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PSALM 19…”THE HEAVENS DECLARE”…

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 19:1  “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

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19:2  “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.

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 19:3  “There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 

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19:4  “Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

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19:5  “Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

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19:6  “His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

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 19:7   “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
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19:8  “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
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19:9  “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
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 19:10  “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
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 19:11  “Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
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 19:12  “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
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 19:13  “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
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 19:14  “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

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Starry Night at La Silla – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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To write a comment, question, or suggestion, just click here…”Comments, Questions, Suggestions”

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A HEAVENLY HOBBY

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

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The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

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In this very interesting world, there are many, many, things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few. But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

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“WHEN YE SEE ALL THESE THINGS…LOOK UP & LIFT UP YOUR HEADS!”

(see Luke 21:25-28) 

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But having said this, there is one hobby which the ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize. Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich heavenly rewards.

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And unlike these people with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

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And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded. Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many aspects and hidden meanings to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

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ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

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Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses. Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk! What a great way to draw closer to God! (And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise.)

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THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

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Now of course, the Bible commands us to “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day. But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer. And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17. Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

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Astronomy Amateur Wikipedia share-alike license

Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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Click credit links below each pic, for licensing names/details/tags/etc.. Most pics cropped/reduced in size

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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“But they that escape of them shall escape,

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and shall be on the mountains

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like doves of the valleys,

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all of them mourning,

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every one for his iniquity.”

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Ezekiel 7:16

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LOCATING THIS CONSTELLATION

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THE TWO TURTLEDOVES CONSTELLATION… This constellation appears in early spring in the south. It moves from east to west during the night and slowly moves to the western horizon by fall. It is commonly known as Sagittarius. (The three stars at the top of the 2nd Turtledove are not shown in some Sagittarius Star-charts, but are in others.)

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Sagittarius Constellation star-chart from a wikipedia. Editor of this site has sketched in the Turtledoves. Star-chart is under Share-alike license

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GOD’S LAST CALL

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So these Two Turtledoves are a sign of witnessing to a lost and dying world. And it may just be that these Two Turtledoves are a sign of God’s last message to the world!

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Yes, the Bible says… “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:25-27.

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And so, if these signs are indeed a fulfillment of Luke’s prophecy, then these Two Turtle-Doves are definitely a symbol of God’s last message of mercy to this world!

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ABOVE PICTURE: summer constellations with Two Turtledoves

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TURTLEDOVES SYMBOLIZE BIRTH OF JESUS

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“And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they (Joseph and Mary) brought Him (Jesus) to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord…And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Luke 2:22, 24 

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This above passage makes this constellation group a symbol that Christ has come into the world. The sacrifice of two turtledoves was required for the birth of Jesus. 

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TWO DOVES SYMBOLIZE WITNESSING

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“And He called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;”  Mark 6:7 

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This above verse from the Gospel of Mark presents this idea of the number “two” symbolizing witnessing (see “Mercury & The Image Of The Beast“). The painting below shows Jesus sending out His Disciples, two-by-two, to proclaim the Gospel to anyone willing to listen.

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And capitalizing on the number “two”, God has created this Two Turtledoves Constellation, symbolizing God’s people, who are freed from death, so that they can carry the message of God’s love to fallen humanity (fallen humanity symbolized by the Flower of the Field Constellation. See sketch below).

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Since the number “two” is the number of “witness” in Scripture, then this constellation speaks of the “witness” of these “Two Turtledoves”. And speaking of sending messages, this “Two Turtledoves” Constellation is definitely sending us a very vital message from God! “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

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ABOVE PICTURE: Brooklyn Museum: Jesus Sent them out Two by Two (Il les envoya deux à deux)

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LIVING EPISTLES

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And so it is with this entire “Summer Constellation” Group. As the Disciples followed Jesus, they preached the Good News in every city. And it seems that God has given us this constellation group to remind us to do the same: preach the Gospel to a world covered in “gross darkness”. (see Isaiah 60:1, 2). And we in this affluent society, can financially support various faithful Gospel ministries, here, and abroad. Yes, for us living here, these are prosperous times. But for those in third-world nations, these are the years of famine and want. To a great degree, they have yet to hear about Jesus. And by our finances, that Gospel message can still be preached. 

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FLOWER  OF THE FIELD AND TWO TURTLEDOVES CONSTELLATIONS: These two constellations in the above sketch are the Two Turtledoves Constellation and the Flower of the Field Constellation. They appear in the southern skies, moving from east to west. They are best seen from spring through fall. This sketch is how they appear in the spring in the northern latitudes. In the southern latitudes they are more tilted. As they move through the night sky, the flower appears to bend down.

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KNOWN & READ OF ALL…

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But even though the Gospel has been heavily preached right here in our land, there is much we can do right in our own home, neighborhood and town. Yes, even though our fellow town’s people have heard about Jesus, they nevertheless need to SEE Jesus. 

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What this society needs now, is for us to purify our hearts that we will be more and more a “living epistle, known and read of all Mankind” (2nd Corinthians 3:2).

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And so, by thus-doing, our transformed lives will be a living testimony that proclaims to all, that of a truth, Christ is in us. And in this society, which often hears about Jesus, but seldom sees Jesus, we will become “living epistles, known and read of all”.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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FLOWER OF THE FIELD CONSTELLATION

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“The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field…The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:6, 8

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Let’s explore this companion constellation for a moment. This is the Flower of the Field Constellation. And this constellation is right next to these Two Turtledoves (sketch above right). And so, let’s see why God has placed it right next to these Turtledoves.

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This above passage from Isaiah, presents a very poetic concept of a very sad truth: that Mankind, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. And as it states, Man’s beauty and glory is like that little wild-flower, growing in a field of grass. Oh yes, Mankind does well for a little while. The beauty and strength of youth; the glory of a young and strong and prosperous society. All these things are like that little wild-flower in that field of grass. For a little while, they are bright and beautiful. But when the hot summer sun begins to bear down on them, they begin to wither and finally die.

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This is the vanity of life. This is even the vanity of nations! This is the result of our rebellion against Heaven, and our warfare against the God of Heaven.

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And this is the recompense of wanting to do things our way, instead of doing it God’s way.

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Star-chart by Wikipedia (sketched flower by webhost)

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TIME IS LIKE A SPEEDING TRAIN

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They say that time is like a speeding train! And before we know it, we arrive at the station! 

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Remember when we were young and brash. We mocked old people. We laughed at their “odd looks”, and “quirky ticks”, and “funny” mannerisms. We just didn’t realize how fast time passes. We just didn’t know that time never sleeps, till it “reaches the station”, so to speak. Young and foolish, we just didn’t understand how soon it would be until we were old and funny, now the ones being mocked by the next generation of the young. And God has placed the Flower of the Field Constellation (AKA Scorpio) to remind us of these things.

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train locomotive Hans Baluschek Anfahrender Schnellzug 1909 wikimedia public domain

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TURTLEDOVES WITNESS TO FLOWER

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“O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” Isaiah 40:9

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This above verse is a continuation of the previous passage (“All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field…The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”) Isaiah 40:6, 8.

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This passage now takes on a very special meaning. This passage tells us, not only of the vanity of Mankind, which is like, “the flower of the field”, but also that God wants His people to proclaim the Good Tidings to those who sit in darkness: both within the Church, and out there in society!

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Listen again, very carefully, as we quote this entire passage… “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field…The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, THAT BRINGS GOOD TIDINGS, LIFT UP THY VOICE WITH STRENGTH; LIFT IT UP, BE NOT AFRAID; SAY UNTO THE CITIES OF JUDAH, ‘BEHOLD YOUR GOD!'” Isaiah 40:6, 8, 9 (verse 7 left out for brevity)

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IT’S A FLOWER-OF-THE-FIELD WORLD!

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And it’s no accident that God has placed these two constellations together (“Flower” and “Turtledoves”) in the night-sky! They were placed in this position to remind us that we are to proclaim the Glad Tidings of Jesus to this sad, sad, world.

