the birthday of the promised seed enacting its recovery? 28 A.D. was also the year that Jesus was resurrected and in this “year of our Lord,” Christ Jesus proved his Lordship over both the Sabbaths of days and years, for example by working seven healing miracles on seven Sabbaths of rest during his ministry to Israel. Of special interest in the sacred seventh month, is the lunar cycle which provided the basis of the Hebrew calendar, devoted to the Lord. On Tishri 1 the first-born or New Moon was specially celebrated at the “Feast of Trumpets,” which coincided with the first appearance of the thin crescent moon under Virgo’s feet on this natal day of creation, the Day of Trumpets, our September 11th, 3 BC. We have also noted in previous posts on our Blood Moon Blog, that the birth date of Christ was framed by Blood Moon Lunar eclipses near Passover in 5 BC, and coinciding with the death of King Herod in January 1 BC. [read more]
To grasp the significance of the the birth date of Jesus Christ in Biblical Astronomy terms, we need to take a closer look at the Creation record, when God first set the heavenly orbs into motion.

Hebrew ZODIAC — The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Gen. 1:14-18
14 And God Said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness, and God saw that it was good.

gallery_JUDAICA_SYNAGOGUE_ANCIENT_SYNAGOGUES_4188-Sepphoris-synagogue — Menorah Mosaic

The word for “lights” in the firmament [Gen. 1:14, 16 “maor“] is the same word used in reference to the lamps of the Menorah, (Ex. 20:27, 35:14). This word shares the same root of the word used for “light” in Genesis 1:3-4, which God divided from the darkness, setting the standards of Day and Night. It is noteworthy that the Day was divided from the Night and the light from the darkness prior to the Creation of the Sun and Moon. Also, the foundational order of Creation seen in God’s command dividing the light from the chaotic darkness, incited by the enemy in his overthrow of God’s original order in the First Heaven and Earth, preceded God’s re-ordering of this light in the Second Heavens and Earth. The verses above also exhibit how the Sun, Moon and Stars regulate the seasons, feasts and years in God’s created temporal order. [read more]

They were also important markers for someone significant to come, in this case the Redeemer of Mankind-Jesus Christ, in both his birth and Second Coming. [Jupiter’s Triple coronation of Regulus video and graphic] As such, and within the context of the dual application of the prophecy in Rev. 12:1-2, and the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, with the other heavenly signs and celestial cycles involving the Sun, Moon and Stars, point out a general and even more detailed timing of the Second Coming of Christ, just as they did with his birth and first appearance. This reference from Genesis reveals the links between the cycles of the Sun and Moon, and the light which these two great lights shed upon the earth. The purpose of the Sun, like other stars, is to give light upon the earth, the nature of which is a three-fold light. First, it’s physical light in a literal sense because the stars along with the moon and planets illuminate the earth. Secondly, as we have seen in the study of astronomical cycles, their numerical model is based on the phi ratio, and the base 60 Space-Time standard of the precession of the equinoxes. This is an important aspect of Natural Law, reflected in the symmetry of creation. Phi ratio Symmetry is the basis of the nano-structure of microcosmic matter, the macrocosm of the firmament, and the conceptual world of mathematics. Symmetry is latent in God’s created temporal order, ruled by the regular cycles of the Sun, Moon and Stars, daily and yearly. Thirdly, the stars, planets, Sun and Moon illuminate earth in spiritual light: the eternal light of the witness of God’s Word, a primary theme of our study. The principles of these 2 great lights ruling over the day and night, marking out days, months and years, is also preserved in the luni-solar calendar of Israel, unified according to the phi ratio, in symphony with the 50-year cycle of the Hebrew Jubilee. The phi ratio, also known as the divine proportion, or golden ratio, is a central aspect of the Symmetry and beauty in God’s creation. We find this depicted in the word “Seasons” in Gen. 1:14 [H4150-moed] meaning an appointed or fixed time, signal, an assembly convened for a specific purpose, a solemn feast or festival, place of meeting, or year.2 Thus, as these 2 great lights of the Sun and Moon coordinate with the stars exhibiting special signs on the holy feast days and sacred festivals of the Hebrew calendar, we find the unification of these three celestial calendars in God’s created temporal order exerting a powerful influence as a “mandate from heaven,” over Israel and the cultures of the world. A great example of this is the current Blood Moon mania in the headlines of world media, raising the awareness of end times prophecy and the history of Israel in the collective public mind.

Since Rosh Hashanah as Tishri 1, is the “head” of the Hebrew calendar, New Year’s day and Jesus’birthday, the first day of the 50-year Hebrew cycle of Jubilees, it gets our undivided attention as we realize that New Years Day on the Hebrew Calendar is also marked by the Blood Moons and Solar eclipses over the last 2000 years. Since the Blood Moons embody a state of crises or the bloodshed resulting from War in Israel, we can trace the activities of the spiritual enemies of Israel throughout Biblical and secular history. To gain a true insight into the links in Blood Moon Tetrads with Hebrew feasts, we need to grasp how Christ relates to these Hebrew feasts. Rosh ha-Shanah on Tishri 1, was the “head” of the Judean calendar as New Year’s day and Jesus’ birthday, the first day of the 50-year Hebrew cycle of Jubilees. This set the foundation temporal pattern of the holy seasons, and feasts of Israel’s sacred calendar. During the “Great Wonder” of Rev. 12:1, the feet of the woman, Virgo fall at the autumnal equinox, one of the so-called four “pillars of heaven,” the four Cardinal Directions on the compass. This celestial point was generally marked on the Hebrew calendar by the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurred later during this Seventh Month. The significance of Tishri 1 the seventh month, is seen in the following from Edersheim:

