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“And after three months we departed

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in a ship of Alexandria,

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which had wintered in the isle,

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whose sign was Castor and Pollux.”

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Acts 28:11

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PAUL’S JOURNEY ON TWO SHIPS…

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Acts Chapters 27 & 28 are the account of Paul’s journey to his own Judgment Day…in Rome.

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Acts 27 is greatly concerned with the first ship and with that terrible storm, the storm, “Euroclydon”.

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Paul warned all those on board, that if they all should abide in the ship, then not one soul would be lost.

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And so they all abode in the ship, just as Paul commanded.

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paul in a storm acts 27-21 www.breadsite.org public domain

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THEY LEFT THE BROKEN SHIP

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But finally, upon reaching just offshore from land, the ship broke up by the impact of the crashing waves, and all had to abandon the ship and swim to shore.

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And so, they all jumped into the water, and some swam, and those who couldn’t swim, clung to pieces of the ship and floated to shore… 

…”they which could swim

should cast themselves first into the sea,

and get to land: 

And the rest, some on boards,

and some on broken pieces of the ship.

And so it came to pass,

that they escaped all safe to land:”

Acts 27:43, 44 

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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

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WHAT DOES HENRY SAY?

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And sure enough, not one soul was lost!

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Listen to that great theologian, Matthew Henry…

 “When the church of God, like this ship,

is tossed with tempests,

and not comforted,

when there is none to guide her of all her sons,

yet God can bring her safely to shore,

and will do it.” 

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Notice that Henry compares this ship to the Church of God.

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Matthew Henry speaks of this entire Acts Ch. 27 in spiritual terms, relating Paul’s journey to the many pitfalls and tribulations that God’s people must go through on our journey through this world.

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As a matter of fact, there are many who see Paul’s judgment in Rome to represent the great Judgment Day which may soon burst forth upon the world.

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Matthew Henry – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”

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It seems as if every church-going parishioner knows the following Bible verse…

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:

and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:25

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Now of course, this verse (Hebrews 10:25) has been the glue which has blessedly and graciously held local congregations together for the past 2,000 years!

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people praying – by Sergei Frolov – cropped image – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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“AS YE SEE THE DAY APPROACHING”

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But if you would ask most any congregation the question, “As you see WHAT DAY approaching?”, you would most likely hear this response, “The Day of the Lord, of course!”

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Well, that’s correct! God’s people are to congregate together until the Day of the Lord.

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Mega Church – Wikimedia –

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“GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL”

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“And I say also unto thee,

That thou art Peter,

and upon this rock I will build My church;

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18

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Now, at this point, many will undoubtedly object, crying (as this above verse points out), “the gates of Hell will not prevail against God’s Church!” 

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Now, while the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church-Faithful (picture below), this statement cannot be made concerning the Church-Apostate (picture here).

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And so, the local congregations were to be vacated by God’s Elect, as is written…

…”And I heard another voice from heaven,

saying, Come out of her, My people,

that ye be not partakers of her sins,

and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

Revelation 18:4.

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Francken Hieronymus the Younger – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins – c 1616 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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NO ETERNAL SECURITY FOR CHURCHES 

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And don’t forget! There’s a big difference between the “Church” and the “churches”.

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Remember that Revelation, Chapters 2 & 3, gave very little security to those 7 churches.

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Listen to the Ephesus letter…

…”Nevertheless…thou hast left thy first love… 

…repent…or else I will…remove thy candlestick…”

(Condensed for brevity)

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And what about the Church at Sardis?

Listen… “thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”  

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Or this letter to Laodicea…“I will spue thee out of My mouth.” 

Revelation 2:4, 5 & Revelation 3:1, 16.

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So, congregations totally depended on their remaining obedient to the Bible.

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Francken Hieronymus the Younger – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins – c 1616 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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THE CHURCH BROKEN UP…

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But the ship finally broke up, just prior to striking land. 

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But what does this story have to do with Salvation? 

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And how does all this relate to the Church of God?

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Listen to what Paul says about the Church in the last days…

…”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts

shall they…turn away their ears from the truth…“

2nd Timothy 4:3, 4. (Condensed)

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There were so many ministries: on radio, on TV, on Internet, filled with joking, sensual music, popular & stylish church services, energy-exhausting careers, exotic theories on Bible prophecy, “get rich” gospels, picking-n-choosing pet Bible verses, etc…

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THE CHURCHES = THE 1ST SHIP

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And this situation in the churches really aligned itself with the following passage from the story from Acts Chapters 27 & 28, which is the centerpiece of this discussion.

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Just listen…

“And…the ship…was broken

with the violence of the waves.” 

(Condensed)

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It did appear that we had arrived at that day when the Church became broken up.         

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Backhuysen_Storm wikipedia public dom.  

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CHURCHES FATALLY FRACTURED

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“they which could swim…cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:” Acts 27:43.

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The Bible compares the “sea” to the world.

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So, when the ship broke, “they which could swim…cast themselves first into the sea”.

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So also, the Church seemed to have become broken into two parts. 

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And with such a great apostasy in the God’s House, the stronger Christians could nevertheless still maintain a good relationship with the Lord.

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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

 

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MANY JUST TRYING TO BE FAITHFUL

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Most Christians, however, put up with some less-than-biblical gathering, out of a sincere desire to “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (see Hebrews 10:25) each week. 

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Others were perhaps, a little insecure in their relationship with God, to just worship at home.

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Still others stayed at home, but followed somewhat faithful radio or Internet ministries.

