REVELATION 12 HERALD SIGN

There has been much written about the revelation 12 sign appearing in heaven: the constellations. There also are many YouTube videos describing the event in detail along with interpretive views of what this points to: Rapture and/or Tribulation. Many see the sign in the sky as being a marker of an important event to take place, but what is the event? Of course this is assuming that God placed the stars, sun, moon and planets in the sky for his purpose. Isaiah 40:26 – “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” (NIV) I believe that God told His story in the heavens as a prophecy for man – not to control man. I believe that he gave this knowledge to Enoch for the benefit of man. This knowledge was handed down for God’s purpose only to see it corrupted by man in Babylon. It is debatable that the apocrypha books of Enoch are an accurate record of the knowledge given to him. They were more than likely written after his time and ascribed to him. Enoch was taken directly to heaven as was Elijah so it can be assumed that he was a prophet of God. However, the basic information about the constellations was preserved. This knowledge was given to man to suit God’s purpose of using the signs in the heavens to mark important events like the birth of Christ and as a warning. The knowledge of the stars was given so that man could understand God’s purpose that is written in the heavens. The night sky is God’s scroll of all that was and all that is to be. We are to listen to the prophets of God and to look up to the heavens for the signs of what is to come. A starting point is a description of the Rev. 12 sign as seen in the sky above us. Rev. 12:1-2 – “A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.” (NIV) Astronomically, the woman is the constellation of Virgo the Virgin. In the Hebrew Mazzaroth (twelve signs of the zodiac) the word for this constellation (Virgo) is called Bethulah meaning “virgin.” According to computer simulations on September 23, 2017 the sun will be at her shoulder effectively clothing her with sunlight with a new moon under her feet. This is a rare event but what makes this date unique is the movement of Jupiter. To early sky gazers planets were believed to be stars that appeared to wander as opposed to stars that were in fixed positions in the constellations. Jupiter was known as the king planet and to the Jews it was the planet of the Messiah. Jupiter entered Virgo around August 27, 2016 and will remain there until around early October 2017 (varies with charts). Jupiter was in close conjunction with Venus on August 27, 2016 in the western sky just after sunset. The last time that this took place was on June 30, 2015 also in the western sky after sunset. I believe that this is a repeat of the Star of Bethlehem that the Magi witnessed as the sign of the Messiahs birth with Jupiter as His star (explained in “Star of Bethlehem: Heavenly Light”). This Jupiter-Venus conjunction will not appear as close until November 22, 2065. Jupiter enters the womb area of Virgo in late November or early December of 2016 depending on what imaginary line is used to determine the womb. Most place the exit of Jupiter from the womb on September 9, 2017. Jupiter remains in the womb area from 40 to 42 weeks which is a long gestation period. This takes place because Jupiter does its annual retrograde motion at this time: because of Jupiter’s place in the solar system it appears to move in one direction, stops, then moves in the opposite direction, stops, then continues in original direction creating a circular motion in the womb. What we have is Virgo the Virgin as representing Mary and Israel giving birth to the Messiah or King of the Jews as represented by the king planet of Jupiter. I believe that the Rev. 12 sign is the sign spoken of in Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign: The Virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us).” The woman has a crown (some translations say garland) of twelve stars on her head. There is always a cluster of twelve stars around the head star of Zavijava that could be the crown. However, with this being a unique event the crown could be seen as something else. The constellation of Leo is above the head of Virgo and on Sept. 23, 2017 it has a unique alignment. There are nine principle stars that make up the constellation and on this date there are three planets (wandering stars) that make Leo a crown of twelve stars. These planets are in an unusual alignment with Regulus the alpha star that forms the foot of Leo. There is an imaginary line beginning with Regulus then Venus, Mars and Mercury. This line extends down to the Sun, Jupiter and the Moon in Virgo. What this row of star, planets, sun and moon could symbolize is a staff (rod) or scepter beginning at the foot of Leo the Lion that represents Judah. The first mention of a ruler’s staff or scepter is in Genesis. Jacob is telling the future for his sons and with Judah in the days to come he will be a ruler (king). King David was of the tribe of Judah (Jew for short) that established the kingly line that Jesus would descend from. Genesis 49:9-10 – “You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” The line of heavenly bodies is the ruler’s staff from between his feet (the Lion of Judah) that belongs to the male child that the woman has given