“Just as age was reckoned from Tishri 1 to Tishri 1, so were the regnal years of Judean Kings. The blowing of Rams horn trumpets was also part of the royal coronation ceremony of these Judean Kings.”3

Thus the inception of Jesus’ reign as King of Kings is marked on his birthday of Tishri 1, the “Day of Trumpets,” with heavenly signs in Virgo near Spica, so we see similar signs with Blood Moon Lunar and Solar eclipses occurring on Hebrew feasts marked by a series Blood Moon Tetrads. The significance of the king’s coronation tied to Rosh Hashanah, New Years Day and the head of Israel’s calendar, is that Christ is the King of Kings presiding over all temporal, civil and sacred matters as the King-High Priest of Israel.

This represents the first installment on our Blood Moon Blog post, on The Birthdate of Jesus Christ, with Part 2 coming later this month.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Folks!!

Footnotes

1. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, Thayer

2. Ibid-H4250

3. The Temple, Alfred Edersheim

4. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, H5982, H5975

Blood Moon Lunar-Solar Eclipses and the Lord’s Feasts [Part II.]

History of Biblical Astronomy — Biblical Astronomy of the Hebrew Temple and Tabernacle

Summary of Blood Moon Lunar-Solar Eclipses and the Lord’s Feasts [Part I.]

The first installment of this study focused on many levels of the Menorah pattern of 7, related to the Lord’s Feasts and holy days. When viewed in the context of the Blood Moon Tetrads, the Menorah takes on new light culminating in the Blood Moons of 2014-2015.

Picking up from key elements in the first part of this study of the Blood Moon Tetrads linked to the Lord’s Feast’s over the last 2000 years, we noted important ties to agricultural aspects of the 7 Feasts of the Lord, and their relation to the harvest of certain crops. Within the structure of the Lord’s 7 O.T. Feasts, the Hebrew Calendar focused on three of these sacred feasts, all commemorating the celebration of an important harvest. The first harvest was celebrated in Nisan during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the barley harvest, when a sheaf of barley was brought to the Priest for the wave offering of the first-fruits of the harvest. This was the first day the Hebrews began counting the 7 weeks toward Pentecost. During our current Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, the next heavenly sign that occurs on a Hebrew Feast will be a total Solar Eclipse, taking place on Nisan 1 of 2015. This represents the center of this Blood Moon Tetrad, initiating the sacred year of the Hebrew Calendar. The 2nd harvest observance was the wheat harvest at Pentecost, 50 days later. The third harvest was the Feast of Tabernacles in the middle of the 7th month. This final harvest of the year included the grape harvest, ending the agricultural year before winter. As these three feasts of the Lord were celebrated during three separate harvests, they also celebrated three great events in the history of Israel. First, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, celebrated Israel’s Exodus from the bondage of Egypt. The second, Pentecost was recognized by Hebrews to mark the time God first revealed the Law to Israel at Mount Sinai. The third feast, the Feast of Tabernacles was a 7-day feast commemorating God’s watchful care of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness forty years. [Levi. 23] As we have just witnessed the final harvest Moon, as a Blood Moon on the Feast of Tabernacles in October of 2014, we can see the continuance of God’s watchful care for Israel during their current war with Hamas. This war will eventually escalate to a situation where Israel is surrounded by her enemies, intent on wiping her off the map, but Almighty God will intervene to save Israel and destroy those enemy nations coming against her.

The 40 years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness depicted not only God’s care for His chosen people, but also God’s righteous judgment on Israel for their stiff-necked defiance. God’s plan of redemption was structured around these feasts illustrating future events in Bible prophecy, related to how these feasts are fulfilled in the ministry of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King. The feast of Unleavened Bread shows the resurrection of Christ as the first-fruits from the dead, [I Cor. 15:20-23]. The wheat harvest of the Feast of Pentecost illustrates the giving of the holy spirit on the Day of Pentecost, when the apostles and believers initially spoke in tongues. The Feast of Tabernacles depicts the resurrection of the just and unjust, in the harvest at the end of the world.1 This is being highlighted by the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015 especially in last harvest Moons, as Blood Moons during the Feast of Tabernacles in both years, emphasized during the Jubilee year of 2015.