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And even though there are many who will not listen, there are many others, both old and young alike, who have come to realize the vanity (i.e., meaninglessness) and hopelessness of this flower-of-the-field-world we live in.

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Listen… “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he takes under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides for ever.” Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

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As this above passage reveals, this life is meaningless, because everyone finally dies, and all is forgotten!

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CHRISTIAN VICTORY

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“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle(dove) is heard in our land.”  Songs 2:12

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This above verse confirms this same this constellation group, but also confirms the idea of proclaiming the Gospel. In other words, the above verse from Song of Solomon has to do with God’s people at the time of victory, symbolized by spring.

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But there seems to be another prophetic meaning to this verse. It speaks of the time of the end. It speaks of the hour just before us, when God’s people finally prepared ourselves to properly proclaim the Glad Tidings to the world.

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TWO TURTLEDOVES IS ALSO THE ARK CONSTELLATION

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This is the constellation commonly known as the  Sagittarius Constellation  or the Teapot. But if you look at it in the southern sky in springtime or summertime, you can easily see it as two twin birds flying westward.

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This Two Turtledoves Constellation (left) is the same as, The Ark Constellation (right). This is an optical illusion. It can be seen in southern  sky in early spring through fall, travelling from east to west throughout the night.

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THE ANCIENT PAGAN CULTURES

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It’s a mystery why the ancients saw it as a centaur (man/horse). Maybe someone knows. If you look at the traditional pictures of a centaur, it doesn’t look like a centaur in the slightest respect! It looks like two twin birds flying towards the west. Oh yes, you could say it looks like this teapot. But a centaur…well…not really.

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Photos courtesy Wikipedia. Public domain.

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DOVES A SYMBOL OF EARTHLY POVERTY

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“And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.” Leviticus 5:7

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The above passage really makes a concise statement, concerning this Two Turtledoves Constellation. Because in Scripture, they symbolized earthly poverty, yet spiritual richness.

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The fact is, those who were too poor to offer a lamb, had the option to offer two turtledoves in stead.

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Listen to the Psalmist plead with God for deliverance… “O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.” Psalm 74:19. The Psalmist is referring to himself as a turtledove, but also as a poor person in the eyes of the world.

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This situation seems to have applied to Joseph and Mary at the time of Jesus’ birth.

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Listen… “They (Joseph & Mary) brought him to Jerusalem, to present Him (Jesus) to the Lord…And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves…” Luke 2:22, 24.

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Obviously, by this very revealing passage, Mary and Joseph were too poor to offer a lamb. So they offered two turtledoves in stead.

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Homing Carrier pigeon – cropped image – wikipedia share-alike lic.

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CHOOSE ONE WORLD, NOT BOTH!

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Only a True-Worshiper can understand what it means to be rich in Christ. Those who have left all to follow Jesus, have embarked on a pilgrimage which leads to eternal life and true riches. And having eternal life is worth more than all the riches this sin-darkened world could ever offer!

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On the other hand, the Devil will offer us a religion which offers both Heaven AND this World too! All such religion is worthless! (see picture to the right)

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Jesus says to each and every one of us… “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow Me.” Matthew 19:21.

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No, God may not be calling us to literally give away everything we have. But when we begin that upward heavenly journey, the things of this world begin to lose their luster and value, just like that old song…

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Listen… “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

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This old little song really says it all! When we look full into the face of Jesus, the things of the world lose their hold on us! The things of the world just don’t mean so much anymore!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Satan, The False Prophet who offers a world-loving gospel – www.signsofheaven.org

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A SYMBOL OF SPIRITUAL CLEANSING

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Turtledoves had another spiritual significance in Scripture. The two birds were also used in the purifying ceremony of lepers.

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Listen to Leviticus again… “Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop…”  Leviticus 14:4.

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Of course, these Old Testament cleansing rituals were a picture of SPIRITUAL cleansing. Before we become saved, we are filled with the leprosy of sin!

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Listen to David as he pleads for forgiveness in Psalms… ”Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalms 51:7.

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So by comparing spiritual things with spiritual, these Old Testament Laws begin to take on New Testament fulfillment, as they apply to us in a heavenly way. And so we begin to see why this constellation of Two Turtledoves is a double-entendre of the Ark of the Covenant Constellation: it speaks of the forgiveness of the soul and also, it speaks of the cleansing of the heart. (see picture left: ark is the box-like constellation to the far left)

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THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW MAN

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“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing…Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive…And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed…As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed…. let the living bird loose into the open field.” Leviticus 14:2, 4-7 (condensed for brevity)

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OK, so in the last little section above, it was discussed that turtle-doves were offered for the cleansing of leprosy. Well, for sin offerings they were both killed. But as this above passage points out, in “leprosy cleansing ceremonies”, there was one bird killed, and one let loose. This is most definitely an allusion to the concept of the cleansing which we receive, when we are washed in the life-giving blood of Jesus.

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Listen… “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6.

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So the Two Turtledoves symbolize the Believer’s “old man” being crucified together with Christ. This probably was a picture of the Lord Jesus who was sacrificed in our stead. The one bird was sacrificed, while the other bird which was let loose, represented us, who were set free from sin.

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Listen once again… “And he shall kill the one of the birds…the living bird, and dip…in the blood of the slain bird…But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:50-53 [condensed].

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So this passage makes very plain that one bird represents us, while the other represents the Lord Jesus, who we are to dip ourselves in His blood, just as the living bird was to be dipped into the blood of the slain bird.

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Photo courtesy Wikipedia. US Public domain.

Cross of Jesus Christ – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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TURTLEDOVES SYMBOLIZE GOD’S PEOPLE

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QUESTION : “Is there anywhere else where God compares us to birds?”

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ANSWER : Yes…indirectly… “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6. 

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And also this… “Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. ” Psalm 68:13.

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And this… “I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove,” Song of Solomon 5:2.

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And this… “My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her.” Psalm 6:9.

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And here’s another… “O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth.” Jeremiah 48:28 

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2 TURTLEDOVES CONSTELLATION: WAKE-UP CALL

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QUESTION: “Any other indirect comparisons to Believers and birds?”

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ANSWER : Yes, here’s one in Jeremiah…”Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtledove and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the LORD.”  Jeremiah 8:7.

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Now here is a wake-up call to all of us! God has placed these Two Turtledoves in the night heavens for such a time as this!

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This passage from Jeremiah says… “the turtledove… observe(s) the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the LORD.”

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So as we look up and lift up our eyes to this constellation in the night Heaven, we are reminded that Judgment Day is at the very doors!

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Photo courtesy Wikipedia share-alike license. Click here for link.

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SIGNS OF HEAVEN WEBSITE

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QUESTION : “I notice that these two birds are flying in the same direction as the other constellations you call “Arcturus with His Sons”. Is there something to this?”

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ANSWER : Thought you’d never ask! This became apparent in February 2011. Yes, this seems to be more proof-positive that Signs Of Heaven is on the right track in its proclamation of this Summer Constellation group representing Job 38:32… “Can you guide Arcturus with his sons?”..

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These two birds are flying in the same direction as is Arcturus. Of course, Arcturus ‘guiding his sons’ has to do with the basic concept of this website. That big, bright, and beautiful star, Arcturus fulfills that passage in Job as this star appears in the night sky. Arcturus appears as the Host which leads an entourage of constellations. And these constellations together, declare the Gospel story as told in Revelation Chapter 12.

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This unfolding story written in the Stars, along with the other Signs in the Sun, Moon, and planets revealed in this website together, are the fulfillment of Luke 21:25… “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;” Luke 21:25.

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You can read all about these signs by going to “Thumbnail Overview”.  (But this “Thumbnail Overview” article takes about an hour to read, so you need to block out ample time to read this fantastic article.)  

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TWO TURTLEDOVES SYMBOLIZE BEING SET FREE

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 QUESTION : “But if one of the birds was to be sacrificed, then why are both birds of this constellation, flying, alive and well?”

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ANSWER : Remember, that these constellations are based on the Bible principle…”Line must be upon line. Precept upon precept…here a little, there a little” Isaiah ch 28. These constellations are a culmination of many verses.

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Let’s remember what Hebrews says, regarding Old Testament sacrifices… “Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin You [God] desired not, neither had pleasure therein; which are offered by the law.” Hebrews 10:8.

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Jesus became our sacrifice and atonement for sin. Those animal sacrifices were only pointing to Him who became the perfect atonement for sin. Animal sacrifices are not needed, because Jesus paid it all, on the Cross. Hence these two birds are set free.

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TURTLEDOVES SYMBOLIZE SPIRITUAL REST

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“And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” Psalms 55:6

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QUESTION: “Do you have any other verses that support this concept of ‘escaping’?”

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ANSWER: “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Isaiah 124:7, 8.

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This concept goes very well with the turtle-dove. Just listen to the Psalmist… “I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.”  Psalms 38:15.

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Does this describe you? Don’t we often feel like a Mourning Dove as she coos and coos? So often in the life of a Believer, he or she goes in and out of one tribulation after another.

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As we constantly plead for deliverance, we mourn as we cry out to our Heavenly Father for deliverance.

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Old engraving of fowler with light-trap by wikipedia US Public Domain.  

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“…CHASTENED EVERY MORNING”

Psalms 73:14 

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QUESTION: “Your last answer mentioned “mourning” (“I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward:” Psalms 38:15). Are Christians supposed to mourn?”

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ANSWER: Yes. And listen to this similar passage… “But they that escape of them (the condemned) shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:16. 

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This passage and hundreds more in Scripture encourage Believer’s to take hold of the “Spirit of mourning”. It truly is a gift of the Holy Spirit (AKA, “a Dove”, see Matthew 3:16). Have you ever heard a dove coo? Well, the Believer is constantly crying out to God for deliverance from sin.

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Listen to this passage from that wisest of mortal men… “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” Ecclesiastes 7:4.

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This is an impossible idea for most people to accept. And most Christians don’t really accept this concept either.

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But just listen to the New Testament… “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God…Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” James 4:4, 9, 10.

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But though this is speaking to church-goers who still have worldliness in our heart, there will be a day coming in which God will wipe away every tear.

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Listen… “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalms 126:6 

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 Sophie Anderson – The Turtle Dove and Small Girl  – Wikipedia public domain

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BIRDS CAN SYMBOLIZE GOD’S PROTECTION

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QUESTION: “Are there any other concepts relating to this Two Turtledoves Constellation?”

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ANSWER: Here is a very interesting verse from Isaiah… “As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it.” Isaiah 31:5. 

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Of course this passage seems like a direct reference to this constellation group. But these chapters in Isaiah seem to be in reference to Judgment Day. But on the other hand, God has written much of the Bible to apply at any time, but also to the time of the end: a dual fulfillment. And God will be our Protector and Deliverer in the time of trouble! 

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TWO TURTLEDOVES: ICON OF ISAIAH, CH. 60

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“Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?” Isaiah 60:8

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The 60th chapter of Isaiah is one of the most encouraging chapters in the Old Testament. And this above verse 8 is a mysterious imagery, asking the question…  “Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?”

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Now of course, this verse has spiritual meaning, concerning the Gospel of Christ.

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But as you behold the Two Turtledoves Constellation (AKA Sagittarius), you will notice that they appear to be flying through the cloud-like Milky Way, which appears to be a Heavenly fulfillment of this above verse from Isaiah 60:8.

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But even though this verse 8 has been written by God in difficult language, it almost seems to carry on its wings, the entire 60th chapter of Isaiah!

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Listen… “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light…thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side…because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.” Isaiah 60:1-5 (condensed)

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Now time does not permit to present the entire 60th chapter of Isaiah. But let it suffice to be said that, Isaiah chapter 60 appears to reveal that there will be a vast throng from the lineage of Abraham, who will come to Salvation! 

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And yet, God has given this Two Turtledoves Constellation which seems to be the Heavenly icon of the 60th Chapter of Isaiah! Yes, this Heavenly icon appears to be speaking of the vast throngs of gentiles and wayward Christians who shall return to the Lord in these last days!

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DEAR CHRISTIAN: LET US “BE ON THE MOUNTAINS LIKE DOVES”

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“But they that escape

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of them shall escape,

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and shall be on the mountains

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like doves of the valleys,

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Ezekiel 7:16

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The above sketch is The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation, the Woman of Revelation 12 (Flees to the Wilderness), and the The Dragon of Revelation Constellation. The above sketch is a concept sketch. These three constellations are not in this position in the night sky. So please don’t try to find them together like this. Most all of the other sketches on this website have the constellation in the correct position, unless otherwise noted. For locations of each of these Constellations, please go to the article for that particular constellation.

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THE END

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A HEAVENLY HOBBY

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

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ABOVE PICTURE – Starry Night at La Silla – cropped  and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

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In this busy work-a-day world, there are many very interesting things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few.

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But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart… “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

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The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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But having said this, there is one hobby which every ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize.

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Yes, Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich, heavenly rewards. Everlasting rewards!

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And unlike the person in this photo with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

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And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded.

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Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many nuances and hidden biblical truths to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

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Astronomy Amateur – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25

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ABOVE CHART: Summer Constellations with Doves (Sagittarius) & Woman (Ursa Major)

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FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS

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The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations: Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper).

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These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars).

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And just as these are the easiest constellations to find, so too, the first place to begin studying the Bible is the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

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These four books present Christ and His Church, when He walked the earth, just as Orion and the 7 Stars represent Christ and His Church, as seen up in the heavens.

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Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Orion the Soldier and the Revelation 12 Dragon (Hyades & Pleiades, etc.) – winter constellations – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial use

ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

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Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses…

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Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk? What a great way to draw closer to God!

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It cannot be over-stressed, just how wonderful it is to walk under the dark canopy of Heaven, while lifting up one’s heart to our Heavenly Father! There is a closeness to God that cannot be described with words!

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(And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise.

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And for those who are in confinement, one can view these starry signs on the Internet, or simply listen to Scripture on audio.

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Either way, all such may enjoy God’s richest blessings at this very time in which God is pouring out all Heaven’s treasures upon anyone willing to forsake all, and follow Jesus!)

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and latered image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

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Now of course, the Bible commands us to, “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day.

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But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer.

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And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17.

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Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

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Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – public domain

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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, tags, etc.. Most Images cropped/reduced in size.

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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You may also click here to read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3,

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“DISCOVERING BIBLE CONSTELLATIONS”

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PART 4…SIGNS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

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About the same time (mid-80’s) that I was first seeing these heavenly signs in the stars, there also began to appear signs in the solar system.

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At this point in time, I did not see this as fulfillment of what God says in Luke…“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;” Luke 21:25

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On the other hand, I had no problem believing that God had purposely created the solar system to teach us spiritual truth. But there were still a lot of signs in the stars, which I had not yet been shown. So I really didn’t think too much about all this.

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Nevertheless, “the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork”. (see Psalm 19:1). The starry host is God’s handiwork.  

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And the signs in the Sun, Moon, and stars were placed by God long ago, to present a message in these last days just prior to the end. This message is very Biblical.

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And it is a very pertinent message, in these confusing times: confusion both in the world, and also in God’s house.

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13 CLUES TO PROVE

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM SYMBOLIZES

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

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At about this same time period (mid-80’s), it became noticeable of a correlation between the solar system and the Law of God, as presented in what the Bible calls the Ten Commandments.

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Now this relationship between our solar system and the 10 Commandments has not yet been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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But there is overwhelming evidence that suggests such a relationship exists.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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CLUE #1–10 HEAVENLY BODIES = 10 COMMANDMENTS?

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The first great clue is that there are 10 members of our solar system, the Sun being the 1st heavenly member.

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The 9 revolving orbs around the Sun seem to give us a picture of the 10 Commandments.

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Now there are many lately, who say there are only eight major planets revolving around the Sun. They say that Pluto is too small, and should not be considered as one of the major planets.

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But Pluto is only somewhat less in size than Mercury, and there’s no discussion about Mercury being taken off the list. And Pluto has moons, too: five moons, we are told.

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It’s just that Pluto is not so close to the Sun, as is Mercury; otherwise there would be no debate about Pluto’s inclusion. So also, the 10th Commandment is the farthest Commandment away from the 1st Commandment.

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But later in this article, it will be shown that the 10th Commandment may just be one of the closest Commandments to the 1st Commandment. But how is that possible? Well you’ll just have to read on to find out.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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1st ORB: THE SUN = 1ST COMMANDMENT

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“Thou shall have no other gods before Me”

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CLUE #2– Pagan gods assigned to planets by Mankind

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One great clue was, that if the Sun would correspond to the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me”, I began to wonder at the names which Mankind has given to the planets, all named after pagan gods: Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, etc… are all names of ancient pagan deities.

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I then began to relate the Sun corresponding to the first Commandment… “You shall have no other gods before Me”, which just so happens to be surrounded by planets named after pagan gods.

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It would seem that God has allowed Mankind (under the influence of “the god of this world“, of course) to name these planets after pagan gods, in order to make a very poignant statement: that statement being, that we citizens of this planet are in rebellion against God, therefore, we have other gods.

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And just as those planets (named after pagan gods) encircle the Sun (The Sun representing God many times in the Bible), so too this human race has placed our affections on other things: our time, energy, and affections, which should have been only given to our Creator/Savior.

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So God has set up this solar system to present this concept of the Sun (Christ) being surrounded by our many other gods (i.e., the 9 planets, named after pagan gods).

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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CLUE #3–BIBLE COMPARES CHRIST TO SUN

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“For the LORD God is a sun and shield:” Psalm 84:11 

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The Bible compares the Sun to God…“For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven…But unto you that fear my name shall the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS arise with healing in His wings…Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.” Malachi 4:1-4.  

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Notice that this passage not only compares the Sun to Christ, but also brings up the Ten Commandments as well! So here God is making  a reference, not only to Christ as the Sun, but to the Law of Moses.

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Here in this above passage, is a veiled reference to, not only the Sun, but also to the Ten Commandments.

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Actual Sunset – Wikimedia Commons – Share-alike License

The Ten Commandments on granite on Buckland Beacon in eastern Dartmoor. – cropped image – wikipedia share-alike license

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CHRIST IS THE DAYSTAR WHICH WILL ARISE IN OUR HEART

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On this same subject of Christ being represented by the Sun, is another similar passage,  “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the DAY STAR arise in your hearts…” 2nd Peter 1:19 

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This verse refers to Christ as the “Day Star”.

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There is one star that shines in daytime: the Sun. But God makes the reference here to the day-star in our hearts: Christ in our hearts.

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If you take this passage and the previous passage, you begin to comprehend just what God is saying regarding the “Sun of Righteousness” rising. He is speaking of the “Day-Star” arising in our hearts, as 2nd Peter tells us here! And why should it be such a surprise that the Day Star will arise in our hearts?

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Just listen to Jesus… “He (Jesus) answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you…” Luke 17:20, 21.

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So now it begins to be seen that when God compares Himself to the Sun, He is speaking in relation to that Day-Star which shall arise in our hearts. 

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And with Christ, that Day-Star, dwelling in our hearts, we would then have the Kingdom of God within, thus fulfilling the passage… “for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you…” 

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For more on this subject of the Day-Star, go to… “Castor and Pollux (Part 2: The Return of Christ & The Dawning of the Day)”

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sunrise on Biwa_Lake – wikipedia – share-alike license

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CLUE #4–SUN’S BRIGHTNESS = GOD’S BRIGHTNESS

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When God spoke with Moses, He told Moses that His brightness, no man could look upon and live.

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The Sun, which people cannot look directly at, fitly represents God in this respect, too. “And He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live.” Exodus 33:20.

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So now it begins to come to light, that the Sun’s brightness is a picture of God’s brightness.

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Here is another verse, which compares the Lord to the Sun… “Arise, shine; for THY LIGHT IS COME, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to THY LIGHT, and kings to the BRIGHTNESS OF THY RISING.” Isaiah 60:1-3. 

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In this verse, God is over and over again comparing Himself in various ways to the very bright rising Sun.

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And the darkness spoken of here is that spiritual darkness which pervades this sin-darkened world, as well as the sin-darkened hearts of unconverted men. 

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Jamaica_sunrise-Adam-L.-Clevenger-wikipedia.jpg

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CLUE #5–SUN’S SIZE COMPARES TO OUR GREAT GOD 

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Another comparison to God and the Sun is how great in size is the Sun to the other planets.

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For instance, you could fit a million Planet Earths inside the Sun! Of course, God is infinite in size. Nevertheless, the Sun gives perspective about God’s vastness!

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Listen to Scripture… “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and Heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” 1st kings 8:27 .

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This verse only confirms what is already known…that God is measureless and colossal beyond anything that can be comprehended.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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SUN: A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THIS THEORY…

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So God, who is the essence of the Law is fitly represented in Scripture, by the Sun of our solar system.

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This makes a very firm foundation in which to build a case for the other planets representing the other 9 commandments.

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For a closer look at the question, “Does the Sun represent Christ?”, just click the following link, “Signs In The Sun”

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Sunrise_over_the_sea by Bogdan for wikipedia share-alike license

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2ND ORB: MERCURY = 2ND COMMANDMENT

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“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,

or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above,

or that is in the earth beneath,

or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:” 

Exodus 20:5

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CLUE #6–MERCURY…THE SUN’S LITTLE BUDDY

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As discussed elsewhere in this website, the Sun seems to correspond to the First Commandment.

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Likewise, Mercury, which is the second heavenly sphere in our solar system, seems to correspond very nicely to the Second Commandment. Both the second heavenly sphere (Mercury) and the Second Commandment (no images) are closest to the ‘Sun’.

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That is to say, just as planet Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, so is the Second Commandment right next to the First Commandment (as already stated, God compares himself to the Sun many times in Scripture).

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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WHY THE NUMBER, “2”?

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And God put the commandment about images as the second Commandment for a very important reason.

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Jesus says to us today, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12.

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And as Jesus speaks of following Him, it is seen that this number “two’ relates to “me and Jesus”. This is the great lesson to be learned by the number “two”. As the Christian meditates upon the Bible, through his or her day, there is an imperceptible merging of two hearts: the heart of God with the heart of the Believer. This is the essence of the 2nd Commandment. And though that commandment is written in the negative tense (“Thou shalt not…”), this merging of God and the Believer would be the implied positive sense of that commandment. 

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In other words, if the 2nd Commandment states “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me”, then the implied positive message of this command is, “You shall have Me (Christ) as your closest companion”, which Mercury, the closest companion to the Sun seems to agree.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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MERCURY: “EVIL COMMUNICATIONS CORRUPTS”

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THE DANGER OF EVIL ASSOCIATIONS

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“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Corinthians 6:17, 18 

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But this concept of the number “two” has a negative side to it as well. After all, the second Commandment (not making & bowing to graven images) is written in the negative sense, i.e., “Thou shalt not…”.

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The above passage by Paul warns Christians that bad associations have a corrupting influence. Whoever we keep company with, has an influence on our own behavior. We begin to grow into the image of those with whom we constantly associate.

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Just listen… “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”  Prov. 13:20. So the number “2” speaks of this very concept. We can be the companion of the wise, or we can be the companions of fools.

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And because the  commandment regarding “images” is the 2nd Commandment, there is a need to explore this concept much more thoroughly.

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“EVIL COMMUNICATIONS CORRUPTS…”

1st Corinthians 15:33

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Listen… “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3.

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Here we see that God is really bringing out this concept of the number “2”. 

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Christians need to be really careful about our associations. As the old saying goes, “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are”.

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What attributes rule the heart of a man.

