Biblical Astronomy

October 1996

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

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MID-EAST IN CRISIS

As you probably already know, fierce fighting broke out between the Israeli army and the Palestinian police on Wednesday, September 25, and continued on through at least Sunday, September 29. This dispute started over the opening of an archaeological tunnel in the temple mount by Israel. This opening was made for easier access to tourists. Though the Palestinians most likely used this as an excuse to release pent up tensions over other issues, this opening (for the purpose of capital gain in tourism) was also an abomination to God. The temple mount is holy to God, and He is most likely displeased, to say the least, to having the area used as a tourist attraction, rather than a worship area. This is very disrespectful to God. For people to go through the tunnel area in remembrance and worship unto God is one thing, but for the area to become a tourist spectacle is another. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that he did not know why the Palestinians were so angry over this, since the new tunnel entrance was on the Palestinian side of the mount, and their vendors stood to make a lot of money from the tourists. When Jesus Christ came to the temple in his day, he became very angry at the money changers in the temple and cast them out and overturned their tables and said to them, "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Matthew 21:12-13. Is it possible that the temple mount is God's holy mount?

Psalm 3:4 - I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.

Psalm 43:3 - O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Psalm 87:1, 2 - His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more that all the dwellings of Jacob.

Psalm 99:9 - Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

Isaiah 27:13 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (Yet future)

The other, and greater, abomination that exists on the temple mount is the Muslim mosque and dome which are used to worship a false god or idol. It is not by chance that things are heating up over the temple mount, or the fate of Jerusalem. Both Israel and the Palestinians desire the whole city of Jerusalem, and both desire the city as their capital. It is over Jerusalem that this final conflict will begin.

Jeremiah 4:31 through chapter 5:31 and following may be appropriate to read here. Compare Jeremiah 4:31 to Revelation 12:1.

BEGINNING OF GREAT TRIBULATION?

It yet remains to be seen if the "great tribulation" will begin in mid-October. See the July newsletter articles "Arab Summit", "The Ten Kingdoms", "Solar Eclipse" and "Who is the Woman" for further insight. If Israel or the Jerusalem area is invaded by surrounding Arab armies and defeated, then the tribulation period has most likely begun. Keep a watch on Jerusalem.
As mentioned in the July newsletter, there will be an eclipse of the sun seen in Jerusalem before and during sunset on October 12 in Virgo. Virgo (The Woman) will be clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet on October 13.

Rev. 12:1, 2 - And there appeared a great wonder (sign) in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

The woman travailing in birth and pained to be delivered is a figure used in other places in the bible to describe Israel in great tribulation or the beginning of "Jacob's trouble".

Jeremiah 4:31 - For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Jeremiah 30:6, 7 - Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

I Thessalonians 5:3 - For when they shall say, Peace and Safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

The figure of Rev. 12:2 is describing the beginning of Jacob's trouble. The sign of Rev. 12:1 is most likely describing the astronomical
sign which will be seen when this event occurs on earth. This sign will be seen on October 13, one day after the solar eclipse. (See July newsletter Charts 3 and 4).


POSSESSING THE GATES OF THE ENEMY

The Celestial North Pole is the point in the heavens under which the earth revolves. If you were to take a time exposed picture of the heavens, all of the stars would form a circular orbit around this point (actually it is the earth that turns under this point). This point is now near the star Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor or The Little Dipper (Chart 13). This has not always been the case. Because of the earth's precessional movement, the Celestial North Pole changes through time with relevance to the constellation that it is in. In the days of Noah, the Celestial North Pole was in the constellation Draco. Chart 14 shows the star Thuban in Draco (the Dragon) as the north star in 2790 B.C. Noah was about 15 years old at this time. The dashed dark lines on the star charts define the constellation borders. The Celestial North Pole is located in the center of the circles located in the center of the charts.
At the time of the great flood of Noah (2305 B.C.), the Celestial North Pole moved away from the star Thuban, but was still in the constellation Draco (Chart 15).
The following is a quote from "The Gospel in the Stars" by Joseph A. Seiss, Kregel Publications, first published 1882, p. 127, concerning the Pole Star.

"It is part of the promise of the text that the seed of faith is to 'possess the gate of his enemies'--that is, to take the house or possession of the foe -- and thenceforward to hold what the enemy previously held. Now, at the time these constellations were formed, and for a long time afterward, the Pole-Star was the Dragon Star, Alpha Draconis (Thuban). Thus this central gate, or hinge, or governing-point of the earth's motion, was then in the enemy's possession. But that the Dragon star is now far away from the Pole, and cannot again get back to it for ages on ages, whilst the Lesser and higher sheepfold has come into its place: so that the main star of Arcas is now the Pole-Star. The seed of faith thus gets the enemy's gate. And understanding Ursa Minor of the Church of the first born in heaven, instated in the government of the earth, we have in it a striking picture of the old prophecy fulfilled, when once Satan is cast down and the saints reign with their Lord in glory everlasting.
It is also an interesting fact that no traces of these Greek Bears are to be found in the Egyptian, the Persian, or the Indian planispheres, but only what is thoroughly agreeable to the idea that we are here to see the assembly of God's flocks in their heavenly glory, authority, and dominion, as over against the Serpent and the whole serpent dominion."

Praise and Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ for paying the price of our redemption and setting us in heavenly places to reign with Him forever.

Celestial Signs of the End Times Seminar

Bob Wadsworth will be teaching on celestial events occurring in the heavens over the next few years and their relevance to Biblical prophecy.

BOISE, Idaho - Saturday, October 12, 6-10 p.m.
Glad Tidings Church, 1115 N. Garden

For more information contact:

Jim Martin (208) 343-2393

The End Time Seminar on October 5 with Colin Deal and Bob Wadsworth was taped and audio tapes will be available to purchase soon. The tapes include about 6 hours of teaching from Colin Deal and 2 1/2 hours from Bob Wadsworth.
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PROPHECY IN THE STARS VIDEO

The "Prophecy in the Stars" video is now available to order from Biblical Astronomy. This is a two hour video of the presentation that Bob Wadsworth did while on tour with the Prophecy Club, and taped at KYFC studios in Kansas City. The price of the video is $25.00 plus $3.00 shipping. If you wish to have a copy of this tape, you can order it from:

Bob Wadsworth
P.O. Box 5272
Oregon City, OR 97045
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In the last few months, I have had many books and booklets sent to me concerning the end times. It may be some time before I can read them all, but I will eventually get to them. One book that I started and thought of great interest is "The Final Victory: The Year 2000" by Marvin Byers, Destiny Image, 1994. Amongst other interesting information concerning these last days, is a chapter titled "Sir Isaac Newton and Daniel's Seventy Weeks." For more information on this book you can call
1-800-LAST-DAY (1-800-527-8329)

Another book that I have heard great things about, but have not yet obtained (by the same author) is Yasser Arafat - a Biblical Character?

WE'RE STILL HERE

"Complete atonement Thou hast made
And to the utmost farthing paid
Whate'er Thy people owed:
Nor can His wrath on me take place,
If Sheltered in His righteousness,
And sprinkled with the blood.

If my discharge Thou hast procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine.

Turn, then, my soul, unto Thy rest;
The merits of Thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee."