1. Revelation 23 13
2. Revelation 12 Prophecy 2017
3. Heavenly Signs September 23 2017
4. Revelation 12 Constellation 2017

For several months millions around the globe have been focused on a particular solar-lunar-stellar-planetary configuration of the constellation Virgo that appeared in the sky on September 23, 2017, see my post, “What Is Going to Happen on September 23, 2017–A Prediction of My Own!” Expectations ranged from the secret Rapture, the beginnings of the Great Tribulation, to a collision with a mysterious non-existent Planet X called Nibiru (after Zecharia Sitchin’s fantasy). From all accounts, Saturday passed, and things moved along “normally” on this side of planet earth–with the latest controversial tweets of President Trump, the aftermath of the recent hurricanes and earthquakes, and a heated up debate on the U.S. health care plans. Those were the stories that filled the Sunday news talk shows and so far as I heard, not a word about any apocalypse.

Revelation 23 13

Maybe we need a “time out” from wild and hysterical apocalyptic predictions and a hard historical look at Revelation 12, the chapter in the book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse, that was the focus of all the recent unfounded speculation.

Watch a balanced treatment of all sides of the controversial September 23, 2017 alignment in Virgo about Revelation 12. Bob attempts to explain it all, then he presents a new perspective you probably never thought about, based on Jewish commentary. The Meaning of Revelation 12 and what is coming on 9/23/17 By Don Kopp September 6, 2017 - 11:01 am November 3, 2017 Eschatology, Sagacity News, SagacityWeb News, Science & Technology This is a story about one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. On September 23, 2017, an astronomical event will take place in the sky that was foretold in the Bible nearly 2000 years ago. In the book of Revelation, chapter 12, the event known as The Great Sign will appear in the sky for the first time ever in human history.

I have argued, with many of my academic colleagues, that the book of Revelation, as we now have it in Greek, is an original Jewish “apocalypse” that has been recast by followers of Jesus in a more “Judeo-Christian” garb, with several editorial stages dating to the reigns of Nero (54-68 CE) through Domitian (81-96 CE). See my posts, “Can a Pre-Christian Version of the Book of Revelation be Recovered?” and “The Destruction of Pompeii and the New Testament Book of Revelation.”

The foci of chapters 12 and 13 in particular, with the Woman who bears the messianic child; the Seven-headed/ten horned Dragon, the Seven-headed/ten horned Beast, and the Two-horned Lamb-like Beast, are clearly understood in the context of the Roman emperor Nero’s reign. More broadly these images and ideas are embedded in a series of Jewish traditions and interpretations of the visions of the book of Daniel, dating from the 2nd century BCE through the 1st century CE, see my article, “Ancient Jewish and Early Christian Millennialism” published in the Oxford Handbook Millennialism (ed. Wessinger).

Given this historical background I think we can sort out a few of these images fairly clearly. There are two “portents” or signs in Revelation 12–neither of which should be taken as some configuration of the Greco-Roman zodiac constellations. First the Woman, and second the Dragon.

The Dragon is explicitly identified as “the Devil and Satan” (verse 9), who is thrown to the earth with only a short time left, to persecute the woman and her “offspring.” It is this Dragon that subsequently “possesses” the Beast–clearly the military/political system that persecutes God’s people (Rev 13:1-4). When the book of Revelation was written, in all of its layers and editorial stages, this was obviously the Roman Empire.

The Woman, with the crown of Twelve Stars and the Sun at her head, the moon under her feet, is obviously faithful Zion, or the people of Israel–the “mother” of the Messiah who is born (compare Isaiah 66:7-9). The messianic child, destined to rule the nations, is taken up to heaven to escape the Dragon or Satan, understood in the version we have to clearly be Jesus. These are not astrological signs or configurations but apocalyptic characters, just as the dream of Joseph of his rule over his brothers was about future events not astrological signs (Genesis 37:9).

