The second chapter of Matthew is a familiar record to many of us because it's traditionally taught at Christmas time as the record of the wise men and the star of Bethlehem. In the account of our Lord's birth, we learn of two distinct groups of people who were knowledgeable about the timing of this very significant event (excepting Mary, Joseph and a few others). The shepherds of Luke 2:8 were told of the birth while they were in the fields near Bethlehem by the angel Gabriel. Men from the east known as Magi acquired the knowledge through God's celestial messaging system!
Note: Before reading this page it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you read and understand Celestial Signs and the Basis for Biblical Astronomy.
After Yeshua was born in Bethlehem in Judea,
during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2
and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw
his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod
heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had
called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law,
he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in
Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 "'But
you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the
rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the
shepherd of my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly
and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent
them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child.
As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship
him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the
star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over
the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother
mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their
treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of
myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod,
they returned to their country by another route. 13 When they had gone,
an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said,
"take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I
tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." 14 So
he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for
Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled
what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my
son." 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he
was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and
its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the
time he had learned from the Magi.
Matthew 2:1-16
Exactly who were these men?
They were Medes and Persians that had been taught by a man named Zoroaster. After Zoroaster died, the Magi split into sects. Some basically adhered to their former religion; nature and sun worship. From the activities of this sect of the Magi, we have derived the words "magic" and "magician." they were astrologers and false seers. The Magi who visited the Christ child would have been followers of another sect, "biblical astronomers," if you will, who continued to follow a more pure form of doctrine.
In around 537 BC, the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon. At that time, many Israelites were in Babylon as captives. They remained captive in Babylon for a time until they were released by the Medes and Persians to return to their land. During this period of time, the prophet Daniel was in Babylon. His position is noted below. Consider how these Magi might have become so well informed about the coming King.
Then the king placed Daniel in a high position
and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire
province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.
Daniel 2:48
I've already presented evidence that Abram understood the message of the heavens. I submit to you that Daniel also understood the celestial teaching and that the Magi were his faithful students. These Magi would have passed along their knowledge to successive generations of scholars resulting in the faithful remnant of the Magi recognizing the announcement of the King at the time of His birth. These Magi were presented with the proclamation of the first coming of the son of God via celestial signs - and they understood!
The star the magi had seen in the East and that that went before them as they traveled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was very special. It was not a natural phenomena, but supernatural, angelic, as I show in this writing called What Was it That is Called the Star of Bethlehem. There was, in addition to the role "his star" played, numerous celestial signs involving the lights of a more commonly seen nature.
What were the signs that convinced the Magi it was time to go find the child? From the evidence available to us now, it seems that there were at least two celestial signs, one general and one specific. Additionally, I think they may have had another clue as to the time of Christ's appearance, a clue from scripture itself. It seems likely that these Magi would have been aware of Daniel's prophecies, even and especially those found recorded in the book of Daniel.
Know and understand this: From the issuing of
the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the
ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It
will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. {26}
After the sixty-two
'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.
Daniel 9:25-26a
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and
all Jerusalem with him. {4} When he had called together all the
people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the
Christ was to be born.
{5} "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: {6} 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' {7} Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Matthew 2:3-7
The appearance of a star at that time is well supported by the historical evidence. The Chinese recorded the appearance of a new bright star at that time. Hipparchus was inspired to produce his catalogue of stars upon the sudden appearance of this star in about 125 BC. It was visible for perhaps just over 275 years, being almost to dim to be distinguishable by the time of Ptolemy, 150 years after Christ. A Christian writer, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch in AD 69, is quoted as saying, "At the appearance of the Lord a star shone forth brighter than all the other stars." Ignatius might not have been speaking of his first hand experience, but certainly, in 69 AD, the star would yet have been visible in the sky and a significant body of evidence would have existed to substantiate his comment about its Visibility at the time of the birth of Christ.
It could be that this star which attended the birth of Christ appeared in fulfillment of Balaam's oracle (or, prophecy) recorded in Numbers 24.
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
Numbers 24:17
The ancient name of the constellation Coma is spelled "Comah." It is a Hebrew word which means "the desired," or "longed for." The word is found translated that way in Haggai.
I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord almighty.
