Let Them Be For Signs and For Seasons (Part 2)

In my previous post, I referred to David Dolan’s article about the rapture possibly occurring on April 14, 2014.  If you believe there will be a seven-year tribulation period following the rapture, that would bring us to the year 2021 for the possible return of Christ Jesus for the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11).  This period on the prophetic timeline is known as The Lord’s Day or the Day of the Lord.

Joel 3:15 tells us:

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. ¹⁵The sun and moon will be darkened,
 and the stars no longer shine. ¹⁶The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. (emphasis mine)

There will be only one total solar eclipse in 2021, which will occur on December 4.  What’s unusual about this eclipse is that it will move from the east to the west.  Psalm 103:12 tells us:

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

The east is significant in Scripture in that the entrance to the tabernacle faces east.  Ezekiel 43:2 also tells us:

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

December 4, 2021 occurs during Chanukah (or Hanukkah), which begins on November 29, 2021.  Chanukah is the eight-day festival of light that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, and spirituality over materiality, according to Chabad.org.  It also commemorates the rededication of the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century B.C.E.

In his "Gospel of the Stars" study, the late J.R. Church writes that Virgo points to the first coming of Jesus Christ and Leo to His second advent.  During the solar eclipse of December 4, 2021, the sun will be in the constellation Ophiuchus, which is depicted as a man grasping a serpent.  We know Satan appeared to Eve as a serpent in the Garden of Eden.  The Greek poet Aratus describes Ophiuchus as trampling on Scorpio with his feet.  But I am not convinced that this celestial event is related to the coming of our Lord.

I also looked ahead to the dates of the other two lunar eclipses in the tetrad that will occur on the Jewish feasts of Passover and Tabernacles in 2015, but there will not be any total solar eclipses in 2022.

I still think that the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 may have some significance.  Could that be a possible date for the rapture?  Unlike the Day of Lord, Scripture does not provide any celestial clues about the rapture.  Fast-forward seven years and there will be a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.  It is interesting that the path of this eclipse crosses the path of the prior total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017.  The sun, however, will be in Pisces, and not Leo.

What about the book of Joel’s reference to the stars no longer shining? Unlike the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, Regulus will not be covered by the moon.  Unfortunately, the stargazing software I am using is limited and does not reveal whether other stars will — or will not — be visible on April 8, 2024.

For now, we will have to continue to look up with eager anticipation and wait and see.

Let Them Be For Signs and For Seasons (Part 1)

Last summer, I watched a beautiful documentary about the Star of Bethlehem, which was presented by Frederick A. Larson.

Using stargazing software, Larson was able to prove that Christ’s star, which is described in the Book of Matthew, correctly correlates with celestial events that occurred in 2 and 3 B.C.  He also connects the darkness that occurred the moment Christ died on the cross to another celestial event.  You can learn more by visiting his website. 

After watching the film, I wondered why did Larson stop at the cross?  I quickly downloaded some stargazing apps and went to Scripture to see if I could find any astrological clues that could shed some light on the season that Christ Jesus might return.

Let me state right now that the purpose of this study is not to claim to know the date that Christ will return.  In fact, I was hesitant to broach this topic because no one knows when our Lord will return as King except the Father.  Scripture also strongly warns against divination and sorcery.  Then I read a wonderful study by the late J.R. Church about how the messages of the constellations were meant to foretell the first and second advents of our Lord and God’s plan for redemption; not to be used for divination about man, which does constitute sin and idolatry. 

I discovered that from the start, Scripture tells us how we are to use the stars:

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 years (Genesis 1:14, emphasis mine)

In Matthew 16:2-3, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and the Sadducees when they asked for a sign from heaven, because He knew full well that they should have been able to know the season of His first advent:

When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

This gave me reassurance to continue my study, which started with word searches on the sun, moon, and stars.  I was brought to the Book of Joel, where the prophet foretells Christ’s physical return to earth (which is not to be confused with the rapture, when he will meet believers in the clouds as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-1):

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and moon will be darkened,
 and the stars no longer shine. 16The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. (Joel 3:15, emphasis mine)

I used NASA's solar eclipse website to determine when the next total solar eclipses will occur.  One will happen on August 21, 2017.  Using Vito Technology’s amazing Star Walk app, I could see that the moon will also cover the star Regulus in the constellation Leo.  