There were 7 weeks of counting, that linked Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread with Pentecost. At the time of the first Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Israel left the bondage of Egypt. A major transition point during the Exodus was the giving of the Law at Sinai, to which Pentecost became linked. The last Passover embodied in Jesus Christ. symbolizes not only Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, but the Church’s Exodus from death and bondage to the OT Law. The current Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, conspicuously marks the Passover feasts of both these years in the last Blood Moon Tetrad that will not take place again on Hebrew feasts or holy days, for the next 500 years!! Christ’s redeeming work led to Pentecost in 28 AD, when the new birth first became available, and the gift of holy spirit was poured out as prophesied by Joel [Joel 2:28-31], starting a new spiritual administration, the Age of Grace. Christ was resurrected at the first harvest during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the first-fruits from the dead. At Pentecost in 28 AD, the believers were made a harvest, manifesting the first-fruits of the holy spirit as they spoke in tongues for the first time; [Rom. 8:23]. Believer’s in the age of Grace having the first-fruits of the spirit, meet Christ in the air in his victorious return for his Saints, gathering us together, [I Thess. 4:14-17]. Christians during the current end times are warned by a series of Blood Moon Tetrads, among other heavenly signs, leading to the last days prior to our gathering together unto the Lord. The final, and complete harvest will be at the return of Christ with his Saints, when the enemies of God are vanquished, and remaining believers are resurrected. God’s Word describes this as the harvest at the end of the world.² [Matt. 13:38-39]

As the first-fruits from the dead, Jesus Christ is the crown of God’s spiritual harvest, being resurrected at the first harvest during the feast of Unleavened Bread. At the very time of offering the first-fruits according to Leviticus 23:10-11, Jesus Christ furnished himself as the first-fruits from the dead, the first in a long line of believers who will conquer death. The perfect coordination of the luni-solar celestial cycles with the Lord’s Feasts as we have seen in the Blood Moon Tetrads during the Age of Grace, shows the undeniable witness of the Creator’s Hand behind these events, according to His perfect foreknowledge. The apparent consummation of these Blood Moon Tetrads seems to be taking place at the posting of this Blood Moon blog in the fall of 2014, leading into the Jubilee year of 2015. The sooner the followers of both Christianity and Judaism recognize that Christ fulfilled every aspect of the 1st three of the Lord’s Feasts and the Old Testament Law, the more prepared we will be for his immanent return.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the OT Law as a result of his first appearance in his ministry to Israel, including the first set of three feasts, opening the way for Pentecost in 28 AD. “When the Day of Pentecost was fully come…” [Acts 2:1a], which had been in process for centuries prior, the way was finally cleared for the holy spirit new birth to be shared with humanity. Now we stand at the threshold of the Lord’s long awaited return when he will fulfill the second set of three feasts of the Lord leading to the feast of Tabernacles as seen in the Hebrew calendar.

One aspect in the celestial relationship to these feasts is seen clearly in connection with the Book of Ruth. This short story in the OT Bible record holds great insight for our understanding of the Lord’s Feasts, as they relate to the 1st and second appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ruth was a Gentile woman, of the Moabites, who by God’s Grace and Mercy was included in the Royal genealogy of King David. Ruth 2:11-12 records Boaz’ high opinion of Ruth and her reward, for her trust under the Hand of the God of Israel. Ruth came to Bethlehem with Naomi, at the start of the Barley harvest [Ruth 1:22 to 2:22], and gleaned in the fields of Boaz till the end of the Barley and Wheat harvests, [Ruth 2:23]. Following this she obeys Naomi’s instruction to go to Boaz, activating her right of the eastern custom called kinsman redeemer. Since Boaz was part of Naomi’s family, and both Ruth and Naomi’s husbands had died, it became Boaz’ right to take Ruth in marriage, if a closer kinsman didn’t activate this right ahead of him. Ruth 3:9 shows how Ruth presented herself to Boaz and how he covered her with his cloak, signifying his acceptance and protection of her in their resulting impending marriage.

As we consider the skies during this time of year in Israel, its instructive to realize Virgo’s position during this harvest season. When viewed historically, we find astronomers as early as Caesius, linking Virgo with Ruth gleaning in the fields of Boaz.³Annually we can see Virgo’s position mirroring the harvest seasons as follows. Virgo arises in the East during the Barley harvest and Wave Offering, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Virgo at Sunset on September 11th 3 BC, marking Christ’s Birth.

virgo at sunset on september 11th 3 bc

Virgo is at zenith, the highest point in the sky during early evening at the start of the Wheat harvest, during the Pentecost Feast. Finally, Virgo is setting in the early evening western skies of the latter harvest, during the Feast of Tabernacles. As we find in the graphic above, this matches Virgo’s position on the eve of September 11th, in 3 BC!⁴ We should be reminded that this was the period when the Sun was clothing Virgo, giving us a beautiful link to Boaz spreading his cloak over Ruth, as a figurative sign of his acceptance and protection of her. Since Boaz was part of the royal genealogy leading to the Christ, the Sun of Righteousness and the light of the world, enlightening Virgo is truly a beautiful celestial figure aligning with this Scriptural truth. It also embodies the Bridegroom [Ps. 19:5], as Christ, clothing his Bride-Israel, a figure of the marriage supper of the Lamb, all foreshadowed in Boaz redeeming his kins-woman Ruth! This Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur during the Feast of Tabernacles, while the latter harvest relates to the 14th day of this seventh month of Tishri.

Also, when the Gentile Ruth came to Bethlehem, the birthplace of both David and Jesus and was allowed by God’s Grace, to share in the Lord’s royal genealogy, she was a forerunner of the Gentile Magi who came to Bethlehem as the first Gentiles to recognize the promised seed. Remember that it was his star–Jupiter in Virgo leading the Magi to Bethlehem, following their meeting with Herod. The graphic below depicts, not only the 12 signs of the Hebrew Zodiac in the center of this Temple scene, quartered in the four points of the compass or the Cardinal directions, but also the Tabernacle with Menorahs in the upper box, along with the women, as Ruth gleaning in the fields during harvest time, in the lower box.

