The
prophetical arm of Christianity is well and active. Something unusual is going
to happen on September 23, 2017, they contend! Prophecy-loving Christians are
captivated and are eagerly waiting for September 23rd to dawn.
What Will Happen On September
23rd, 2017?
Christian
apologetics website, Answers in Genesis, explains the event that is to occur on
September 23rd, 2017:1
On this date, the sun will be in
the constellation Virgo (the virgin), along with the moon near Virgo’s feet.
Additionally, Jupiter will be in Virgo, while the planets Venus, Mars, and
Mercury will be above and to the right of Virgo in the constellation Leo. Some people claim that this is a very rare
event (allegedly only once in 7,000 years) and that it supposedly is a
fulfillment of a sign in Revelation 12. Revelation 12:1–2 (ESV) reads:
And a great sign appeared in
heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her
head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth
pains and the agony of giving birth.
So we have here a woman (Virgo)
in the sky (heaven), along with the sun, and the moon at her feet. What about
the 12 stars?...there are nine stars in Leo, but with the addition of the three
planets (which appear as bright stars), there are 12 stars. Since Leo is to the
upper right of Virgo’s head, one might see this as a crown of 12 stars, though
these 12 stars will be far above Virgo’s head. (Emphasis Mine.)
Why Is This Event Significant
To Christians?
Some well-meaning
Christians believe that this heavenly event will mark the commencement of the end times wherein the Lord’s return is to be expected & the Church would be raptured.
Tribulation period would commence. Israel would be attacked by the
anti-semitic forces and Iran may be
invaded by the Sunni Muslims.
(These
events are a random listing, not in any order. There are quite a few schools of
thought within the prophetic wing of Christianity. Some schools of thought passionately
oppose the belief that September 23rd would usher the rapture of the
church, for they maintain that the signs pertain only to Israel.)
Is This Prophecy Flawed?
The
celestial arrangement on September 23rd, 2017 should be linked to
Revelation 12 only if it is a rare event. It cannot be connected to Revelation
12 if this event occurs intermittently.
This is not
a rare event, contends Christopher M. Graney, who is the Professor of physics
and astronomy at Jefferson Community & Technical College in Louisville,
Kentucky (USA). He affirms that this event has occurred in the past:2
the sun in Virgo, the moon at
Virgo’s “feet”, and Jupiter in the constellation are regular occurrences. This
leaves the planets at the “head” (the number depending on the number of stars
granted to Leo) as the determining factor in making a “momentous” celestial
arrangement. Indeed – while various Internet sources speak of the specific
celestial arrangement here as being “unique in human history” or “once in 7,000
years” – in fact, it is not unique to September 23, 2017.
This basic arrangement happened
before — in September 1827, in September 1483, in September 1293, and in
September 1056. These are all shown at the end of this post. I only searched
back one thousand years, from 2017 to 1017 — there are undoubtedly other
examples outside of that time period, and probably a couple examples that I
missed within that time period…
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.
The
presence of Jupiter near Virgo, very specifically, is also not an rare event, “Some
people claim that this year Jupiter will be near what is supposed to be the
womb of Virgo, so it represents the child that the woman is about to give birth
to. Jupiter takes nearly 12 years to orbit the sun, so this is the period with
which Jupiter moves through the zodiacal constellations, spending about a year
in each one. In fact, I first saw Jupiter when it was close to Virgo in 1969—I
have watched Jupiter pass through four complete orbits since. This means that
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? I suspect that it is because YouTube was very new
then, having started in February of that year. This year, with the huge
popularity of YouTube, it is much easier to propagate these ideas.”3
This
celestial event will not be completely visible to all people, hence it need not
be a sign from God, “One of the purposes that God ordained for the stars is for
them to be signs (Genesis 1:14). However,
to truly be a sign, shouldn’t such things be obvious, at least to a few people?
Since the sun will be in Virgo at the time, virtually none of Virgo’s stars
will be visible. The three planets in Leo will be visible in the early morning
that day, but all will be low in the southeastern sky. Venus is very bright, so
it will be relatively easy to spot; however, Mars and Mercury will not be,
because they will be much fainter, and they won’t rise until about the time
morning twilight begins. The thin crescent moon will be visible in the evening
sky, low in the southwest. Jupiter may be visible lower in the southwest,
though it will be difficult, since it will set before evening twilight ends.
That is, not all of this “sign” will be
visible, and those parts that will be visible won’t be visible at the same
time. While this event may show up nicely on a computer screen, God set the
lights in the “firmament of heaven” (not on computer screens) to be for signs.”4
(Emphasis Mine.).
Reminisce The Four
Blood Moons Prophecy
Failed
prophecies are not new to us!
Do
recollect the most recent four blood moons prophecy in 2014-15, “The four blood
moon event is creating considerable interest in certain segments of
Christianity that anticipate the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy about
Christ’s second coming or the end times. The four blood moon event in 2014-15
is also predicted to bring a change / disaster upon the nation of Israel.”5
The
Christian world has not yet fully recovered from the utter failure of the four blood
moons prophecy, “Pastor John Hagee and Pastor Mark Biltz’s noses are bloodied
after the recent four blood moons episode. They aroused the end times passions
of millions via their electric four blood moons prophesies about Christ’s
return, significant changes to Israel and probable disasters upon our world.
Christ has not returned. Israel exists without any historic shifts. The
activities of our world are rather routine. The prophecies of Pastors Hagee and
Biltz are absurd.”6
How Should We Respond
To This Current Prophecy?
Respond
with utmost caution. Be cognizant of the presence of a substantial repudiation
of this prophecy. But there is a greater danger here and I have emphasized it
before, “There is a real danger in these end-times prophecies. These end-times
prophecies deceptively indulge our egos to make us feel like gods.
God alone
knows the future perfectly well. We desire to know our future. If and when we
know our future, we feel like God.
When these
(godly) figures prophesy, the god in us is invigorated. Silently yet
effectively, they play the same card that Satan played with Eve, “For God knows
that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…” (Genesis 3:5, NIV, Emphasis Mine). We then
fall prey to Satan’s deception,
We want our
eyes to be opened about the future. We want to be like God.
Who
wouldn’t want to get to know the future? Our life and hope is built on our
future. It gives us immense pleasure to know what lies ahead. We feel like God
when we know our future.
When people
predict the future, they seat us on a presumptuous throne of God. Since we love
to be God, we love prophecies. These end times prophecies tickle the god-bone
in us.
If we do
not know our future, we will depend on God. But when we know our future, our
need for God diminishes.
It doesn’t
matter if their noses are bloodied now. They would not worry. They are not
accountable, you see.
They will
continue doing their business. As long as we are gullible, we would keep buying
their prophetic antics. Their business is to continue prophesying for they are
certain of a dogged audience drooling eagerly to devour their predictions.
As long as
we Christians support their ridiculously asinine end times prophecies, the
non-christian world will enjoy and laugh at this farce of a comedy show in
Christendom. Yes, we are those farcical and foolish actors.
When we buy
these incredibly insane prophecies, do you really think that the non-Christian
world will buy the gospel of Christ?”7
Prophecies
have its place in Christianity. But beware of the false prophets! Please think
and pray about your response to such prophesies.
Endnotes:
1https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/stars/what-will-happen-september-23-2017/
2http://earthsky.org/human-world/biblical-signs-in-the-sky-september-23-2017
3https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/stars/what-will-happen-september-23-2017/
4Ibid.
5http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2014/03/four-blood-moons-in-2014-15-christs.html
6http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.in/2015/10/four-blood-moons-2-bloody-noses.html
7Ibid.
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