birth to. Rev. 12:5 – “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” Psalm 2:9 – “You will rule them with an iron scepter, you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Rev.2:26-27 – “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations – He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery – just as I have received authority from my Father.” Rev. 19:15 – “… He will rule them with an iron scepter….” This establishes the child as being Jesus, the King of the Jews. This herald’s the birth of the Messiah for Israel; for those that rejected Him as their king at his first advent. He is a child for them now but when he is of age he will reveal himself to his people. He is a star child with a heavenly birth because he will appear in the sky on his Second Coming. With his First Coming he was born on earth with a heavenly crown as his sign for his kingdom is in heaven. The sign of Rev. 12 (Sept. 23, 2017) has occurred in the past according on computer simulations. The earliest was on August 5, 3915 B.C. This is nearly 6,000 years ago. The year of 2017 is the year 5777 on the Jewish calendar (until Rosh Hashanah ends on Sept. 23, 2017). This implies that we are near the time of the millennium based on a 7,000 year timeline for creation. The Sun, Moon and Jupiter (conjunct with the star Spica) were in similar positions in Virgo. There were also three planets in Leo to make the crown of twelve stars. The three planets were also in line (staff) with Regulus that extended down to the Sun, Jupiter and Moon. The only difference being the planets of Saturn, Venus and Mercury as opposed to Venus, Mars and Mercury of the Rev. 12 sign. It is only natural to equate this sign with the time of Adam and Eve. What this could symbolize is the Lord God (Jupiter) with man in the Garden of Eden. This is also about the Fall of Man as Saturn can be equated with Satan. Genesis 3:14-15 – So the Lord God said to the serpent (dragon), “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers (also, between your seed and her seed); he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (NIV) This can be seen in Rev. 12: 4 –“… the dragon (serpent) stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment he was born.” Genesis 3:16 – To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” This explains the pain of childbirth in Rev. 12. We also see Leo the Lion as ruling over the woman. Spica is the alpha or brightest star in the Virgo constellation. The name derives from Latin spica virginis meaning “the virgin’s ear of grain (corn, wheat).” In ancient star maps it is in the left hand area of the woman and is usually depicted as sheaves of grain being held in a downward position. The ancient name is the Arabic Al Zimach meaning “The Branch.” An ancient name for Virgo was “The Branch.” Virga in Latin can mean scepter, staff, switch, rod, sprout, stalk or twig (twig of peace). The many ways that branch comes up in this sign points to the importance of “The Branch.” A Hebrew word for branch is Tsemech which is the word used to reference the Messiah. In the Aramaic Targum Tsemech is rendered as Messiah. This particular word for branch is used four times in the bible: Isaiah 4:2 – “In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.” Jeremiah 23:5-6 – “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteousness.” (Jer. 33:15 repeats) Zechariah 3:8 – “Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch.” Zechariah 6:12 “Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.” These are prophecies of the coming Messiah. He is further identified using the Hebrew word netzer for branch. Isaiah 11:1 – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” The Hebrew name for Spica is Zerah meaning “seed.” In the Hebrew the star is a reference to the seed of the woman that will crush the serpent’s head. The planet Jupiter in Hebrew is called Tzedeq (Tsedeq, Tsadek, zedek) meaning “righteousness” which is a reference to the Messiah. The Messiah planet is next to the star Zerah in a symbolic way to confirm that the Messiah or Jesus is the seed that is described in the passage. The sheaves of grain can be seen as symbolic of Adam’s curse. Genesis 3:17-19 – To Adam (Adamah) he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded, ‘You must not eat of it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” In the right hand of the woman she is holding a branch in an upright position. The star in her right hand on ancient star maps was the Arabic Al Mureddin (Muridin) meaning “who shall come down” or “the sent one”. The branch is next to a constellation that is associated (called a decan) with Virgo. The name of this first decan is Coma (also Comah, Kamah) which is a Hebrew word meaning “the desired” or “the longed for.” To the ancient Egyptians it is Shes-nu meaning “the desired son.” The depiction is that of a woman holding a male child while seated on a throne. Haggai 2:6-7 – “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations (Messiah) will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Luke 1:30-33 – “But the angel said to her, “do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The LORD God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” The branch in Virgo’s right hand points to the male child on the lap of the young woman (maiden) sitting on a throne. This is the fulfillment of what Virgo is to do: deliver the one to be called the Branch who will sit on the throne of David. While the sheaves of grain in Virgo’s left hand points to the New Moon as a sign of the coming Messiah. Isaiah 9:6-7 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” The sign of Rev. 12 occurred at the time of Christ’s birth on September 11, 3 B.C. as a marker of this important event. There is a different fulfillment this time for a specific purpose. With the fulfillment of Sept. 23, 2017 Jupiter is in the womb of Virgo for a long gestation period. At the time of Christ’s birth Jupiter was leading the Magi to Jerusalem and spent its time in the constellation of Leo the Lion to point to the tribe of Judah. Jupiter (wandering star) did a similar movement of retrograde motion in Leo as it did in Virgo. This super star of the Christ formed a circle or crown around the king star Regulus in the kingly sign of Judah (King of the Jews). (Star of Bethlehem: Heavenly Light) It is in Leo the Jupiter performs the gestation period during its movement and retrograde motion. This is what the Magi saw as confirmation of a birth of a king for the Jews (Judah). They could have been aware of the events in Virgo but it is doubtful that this would have impressed upon them that this was the sign of the promised birth of the King of Jews. They would have been aware of the importance of the sign of the Virgin and of Coma “the desired.” However, I believe that it would have been Jupiter’s movement as “his star” in Judah’s sign that would have been the confirmation to them. The movement of Jupiter around Regulus that forms a crown could be seen as making up the crown of twelve stars as Jupiter conjuncts with Regulus three times to add to the nine principal stars of Leo. There are those that reject this sign on 3 B.C. as it does not exactly repeat the sign of 2017. I do not believe that it needs to as it is a remembrance of the first advent and not a description of his birth. The sign of Rev 12 is to announce the beginning of his second advent. Again, I do not believe that the Magi would have seen this as the sign of his birth as it was the activity of Jupiter that they were following as noted in Matthew. The story of the Magi is central to the announcement of Christ’s birth. They would have had some knowledge of the prophet Daniels predictions and would have honored them as he was esteemed in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This could include Daniel 9:24-27, the Seventy Weeks (a period of 490 years) that pointed to the exact time when the Messiah would appear. This time period begins with the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Christ) comes. The calculations that are used today vary to support different agendas. I believe in the view that there were sixty-nine sevens (483 years) to his appearance (the final “seven” is the seven year period of the coming Tribulation). I also hold to view that it points to his birth and not the time of his crucifixion.

A possible decree could have taken place during the reign of Xerxes I, king of Persia (486 - 465 B.C.). He is believed to be Ahasuerus of Persia (king of kings) of the biblical book of Esther. Depending on the dating system used it could have been early in his reign. [I am not advocating this, just a possibility] For example, dating the first year of the reign of King Xerxes I of Persia (the court of the magi) as 486 B.C. and minus the 483 years it is 3 B.C. This is not the accepted view of most scholars but it could have been used by the Magi given the astrological events of 4 -2 B.C. that would have impressed the Magi. (For more confirmation of a 3 B.C. birth see The Star that Astonished the World by Ernest L Martin) Another time that the Rev.12 sign appeared in the heavens was August 27, 70 A.D. This one was not a complete fulfillment like Sept. 11, 3 B.C. The Sun clothes the woman and the Moon is at her feet. There are three planets in Leo in a line extending down from Regulus towards the Sun and Moon. The first planet is Mercury then Jupiter and Venus. Jupiter and Venus are in conjunction like at the time of the Magi viewing the morning star shine. The star, planets, Sun and Moon in a line make up the staff or rod in acknowledgment that Jesus is the Branch and the Anointed One even though he was cut-off. Genesis 49:10 - "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." I believe that this sign marks the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as Jesus predicted. This symbolizes the time of the end of the Messiah’s ministry to the Jews. This is the beginning of the time of the ministry of the Gentiles (church). This time will continue until the time of the Jews begins anew. The Rev. 12 sign is the beginning of the time of the return of the Messiah to minister to Israel. They will come to know that Jesus is their Messiah and he will save them from extinction by the war of the Antichrist. Jesus had come the first time to save his people from their planned rebellion against the great power of Rome. They rejected him as their savior and king and put him to death. The Jews that did rebel believed that the Messiah would come to lead them. There were in fact many false Messiahs that led the people astray. Jesus warned of this in Matthew 24:4-5 - "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."