Haggai 2:7
About this constellation, an Arabian astronomer named Albumazar (eighth century AD) is quoted as saying; "There arises in the first Decan(which means: "part," or, "associated constellation") as the Persians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians, and the two Hermes and Ascalius teach, a young woman, whose Persian name denotes a pure virgin, sitting on a throne, nourishing an infant boy, having a Hebrew name, by some nations called IHESU, with the signification IEZA, which in Greek is called Christos." The boy in the virgin's lap is widely recognized as symbolic of Christos - the anointed, the Messiah!
The evidence suggests very strongly that this bright star was a sign for the Magi, but at best, being a star which remains fixed in its position in the heavens, would not likely have been as specific a sign as would have been necessary for them to show up in the time frame they did. There were more specific signs given, signs that would have convinced the Magi it was finally time to depart on their pilgrimage to Israel to find the one born King. The celestial signs of his coming that the Magi had to have seen are easily discovered by making use of astronomy software. Turning back the clock about 2000 years allows us to see the night sky represented as those ancient Magians saw it, revealing a remarkable series of celestial configurations. Knowing what they saw and how one particular sign that marked our Lord's birth is actually described in detail in the holy scriptures is exciting, but really, to see how the whole matter set the precedent for the way the signs of the return of the King would be presented - and then to see a similar sign appear in the heavens with a similar scriptural description, well, what can I say!
Are the Magi of the last days paying attention?
A Great and Wondrous Sign
Now that the concept of dating by the celestial heavens has been introduced and evidence has been presented to establish the fact that there have indeed been those who understood the testimony of the heavens, there are two instances of divine revelation I would like to address in particular. These two may be considered as lessons for the instruction of the latter day Magi. By such examples from the past, we are given grace to develop the language skills necessary in the present to interpret the signs of our times! These signs from our Lord's first advent set the precedent for the signs that accompany His coming again. The first sign reveals when Yeshua was born.The exact time of Y'shua's birth was declared in the heavens. This information had been concealed very cleverly for many centuries, and though lately revealed, it is still largely unknown!
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. {2} She was pregnant and cried out in pain as
she was about to give birth. {3} Then another sign appeared in heaven:
an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns
on his heads. {4} his tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and
flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was
about to give birth so that he might devour her child the moment it was
born. {5} She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the
nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and
to his throne.
Revelation 12:1-5
The Greek word for "sign" is the word which appears in the Greek secular literature for the signs of the Zodiac. These signs (constellations) appear in heaven. Of the twelve Zodiacal signs, Virgo is the only one pictured as a woman. The Hebrew name for the sign is "Bethulah," which means "virgin." Mary was a virgin when Y'shua was conceived so you can see a very obvious connection. Virgo is the fixed background located on the ecliptic, against which other celestial bodies appear to move. The sun, moon and crown pass through Virgo at Various times, marking time like hands across the face of an analog clock. In the same way time is read on a clock, you can read time on a constellation by noting the position of the bodies. You just need learn how to interpret the configurations to know what is being signified. Although there may be other purposes for this passage in Revelation 12, one thing it does is establish an absolute date for the Lord's birth accurately to the day, month and year. it is important to know exactly when Y'shua was born. It was a major event on the Lord the Lord's schedule of appointments with man and much is predicated upon it. It may have been one of the signs the Magi had been specifically informed about, I can't say.
The first two of the three moving components of the sign are familiar celestial bodies; the sun and the moon. The third is represented symbolically as a crown of 12 stars. This symbolic reference is no less a chronological indicator than the sun and moon. It is unfortunate that the discoverer of the sign's celestial interpretation got it only part right. The late Dr. Ernest Martin, along with almost all who have become familiar with his work in the last two decades fail to see that the third component is as much a chronological indicator as the first two. I had missed it myself until J.R. Church called me one day back in 1992 and asked if I would check something with my computer astronomy program. he had a brilliant insight I hadn't considered, possibly because I had assumed dr. Martin had gotten it right. i'll get into more detail about that shortly. First, a basic astronomy lesson.
