BIBLICAL ASTRONOMY

April 2000

 

Editor – Robert Scott Wadsworth <> P.O. Box 2272, Oregon City, OR 97045

Phone (503) 655-7430 <> e-mail – starguy1@comcast.net <> Website – www.atlbible.org/astronomy.htm

 

 


APRIL’S MAGNIFICANT CELESTIAL LINEUP (April Showers – downpour)

 

            The heavens are ablaze with celestial signs this month.  I have been looking forward to these events with much anticipation since the summer of 1993.  I pray that the skies will be clear for viewing. 

            Below are the highlights for foreseeable celestial events occurring in April.

 

April 05 – First crescent of new moon near sunset

                   (Beginning of Abib 1)

 

April 06 – Jupiter/Mars/Moon conjunction in Aries

 

April 11 – Jupiter/Mars/Saturn Massing in Aries

 

April 16 – Mars/Saturn/Menkar conjunction

 

April 19/20 – Jupiter/Mars/Saturn Massing in Aries

                     (Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread)

 

April 28 – Venus/Mercury conjunction (very close,   

                  Passing within ¼ of a degree) in Pisces

 

            Starting the celestial parade is the conjunction of Jupiter, Mars, and the Moon in the sign Aries in the early evening sky on April 6 (Chart 139).  The moon will be 4% illuminated at this time (a bright, thin crescent) located in the head of Cetus (the beast from the sea).

            This is followed by a close massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn in the constellation Aries on April 11.  Charts 133 and 134 show the positions of the planets as seen in the early evening sky over the western horizon looking from Jerusalem. 

            Third in line is the conjunction of Mars (Michael), Saturn (Satan), and the star Menkar (the bound or chained enemy) on April 16.  This is shown on charts 135 and 136.  These charts show the ecliptic view.  Too see how the planets would appear if you were standing on the ground and looking toward the western horizon, turn the chart so that the right side is facing down and imagine the horizon above the sun.  It was on April 10/11, 1996 and 1997 that the Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp were in the same celestial coordinate.  This coordinate was in the forehead and between the eyes of Rosh Satan (the head of Satan) in the constellation Perseus.  This coordinate is also in direct conjunction to the star Menkar (the bound or chained enemy) in the constellation Cetus.  The events of the two comets were clearly portraying the defeat of the beast at some point in the near future.

            Here on April 16, 2000, we have two planets coming between and into direct conjunction with Menkar and the celestial coordinate where the two comets crossed.  On Chart 135 and 136 the coordinate where the two comets crossed is located in the center (a hair right of center) of the diamond shaped area formed by the constellation line and grid lines below right of the star Algol in the constellation Perseus.  This coordinate, along with Mars, Saturn and Menkar, are shown in the same celestial longitude or in conjunction. 

            The conjunction of Mars, Saturn and Menkar is a rare celestial event in itself.  In the last two thousand years they have come nearly as close to conjunction as the April 16, 2000 event only twice; July 29, 1027 and May 20, 1893.  But in both of these events, the celestial bodies (taking all three into account) were not in such a close or direct conjunction as the April 16 event.  Neither did they follow, or were followed, by a massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn (which last occurred in the constellation Aries in the year 174).  Nor were they preceded by an unspeakably rare visit of two bright comets one year apart being in the same celestial coordinate on the same solar day which is also in conjunction with the star Menkar.

            If this is not a super-clear celestial portrayal of Revelation 19:19 – 20:3, I don’t know what is.  There is nothing like this in history, past or future (at least for the next 3,000 years).  This is the last of a series of portrayals concerning the “Great Tribulation” or the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, which started in the Fall of 1996.  As I mentioned in the November 1999 issue of Biblical Astronomy, I believe there is a high probability that this is being portrayed for all to see, and after the last portrayal (April 16, 2000) the actual prophetic events may start on Earth.  If the beginning of the last half of Daniel’s 70th week begins the day after (April 17), then from that date to The Feast of Trumpets in 2003, there are 1,260 days.  It is highly probable that the Great Tribulation will begin on April 17, but remains to be seen.  See the November 1999 issue of Biblical Astronomy for further study. 

            Below are highlights of the connection between Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp, the massings of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn, and the conjunction of Mars, Saturn and Menkar.

 

March 24/25, 1996 – Comet Hyakutake reached closest

                                    approach to Earth.

