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THE CROSS OF ORION

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“And the LORD their God

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shall save them in that day

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as the flock of His people:

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for they shall be as the stones

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of a crown, lifted up 

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as an ensign upon His land… 

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and as an ensign on an hill.” 

Zechariah 9:16 & Isaiah 30:17

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This constellation is the same as Orion, but can also be seen as this cross on a hill.

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It is best seen in mid-winter, traveling east to west through the night in mid-sky. 

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Orion begins to appear in August, in the pre-dawn hours.

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However, Orion does not look like a Cross, until it stands upright, later in the season, in pre-dawn hours.

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Go out in the clear dark night and behold Orion in his four offices!

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Then show a friend!

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NOTE: The three stars at the top of the cross, are fainter than the other stars that make up this cross. So if you are in the city, you will have to look carefully to observe them.

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The Cross of Orion Constellation Wikipedia star-chart. Cross and hill sketched in by editor of this website.

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“TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME”

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” And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:

and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,

and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven

with power and great glory.” 

Matthew 24:30

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It seems obvious that the Orion Constellation fulfills the above verse.

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Orion seems to be the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven.

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But in a greater sense, all these signs on this website, are the signs spoken of in Luke 21:25…

…”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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So, in a very real sense, they seem to be the “sign of the Son of Man in heaven.”

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And it is just now in history that God is revealing this wonderful truth.

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And these signs tell the glorious Gospel Story in an orderly year-long cycle, from start to finish, beginning in early spring. 

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ORION: “AN ENSIGN LIFTED UP”

(Zechariah 9:16)

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“And the LORD their God shall save them in that day

as the flock of His people:

for they shall be as the stones of a crown,

lifted up as an ensign upon His land… 

and as an ensign on an hill.” 

Zechariah 9:16 & Isaiah 30:17

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Like an ensign lifted up, on a hill, is Orion.

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This prophecy not only speaks of God’s people as a sign on a hill.

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But the Cross of Orion appears in the night-sky as an ensign on a hill, as this sketch shows.

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CONCLUSION

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And so, the great message written in the heavens, which God is now revealing to us, is a wonderful message.

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It is the message of the Cross of Christ.

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It is the Gospel of self-sacrificing love for a planet in rebellion.

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And it is an encouragement to those who have been called and chosen: an exhortation to cast off this present world and follow Jesus, as He leads us up a Pathway to a heavenly city: a city built on a foundation of selfless love for fallen humanity and a holy reverence for a wonderful God. 

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Thomas Cole – Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey – Wikimedia – US 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.

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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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