Temple Zodiac Floor Mosaic — Hebrew Temple Zodiac

This perspective on the Book of Ruth gives us a panoramic view of the Biblical harvest feasts in light of the celestial events surrounding the birth of Christ. We can see that these harvest feasts were first addressed to Israel in the Old Testament, with important applications to the Blood Moon Tetrads in the Age of Grace marking the victorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we recognize Jesus Christ; as the master key to unlocking God’s Word, both written in the heavens and in Scripture, our understanding of the majesty of God’s Word and Works to and for man, is enlightened at new levels of understanding that God has opened to us.

Hebrew timekeeping is based on the Creator’s system regulated by the celestial cycles of the Sun, Moon and Stars according to [Gen. 1:14-17]. As we have already seen, the 12 signs/months of the Hebrew Zodiac directly relate to the 12 tribes of Israel, as Israel is enlightened by this 12-fold light of God. The Creator spun the stars and planets in their orbits in the heavens, to shed light upon the earth according to this 12-fold symmetry. We have also seen how the 50-year pattern of Hebrew Jubilees is based on the golden section, or phi ratio which governs the growth life of the plant, animal and human kingdoms on earth. These agricultural and biological growth cycles are in turn ruled by the cycles of Sunlight via photosynthesis in plants, indicating light’s dominion over the four kingdoms of life on the earth. Photosynthesis is possible due to another 12-fold symmetry found in the chlorophyll molecule, a life-giver for the agricultural and biological life kingdoms that transforms light into organic substance. Is it a coincidence that the spectrum’s of light and sound are also built on 12-fold symmetries? Not at all, since God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and the sound of His Spoken Word at Creation reverberates throughout all Creation since the Beginning, as the basis of what holds it all together. Thus it is fitting that this symmetry is carried to the harvest seasons of the Hebrew Calendar and the 7 feasts of the Lord associated with these harvest celebrations.

Footnotes

1. Jesus Christ our Passover, VP Wierwille, ppg. 407-408
2. Jesus Christ our Passover, VP Weirwille, p. 409
3. Star Lore, Myths, Legends and Facts. William Tyler Olcott, p. 385.
4. Graphic Credit from Jesus Christ our Promised Seed, VP Wierwille

Blood Moon Lunar-Solar Eclipses and The Lord’s Feasts [Part I.]

Biblical Astronomy of the Hebrew Temple and Tabernacle

Isa. 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty god, the everlasting father, the prince [sar] of peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

Jesus Christ is the Prince [Sar–H8269] of Peace. Christ is the only one who has ever brought true peace to the world, and without the birth of Christ peace is not possible. Continuing our study of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, we can see how the Blood Moons fit into the heavenly signs and feasts of the Lord that the Creator has employed, marking the victorious Return of the Christ-the Prince of Peace. Before believers can truly claim the eternal peace that God has set aside for His Children, we must vanquish our spiritual and human adversaries, and once and for all grasp the victory in the war that has been raging through the ages. The Blood Moons symbolize this war which has been fought on the battlefields of Israel physically, and spiritually against the princes of the darkness of this world. [Eph. 6:12]

The Babylonian word “Sar” is doubtlessly related to the Hebrew word [sar *H8269] of the same spelling, meaning; “prince, captain, chief, ruler, leader, head.”1 The word has retained this meaning even in modern usage, as in the Tsar of all the Russias. As a testimony to what may have been based on the first human language, “Aesar” is a word for “God” in both, Icelandic and Irish, “Osar” in Egypt like “Osiris” was the prince. The English word “sir,” and the Roman “Ceasar” are also traceable to this root. In Isaiah 9:6, a great prophecy of the promised seed, its applied to the Christ as Sar-Shalom; the Prince of Peace, who will bring peace to all Creation [Eph. 2:11-18], as a result of his glorious return, marked by the prophetic Blood Moons. It is also used of Prince Moses in Exodus 2:16.

According to Hislop, The Chaldean version of this word; “Zer,” meaning “to encompass” gives us not only the idea of the mathematical concept in English for: “Zero signified by a circle among the Chaldeans,” but also Zero; “the seed.” Further, it relates to the Hebrew word zera [*H2233] used in reference to Jesus Christ the promised seed in Genesis 3:15. Thus the Chaldean word for the “woman’s promised seed” was “Zero-ashta,” also the basis of the name Zoroaster.2 Notably, the Zoroastrian prophetic writings in the Zend-Avesta, predicted the return of Zoroaster, the savior who renewed all existence in preparation for the Last Judgment. References to the woman’s promised seed here relate to an article [The Celestial Prelude of Signs Revealing the Birth of Christ] on our Blood Moon Blog, and our Try-God.com site; “The General Sign of the Celestial Prelude.” [read more]

Hislop goes on to say: “As he who by the Chaldeans was regarded as the great Seed was looked upon as the Sun incarnate, and as the emblem of the Sun was a circle, the hieroglyphic relation between zero; “the circle,” and zero; “the seed” was easily established.”³

Another view of the meaning of the Hebrew word for prince; “sar,” is Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace and Creation embodying “the sum of creation,“ [Isa. 9:6]. Rosh ha-Shanah on Tishri 1, was the “head” of the Hebrew calendar as New Year’s day and Jesus’ birthday, the first day of the fifty-year cycle of Hebrew Jubilees. Isaiah’s prophecy of the birth of Christ above, followed the basic temporal pattern of the holy days and feasts of Israel’s sacred calendar, set up by the Heavenly Father from the beginning. As we continue our study of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, we will see how the Hebrew Feasts and Holy days form the basis of the temporal and stellar patterns upon which God structured both appearances of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ on the Earth.