Regulus, which is one of the brightest stars, is called the “King Star.”  It is actually a multiple star system.  An astronomer from Cornell University's "Ask an Astronomer" website explained that during this particular solar eclipse, Regulus will not be visible because it will be up during the day and very close to the sun.  Also, if the moon passes in front of any star, the star will not only get dimmer, but become invisible until it reappears from behind the moon.

This celestial event appeared to match Joel 3:15 exactly!  

Unfortunately, it does not line up with Daniel’s prophecy about the 70^th week, the seven-year period that I believe will begin with the rapture. During this time, the antichrist will be revealed and there will be “peace and prosperity” for 3½ years.  But those left behind will suffer the tribulation horrors for the remaining 3½ years, until Christ Jesus triumphantly returns to earth, binds Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), and establishes His millennial kingdom (if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, I pray you will do so because time is running out).

Then last week, I read "Signs of the Times," an interesting article by Jerusalem-based journalist David Dolan.  He writes about tetrads (four consecutive full lunar eclipses) and their connection to Biblical feasts.  Tetrads are quite rare, however, several have occurred in the last 70 years, which Dolan connects to pivotal events with Israel.  He also writes that an upcoming cycle will occur on the first evening of Passover over the next two years and also on the first night of the Feast of Tabernacles.  This will be the last tetrad occurring on Biblical feasts until the end of this century. 

Dolan questions whether the rapture might be tied to one of these dates, which immediately renewed my interest in stargazing.  While a total lunar eclipse will occur on April 15, 2014, the actual date of the next Passover is April 14, 2014 (in the Jewish calendar, holidays begin at sunset on the previous day).  The 4/14/14 date is interesting.  A multiple of 7, the number 14 can imply a double measure of spiritual perfection.  It also represents deliverance or salvation.

Passover commemorates events in Exodus — when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt — and the 10^th plague; the death of every Egyptian first-born child.  The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their houses with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb (a type of the cross and the crucifixion) so the spirit of the Lord would pass over their homes.  This also appears to be a type of the rapture.

If the rapture did occur on the eve of April 14, 2014, do the sun, moon, and stars reveal anything else?  

I will save that discussion for next time.

What’s in a Name?

When I read genealogies in Scripture, I often have to remind myself that every word of Scripture is there for a reason.  So I thought it would be interesting to see what genealogies may tell us. 

I started with the genealogy in Genesis 5:1-31, which describes the line descending from Adam to Noah.  I consulted two sources for my exercise: the NET Bible and Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary. 

I was surprised to learn that some of the names listed in the King James Version have different spellings in the New International Version (the alternates are in parentheses). 

Adam: Earthy, red, the first man

Seth (Sheth): Put, who puts, fixed, compensation

Enos (Enosh): Man, mortal man, sick, despaired of, forgetful

Cainan (Kenan): Possessor, possession, purchaser, buyer, owner

Mahalaleel (Mahalalel): Praise of God, praising God

Jared (Jered): descent, a ruling, commanding, coming down

Enoch: Dedicated, disciplined

Methuselah (Mathusala): He has sent his death, man of the dart

Lamech: Poor, made low, powerful

Noah: Repose, consolation, rest

Chuck Missler has written that this Genesis genealogy describes the first advent of Jesus Christ.  The references he used are different from mine, but I think we do get this picture.

 

I then chose the genealogy from Matthew 1:1-20, since it marks the beginning of the New Testament. Once again, I found it interesting that many of the names of the ancestors of Jesus also tell us about some the attributes of our Lord. 

But when you break the list up into separate blocks as I’ve done below, you might argue that it results in several “mini-stories,” that allude to the first or second advents of Christ Jesus.