For followers of Jesus, who began to see their own messianic community as a renewed “Israel,” the woman’s flight into the wilderness for three and a half years, was a reference to their own persecuted community. It is possible that there is a connection here with the tradition that the followers of Jesus fled the city of Jerusalem in 66 CE, four years before its destruction by the Romans in the year 70 CE, see my articles on the flight to Pella in trans-Jordan and its identification as a “Jesus hideout” in the Gospel of John.

For a general overview of this historical interpretation of the book of Revelation in its wider contexts see my article “Why 2K? The Biblical Roots of Millennialism.” Nero can be reliably identified as the second “Beast” of Revelation 13:11-18 by his number 666 (or 616 in some manuscripts). In Hebrew, each of the 22 letters of the alphabet has a numerical value. A code called gematria, developed in Jewish apocalyptic and mystical circles, draws connections between two otherwise unrelated words based on the total numerical value of the letters in each word.

Nero’s name or title in Hebrew looks like this: נרון קסר or NRON QSR transliterated), meaning Nero Caesar. Taking the value of the Hebrew letters, N=50, R=200, O=6, N=50, Q=100, S=60,R=200, one comes up with the sum of 666. To make this identification of the beast with Nero even more convincing, it should be noted that some Greek manuscripts of Revelation give the number 616 rather than 666—probably due to an alternative spelling of Nero as NRO rather than NRON (666 minus the final N [=50] gives 616).

This 666 number seems also reflected in Nero’s name written in Greek as well as a similar system of gematria was also used based on the Greek alphabet. For example, a bit of graffiti at Pompeii reads, “I love her whose number is 545” (letters phi-mu-epsilon in Greek, probably someone’s initials). If we write Nero’s title in Greek, it looks like this:—νερων καεσαρ or NERON CAESAR. The value of the Greek letters totals 1,332, which seems to lack significance—until one realizes that 1,332 is in fact 666 times 2. The author of Revelation is apparently signaling to the astute reader that Nero is the model of the Antichrist; since he has come and gone, however, a second “Nero” is to come—in his mind, very possibly the emperor Domitian—who will also persecute Christians. It is probably not coincidental that the Roman numerals—I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500)—also add up to 666! Rome and its most wicked emperors seem to be stamped all over these beasts of Revelation 13. In contrast, it was certainly not lost on early Christians that the gematria for the name and title “Jesus Christ” in Greek—IESOUS—adds up to 888, which in this system of thought signifies something beyond seven, or completion.

If one wants to really understand Revelation 12 it must be put back into the last decades of the 1st century CE during the terror filled reigns of Nero, and later Domitian, with the murder of James the brother of Jesus in the year 63 CE, the subsequent slaughter of Christians in Rome, including Paul and Peter, in 64 CE, and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Domitian was seen as a “resurrection” of the Beast whose deadly wound was “healed,” and his reign inspired the final editing of the book of Revelation as we have it today.

The following are a list of ‘Signs of Times’ which suggest that we are in the season when we should be expecting Jesus to return soon.

• 1897 First Zionist Congress is catalyst for fulfillment of prophecy
• 1948 Israel re-established as a nation
• 1967 Jerusalem liberated
• We have just witnessed the largest influx of Muslims (aka invasion) into Western lands since Muhammed’s bloody conquests over 1200 years ago.
• Iran’s centrifuges are still spinning, producing the refined material needed for a nuclear bomb.
• In the last 2 years North Korea has successfully tested multiple nuclear weapons and is making rapid advancements with their new missile launch capabilities.
• Russia has invaded the Crimean Peninsula.
• In the name of Islam the worst religious persecution and murder of Christians in history has been underway in the Middle East for several years now.
• Global volcanic activity is very high lately.
• Powerful earthquakes over 6 and 7 on the Richter scale are frequent throughout the world lately.
• Two tsunamis have claimed the lives of over a quarter million people with a span of 6 1/4 years. The first being the deadliest tsunami as well as one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.
  • Dec. 26, 2004
    • 9.3 quake
    • 100 foot high waves
    • 230,210 people killed/missing
  • Mar. 11, 2011
    • 9.0 quake
    • 33 foot high waves
    • 18,550 people confirmed to be killed/missing
• The institution of marriage has been assaulted and defiled by the promotion and acceptance of homosexuality, which is not just another sin, but described as an ‘abomination’ to God in Leviticus 18 and 20 which is part of the Torah, or the Law.
• Openly Homosexual priests are being ordained by more and more denominations
• Israel is surrounded by enemies who threaten to push all of the Jews into the sea.

