Biblical Astronomy

May 1997

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HALE-BOPP IN MAY

The comet Hale-Bopp is still a naked eye object at this writing and will most likely be so through the month of May. Chart 34 shows the path of Comet Hale-Bopp from May 1, 1997, to June 1, 1997. The comet will pass through the horns of Taurus (Messiah, the coming Judge of all the earth), and enter into the constellation Orion (The Coming Prince) on May 19. Hale-Bopp will be in conjunction with the star Betelgeuse (the coming of the branch) on June 1. Betelgeuse is the brightest star in Orion.

There is another interesting celestial event occurring on June 1, which will be seen from Israel. It is a grazing occultation of Saturn by a crescent moon. The moon will pass in front of Saturn, and cover it briefly as seen from Israel. Chart 35 shows the occultation at 3:50 a.m., Jerusalem Standard Time. The little bump on top of the moon is Saturn. From higher latitudes on the earth, Saturn will be seen completely covered by the moon. About an hour after the occultation, Saturn will be seen above center of the crescent moon as seen from the earth in the Mid-East. The occultation will occur in the constellation Pisces (the blessings of the redeemed in abeyance or Israel). The occultation will not be seen from the United States.

THE TALMUD ON COMETS AND ORION

The following is a excerpt from an e-mail that I received from Dr. William Zambrano on April 9. "According to the November 1995 issue of Sky & Telescope, Comet Hale-Bopp will pass through the mazzaroth (constellations) of Perseus, Taurus, and Orion. The fact that it passes through Orion is a very ominous sign. The Talmud has the following information:

Berachoth 58b - OVER SHOOTING STARS [ZIKIN]. 'What are ZIKIN? Samuel said: A comet. Samuel also said: I am as familiar with the paths of the heaven as with the streets of Nehardea, with the exception of the comet, about which I am ignorant. There is a tradition that it never passes through the constellation of Orion, for if it did, the world would be destroyed. But we have seen it pass through, which made it appear as if it passed through itself. R. Huna the son of R. Joshua said: Wilon was torn asunder and rolled up, showing the brightness of Rakia. R Ashi said: A star was removed from one side of Orion and a companion star appeared on the other side, and the star had crossed over.'

So, when Hale-Bopp passes through Orion, the Talmudic sages see this as indicating the destruction of the Earth."

Keep in mind that the above is "tradition". I found the above of interest to share, and I thank Dr. Zambrano for sharing it with me. Hale Bopp will enter the constellation Orion on May 19, 1997, and exits Orion on June 17, 1997.

I have not yet done a thorough search to see if past comets have passed through Orion. It will take some time. I have thus far found that Halley's Comet passed through Orion in Sept/Oct, 65 A.D. It is difficult to say if the comet was seen with the naked eye at that time. Josephus states that the comet was visible for an entire year, but Josephus is known to exaggerate from time to time. Halley's closest approach to the earth occurred on March 20/21, 66 A.D., during that particular orbit (See the January issue of the Biblical Astronomy newsletter). Halley's Comet passed through Orion on its way in, and Hale-Bopp passes through Orion on its way out.

THE MIDST OF THE 70TH WEEK?

If the "Peace and Security" agreement signed by Prime Minister Rabin and Yasser Arafat on September 13, 1993, is the seven year covenant written of by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:27), then the midst of the week has come and gone - or has it? Many believe that the week consists of two 1,260 day periods, and after the first 1,260 days have passed, the covenant is broken and the "Great Tribulation" begins. This may, or may not, be biblically correct. If it is correct, then the midst of the week would have occurred on February 24. It is possible that the prophecy of Daniel is speaking about a time somewhere in the middle of a seven year period, not necessarily the exact middle. For example: If Sunday is considered the first day of the week, and it starts on midnight (end of Saturday), then the exact midst of the week is on Wednesday and 12:00 noon. But most consider the day Wednesday as the midst of the week, regardless of the hour. It is possible that the 1,260 days, Time, Times and a half Time, and 42 months of Rev. 11, 12, and 13 are all the same time period which commence at the abomination of desolation on, or soon after, the midst of the week or seven year period. But if Daniel's week is an exact 7 year period even in solar years (365.25 days to the year) which are longer than prophetic years (360 days to the year), then the exact midst of the week would have occurred on March 14. The last 1,260 days of the seven year period (solar years) would have to have started by April 2. If this is not an exact 7 year period, there is another possibility. There are 1,260 days between April 26, 1997, and October 7, 2000 which is Yom Kippur on the Hebrew Calendar. The Jewish Talmudic Calendar has Yom Kippur on October 9, and Rosh Hashana on Sept. 30, 2000, which is 3 days after the new moon. I believe the Hebrew Calendar to be more accurate in this instance. There are 75 days from October 7, 2000, to December 21, 2000, which is Hanukkah on the Hebrew Calendar, and the winter solstice. This would be 1,335 days from April 26, 1997 (Daniel 12:12). By the time you get this newsletter, you should know if April 26, 1997 is the date of the beginning of the Great Tribulation. This may be stretching it a bit, but it is a possibility. If April 26 is not the date, then its back to the drawing board. At any rate, the Lord is coming back soon, even if it is yet a few years from now.

PROPHECY CLUB MEETING, MAY 17

Bob Wadsworth will be speaking on Biblical Astronomy at the Holiday Inn, 8439 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, Oregon, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The meeting is hosted by The Prophecy Club. The doors will open at 6:00. There is a $7.00 fee at the door.

NEWSLETTERS WILL CONTINUE

Time to resubscribe. The Biblical Astronomy newsletter will continue for at least another year or until we're caught up in the air. Due to an increase in postal rates (stamps will most likely go up to 39 cents in 1998), printing costs, and labor costs; the yearly subscription rate will be increased to $20.00. The subscription will include all newsletters from July, 1997, to June, 1998. The 1996/1997 newsletters will be available for $15.00 through July 1. After July 1, the price for all of the issues from July, 1996, to June, 1997, will be $20.00. Individual back issues will be available for $2.00 each.

If you decide to resubscribe, please do so at your earliest convenience. The Biblical Astronomy bank account has just enough money in it to print and mail the upcoming June newsletter. I plan to print and mail the first of the next year's newsletters (July newsletter) in late June, but the finances have to be available for me to do so.

I am very blessed to serve you information on Biblical Astronomy and Mid-East updates, and look forward to continuing this service to you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. It may be a while before I can answer all questions, depending on what the questions are and how many, and I do not have all the answers. If you wish to talk to me on the phone, my number is (503) 655-7430.

MARANATHA!