There are twelve signs of the Zodiac. These constellations are the ones the sun appears to pass through when viewed from earth. Each year the sun appears to move a full circuit through the Zodiac because, by definition, the annual cycle is based upon the revolution of the earth about the sun. Now, because the number of signs through which the sun must pass each year is twelve, each sign is "clothed with the sun" for one twelfth of the year. We have now learned something about how to read time on the celestial clock because the son's birth to Virgo/Mary took place when Virgo was clothed with the sun. This means he was born around the month of Tishri, or September. If that's all the detail we had about the configuration, we would know which twelfth part of the annual cycle Y'shua was born in but still know nothing about the day or year. Since we also know the relative position of the moon to the sun, we can recognize the configuration as a biblical new moon. According to biblical accounting, the months are linked to the lunar cycle and it is the sighting of a new moon that signals the first day of a new month. So, with the first two indicators in the configuration of Revelation 1, the sun and the moon, we know which month and which day of the month. Actually, we know the time of day as well because the sighting of a new moon takes place right around nightfall. In Biblical accounting, one day ends at nightfall and another begins, so the time being marked out is the very beginning of the first day of Tishri. this is all very good to know, but not yet enough.
In what year was Y'shua born?
Here is where the third component of the timepiece is required. Those who neglect to interpret the crown of twelve stars on Virgo's head as celestial body like unto the sun and moon that also makes its passage through the constellation miss out on this necessary third indicator. Dr. Martin interpreted the crown of twelve stars on Virgo's head as a fixed attribute of Virgo herself, a further identification of Virgo as the sign in the Zodiacal circle which is at the head of the twelve signs. She is indeed at the head of the twelve, but to interpret the crown as a fixed attribute is not consistent with the language of the verse.
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.
Revelation 12:1
What celestial body may be seen passing through the region of Virgo's head that is symbolized as a crown of twelve stars? jupiter! How is the crown of twelve stars the planet Jupiter? A crown is a symbol of a king, or, the authority to rule. Jupiter has long been known as the King planet, the ruling planet. the King planet revolves about the sun once every 12 earth years, marking it Very obviously with the number 12. Since there are 12 signs of the Zodiac and Jupiter requires 12 years for one full circuit, it may be seen in each of the zodiacal constellations for one year at a time. This is precisely the kind of information we need to be able to tell time from the celestial configuration in Revelation 12:1! Now we know which year Y'shua was born because it is in only one year in twelve that the King planet may be observed in the region of Virgo's head! with this information, even given the broad range historians suggest as they disagree on the dating of this event, it leaves us only one year as a possible candidate: 2 BC. I have one final observation to make about Jupiter as represented by a crown of twelve stars. As Jupiter traces a path through the ecliptic, its progression is marked by elliptical retrograde motion. This means that, in each year-long Visit to a constellation, it traces an elliptical figure like a crown. It had just finished tracing such a crown over the head of Virgo (in Leo) at the birth of our Lord in the fall of 2 BC!
The Author's use of symbolism helped obscure the nature of this celestial prophecy for a Very long time, and the misinterpretation of the symbol has further kept the year from being properly identified. like I mentioned earlier, I had made the same mistake in misinterpreting the meaning of the crown until J.R. Church called me one day way back in 1992 asking about when Jupiter would have been seen in Virgo's head. When I checked and saw Virgo clothed with the sun, the moon beneath her feet and jupiter on her head in Tishri 2 BC, I realized the significance of his insight! Jupiter was indeed the crown of 12 stars, and the interpretation of the three indicators was consistent! Dr. Martin had a tremendous revelation, but erred in his conclusion because he missed a significant detail. Although J.R. Church had the insight into this last important detail, it is an unfortunate fact that he has since turned to adopt the View of Dr. Martin in concluding that the designated year is 3 BC. What difference does it make what year Y'shua was born? Does it really matter whether it was one year or the other? Yes! It is the difference between truth and error. Every scheduled event and every detail of it has a purpose.
Although no one else I know who is teaching about the celestial sign of Revelation 12:1 varies from Dr. Martin's conclusion, there are those who have, like myself, determined that 2 BC is the correct year and september 29 the day by the reckoning of the Western calendar. Three of note are Stephen E. Jones, Chuck Missler and Stewart Best. Another gentleman, a physicist by the name of John Zajac has recently determined the same by close examination of the Great Pyramid at Giza. (See http://www.europa.com/~edge/giza.html) his conclusion about the date of our Lord's crucifixion is in agreement with what I have determined by correlating celestial and scriptural revelation. a Web page you can read online with some historical references that point to September 29, 2 BC as the day of our Lords' birth is http://144000.net/birth.htm.