But giving consideration to the possibility that the astronomical alignment of September 23, 2017, on the Feast of Trumpets, could be the Revelation 12 Sign of the Woman clothed with the sun is said to be foolishness by both secular astronomers and many mainline Christian prophecy teachers as well.
Really? Doesn’t God say that He will use foolish things to confound the ‘wise’?

So far the strongest arguments offered to refute the Rev. 12 Sign are not very strong or convincing at all, and are easily shut down by those who have given serious consideration to the Revelation 12 Sign, weighing both pros and cons.

1. It’s not rare because similar alignments have happened on these dates in the past:

Perhaps, but it’s a moot point that anything similar happened in the past IF it happened before Israel was re-established as a nation. Similar reasoning is applied to why similar astronomical alignments before the time of Christ or John the Revelator are not worthy of being considered…they are simply irrelevant. Also, the previous alignments did not come close to matching the ‘tightness’ of the upcoming Revelation 12 Sign. Also, the probability that ALL of the elements of Revelation 12 would occur simultaneously, on the Feast of Trumpets, while the sun is setting is … astronomical, it truly has never happened before, and most importantly, it hasn’t happened since Israel was re-established.

Dates provided by skeptics include:

• September 24, 1827
  (Problem: Mercury and Venus are near her shoulder, only Mars is above her head near Leo. Also, Yom Teruah would have been on Sept. 22-23 according to http://www.hebcal.com )
• September 6, 1483
  (Problem: Mercury is near her shoulder, only Mars is above her head near Leo. Also, Yom Teruah would have been on Sept. 21-22 according to http://www.hebcal.com )
• September 5, 1293
  (This one is close; Venus, Mars and Mercury are aligned above her head near Leo, Jupiter is in her womb, clothed in the sun, moon at her feet… but it happened 655 years before Israel was re-established. Also, Yom Teruah would have been on Sept. 10-11 according to http://www.hebcal.com
• September 14, 1056
  (Problem: Only Venus is above her head near Leo, but Mercury and Mars are near her head. Also, Yom Teruah would have been on Sept. 18-19 according to http://www.hebcal.com)

2. No on knows the day or the hour.

True. And the consideration that the upcoming Sept. 23, 2017 alignment could be the actual Revelation 12 Sign does not violate the words of Jesus Himself.
a) the sign happens while the constellation Virgo dips beneath the horizon at sunset, which is the time on the Jewish calendar when the day changes from today to tomorrow.
b) there are multiple time zones around planet Earth, and there is even a 2 hour window of time each day when there are 3 different calendar days in effect.
c) Even though it would break the pattern of the moedim, the Rapture doesn’t have to happen on Feast of Trumpets, it could happen before or after.

3. It’s not rare.

Skeptics frequently point out the fact that one or two elements of the Great Sign occur quite frequently, downplaying the fact that ALL of the elements occurring simultaneously has only happened one time about 5,730 years ago, possibly something similar on September 5, 1293. Once again, a moot point since these would have been before Israel was regathered.

4. Skeptics point out that not all star maps show Virgo as having 9 strars.

Recognizing that there was an astronomical need to formally define the placement of all celestial objects in the entire sky, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) ratified and recognized the 88 modern constellations in 1928. In 1928 the IAU defined Virgo as having 9 major stars and 15 stars all together. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_(constellation)

5. Astrology is forbidden.

Of course it is…one could argue that this is astronomy, not astrology which an attempt to determine personal details of one’s future by ‘reading’ the stars. Others might argue that for modern astrology to be considered a ‘perversion’, that there must be an unperverted version of the true science. Chuck Missler has said, “Astrology is an occult perversion of the true science of Astronomy” or “a perversion of God’s word written in the stars”.