The Four Cardinal Points — Christ as Prince of Creation

In the prophecy of the “Great Wonder” in Rev. 12:1, the feet of the woman, Virgo are found at the intersection of the ecliptic and the Celestial Equator, also known as the autumnal equinox, one of the so-called 4 “pillars of heaven,” the four Cardinal points pictured above. This celestial point was generally marked on the Hebrew calendar during the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot, that occurred later during Tishri, the 7th Month of their year. With the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, the endtime emphasis on the Lord’s Feasts has been brought home to us in no uncertain terms with multiple Blood Moons marking the Feasts and Holy days on Israel’s Calendar. It is interesting to realize that a great majority of Blood Moons that occurred in the current Age of Grace, over the last 2000 years are usually found near this part of the sky, close to Spica in Virgo. This gives a clue to the heavenly signs marking the second coming of Christ, as we would expect them to resemble the blueprint of signs marking Jesus’ Birth, within the added context of the Blood Moon Tetrads on the Lord’s Feasts. In this light, there are notable Blood Moon lunar eclipses that took place surrounding the heavenly signs marking the birth of Christ in 3-2 BC, that we will take a closer look at, but first we must grasp the critical importance of the feast of Tishri 1, the sacred seventh month, as it is revealed in the following reference from Alfred Edersheim:

“Just as age was reckoned from Tishri 1 to Tishri 1, so were the regnal years of Judean Kings. The blowing of trumpets of Rams Horns was also part of the coronation ceremony of these Judean Kings.” ⁴

Thus the start of Jesus’ reign as King of Kings is marked on his birthday of Tishri 1, the “Day of Trumpets.” The significance of the King’s Coronation tied to Rosh Hashannah, New Years Day and the head of Israel’s calendar, is that Jesus as the King of Kings presides over all temporal, civil and sacred matters as the King-High Priest of Israel. God also marked this coronation in the heavens with the triple conjunction of the King planet Jupiter with the King star Regulus in Leo during 3-2 BC, based on Jupiter’s retrograde motion. Thus, his birth on this key day in Hebrew timekeeping was foreordained by God, to fit the pattern of 7 primary Hebrew Feast and holy days of their sacred calendar, since before the foundations of the world. This critical date on the calendar of Israel is perfectly synchronized to mark Jesus’ birthday on New Years Day, Tishri 1, 3 BC. Thus it is fitting that a majority of Blood Moons would occur near this area in Virgo, symbolizing Israel, close to Spica-Al Zemach, marking the only begotten Son and offspring of God the Father. We can see the wisdom in understanding the dual significance of the Revelation 12 prophecy, as it not only applies to Jesus’ first appearance with his birth and sufferings, but also his victorious return in Glory. Almighty God has mirrored the heavenly signs marking the birth of Jesus Christ, 2000 years later in the Lunar light of the Blood Moon Tetrads and Israel’s gathering as a nation, to set the stage for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

double square rectangle — Sacredc Geometry of the Double Square Rectangle

Since the months of the Hebrew calendar were lunar, based on the sighting of the new moon, the order of the lunar and solar cycles set the basis for the signs marking the birth of Christ. The Prince of Peace; Sar-zero symbolized in the Sun, embodied the promised “great seed” [Mal. 4:2], on at least seven levels; 3 of which are the ecliptic where upon the sun travels [Psalm 19:4-6], the moon-its (saros cycle), all within the circle that “encompasses” the heavens within the “bubble universe.” The numbers highlighting the Jubilee cycle [Levi. 25:4,8] combine 7, 12 and 50, which are at the core of God’s division of Space-Time into days and nights. We find the roots of His “sacred geometry” in the famous 3-4-5 triangle, popularized in the ancient world by the Pythagoreans, but applied long before by Elohim the Creator and “Great Geometer,” as the Pythagoreans named Him. The affinity between the numbers 7 and 12 is found in this unique triangle because the sum of 3 + 4 provides the number of days in the week of Creation, the master-plan of all 7-day weeks to follow. It also numbers the 7 Spiritual Administrations making up all time. This relates back to the Biblical Hebrew root of “seven” [savah]; meaning to be full, satisfied and to have enough, indicated by God resting from His work in Creation, on the 7th-Sabbath day. This speaks to the perfection of God’s Creation, upon its completion, showing us the roots of the concept of the Sabbath day of rest.

The sum of 3+4+5 gives us the number of 12 Months in a year, relating to the signs of the zodiac and the 12 tribes of Israel. The sum of it’s square’s gives us the number 50 related to Pentecost and the Hebrew Jubilee. When we multiply 3 x 4 x 5 it equals the base 60 numerical standard underlying the Precession of the Equinoxes, ordering of all Space-Time in Creation. The graphic above shows the relation of the 3-4-5 triangle to the double square rectangle found not only in the dimensions of the Kings Chamber of the Great Pyramid, but also is the basis and ground plan of the Hebrew Tabernacle and Temple.

The number 7 is a hallmark for God’s organization of temporal matters in Creation. It indicates the signature of the Hand of the Creator and His spiritual perfection incorporated in His Intelligent Design of Creation. It is the Living God speaking by way of His Words and His Works. Like the stamped seal of His signet ring, the number 7 is water-marked regularly in the divine division of His times and seasons. There were first seven days in the Sabbath Week of Creation and seven times these seven days began Israel’s counting to Pentecost. As Tishri, the holiest month of Israel’s Calendar is the seventh, so the seventh year is the Sabbatical Year, making the sacred order of God’s temporal division plain. Seven times these seven years brings us unto the fiftieth year of the Jubilee in Israel. Some have wisely considered the candlestick or Menorah, to be a sacred symbol of seven, not only of the Sabbath week of Creation, but also the 7 stars of the 7 angels of the 7 churches, and their epistles, as Rev. 1:20 teaches. As we will see, this pattern of 7 continues with the structure and services of the Temple and Tabernacle, since they are symbols in miniature of the pattern of heavenly things, [Heb. 8:5].

As we find the Menorah pattern of 7, underlying the structure of the Hebrew Calendar, so we also find its order in the pattern of 7 major Feasts of the Lord. However, this order of 7, also known as a “septenary order,” is not just a singular order, but it is emphasized on multiple levels, as we will see in the progression of the Lord’s Feasts. As the central candlestick of the Menorah has three branches on either side, so we find also the pattern of 7 Feasts of the Lord. These feasts begin with Passover, Unleavened Bread, then First-fruits. We find the feast of Pentecost representing the the central candlestick of the Menorah, as the fourth feast, with three feasts on either side in the calendar. Next is the Feast of Trumpets, followed by the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Since Pentecost was 7 weeks from First-fruits, this is a Sabbath of Sabbaths [7×7] or 49 days, with the 50th day being Pentecost. This makes Pentecost a High Holy Day, or a special Sabbath, standing central and apart from the other feasts, as we find in the Menorah’s structure. This has many times been associated with God giving the OT Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and since the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the apostles and believers on the Day of Pentecost in 28 AD, it symbolizes the work and 7 manifestations of Holy Spirit in the OT; [Isa. 11:1-3] with nine manifestations in the New Testament, [I Cor. 12:7-11]. Notably, the Day of Pentecost is seen as a transition from the Administration of Christ to the Grace Administration, where the spiritual new birth of believer’s first became available, witnessed in as they spoke in tongues. [Joel 2:28-31, Acts 2:2-4, 16-20]
We can see this emphasis again with the Feast of Tabernacles, as the seventh feast in the 7th month, lasting 7 days, depicting a completion of spiritual perfection [7x7x7], which was the most joyous of the Hebrew Feasts celebrated at the end of the harvest season, also known as the Feast of In-gathering. The spiritual completion of the Believer will also be witnessed in the 7th Administration of Final Paradise. [Rev. 21]

Along with seven, twelve & fifty, (phi) 1.618, the numerical ratio of the golden section, has been found to govern botanical, animal and human growth cycles relating to the Hebrew harvests seasons marked in their calendar. These agricultural growth cycles are in turn governed by the cycles of the Sunlight via photosynthesis in plants, indicating the dominion of light over the four kingdoms of life on the earth. Many of the Lord’s feasts were associated with the harvest of certain crops. Even as Pentecost was held at the end of the wheat harvest, so the Feast of First-Fruits was held on the 16th of the Hebrew month Abib, on the 2nd day during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, upheld by bringing a barley sheaf to the Priest, as barley was the first grain to ripen. If the offering of the first fruits was holy and accepted by God, then it signified that the the balance of the offering was acceptable also. Edersheim also makes reference to the significance of the number 7 in Hebrew time reckoning:

“The Sabbath is the seventh of days; seven weeks after the commencement of the ecclesiastical year is the Feast of Pentecost; the seventh month is more sacred than the rest, its “firstborn” or New Moon being not only devoted to the Lord like those of other months, but specially celebrated as the “Feast of Trumpets,” while three other festivals occur within its course, the Feast of Tabernacles, its Octave, and the Day of Atonement. Similarly each seventh year is Sabbatical, and after seven times seven years comes that of Jubilee.”⁵(emphasis mine)

This not only points out the recognition God is focusing on the Hebrew calendar with the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015, but it also points out the relationship between Tishri 1, the day of trumpets and the birth of Christ. Every 7th or Sabbatical year also commenced on the Day of Atonement during Tishri, the sacred 7th month. According to Dr. Martin, the year of 27-28 AD, Jesus’ 30th year, was the year he opened his ministry to Israel, was also a Sabbatical Year.⁶ Just as 2015 is a Sabbatical year, a year of rest and restoration for the land and soil, so also was the Jubilee, which was heralded by a chorus of trumpets. What better year than a Sabbatical year could there be for Jesus to carry out his ministry? What better day could there be for the renewal of Creation, than the birthday of the promised seed enacting its recovery? 28 A.D. was also the year that Jesus was resurrected and in this “year of our Lord,” Christ Jesus proved his Lordship over both the Sabbaths of days and years, for example by working seven healing miracles on seven Sabbath Days of rest during his ministry to Israel. Even as we found, the Feast of Tabernacles emphasized as the 7th feast of the Lord, during the 7-day week of this feast during Tishri, the 7th month so we see a similar emphasis with a Sabbath of healing Sabbath miracles, proving that he is indeed the Lord of the Sabbath.