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(For a more in-depth look at this argument about Mercury being compared to the 2nd Commandment, just click the following link…”Mercury & the 2nd Commandment”)

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3RD ORB: VENUS = 3RD COMMANDMENT

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“Thou shalt not take the name

of the LORD thy God in vain;

for the LORD will not hold him guiltless

that taketh His name in vain.”

Exodus 20:7

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CLUE #7–Jesus, The Bright and Morning Star

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“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am…the bright and morning star.” Revelation 22:16.

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It is Venus, the 3rd sphere in our solar system, which is commonly known as the Morning Star.

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Like a big beautiful diamond, it graces the pre-dawn sky (And the evening sky too!)

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A case could be made for the above verse, Jesus calling Himself, “The bright and Morning Star” to be referring to either Venus, or even perhaps the Sun.

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But since this article has already established that the Sun represents Christ, it should be explored for a moment the possibility that this verse refers to Venus, as “the bright and Morning Star”.

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Venus pacific levelled by Brocken Inaglory Wikipedia share-alike license

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3RD ORB: VENUS = 3RD COMMANDMENT

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GOD’S NAME DEFINED BY HIS QUALITIES

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“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7. So what does this third Commandment have to do with Jesus? And why would Jesus single out this planet to represent Himself?

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God’s name means so much more than just a word. God’s name is truly defined by His attributes. Just listen to Scripture… “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6.

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So we see here that God is defining His name by His qualities.

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Terrestrial_planet_size_comparisons Earth & Venus-NASA wikipedia public domain

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3RD ORB: VENUS = 3RD COMMANDMENT & JESUS ON THE SHORE IN THE MORNING

John 21

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In the letters to the 7 Churches of Asia, Jesus promises to anyone of Thyatira who remains faithful… “And I will give him the morning star.” Revelation 2:28.

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Just as the Morning Star appears after the long dark night, so too, Jesus will shine on the morning after the long night of woe and tribulation which Believers must endure.

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JESUS, THE MORNING STAR, APPEARS TO DISCIPLES

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This concept seems to be illustrated in the Book of John when the disciples saw Jesus waiting alone for them on the shore after His resurrection.

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The disciples had just been through the horrible experience of Jesus’ trial, scourging, and crucifixion. All of them had abandoned Jesus. Peter had even denied knowing Him. But now they needed healing. Now they needed the loving, healing touch of Jesus. “But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.” John 21:4.

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There were 7 disciples including Peter, James, and John. Judas of course, was not there. The dark night had passed. It was now morning. Jesus was waiting on the other shore for these 7 faithful ones. Jesus was preparing food for them.

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He was about to restore Peter, who had played the fool before the angry and accusing mob.

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tissot-meal-of-our-lord-and-the-apostles-public domain

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WE TOO ARE LIKE PETER

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And these 7 faithful disciples are perhaps, a picture of all of us who endure our own long night of woe and doubt.

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Many of us will have likewise denied Jesus, as did Peter, as we mingle with unbelievers, as did Peter.

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But like Peter, we will have thoroughly repented and become converted. Jesus, the bright and Morning Star, will likewise be waiting on the other shore for us, too.

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He will have a wonderful supper prepared for us as well. (So maybe that 8th disciple in this picture, which you can’t see his or her face, represents you!)

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Tissot – The Sorrow of Peter – Joyful Heart.com

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3RD ORB: VENUS = 3RD COMMANDMENT

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JUDAS TOOK THE LORD’S NAME IN VAIN

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So what does all this have to do with the 3rd Commandment?

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Simple. Judas had taken God’s name in vain. No, Judas didn’t use God’s name as a curse word. But the old English word, vain, or vanity, simply means “meaningless”. And Judas professed to be a follower of Jesus.

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But Judas loved this present world. He didn’t really want to follow Jesus with all his heart and soul. And so his pretense of being a Christian was a false profession, making Judas guilty of taking the name of the Lord in vain.

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Just listen…“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Proverbs 30:8, 9.

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So here is seen that taking the Lord’s name in vain is much more than merely cursing. And Judas was a thief.

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And all those who rob God by seeking after the things of this world are in the same camp with Judas; thieves who are taking the name of the Lord in vain.

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The-Last-Supper-large WIKIPEDIA US public domain.

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WORLDLY-MINDED WILL NOT BE THERE

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So just as Judas was absent from that encounter with Jesus on the other shore, so too, all who love this present world will not taste of the Lord’s supper, which is prepared for all those who love God supremely.

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The faithful ones will have overcome this world, and will receive the “Morning Star” …

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Just listen… “And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations…And I will give him the Morning Star. ” Revelation 2:26.

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All who receive the Morning Star will NOT have taken the Lord’s name in vain.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – company’s-coming 

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4TH ORB: EARTH = 4TH COMMANDMENT

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“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” 

Exodus 20:8

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CLUE #8–4th planet=4th Commandment…

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As I was contemplating this seeming correspondence (and it’s only a theory) between the solar system and the Ten Commandments, I was amazed to realize that our planet…planet Earth corresponds to the 4th commandment, regarding the 7th Day Rest.  

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This realization seemed to further the weight of evidence in favor of this theory that God purposely created the solar system to make this beautiful analogy, written in the heavens. After all, Earth is the planet that God has created to correspond to the commandment which is all about peace and rest (rest unto your soul. see Matthew 11:28-30). And the fact is, nothing could be further from the truth, when one considers the horrific crimes that occur on a daily basis here on planet Earth.

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Nevertheless, Earth stands as a monument to the Fourth Commandment of “rest”. And no doubt, God, who knows all things, made it that way as a standing rebuke (actually an ORBITING rebuke) to Mankind’s rebellion and lawlessness.

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Photo courtesy NASA & Wikipedia, Public Domain image.

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SIGNS IN HEAVEN: A HEAVENLY HOBBY!

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As I have already mentioned in Part 2, I was taking regular walks each day.

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And as I said, walking and praying really go well together. And couple this with star-gazing, and it really makes a great combination. 

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The point to all this is: these Signs In Heaven, given to us by God, have real meaning.

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Oh yes, in order to locate some of them takes a lot of effort.

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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A MEANINGFUL HOBBY

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But why not make these Signs Of Heaven into a heavenly hobby? 

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It costs absolutely nothing! It only requires two good legs (or a wheelchair), and two good eyes (or glasses). There’s no licenses to buy, and no expenses, except perhaps gasoline, if you have to get away from city lights. It can make a great addition to any camping trip. It’s a great witnessing tool! And it pays off in spiritual rewards, once you do begin to find them!

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And it is a real faith-builder when you realize that this entire universe was strategically placed in the exact order to give us these signs!

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And once you do discover what an awesome message from the Lord, this really is, you will know for a certainty, that your time invested was more than well-spent.

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Just something to think about.

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5TH ORB: MARS = 5TH COMMANDMENT

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“Honour thy father and thy mother:

that thy days may be long upon the land

which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

Exodus 20:12

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CLUE #9–THE RED PLANET & ONE BLOOD OF GOD’S FAMILY

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“And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” Acts 17:26

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This above verse reveals that God has made “of one blood all nations of men.”

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This commandment is all about family. Mentioned here is “thy father and mother”. Being the 5th Commandment, the number “5” represents family. So often in Scripture, the number five is used in connection with either God’s children, or…the Devil’s children. Remember the parable of the Five Wise & The Five Foolish Virgins?

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This is what the number “5” is all about in Scripture.

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Mars atmosphere – NASA – Wikipedia – public domain

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WE ARE ALL OF ONE BLOOD

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The reddish color of Mars reminds us of blood. And blood likewise reminds us of “family”.

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Listen to Scripture… “And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men.”  Acts 17:26.

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So it would appear that God has created this 5th sphere to be a picture of family. And of course, the 5th Commandment is all about family. Listen to Jesus speaking of the number “five”… “For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Luke 12:52, 53.

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Here Jesus provides further confirmation of this number “five” being the chosen number to represent “family”.

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And there are further confirmations, as well.