March 23, 1997   -    Comet Hale-Bopp reached closest

                                 approach to Earth   

March 25, 2000   -    Massing of Jupiter, Mars and

                                Saturn 1,260 days from October 13,

                                1996

 

            Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are also massed on March 23 and March 24, 2000, but are a little closer (very slight to the naked eye) on March 25.

 

April 1, 1997 – Comet Hale-Bopp reached perihelion

                        (closest approach to the sun)

April 1, 2000 – Corresponds to September 26/27, 1996

                        on the Celestial Timeline Template

                        (Casting Down of the Dragon)

 

April 10/11, 1996 – Comet Hyakutake between the eyes

                               of Rosh Satan

April 10/11, 1997 – Comet Hale-Bopp between the eyes

                               of Rosh Satan

April 10/11, 2000 -  Close Massing of Jupiter, Mars, and

                               Saturn in Aries

 

April 16, 2000 -       Mars/Saturn/Menkar conjunction in

                                direct alignment to the celestial

                                coordinate that Comets Hyakutake

                                and Hale-Bopp crossed in 1996 and

                                1997

 

            Charts 138 and 139 show the final close massing of Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn on April 20, 2000.  These planets are also closely massed in the evening sky on April 19.  The difference in appearance of the relative positions of the planets on both evenings is slightly detectable with the naked eye.  April 19/20 is Passover and the first day of Unleavened Bread.

            Another notable factor in considering the massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn is that it is thought by many that such a massing in the constellation Pisces on February 25, 6 B.C. along with three conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn shortly before, was the “star of Bethlehem.”  Though I believe that what the Magi observed occurred three years later and was a series of  celestial events surrounding Jupiter from 3 B.C. to 2 B.C.  

The following is from Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning (1899) by Richard  Hinkley Allen, p.341 concerning the celestial events of 7 B.C. and 6 B.C.

 

            “Within their boundaries (The fishes or Pisces) took place three distinct conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in the year 747 of Rome, - the year to which for a long time was assigned Christ’s birth; these phenomena strikingly agreeing in some of their details with Saint Matthew’s account of the Star of Bethlehem.  The opinion that these appearances guided the Magi in their visit to Judaea was first advanced by the celebrated Kepler, and worked out in 1826 by Ideler, and in 1831 by Encke.  It is noticeable that the Rabbis held the tradition, recorded by Arabanel in the 15th century, that a similar conjunction took place in Pisces three years previous to the birth of Moses, and they anticipated another at their Messiah’s advent.  Thus the Fishes were considered the national constellation of the Jews, as well as a tribal symbol.”

 

            It is an interesting factor that the massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn on February 25, 6 B.C. is exactly 1,335 days from October 22, 3 B.C.  If Jesus  was born on September 11, 3 B.C., then October 22 would have been the day that Jesus was brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord (God) “when the days of her (Mary’s) purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished” (Luke 2:22, Leviticus 12:2-6).  Will the Lord be in the Temple again 1,335 days from the massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn on April 11, or 20, or from some day in between, such as April 17?  Time will tell.

            But Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are in the constellation Aries, not Pisces.  Actually, 2000 years ago the constellation Pisces occupied the same celestial coordinate as seen from Earth, that Aries now occupies.  Because of the precessional movement of the earth, Aries is now in that location.  Most Astrologers today still consider this as the location of Pisces and when the sun is in Aries, they consider it in the house of Pisces.  There may be some hidden truths here to consider.  If there is, I believe that both factors (of where the events are seen visually in the present coordinate positions of the constellations, and which constellations occupied that coordinate in past events) should be taken into consideration.

 

            On April 28, 2000 there will be a very close conjunction of Venus and Mercury in Pisces.  The planets will pass within ¼ of a degree from one another.  The planets will most likely be too close to the sun to be seen visually in the early morning sky.  Chart 140 shows the positions of Venus and Mercury in Pisces on April 28. 

            Here is another interesting date, since I believe that it was on April 28, 28 A.D. when the Lord was crucified.  All of the factors concerning this date and the similarities of the dates concerning the comets and massings of the planets are solar (Gregorian) dates and not lunar (Hebrew) dates.  I realize that this is somewhat puzzling.  I don’t have an answer at this time.

 

            The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.