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This seemed to correspond with the verse…

 “And the rest, some on boards,

and some on broken pieces of the ship.

And so it came to pass,

that they escaped all safe to land…”

Acts 27:44.

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These boards and broken pieces of the ship represented the broken congregations and the somewhat compromising ministries on radio and Internet.

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Paul Shipwrecked Acts 27:41-44-www.lavistachurchofchrist.org–public domain.

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CASTOR AND POLLUX: THE MYSTERY SHIP…

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While they all were saved, they had not yet reached their ultimate destination: Paul’s Judgment.

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And so after three months on a secular island, they all boarded another ship.

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This particular ship was of Alexandria.

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This ship’s sign was Castor & Pollux.

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And this ship smoothly took all to their destination… Judgment Day.

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Now just what is this new ship all about?

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After all, the first ship seemed to represent the church-world. 

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So what was this next ship all about? 

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And what in the world is Castor and Pollux?

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CASTOR AND POLLUX = THE NARROW WAY…

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“And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria,

which had wintered in the isle,

whose sign was Castor and Pollux.”

Acts 28:11

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Most theologians interpret this verse to be speaking of two pagan gods known as Castor and Pollux.

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Beyond that, they are puzzled as to what significance do these twin gods have.

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Some believe these gods to be the patrons of safe ocean travel.

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Certainly, God would never want His people to board such a pagan ship!

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But there is much significance to Castor and Pollux. 

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No, not to those twin-gods.

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But there are two stars named Castor and Pollux.

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They are twin stars.

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They are the two bright stars of the constellation commonly known as Gemini.

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But as “Signs Of Heaven” points out, these two stars also happen to be the two brightest stars on Orion’s sickle.

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And these two stars are also known as The Narrow Gate Stars.

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And if you will explore this concept, you will see that Castor and Pollux possess great significance… 

…”Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate:

for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction…”

Matthew 7:13-14. (Condensed)

Castor and Pollux represent this Biblical concept of the Narrow Way. 

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ABOVE PICTURE: Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) & wide (Auriga) and narrow gates (Gemini) – NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USES

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LOCATING THIS GROUP…

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SKETCH:  EASTERN SKY

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Here in this sketch is when these constellations are in the eastern sky in early winter. 

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Satan spews out his false worldly ideologies, which many of these ideologies have a form of godliness.

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On the other hand, the Strait Gate (Narrow Gate) is composed of the two brightest stars of the Orion The Reaper’s sickle.

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God’s Word, the Bible is that sickle. The true Strait Gate is God’s Word, the Bible.

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As a sickle harvests the wheat, so God’s Word will gather precious souls to Him. 

 

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IN THE WEST

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This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter, and even into June at the beginning of night.

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It is seen best when it is the western part of the sky

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And at this point it is apparent that the Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation is veering toward the Narrow Gate Stars as you can see just to the left of the mountain.

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A dark night is best for seeing this.

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It begins with the Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation going towards these two doors.

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The doors are each composed of two bright stars.

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The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle, Castor and Pollux.

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The stars that make up the Narrow Gate are about one-third less the width of the Wide Gate.

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The two bright stars which symbolize the Wide Gate are Capella and Menkalinan.

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These are the brightest two stars of the Auriga Constellation.

(For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here, “Orion The Reaper”. )

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ABOVE CHART : Revelation 12 Woman swerving toward Narrow Gate – late winter – signsofheaven.org

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2ND SHIP = CASTOR AND POLLUX

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And so, to recap their exodus off that island, Paul and the others, having been saved off the first ship which broke up and destroyed by the storm…

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…they boarded a second ship whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

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This second ship with the sign of those bright twin stars, Castor and Pollux, appears to be speaking about these Narrow Gate Stars.

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In short, this ship that Paul and the others boarded seems to be referring to God’s ship (God’s true worshippers).

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God’s ship is His Gospel Ship and the sign of this Gospel Ship is this constellation now revealed to us as the Narrow Gate Stars, which are made of simply…two stars…  Castor and Pollux.

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Of course, the Wide Gate Stars are made of the two bright stars of the wave of water coming out of the Dragon’s mouth.

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And so we have a choice: follow lowly Jesus (represented by the Narrow Gate)…or follow the false ideologies of the “Gain = Godliness” gospels which Satan offers us (see 1st Timothy 6:5).

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This Revelation 12 Woman Constellation seems to be deciding…                                                                ,

…Will she enter the Narrow Gate…or will she enter the Wide Gate? 

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ABOVE STAR-CHART – Early Winter in the east – Orion, – Revelation 12 Dragon (AKA Hyades, Pleiades, etc.) – Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) – Goodly Horse in Battle with Rider (Camelopardelis, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, etc…) – www.signsofheaven.org – Not for commercial use!

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“THEY FORSOOK ALL AND FOLLOWED HIM”

LUKE 5:11

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The following verse seems to be a prophecy about this very time in history, when God’s people are ready to forsake all, in order to follow Jesus perfectly.

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Listen to Luke’s gospel…

“And when they had brought their ships to land,

they forsook all, and followed Him.” 

Luke 5:11.

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Even though this was a verse regarding Jesus’ Disciples, it seems to apply to the time we are now in…the time of the “Narrow Gate”.

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The time when God’s Elect will “shine as the stars, for ever and ever”! Daniel 12:3

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Christ calling His Disciples by Edward Armitage 1869 courtesy wikigallery.com 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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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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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 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,

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and in the moon,

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and in the stars;

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and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;

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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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