Rosh HaShanah: The Feast of Trumpets
The Lord's calendar is a lunar calendar. According to its reckoning, a month begins in Israel at sunset when a new moon has been sighted by two or three witnesses. The moon which appeared under the woman's feet while she was clothed with the sun would have been a new moon, the first visible crescent marking the beginning of a new month. Since the sun clothed Virgo, the month was Tishri. Now, every new moon was a holy day, but Tishri's new moon was that special one to which all the others seem to point. I believe that a new moon is a symbol that speaks of the appearance of the Messiah in his first advent and that a "new" Sun appearing at dawn speaks of the appearance of the Messiah in his second advent. The very day of the Messiah's birth was apparently the very event to which all the new moons pointed and therefore, particularly that new moon which announces the coming of Yom Teruah. At the very time when the moon would have become visible beneath Bethulah's feet as the sun clothing her set below the horizon, the day of sounding the shofar began! This celebration is variously known as rosh haShanah, "head of the year" or Yom Teruah, the "day of trumpets," or "feast of trumpets."That the son of God should be brought forth on a day He commanded to be celebrated was no coincidence. An event so important as the birth of God's only begotten son could not have been ignored in the prophetic calendar of Jewish Holy Days. Remember, God commanded these to be kept as cryptic prophecies about what Christ would be and do. If you've ever recognized the logic in God's creation you have to conclude that God is not a random God, or a God who changes the rules as He goes along to throw everyone off track. He is a God of logic, precision, symmetry and consistency. Sometimes the things He does are complex, but when He reveals the keys, lifting the veil that obscures them, His prophecies can then be understood and their perfection noted. It is a well established fact of history that God fulfills the Holy Days and Feasts on anniversaries of the days they were commanded to be observed. He keeps His appointments! september 29, 2 BC was such a moed, an appointment, a Jewish holy Day in which can be found the signification of Christ's birth!
About this new moon festival, Jewish Christian scholar Alfred Edersheim noted that "...the blowing of the priest's trumpets and the special sacrifices brought, would summon, as it were, the Lord's host to offer their tribute unto their exalted King, and thus bring themselves into 'remembrance' before Him." Isn't that something? Although this great celebration was taking place at the very time the King Y'shua was born, Israel was unaware of the awesome verity that the blowing of the trumpets was at that very time paying tribute to the great Messianic King and summoning all heaven and earth to pay tribute to him! The sound of a trumpet represents a voice speaking for God as an important proclamation is made. On that day, trumpets were blown all day long in celebration of the sovereignty of God. Further signification of the trumpet blowing celebration can be noted from the following passage.
Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to
the God of Jacob! 2 Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the
melodious harp and lyre. 3 Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; 4 this is a decree
for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 He established it as a
statute for joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a
language we did not understand. 6 He says, "I removed the burden from
their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.
Psalm 81:1-6
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.
Luke 2:13-14
This Feast is a very joyful celebration which begins the accounting of a new civil year on the Jewish calendar. As it marked the transition into a new "year," a time such as the world had never known had finally arrived! The civil year relates specifically to government, and so it may be noted what was written for our benefit by the prophet Isaiah.
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.
Isaiah 9:6
So, when was Jesus born? Our Lord Yeshua Christ was born on the holy day Rosh HaShanah (Yom Teruah) on September 29 in 2 BC. How do know when he was born? Some know by a careful historic study, like Chuck Missler has done. Others know by careful study of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Others know by the wisdom of the ancients regarding what has come to us through the biblical and celestial records. Does any of this even matter? Oh yes, Absolutely! This is the basis for knowledge about the Son of God's return. It is a precedent. Are you paying attention, friend?
Collateral Studies
When Jesus was Baptized - The Celestial SignsWhen REALLY was Jesus Born? - by Dr. Stephen E. Jones
http://theopenscroll.com/when_jesus_was_baptized.htm
http://theopenscroll.com/when_jesus_was_born.htm
Interesting...we think of the Creator, Our Father, we turn to the beauty of Heaven and the beautiful sky. It's where Yeshua will appear, with his saints and legions of angels to restore sanity and beauty to this planet...the sky.
But the satanic stinkers have to dig up their guy's dead corpse from beneath the Euphrates to see him. And when reanimated, all this blighter does is unleash hordes of demons to plague the earth, bringing misery unseen in the human experience.
And yet these wankers line up behind this guy and frankly, I don't get it. At all.