These 7 Sabbath Healing Miracles are recorded as follows:

Matt. 12:9
Mark 1:21
Mark 1:29
Luke 13:11
Luke 14:2
John 5:8
John 9:14

Footnotes

1. Strong’s Concordance [note on H8269] James Strong
2. The Two Babylon’s, Alexander Hislop
3. IBID
4. The Temple, Alfred Edersheim
5. IBID
6. The Star that Astonished the World. Earnest Martin

Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses of October 2014

Birth of Christ — Lunar and Solar Eclipses of October 2014

As a follow-up to the Blood Moon Eclipse on October 8th 2014, there is a Partial Solar Eclipse on October 23rd. The Blood Moon Eclipse took place on the Feast of Tabernacles, but the solar eclipse is not linked to any Hebrew Feast or holy day during the month. In our latest blog post just prior to the Blood Moon Lunar eclipse, we began our study in Revelation 12 regarding the first “wonder” or heavenly sign pertaining to the “Woman [Virgo] clothed with the Sun, with the Moon at her feet,” depicting the signs marking the birth of Christ on September 11th 3BC. Some important added details regarding the October 8th Blood Moon lunar eclipse involves recognition that the Draconid Meteor Showers also took place on October 8th and 9th. Usually, the bright light of the full Moon would make the meteor shower harder for observers to see, but during the Blood Moon lunar eclipse, the bright lunar light is dimmed, making the meteor shower easier to view for those looking to catch a glimpse of some falling stars during the Blood Moon. Also at this time Jupiter is nearing Leo, reminding us of the king planet Jupiter’s triple crowning of Regulus the king star, marking the birth of Christ in 3-2 BC. [read more]

Just to ensure that we notice, not only do we have a Draconid Meteor Shower during the Blood Moon lunar eclipse on October 8th, but the Orionid Meteor shower is also set to occur during the Partial Solar eclipse on the 23rd of the month. To understand the greater significance of the meteor showers during the lunar and solar eclipses in October 0f 2014, we need to reconsider the Draconid Meteor Showers surrounding the birth of Christ from Sept. 9th-12th in 3 BC. This provides deeper insight regarding the 2nd heavenly wonder in Revelation 12:3-5.

September 9th to the 12th 3BC. The Eta-Draconid Meteor Showers, with their radiant in Draco, the Dragon cast down. The Moon was mid-body with the Sun in Virgo occulting the planet Venus, starting at 11:50 PM.

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

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven”- “Another” is a Greek word indicating that this wonder was different from the one in Rev. 12:1. As the first heavenly wonder referred to the zodiac sign of the woman Virgo, so this second heavenly wonder was also a Constellation, not a Conjunction of planets, but a Meteor shower originating in Draco. As the Draconid Meteor shower historically began on the 9th of September, there were already meteors falling 2 days prior to the big show on 9-11-3BC. The Constellation
of the Dragon is the obvious celestial candidate fitting the following details in Revelation 12:

“and behold a great red dragon“- Although there are other celestial candidates for this sky dragon, such as Hydra, which also spans a third of the stars of the ecliptic with its massive size, it becomes apparent that Draco is the sign referred to here, due to its position at the North Pole, along with the fact that the star Eta in Draco was the radiant of the Draconid meteor shower. This means that as viewed from the earth, the star Eta-Draconis appears to be the stellar source point where the falling stars originate.

This is the first of 13 occurrences of the Greek word “drakon“ in the book of Revelation, with the first eight uses of this word here in Rev. 12, [Rev. 12:3,4,7,7,9,13,16,17, Rev. 13:2,4,11, Rev.16:13,20:2]. Biblically, the number 13 symbolizes rebellion, as the dragon embodies the idea of spiritual warfare in the heavens. Considering the Biblical details of Revelation 12, the traits of Draco the dragon come to the surface. This Constellation of the dragon, has four stars of the 2nd magnitude, and a star in the tail is Thuban the subtle; [Genesis 3:1]. Other 2nd magnitude stars are located in the dragon’s head, first Rastaban meaning the head of the subtle, and 2nd Ethanin, the long serpent, referring to its massive size, that originally enclosed both Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. It is intriguing to notice that the head and tail of the dragon are specifically marked by 2nd magnitude stars of this Constellation.