Abraham: Father of a great multitude

Isaac: Laughter

Jacob: Heel-catcher or supplanter

Judas (Judah): The praise of the Lord, confession

Phares (Perez): A breach

Zara (Zerah): A rising as the sun

Esrom (Hezron): Enclosed, dart of joy, division of son

Aram (Ram): Elevated, high

Aminadab (Amminadab): One of the prince’s people, my people is liberal

Naashon (Nahshon): Enchanter; that foretells, conjectures

Salmon: A raiment; a garment, peaceful, he who rewards

Booz (Boaz): In him is strength

Obed: Serving, a servant; a workman

Jesse: A gift, oblation, wealth

David: Well beloved, dear

Solomon: Peaceful, perfect, one who recompenses

Roboam (Rehoboam): Enlarger of the people, who sets people at liberty

Abia (Abijah): The Lord is my father

Asa: Physician, cure

Josaphat (Jehoshaphat): Whom Jehovah judges, the Lord is judge

Joram (Jehoram): Whom Jehovah has exalted, exaltation of the Lord

Ozias (Uzziah): Strength of Jehovah, strength of the Lord

Jotham (Joatham): Jehovah is upright, perfection of the Lord

Achaz (Ahaz): Possessor, one that takes or possesses

Ezekais (Hezekiah): Might of Jehovah, strength of the Lord

Manasseh (Manasses): Forgetting, he that is forgotten

Amon: Faithful, true, builder

Josiah (Josias): Whom Jehovah heals, the Lord burns, the fire of the Lord

Jechoniah (Jechonias, Jehoiachin): Whom Jehovah establishes, preparation or strength of the Lord

Shealtiel (Salathiel): I have asked of God, or lent of God

Zerubbabel (Zorobabel): Born at Babel, a stranger at Babylon, dispersion of confusion

Abiud (Abihud): My father is majesty, father of praise

Eliakim: Raising up by God, resurrection of God

Azor: Helper, a court

Zadok (Sadoc): Just, righteous

Achim: The Lord will establish, preparing, revenging, confirming

Eliud: God is my praise

Eleazar: Help of God, court of God

Matthan (Mattan): Gift

Jacob: Heel-catcher or supplanter

Joseph: Let him add, increase, addition

Jesus: Jehovah is salvation, savior, deliverer

Remaining Awake

²That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:³ Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,⁴ And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:2-4)

Our Redeemer’s return to establish His Millennial Kingdom is such a glorious and hope-filled truth that it should be proclaimed from every church pulpit.  But instead of exhorting us to die to self, and prepare for the day when we will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, we are being bombarded with messages encouraging us to walk after our own lusts.  Just visit The Museum of Idolatry on any given day to see the leavening that is taking place. 


Why is it that so few see the Kingdom truths so clearly while so many do not?  

We know from Scripture that God can cause people to go into a deep sleep:

For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. (Isaiah 29:10)   Royce Powell delivers a powerful sermon about this at Disciples Call.

Scripture warns that believers can fall asleep, too.  In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-10), Jesus tells us that while the Bridegroom tarried, all of the virgins slumbered and slept. The Latin word used here is katheudo.  It can mean to sleep literally and it can also mean to yield to sloth and sin or to be indifferent to one's salvation (Strong 2518).  It is interesting that it is in the imperfect tense, which refers to a continuing or repeated event or state (but I am not a biblical language scholar, so forgive me if I err).

Even the bride, who loves and longs for her Bridegroom in the Song of Solomon, is not immune to falling asleep:

I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.  (Song of Solomon 5:1)

The race is long and I admit there are times when I am pulled away from His coming world into this earthly world.  One message that I find very encouraging comes from Cindy Ziegler, who speaks about when the bride’s spirit is willing (“my heart was awake”), but her flesh is weak (“I was asleep”).

We can also find strength in knowing that no matter what the masses may say, Scripture implores us to remain awake, alert, watching, and working for the Lord as we await the Bridegroom’s return:

³⁵Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:³⁶  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.³⁷And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.  (Mark 13:35-37)

⁵Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:5-7)  

¹⁰Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.¹¹And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹²The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (Romans 13:10-12)