6. Most commentators think that the male child in Revelation 12 was Jesus.

• The way Jesus left earth was not by ‘harpazo’ which is a verb that is applied to someone else. Jesus ‘ascended’ of His own free will, see ‘anabaino’ : Strong’s G305.
• Rev. 1 states that all of the Revelation is future, about ‘things to come’
• In context, the Great Sign of Rev. 12:1 has to do with the Tribulation, not the birth of Jesus.
• Knowledge and understanding has been ‘sealed’ until the End Times.

7. Nobody can see the Great Sign without using software like Stellarium.

The prophet Daniel stated that ‘knowledge will increase’. Also, the day on which the sign happens has two names in Hebrew…Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets) and Yom HaKeseh (the Hidden Day). Perhaps this day was hidden for two reasons; the vision was ‘sealed’ and perhaps also because it’s a daytime sign, the woman is clothed “with the sun”. So even if most people can’t see it, the alignment still happens, and would be visible with the naked eye by anyone on the International Space Station (ISS) .

8. Jesus can come at any moment.

In considering that He is the Creator of the Universe I suppose He could. However, He has established a pattern of fulfilling the moedim or His appointed times on the very day.

Revelation 12 Prophecy 2017

• Is there any verse in the Bible which says ‘Jesus will be killed on Passover’ ?… No. But it happened.
• Is there any verse in the Bible which says, “Jesus’ body will be buried on Feast of Unleavened Bread” ?… No. But it happened.
• Is there any verse in the Bible which says, “Jesus will rise from the dead on Feast of First Fruits”? … No. But it happened as well.
• Is there any verse in the Bible which says, “The Holy Spirit will come down on Pentecost”? … Well, Jesus did allude to it when He told His disciples to ‘wait’ or stay in the city until they have been clothed with power from on high.

Heavenly Signs September 23 2017

Here are a few examples of weak attempts by authors on major websites to refute the correlation of the astronomical alignment on Sept. 23, 2017 with a literal reading of Revelation 12

a) http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017
By Christopher M. Graney in ASTRONOMY ESSENTIALS | HUMAN WORLD | May 31, 2017
Originally printed at The Catholic Astronomer. Re-printed here with permission. http://www.vofoundation.org/blog/biblical-signs-sky-september-23-2017/

Graney said, “Bottom line: From the standpoint of astronomy, there’s nothing unique or unusual about the sun, moon and planets – or the constellation Virgo – on September 23, 2017, despite claims on the Internet of a unique and significant celestial event, supposedly “mirroring” the Bible’s Book of Revelation. In the past 1,000 years, this same event has happened at least four times already, in 1827, 1483, 1293, and 1056.”

b) https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/stars/what-will-happen-september-23-2017/
Dr. Danny R. Faulkner on May 1, 2017 Answers in Genesis (AIG)

Faulker said, “Jupiter appears in the part of Virgo corresponding to her womb, along with the sun in Virgo and the moon at her feet for a day or two every 12 years or so. The last time this” happened was in 2005, so why was that event not heralded for its prophetic significance?” “Leo has more than nine stars. Where did the people touting this supposed fulfillment of prophecy get the idea that Leo has nine stars? … Since the claim that Leo has nine stars is false, the assertion that the addition of the three planets brings the total number of stars in Leo to 12 is false too.”

“Some promoters of this supposed sign claim that the Hebrews associated Jupiter with the Messiah. Again, this is a conjectural assertion not supported by any facts.”

How convenient that Faulkner neglected to mention that the Hebrew name for Jupiter is Tzedek, the exact same word for ‘righteousness’. According to Encylopedia Britannica, Melchizedek is an old Canaanite name meaning “My King Is [the god] Sedek” or “My King Is Righteousness” (the meaning of the similar Hebrew cognate). Salem, of which he is said to be king, is most likely Jerusalem.

Revelation 12 Constellation 2017

So I have to wonder…is Danny Faulkner too busy to conduct thorough research? Did he feel rushed to finish his article? One can only speculate as to the reason for why he has drawn so many false conclusions in his article refuting the Revelation 12 Sign.