Isa. 27:1
In that day the Lord with his sore and great strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

The Hebrew word for “serpent” in Isa. 27:1 above [nachash] is used twice, in this verse establishing the link between the old serpent of Genesis and “leviathan” [H3882] the piercing serpent, and the crooked serpent. Reference is also made to the dragon [tanniyn] in the sea. The piercing or fleeing serpent is mentioned in Job 26, undoubtedly a reference to the polar constellation of Draco, upon which all the “garnished heavens” turn. We see the direct relation here because the words for leviathan as the crooked serpent in Job 26 are the same Hebrew words as the piercing serpent [nachash] in [Isa. 27:1, Gen. 3:1]

Job 26:13 By his spirit⁷³⁰⁷ he hath garnished⁸²³⁵ the heavens;⁸⁰⁶⁴ his hand³⁰²⁷ hath formed²⁴⁹⁰ the crooked¹²⁸¹ serpent.⁵¹⁷⁵

The implication here is that the Creator originally beautified the lustrous stars of all the heavens, as part of the body of this great serpent, watching over the celestial pole. As the head of the serpent at the north pole of heaven oversaw the stars of his body through his tail, so his dominion over the angels in the first Heaven and Earth was complete, as he lead the celestial chorus in prasing the One True God, prior to his fall. However, since the celestial canopy of stars was not created until the 4th day of the Creation Week, we find Bible truths disclosured concerning the First Heaven and Earth, when the angels were in their First Estate, lead by Lucifer prior to his rebellion against the Creator.

As we may recall, the dragon’s head and tail came up in our study of the lunar eclipse cycle, [read more] as it was symbolized by the ancients. A point of interest in that study was how the lunar cycle indicated the workings of the serpent’s seed in a situation. As the dragon’s head tells it’s tail what to do, the desires of the dragon, contrary to the purposes of God, are carried out by both the serpent’s seed in the human realm, and in the spirit realm. The graphic of Draco the dragon shown below, winds his way down between the two flocks in the northern skies, with the lower coils of his tail beneath the star Thuban, the archaic pole star. Here Draco, in its first estate formerly lead the heavenly chorus in joyful praise of the true God, now is depicted as the source of division, sedition and destruction between these flocks, now pictured as bears. R.H. Allen notes a key point that for the ancient Chaldeans; “Draco, a much longer Constellation than with us, is seen winding downwards and in front of Ursa Major, and even into later times, clasped both of the bears in its folds… with the title: Arctoe et Draco.“¹This is pictured below:

Figure i. “Arctoe et Draco”

constellations

Rev. 12:3-5 [con’t]
“and seven crowns upon his head- diadem filament of silk, linen, or something of the like. Used here Rev. 13:1, 19:12.” This indicates the crowning spiritual dominion of Lucifer, pictured as Draco the dragon and the original bright and morning star, [Isa. 14:12] discussed in our study of the first triple union of Jupiter–Saturn from 7 to 5 BC. [read more] This emphasizes the exercised dominion of the Dragon in the kingdoms of the darkness of this world: [Eph. 1:21-22, 2:2, 6:12].

“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven;” One aspect of this statement refers to the angels under Lucifer’s direct dominion from the First Heavens and Earth, who revolted against the true God, comprising the evil spirit realm. Another aspect is the actual size of this heavenly sign. As Seiss states regarding Draco, “the Dragon wound about at least one half of the northern sky, his tail alone extending over the territory of the third part of the stars.” ²

Even as the immanent fall of the Dragon was depicted in the stars with the Draconid Meteor Shower at the time of Christ’s birth, so the demise of the dragon is established as the victorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ is marked in the Blood Moon Lunar and Solar Eclipses of October 2014. The dragon’s fall is mirrored in the meteoric rise to power of God’s only begotten Son, as the signs marking the birth of Christ are seen again in the context of the Blood Moon Tetrad of 2014-2015. The Partial Solar Eclipse on 10-23-14 marked by the Orionid Meteor Shower has a traditional radiant point of Orion’s right hand.

As the Blood Moon Prophecy in Joel 2:31 tells us that “the sun shall be turned to darkness and the Moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, we know that these blood moons are a precursor to the the Second coming of Christ. As Joel mentions the darkening of the Sun and Moon in reference to Solar and Lunar eclipses together or in close proximity, the heavenly signs of October 2014 should arrest our attention. In this sense the Blood Moon Lunar and Solar eclipses in October 2014 serve as foreshadowing for additional heavenly signs that will occur later during the tribulation period. This record is found in Revelation 6.

Rev. 6:12-13
“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the Moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.”

We can see above the mention of stars of heaven falling to the earth, like a meteor shower, in the context of Blood Moon lunar and Solar eclipses, as the same kind of precursor to the prophecies of the return of Christ as seen in Luke, who records the Lord’s warning, followed with the mentioning of the heavenly signs with a parable of the fig tree…

Luke 21: 25, 27-33
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars: and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring, 27 And they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift your heads; for your redemption draws nigh. 29 And he spake to them a parable; behold the fig tree and all the treees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away before all be fulfilled.

These verses and the current heavenly signs seem to be showing us that we are in the last generation mentioned above, when all things are fulfilled, and that we would do well to heed these warnings and prepare for that great and glorious day of the Second Coming of Christ!

Footnotes

1. Star Names their Lore and Meaning, R.H. Allen
2. Gospel in the Stars, Joseph Seiss
3. Strong’s Concordance provides Biblical Greek and Hebrew word references