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Bible Study Group – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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 6TH & 7TH ORB: JUPITER & SATURN 

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AND THE 6TH & 7TH COMMANDMENTS

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6th Commandment–

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Exodus 20:13

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7TH Commandment–

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Exodus 20:14

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CLUE #10–ENORMOUS SIZE OF THESE TWO PLANETS

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Here is another clue.

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Aside from the enormous size of the Sun, the other two enormous planets are the 6th and 7th planets.

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This too would seem fitting. Just think how heinous are those two commandments… “You shall not kill”, and “You shall not commit adultery.”

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The enormous size of these two planets compared to the other 7 planets, tells how much God hates those crimes.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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CLUE #11–RINGS OF SATURN…

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…As far as the Sun and planets compared to the 10 commandments, there is one more big clue.

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The 7th commandment is, “You shall not commit adultery.”

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If you will look at Saturn, (which would correspond to the 7th commandment), you will notice the ring around that planet.

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Here are Bible verses concerned with rings…    

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RING=GOD’S HANDS… “His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl…This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.” Songs 5:14

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RING=COUPLING… “And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring.” Exodus 26:2

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RING=KINGLY COVENANT… “…and sealed with the king’s ring.” Esther 3:12

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RING=KINGLY FAVOR… “And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai.” Esther 8:

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RING=UNBRAKEABLE LAW… “Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse. ” Esther 8:8

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RING=FAVOR… “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ”  Luke 15:22

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rings Anillos wikipedia public domain –

Wax_seal_with_impression_of_uppercase_letter_A wikipedia share-alike license

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RINGS OF SATURN: CONCLUSION:

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RING = UNBREAKABLE COVENANT

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Rings were used in the temple service to couple things together.

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Rings were also used by kings to be the seal of unbreakable laws.

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By putting these verses together, it would seem that a ring would symbolize a coupling together, in a favorable relationship, such as a covenant…an irreversible covenant…one blessed by the King. Does this sound like a marriage covenant?

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And so it would appear that the ring is a fitting symbol of marital fidelity.

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And so the 7th commandment (You shall not commit adultery) seems to align with the 7th member of our solar system.  The ring speaks of the marriage covenant.

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It speaks of marital fidelity.

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It also speaks of fidelity to the King.       

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rings Anillos wikipedia public domain –

Wedding ring-JH – cropped image – wikipedia share-alike license

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8TH & 9TH ORB: URANUS & NEPTUNE 

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AND THE 8TH & 9TH COMMANDMENTS

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8TH Commandment– 

“Thou shalt not steal.”

Exodus 20:15

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9TH Commandment– 

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

Exodus 20:16

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CLUE #12– Enormous size of these twin planets and the enormous sins of lying and stealing

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Here again, these two planets are enormous compared to the other planets, making Planet Earth look like a dwarf planet.

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And again, the sins of lying and stealing are enormous sins. Howbeit, not as enormous as the 6th & 7th planets. Lying and Stealing are not quite as enormous as Murder and Adultery. So here again, the size of these two planets is only further proof that indeed the solar system seems to correspond to the 10 Commandments.

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In other words, the great size of these four mega-planets, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, seems to correspond to the enormity of each of those sins. 

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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10TH ORB: PLUTO = 10th COMMANDMENT

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“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house,

thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife,

nor his manservant, nor his maidservant,

nor his ox, nor his ass,

nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

Exodus 20:17

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PLUTO–WALLFLOWER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

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There is a contention among astronomers concerning whether Pluto, the 10th member of our solar system, should be grouped with the other 8 planets, or if it’s too small to be considered among the other major planets.

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But Pluto is only somewhat smaller than Mercury, and Pluto does have 5 moons. In other words, it’s not just some irregular-shaped chunk of rock.

Pluto wikipedia public domain

(The photo is a painting of Pluto, seen from the surface of one of it’s moons. From NASA)

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THE MINOR PLANETS

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There are a few minor orbs which have been discovered.

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One of these, Eris, is slightly smaller than Pluto, and has been considered by many astronomers, as reason enough to reconsider Pluto being numbered with the other major planets. Well, there is a disagreement between astronomers as to whether there are 8 or 9 major planets.

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The answer to this can possibly be found in the 10th Commandment… “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” Exodus 20:17.  

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This commandment is about coveting objects that do not belong to you. Lucifer coveted God’s house. Lucifer coveted God’s Heaven, and those who dwelt in God’s universe. Lucifer wanted to be like God. He ultimately wanted to rule the universe.

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And so, maybe these dwarf planets together symbolize the many objects which this 10th Commandment is warning against coveting. Maybe these dwarf planets, together represent God’s house, which Lucifer coveted.

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Just a theory.

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Well, these dwarf planets are a puzzlement to this theory concerning our solar system being compared to the 10 Commandments. But that is why this is only a theory.

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Pluto 1 – 516 NASA

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CANNOT SEE ALL THE PLANETS

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One great problem with our solar-system, is that we cannot see all the evidence with our eyes.

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And so, we must take the word of astronomers, which may or may not be reliable. In contrast, the signs in the stars (and Moon and Sun) can be seen with our eyes. And so, for instance, the Constellation Orion plainly appears as a soldier.

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And so, we can be confident about Orion appearing as a soldier.

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So here is the problem with much of the solar-system, because we simply have to take the word of others on these matters.

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Starry Night at La Silla – altered image – cropped and Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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CLUE #13–10 COMMANDMENTS SEEM TO BE SPHERICAL

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As I stood back and gazed at the 10 Commandments, I saw something very interesting.

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This 10th planet corresponds to the commandment which forbids coveting. Coveting is idolatry.

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Just listen to this… “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication…covetousness, which is idolatry:”  Colossians 3:5.

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Here God says that covetousness is idolatry.

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And as we all know, idols are gods. Idols can be anything a person places an inordinate amount of affection upon. Gods can be anything: cars, houses, sports, careers, children, spouses, money, amusements, exotic places, respectability, music, leisure, work, orthodoxy, etc., etc… You name it, whatever it is, it can become our god, if we let it be.

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But the point to this is just this: The 10th Commandment and the 1st Commandment (“Thou shall have no other gods before ME.”) are so similar that they are essentially connected. They both forbid having other gods.

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And being connected as these two commandments are, it begins to appear as if the 10 Commandments are circular, or perhaps spherical.

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So here is a clue that has been overlooked. Perhaps the greatest clue in this theory about the solar system and the 10 Commandments.

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Because like our solar system is a system of spheres making spherical orbits, so too, the 10 Commandments now appear to likewise be spherical in nature.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

Ten Commandments Monument wikipedia-public domain

Eternity_ring wikipedia share-alike license

Ten_Commandments_Monument-wikipedia-public domain

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SIGNS IN THE MOON c.1988…

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At some point in time (around 1988), it began to appear that there was a human face etched the moon, via the craters. (This can only be seen when the moon is full). There was no trouble accepting this, since God is God. He’s infinite. If God wishes to bombard the Moon with meteors, in order to make a statement, why is that such an impossible idea? As I would walk down the streets at night, I would often stop…and turn my head sideways, so to get a look at these other faces. I didn’t know exactly what this all meant.

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But it was noticeable also, if you tilt your head left or right, you can see two other faces. And while the first face is that of a man, these two other faces were each a combination of  a man/beast.

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TWO/THIRDS = .666

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So it began to appear that the moon is a picture of the three divisions of God’s house. Two-thirds (or .666) are that of a man/beast combination, and one-third is that of a man. This goes along with the Beast of Revelation 13 as well as the “Mark of the Beast” announcement of Revelation 14.

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Now this is a very complicated subject, and by clicking on the following link, you can get a more complete study on this subject.

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(Click here for a more comprehensive explanation… “Moon Into Blood Trilogy”)

Moon – by James Bowe – 3rd Face – cropped & highlighted photo – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Moon – Public Domain – 2nd face Pharisee Scorner – by Cezar Popescu for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain – cropped, highlighted & rotated photo

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“MOON SHALL NOT GIVE HER LIGHT”…Matthew 24…

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At some point in time, the Moon, Earth, and Sun began to appear as a “heavenly parable”. That is to say, if the Moon is a picture of God’s house, and the Sun is a picture of Christ. Then the Moon reflects the light of the Sun, giving a picture of how a Christian is to reflect the light of Jesus (the ‘Sun of Righteousness’ (Malachi 4) ) to a sin-darkened world.

