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 “THE MOON SHALL NOT GIVE HER LIGHT”

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“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:

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 24:29

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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

Meteors – Falling Stars – cropped and altered image – asteroids – Leonids-browse nasa Abe & Hajime Yano

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“A HEAVENLY OBJECT LESSON”

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When God created the Moon and the stars, He ordained them to rule the night.

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The Moon, especially when it is full, gives a fair amount of light.

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nothing like the light from the Sun.

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But the light from the full Moon can at least, light your pathway at night, as it reflects the light of the Sun.

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And even when half-full, you can see your shadow as you walk up that pathway.

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THE MOON & THE CHRISTIAN

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So too, the Christian is to be a light to the world; to this sin-darkened world.

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But that Christian must reflect the light of Jesus, “The Sun of Righteousness” in order to be that light! (Malachi 4:2)

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Listen… “Ye are the light of the world…

Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16

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Dutch Painting: Um_moinho_dominando_a_baía_à_luz_lunar – wikimedia – US public domain

 

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LITERAL ECLIPSE

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Now it’s true that the Moon must reflect the light of the Sun, in order to be a light to the nighttime world.

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However, during an eclipse, this sin-ladened world passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, preventing that sunlight from shining on the Moon’s face.

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SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE?…

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Of course, the obvious lesson gleaned from this, is that of when a Christian allows this selfish world to eclipse his or her relationship with God. 

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Just listen to this following verse… 

…”And take heed to yourselves,

lest at any time your hearts be overcharged

with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,

and so that day come upon you unawares.”

Luke 21:34 -36.

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You see, the Devil has been very busy, making sure that Christians are preoccupied, at a time when we should be looking up, and lifting up our heads (see Luke 21:28).

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

USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“MOON DARKENED” IS SPIRITUAL

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The lunar eclipse is a fitting object lesson of how far too many Christians allow the cares and pleasures of the world to dim their reflection of Christ’s heavenly light…

…”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.” 

Luke 24:29 …

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Could this verse be speaking of a spiritual eclipse, and not necessarily a literal 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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DAY OF THE LORD IS SPIRITUAL DARKNESS

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Listen to this next verse…

…”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… 

“ Amos 5: 18, 19.

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So this passage begins to shine light on this concept that, perhaps the Day of the Lord will not be a day of literal darkness, but of spiritual darkness! 

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And just listen to this next text, which describes such spiritual darkness…

…”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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JESUS, THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS HIDES HIMSELF

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Now, just listen to this next passage…

…”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 where he goes. 

While ye have light, believe in the light,

that ye may be the children of light.

These things spake Jesus, and departed,

and did hide himself from them.” 

John 12:35, 36

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Notice it says here that Jesus, “did hide himself from them”.

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They were now experiencing a spiritual eclipse. Jesus, the ‘Sun of Righteousness’ and the ‘light of the world’ was hiding Himself from these people, just after warning them about losing the Light.

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Here was an eclipse. The world had come between God’s people and Jesus, the “Sun of Righteousness”. (Malachi 4:2)

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A spiritual lunar eclipse had just occurred, by Jesus hiding Himself.

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And God seems to have orchestrated this story for that very purpose: to show this spiritual eclipse, found in the Gospel of John 12:35.

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Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Jews_Took_Up_Rocks_to_Stone_Jesus_James_Tissot wikipedia Us public domain

 

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COUNTLESS DISTRACTIONS

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There is perhaps, nothing easier (in this world) than to take one’s eyes off of Jesus.

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The “god of this world”, Satan, has invented countless diversions in this high-tech society, with the purpose of causing Christians to take their eyes off the “Sun of Righteousness”. (Malachi 4:2)

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In the business of everyday life, it is very easy to lose sight of Jesus, only to spend the rest of the day without the nurturing fellowship and sweet communion with the Lord’s Spirit.

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It is so easy to allow the cares and pleasures of life to grieve away, this eclipsing the Spirit of Holiness.

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Photo: Shoppers_on_Dundas_near_Yonge-by-Ian-Muttoo-for-Wikipedia-cropped image – share-alike-license

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WILL THERE BE A CHURCH-WIDE ECLIPSE?

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Will there come a day when the entire Church-world will become darkened?  

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The Apostle, Paul, wrote to Timothy to warn Timothy of what to expect from the Church-world…

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…”For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,

and shall be turned unto fables.” 

2nd Timothy 4:3, 4.

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This verse presents a frightful condition of the Church, in these last days!

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A condition of Church-wide apostasy.

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There is coming a time when the professed people of God will no longer accept sound doctrine.

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Paul the Apostle-Artist-Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier- circa 1500s

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PROPHETS IN DARKNESS

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“Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make My people err,

that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace;

and he that puts not into their mouths,

they even prepare war against him.