The Jews that rebelled caused the destruction of the holy temple and were dispersed into the world. However, Jesus set in motion the means by which Rome would change from a pagan empire to Christian nations. The Temple was destroyed by Rome to be symbolically (Menorah taken by Titus) replaced in time with the Church of Rome. This has and will continue until the Second Advent. The four occurrences of the Rev. 12 sign can see the woman as representing four figures. The Greek word used for woman is gunh which can mean “a woman of any age,” whether a betrothed woman, virgin, a married woman or a widow. In Hebrew the word is Ishshah (Ishah) which can mean a woman, wife, female. It is the word used for woman in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 4:1 – “And Adam knew Eve his wife (Ishshah) and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” (Strong’s Concordance) The four are: Aug. 5, 3915 B.C. is that of Eve, mother of all; Sept 11, 3 B.C. is Mary, mother of Jesus; Aug. 27, 70 A.D. is the mother church; and Sept. 23, 2017 is mother Israel. The Rev. 12 sign of the Woman can also be seen in the prophecy of Micah. Micah 5:2 – “But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.” (NIV) This is the first part of the prophecy of the coming Messiah of Israel to be born in the City of David, south of Jerusalem. The King of the Jews is to be born in a small way like David and not in the palace of Jerusalem where David reigned. Yet, he will be God’s anointed to rule on the throne of David. This has a parallel to David’s time as he was anointed to take the place of Saul whom God had rejected. In this case it is Herod who is rejected. The ruler is from time immemorial, from the time of God walking with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Micah 5:3 – “Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.” (NIV) Micah 5:3 – “Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travailith hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren will return to the sons of Israel.” (KJV) This second part of the prophecy can be seen as a double fulfillment. God abandoned Israel to travails because of their transgressions. The Messiah was born to be their king and savior in their time of distress. However, the people rejected Jesus as their Messiah and they were again abandoned to travail in the world. This will continue until the time of the end. She who is in labor is the nation of Israel today. The Rev.12 sign of the Woman can see another fulfillment of prophecy: Isaiah 66:7-8 – “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” This is about the birth of the nation of Israel. It could also be a direct reference to the Rev. 12 sign. “Before she travailed,” is the woman of Rev.12 who gave birth to a boy: a spiritual event that signals the beginning of the Second Advent to come. This is taking place before the woman Israel (Zion) is to travail or suffer the Tribulation or the time of Jacob’s trouble. The reason that this is taking place is because the Messiah came physically but was rejected and denied. The Jewish leaders at the time of Christ’s ministry probably believed him to be the Messiah, but they did not want him to be this fulfillment and so they rejected him as their Messiah. This rejection was so complete that the Jews today are still waiting for his arrival even though scripture clearly points to Jesus as the Messiah. For many Jews his coming will actually be the Second Coming. In the First Advent he came after the Jews had travailed, after the birth pangs. Because he was denied kingship, the Jews were dispersed into the world and their nation ended. The time for this prophecy of the woman is to take place is when Israel is a nation once more. Israel began suddenly on May 14, 1948 which is the beginning of the end times. This is the generation that will see the events of Matthew 24 take place. This time will end with the travail (birth pangs) of the Tribulation. They will see their Messiah come to save them and they will be the children of the living God. The Rev. 12 sign of the Woman is that of a blessing for the nation of Israel. After a time tribulation The LORD will bless his people. Another sign of blessing is that of a supermoon. A supermoon takes place when a Full Moon is at its closest approach to Earth. The supermoon on November 14, 2016 was the closest (biggest) since January 26, 1948 with the next closest on November 25, 2034 (EarthSky). January 26, 1948 Supermoon: This was a time of destruction and deliverance for Israel. After the UN Partition Plan for Palestine failed, civil war broke out between Arabs and Israelis. When the British Mandate of Palestine ended on May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence and war broke out when a coalition of Arab states attacked Israel. It ended with a surprising victory for Israel. November 14, 2016 Supermoon: Israel is under political siege by the Palestinians using the UN against Israel. International condemnation of Israel took place on December 23, 2016 with the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2334. Basically, it states that settlements in the Palestinian territory taken in the Six-Day War are illegal. The LORD has blessed Israel to stay strong to this pressure and to not give up Jerusalem. Israel continues to grow and prosper despite being surrounded by those that want to see her completely destroyed. November 25, 2034 Supermoon: The supermoon follows a total solar eclipse on March 20, 2034. The eclipse is a malefic sign, spelling trouble for Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The Tribulation period could begin at any time because of this sign. There will be deliverance and blessing for Israel after her travail. Isaiah 30:25-26 – “In the day of the great slaughter, when towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted. “(NIV) This is about the end times that follows the formation of the nation of Israel. It describes a time of war and natural disaster. Many will die and the cities will see their iron towers fall to an invading horde. Rev. 12: 13-14 – “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert.” Streams of water could be describing the time of the flood of water from the dragon. Rev.12: 15-16 – “Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” After the time of Armageddon and intense suffering will come the Millennium. The moon and sun will shine with a bright spiritual light and the LORD will heal his people, the ones who are to lead the nations into this new era. It will begin with great spiritual enlightenment, hope and healing. The seven years of tribulation will give way to a time of seven fold brightness. Israel is clothed with the Sun with the moon of a new beginning. Matthew 24:33-34 – “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.” Jesus gives signs to look for at the end of the age. We are seeing these signs now. The generation that he speaks of is the one that will witness the signs. In a broader sense this also speaks to the generation of man from Adam and Eve and the time of serpent. The snake or dragon is a beast and he has ruled since the fruit was eaten and spiritual knowledge was given to man. The rulership of Satan is seen in the beast nations that have ruled the world. After the Tribulation war the dragon will be bound for a thousand years as the Messiah rules the nations with his rod of iron.