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But it also became apparent that when the world comes between the Sun and Moon, there occurs an eclipse. The Moon stops reflecting the light from the Sun. So this connection began to become evident. The Christian must not let the world eclipse our view of Christ, the “sun of righteousness”. You can explore this concept by reading the following article… “Lunar Eclipse & Spiritual Eclipse”

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Moon – Lunar Eclipse by Jiyang Chen – Wikipedia – share-alike-license

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CONCLUSION…

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So this concludes Part 4, a thumbnail account of the timeline and story of how and when God revealed these heavenly signs. New information seems to be continuing to be revealed. The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and the constellations herein give a wonderful picture of the Gospel, and a poetic narrative of the infinite love of God for a planet in rebellion. May God grant you grace and peace and confirmation as you explore further into this heavenly story, of the Signs In Heaven.

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Space photos on this page courtesy NASA, and are public domain.

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SHOULD THEORIES BE TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM?   

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Just imagine if these things were taught to school children today. The heavens would be an object lesson to our young ones. Little Johnny would look up at the Sun and think…

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“What an awesome, holy God we have! Like the bright Sun, our God is too brilliant to fully comprehend! And just look how enormous the Sun is, compared to the Earth. God is a big God!” 

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Just imagine our school children beholding the enormous size of the 6th and 7th heavenly bodies (Jupiter & Saturn) , and thinking… “If those two planets equal the 6th and 7th Commandments, then it must be real serious to violate them. Real serious.”    

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And just imagine if they were taught to relate our planet to the 4th Commandment. By looking at this selfish, troubled world, they could realize the turmoil and unhappiness that results from leaving the rest that we were supposed to enjoy with our Creator.

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Little Johnny would think… “What did we (the world) give up, in order to please our own selves? Now we have wars, famines, sickness, death, etc, etc.”

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If we can teach the theory of evolution to our kids “without batting an eye”, why would this theory be such a bad thing to teach our kids? After all, to realize that there is a big, big, God up there, just might solve some big, big, problems down here!

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Picture above right: Little Johnny recites 10 Commandments…in order…(we wish)

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Children In a Classroom-wikipedia-Public Domain

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THE END

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A HEAVENLY HOBBY

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

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ABOVE PICTURE – Starry Night at La Silla – cropped  and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

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In this busy work-a-day world, there are many very interesting things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few.

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But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart… “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

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The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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But having said this, there is one hobby which every ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize.

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Yes, Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich, heavenly rewards. Everlasting rewards!

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And unlike the person in this photo with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

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And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded.

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Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many nuances and hidden biblical truths to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

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Astronomy Amateur – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25

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ABOVE CHART: Summer Constellations with Doves (Sagittarius) & Woman (Ursa Major)

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FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS

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The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations: Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper).

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These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars).

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And just as these are the easiest constellations to find, so too, the first place to begin studying the Bible is the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

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These four books present Christ and His Church, when He walked the earth, just as Orion and the 7 Stars represent Christ and His Church, as seen up in the heavens.

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Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Orion the Soldier and the Revelation 12 Dragon (Hyades & Pleiades, etc.) – winter constellations – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial use

ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

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Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses…

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Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk? What a great way to draw closer to God!

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It cannot be over-stressed, just how wonderful it is to walk under the dark canopy of Heaven, while lifting up one’s heart to our Heavenly Father! There is a closeness to God that cannot be described with words!

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(And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise.

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And for those who are in confinement, one can view these starry signs on the Internet, or simply listen to Scripture on audio.

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Either way, all such may enjoy God’s richest blessings at this very time in which God is pouring out all Heaven’s treasures upon anyone willing to forsake all, and follow Jesus!)

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and altered image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

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Now of course, the Bible commands us to, “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day.

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But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer.

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And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17.

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Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

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Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – public domain

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Click credit links below each pic, for licensing names/details/tags/etc.. Most pics cropped/reduced in size

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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“SUN SHALL BE DARKENED”

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 The Bible speaks of the Sun being darkened in various passages, such as this… “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall THE SUN BE DARKENED, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven:  Matthew 24:29-30.

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Here is seen a prophetic scenario to be fulfilled in these times: “the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light.”

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And there are other similar passages, such as this… “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, and the Moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” Joel 2:30-32.

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But how are we to understand this? Will the Moon be turned to literal blood?

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Or are these things to be understood figuratively?

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And why is the Moon spoken of as “her”?

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Picture to right courtesy of Luc Viatour for wikipedia.  GNU Free Documentation License.

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NON-BIBLICAL HERMENEUTIC

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“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1st Corinthians 2:14

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There is a false idea circulating in Christendom today that says that Scripture must be literally interpreted as far as possible. In other words, the Bible must be understood literally unless the context demands an allegorical interpretation.

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But the Bible encourages spiritual interpretation, as long as it is done so according to Scripture, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. And so there are many sincere Christians who are shut out from much Biblical light, by this baseless and un-scriptural hermeneutic.

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And this non-biblical hermeneutic has caused many Christians to stumble, not understanding these prophecies concerning the last days, in which “the Sun shall be darkened”. Many just cannot understand that the Bible must be spiritually discerned. And so they look at these prophecies and insist that they must be fulfilled literally.

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Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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A SPIRITUAL EVENT

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But by comparing, “spiritual things with spiritual” (see 1st Corinthians 2:13), this article will attempt to show that the Sun being darkened, in the coming time of trouble, will be a spiritual event, and not necessarily a literal one.

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So please take a few moments to consider these things, and see if the Bible reveals precious light concerning these things. And in so-doing, we might just find that our own pathway of truth becomes a little brighter.

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Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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PATH OF THE JUST & WAY OF THE WICKED

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“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” Proverbs 4:18, 19

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The above passage from Proverbs speaks of the two classes of people living upon the Earth: Those who walk the ever-brightening pathway of truth, and those who walk in spiritual darkness. This is perhaps one of the greatest metaphors of Scripture: that Jesus is that Light. But Jesus can only truly be revealed through a humble, prayerful searching of the Scriptures.

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Listen… “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13.

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But sadly, those who choose rather to direct their time and energies toward the pleasures and adventures and the cares and aspirations of this present world, may be left to walk through this life in darkness. But those who walk toward the Light of Life will find it. All such will joyfully discover that… “…the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18

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Pilgrim in a Rocky Valley by Carl Gustav Carus wikimedia US public domain

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“SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES”

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So just how do we find the ever-brightening pathway of the Just?

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Well, listen again to Jeremiah… “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Notice that this verse promotes the idea of finding the Lord. But how does the Christian search for Christ?

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The Bible says… “Search the scriptures…they are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39. Jesus is revealed all through the Bible: both in the Old, as well as in the New Testaments.

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The Old Testament however, was the Gospel of Jesus, found in types and shadows. In it, Christ was hidden, to a great extent, within the symbolic ceremonies and various object lessons found within the Law. But all these pointed forward to the coming Messiah.

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Listen… “Then He (Jesus) said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27.

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As this passage reveals, Christ is found all through the Old Testament. But He must be found through a spiritual understanding of the various ceremonies, holy days, and laws found in the Old Testament, which are like signs, or like shadows, pointing us to Christ. 

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theholyofholies-www.thebiblerevival.com-public domain

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“SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES”

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So if we are ever going to understand these spiritual things, we must study the comparable Bible passages, and by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual”.

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And by so-doing, we might gain and understanding of what the Bible actually means, concerning the Sun being darkened.

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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BIBLE SPEAKS REPEATEDLY OF THE SUN

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“For the LORD God is a sun and shield:” Psalm 84:11 

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The Bible repeats this concept from start to finish. Such passages as this one, speak of spiritual light and darkness… “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 2nd Peter 1:19

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Christ here compares Himself to the “day star” (the Sun). Here is a remarkable revelation concerning the last days. That Christ will be “the day-star” which arises in our hearts at the great “Dawning of the Day”. And this concept should be researched and understood, in order to gain a greater understanding of just how shall the Sun be darkened.