THEREFORE NIGHT SHALL BE UNTO YOU,

that ye shall not have a vision;

and IT SHALL BE DARK UNTO YOU,

that ye shall not divine;

and the sun shall go down over the prophets,

and THE DAY SHALL BE DARK OVER THEM.” 

Micah 3:5-7.

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This verse makes clear that God is speaking spiritually and not literally.

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The Sun is to go down over the prophets.

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Not over everybody. This obviously is speaking of a spiritual darkness, and not a literal darkness.

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

 

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NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PERSONAL STUDY

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The Christian has to be constantly on guard against allowing others to do his or her Bible studies.

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There are many teachers out there today.

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And with radio and television, it is often much easier to simply turn on some ministry, and let others tell us what to believe.

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And as a result, many are neglecting their own personal daily Bible study.

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They allow the radio or television to replace their own personal studies.

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There is nothing in this world which is so important, that one should let his or her daily Bible study slip away.

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There are many books about the Bible.

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And many Christians would rather read someone else’s words than to read God’s Word.

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Holy bible – cropped image – wikimedia – creative commons lic..

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UNPROFITABLE RELIGIOUS DUTIES

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The life of Christ was a life of many duties.

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Christ no doubt spent much of His time helping His father earn their daily bread.

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And so too, the Christian must provide for his wife and children, which might require a long day of work.

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But in this very affluent and work-a-day-world, it is the Devil’s main strategy to get Christians sidetracked from the truly great duty of the Christian life: the daily task of purifying one’s own heart and soul.

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Listen… “And every man that hath this hope in Him

purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”

1st John 3:3.

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This verse leaves little doubt that the first duty of each and every Christian, is to be busy hiding God’s Word in the heart, and praying throughout the day for strength and guidance.

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SECULAR OR RELIGIOUS DUTIES: BOTH WORK

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And quite often, if Satan cannot fill the Christian’s day with secular duties, he will fill that Christian’s life with religious duties…

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…committees, humanitarian-projects…

…prophecy schools, health clubs…

…or creation seminars or ministries…

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Of course, there’s nothing wrong with going to a seminar on health, or on prophecy, or on Creation.

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The problem comes in, when one thing, or many things together begin to eclipse the Christian’s daily devotion, and hourly meditation and constant communion with God..

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Multitask – Wikimedia – C.C. Share-alike License

 

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VALLEY OF DECISION

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QUESTION: “So will there be time for people to repent when this happens?”

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ANSWER: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision:

for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

THE SUN AND THE MOON SHALL BE DARKENED,

and the stars shall withdraw their shining.”

Joel 3:14-16.

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This verse speaks of a “Valley of Decision”.

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Notice it says that the “the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision”.

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And God is just now revealing this amazing constellation group made up of some of the brightest stars in the sky!

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The Valley of Decision Constellation Group, which sits atop the Dragon of Revelation Constellation.

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If God’s people really would begin to comprehend these constellations, there would be a fearfulness which would take us by surprise!

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VALLEY OF DECISION CONSTELLATIONS: Appear in spring in the eastern skies in pre-dawn hours. These are made of Cassiopeia (mount on left), and various stars from Andromeda (valley) Pegasus (Mount of Cursing (middle mount) & Destroying Mount (right)), and Pisces (Broad Way to Hell)   

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WILL GOD’S ‘FAITHFUL’ SHINE BRIGHTLY AS JESUS ?

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When the Moon is full it gives much light.

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So also, when a Christian fully reflects the light from the ‘Sun of Righteousness’, he or she will shine with love and glory and holiness of Jesus.

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CUTTING EDGE PROPHECY… There is a verse in Isaiah, that seems to indicate there is coming a day in which God’s true worshippers will shine as brightly as the ‘Sun of Righteousness’ (Malachi chapter 4) …

…”And there shall be upon every high mountain,

and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters

in the day of the great slaughter,

when the towers fall. 

Moreover the light of the moon

shall be as the light of the sun,

and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,

as the light of seven days,

in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of His people…”

Isaiah 25-27

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Shipping in a bay by Moonlight by Ivan-Konstantinovich-Aivazovsky-wikigallery public domain

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SHINING AS THE SUN

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“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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The above verse speaks boldly on behalf of the spiritual light which will shine forth from God’s people in these last days.

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And it also speaks fearfully of the gross darkness which shall cover those who choose the world over Jesus.

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The following verse seems to speak of this same time period…

“The Son of man shall send forth his angels,

and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,

and them which do iniquity…

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun

in the kingdom of their Father.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:41-43.

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It is assumed that this passage is speaking about the time after all world events have ended.

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But this is not necessarily so.

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This may indeed be speaking of the time just before us, when the Church will finally lift up the Cross for all the world to see. 

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Transfiguration – Bloch – wikimedia commons – US public domain

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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: 

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Those who walk in the light, and those who walk in darkness.

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Pilgrim in a Rocky Valley by Carl Gustav Carus 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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“AND WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS…

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LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEAD”

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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