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Sunrise from Burrow Mump, Burrowbridge, Somerset – cropped image – wikimedia share-alike license

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JESUS WARNS TO WALK IN THE LIGHT

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“Where else does the Sun being darkened speak of spiritual darkness?”

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Well, just listen to this next passage…

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“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walks in darkness knows not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them.” John 12:35, 36.

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Notice here that after Jesus warned of darkness falling on those who refuse to “walk in the light” that Jesus, “hid Himself from them”. Jesus, the, “Sun of Righteousness”, hid Himself. Do you see the spiritual truth presented here? Now here is beginning to be seen this concept of a spiritual eclipse. In other words, when, “Jesus hid Himself”, these opponents of Jesus were left in spiritual darkness. At least, that is the picture being painted here in this little story.

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Listen… “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12. So here is the key to being in the light: following Jesus.

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Picture to right courtesy of Luc Viatour for wikipedia.  GNU Free Documentation License.

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SUN GOES DOWN ON FALSE PROPHETS

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But there are other verses about the Sun being darkened in a spiritual sense. Just listen to this passage… “He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. THEY GROPE IN THE DARK WITHOUT LIGHT, and He makes them to stagger like a drunken man.” Job 12:24, 25.

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Obviously, this judgment against, “the chief of the people of the Earth”, is speaking of spiritual darkness.

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Now for further substantiation of this spiritual concept, is this next passage… “Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.  SHALL NOT THE DAY OF THE LORD BE DARKNESS, AND NOT LIGHT, AND NO BRIGHTNESS IN IT.” Amos 5: 18, 19

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Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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SOME IN DARKNESS WHILE OTHERS IN LIGHT

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QUESTION: “So is there some Old Testament story which can be applied to the Book of Revelation regarding these last days that points to God’s people not being in darkness?”

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ANSWER: “And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: BUT ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LIGHT IN THEIR DWELLINGS.” Exodus 10:22, 23. This plague over all Egypt brought gross darkness over all the land. But the Children of Israel had, “light in their dwellings”.

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This is an object lesson pointing forward to our day. God’s people will have the, “Light of Life”, to light our pathway. But those who are of, “Spiritual Sodom & Egypt, where our Lord was crucified”, will be left in total “Spiritual Darkness”, as God is now to pour out His plagues.

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Engraving by Gustave Dore’ “The Plague Of Darkness” www.creationism.org Public Domain

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DARKNESS OVER MANY PROPHETS TODAY

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“And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I WILL COVER THE SUN WITH A CLOUD, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD. I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries … when I shall brandish My sword before them…” Ezekiel 32:7-10 (condensed).

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So God is going to darken the Sun with a cloud. So what is that all about? And what is that sword that God will brandish?  Well, as to this second question, that sword of the Lord, is spoken of in Ephesians… “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:” Ephesians 6:17.

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These verses confirm the idea of a spiritual darkening. The wicked have their eyes darkened. That is, their understanding is darkened. There is a spiritual famine of hearing God’s Word. And conversely, the righteous will not be darkened. But rather, the Sun shall be even brighter for the righteous. That is, their understanding of the truth will be enlightened, especially in the last days.

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Just listen… “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And He shall be as the light of the morning, when the Sun rises, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.”  2nd Samuel 23:3, 4

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THE END

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NEXT ARTICLE:

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LUNAR ECLIPSE & SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE

click on above title for link

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If you haven’t read this next article about a lunar eclipse, and how it relates to the Church and to the Christian, it would be very beneficial to read.

The Lord has created this world and this universe, not merely to be beautiful, but also to teach spiritual truth. And the Moon is no exception! As a matter of fact, the Moon has such incredible significance, it is almost too much for a human to endure!

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But prayerfully read and comprehend this next article…click here… “Lunar Eclipse & Spiritual Eclipse”

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Pictured right is of the drawing of the eclipse of 1888. This is a drawing of a winter-time total lunar eclipse, first published in Bilder- (Picture Atlas of the Stemenwelt) in 1888 wikipedia public domain

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A HEAVENLY HOBBY

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“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things; that brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isaiah 40:26

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ABOVE PICTURE – Starry Night at La Silla – cropped  and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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The above verse is a plea from God to look up at the Heavens and behold Who has created these things.

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In this busy work-a-day world, there are many very interesting things which can occupy one’s time and energy: hobbies, and careers, and entertainments and worries, and habits, to name just a few.

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But as the child of God devotes his or her life to God, there should be a jealous guarding of one’s own heart… “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

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The Christian wants nothing to get in the way of running that Christian Race.

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New York Times Square – terabass – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

Shoppers in Toronto – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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But having said this, there is one hobby which every ‘Noble Berean’ may take up, which only compliments the pursuit of the heavenly Prize.

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Yes, Signs Of Heaven becomes a wonderfully rewarding hobby which, unlike many less meaningful hobbies, pays off with rich, heavenly rewards. Everlasting rewards!

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And unlike the person in this photo with equipment, all you need is fairly good vision, and a dark, starry night.

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And once a person really gets to know these heavenly messengers, it will become very apparent that the message connected with these signs is truly a message to be heeded.

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Thus will the Christian be able to share this message with others. And there are perhaps many nuances and hidden biblical truths to these signs which have yet to be discovered.

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Astronomy Amateur – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25

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ABOVE CHART: Summer Constellations with Doves (Sagittarius) & Woman (Ursa Major)

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FIRST FIND ORION & 7 STARS

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The very first step in finding these many constellations, should be to find the two main constellations: Orion, and the 7 Stars (aka, The Big Dipper).

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These two constellations represent Christ (Orion), and His Church (7 Stars).

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And just as these are the easiest constellations to find, so too, the first place to begin studying the Bible is the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

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These four books present Christ and His Church, when He walked the earth, just as Orion and the 7 Stars represent Christ and His Church, as seen up in the heavens.

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Then, once you are comfortable finding these two constellations, you can begin to locate the next closest constellations, and so on.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Orion the Soldier and the Revelation 12 Dragon (Hyades & Pleiades, etc.) – winter constellations – www.signsofheaven.org – not for commercial use

ABOVE PICTURE – 7 Stars Constellation as the Cross (aka Big Dipper) – winter – signsofheaven.org – not for commercial uses

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ANOTHER HEAVENLY HOBBY: PRAYER-WALKS

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Now if you’re fortunate enough to be able to go on nightly walks, and you live in an area where you can safely view the stars, here is another Heavenly Hobby which Signs Of Heaven endorses…

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Why not combine star-watching with prayer, as you walk? What a great way to draw closer to God!

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It cannot be over-stressed, just how wonderful it is to walk under the dark canopy of Heaven, while lifting up one’s heart to our Heavenly Father! There is a closeness to God that cannot be described with words!

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(And even if you cannot safely do this, you can always do such prayer-walks in the daytime, in a safe place, such as a mall, which is every bit as effective, prayer-wise.

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And for those who are in confinement, one can view these starry signs on the Internet, or simply listen to Scripture on audio.

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Either way, all such may enjoy God’s richest blessings at this very time in which God is pouring out all Heaven’s treasures upon anyone willing to forsake all, and follow Jesus!)

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and latered image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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THRICE-DAILY PRAYERS

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Now of course, the Bible commands us to, “pray without ceasing“. The Christian is to constantly talk with our Heavenly Father throughout the day.

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But the Bible also holds up the godly life of Daniel, who, when captive in Babylon, still set aside three times daily, in which he knelt for special prayer.

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And furthermore the Bible also says… “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17.

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Even those who are bed-fast or in a prison cell can begin to imitate Daniel in this way. And if one is fortunate to be able to walk, then this thrice-daily prayer regimen can be combined with three walks daily and even nightly.

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Marines at Prayer by Alex Raymond – Wikimedia – public domain

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