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

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“But unto you that fear My name

shall the Sun of righteousness arise

with healing in His wings;

and ye shall go forth,

and grow up as calves of the stall. 

And ye shall tread down the wicked;

for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet

in the day that I shall do this,

saith the LORD of hosts.” 

Malachi 4:2, 3

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Cropped image – Photo courtesy Wikipedia “share alike” user agreement by Adam L Clevenger. Click here for link

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THE SUN

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 The world appreciates the Sun, and all its benefits. Its beauty. Its warmth. Its life-giving properties. When the dark clouds move in and eclipse the sun, a person sometimes gets a little down. When the sun returns, that person’s joy is often revived. Just look at the picture above, at the top of this page! Just to look at it makes the heart glow!

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And just look at this photo of a bicycler! “Sunlight on King Street” What an appropriate name! Do you think this bicycler was having a nice day in the Sun? The Sun can be very healing. And God has given the Sun for Mankind’s needs: for his health, and for his happiness.

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But He also has given the Sun to be a spiritual sign. The Sun teaches some important Biblical truths.

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Sunlight_on_King_Street – cropped and altered image – wikipedia – share-alike – stefan powell

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THE SUN AND THE SON OF GOD

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ONE OF NATURE’S GRANDEST METAPHORS

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Listen to what God has to say about the sun as a metaphor…

“For the LORD God is a SUN and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalms 84:11. 

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God here, compares Himself to the Sun in relation to His dealings with His children. Just look at this NASA picture! Even our solar system has a beauty of its own…and is very poetic as well! Just as the many orbs circle this great orb, the Sun, so too, God will have His children, His created beings encircle His glorious throne.

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 Solar System NASA public domain

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GOD LOVES BEAUTY AND POETRY

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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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Isaiah is one of the most poetic books of the Bible. And this passage is no exception. The Lord obviously loves poetry. He has created nature to not only provide for Mankind’s physical and emotional needs, but also to teach important spiritual truths, through the many metaphors found in nature.  Nature is filled with beauty and poetry, and truth.

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And where did all this beauty and poetry come from? If all skeptics would consider these things, there would be much less unbelief in this world!

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As Scripture says… “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” Psalms 107:43

Sunset at Huntington Beach – cropped image – wikimedia – share-alike license.jpg

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“SIGNS OF THE TIMES”

Matthew 16:3

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God promised there would be signs. But does He wish for people to come to Him only because of some miraculous or cataclysmic event?

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Listen to this following exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders of that day… “The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would show them a sign from heaven…O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” Matthew 16:1, 3.

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Here is a perfect example of how the Lord uses metaphors in nature to illustrate a spiritual concept. In this particular story He used the signs concerning the weather in order to point to the “signs of the times” concerning the incredible event that they were totally not seeing: That the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the world had finally come!

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Sunrise on sea by Stig Nygaard for Wikipedia share-alike license.

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GOD IS LIGHT 

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Listen to this next verse… “And Jesus said unto them, “I am the LIGHT OF THE WORLD: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the LIGHT OF LIFE.” John 8:12.

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The only reason the world doesn’t completely go berserk is because God intervenes in the affairs of Man.

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Listen… “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” Psalm 76:10.

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As this verse points out, God only allows as much evil as He deems necessary, and restrains the remainder.

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The only reason that there is any love and goodness at all, is because God Spirit is working still in the world. So in this sense, God is the light of this world, even for the “Lost” of the world.

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Listen… “That [Jesus] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9. Yes, even the lost multitudes get to enjoy the benefits of God’s presence in the world. 

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Oh yes, Satan likewise transforms himself and his kingdom into a somewhat “nice” place (see 2nd Corinthians 11:14, 15). But this is only because he knows that it’s easier to deceive the world if there is a semblance of goodness.

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The Apostle Paul speaking, “…I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me…I heard a voice speaking unto me… And He said,  I am Jesus whom you persecute.” Acts 26:13.

Even when Paul had his conversion experience, Jesus shone down on Paul as a great light.

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

Paul Converted – www.thebiblerevival.com

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EVERLASTING LIGHT

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Isaiah speaking… “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto you: but the LORD shall be unto you an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be your everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:19, 20.

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Even a totally blind person can enjoy the brightness of God’s glorious light, as He shines in that person’s heart.

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sunrise on Biwa_Lake – wikipedia  – share-alike license

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GOD’S BRIGHTNESS

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2nd Coming as the Sun…“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,” 1st Thessalonians 2:8.

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Not only will “that Wicked” be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s Coming, but when that Day-star arises in our heart, “the man of flesh” within Believers will likewise be destroyed. Because when the day-star really begins to shine within the Believer, “self” and all selfishness will melt away as does morning frost under the rising Sun.

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Sunrise at Pointe AuBaril – wikimedia – public domain

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GOD’S BRIGHTNESS = HIS GLORY

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BRIGHTNESS IS GOD’S GLORY…  “[God] hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being THE BRIGHTNESS of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”  Hebrew 1:2,3.

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This passage makes clear that it is God’s glory which is compared to the Sun’s brightness. So the Sun is definitely a picture of God. And its brightness gives Mankind a poetic metaphor of God’s glorious brightness.

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Sunrise_over_the_sea by Bogdan for wikipedia share-alike license

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THE DAWNING OF THE DAY

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The Bible, in a number of places, makes special reference to the phrase, ‘the dawning of the day’…

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” And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the THE DAWNING OF THE DAY, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.” Joshua 6:15. 

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Many, or perhaps most agree that the Israelites taking of Jericho is a picture of God’s army victorious over the world at the end of time.

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God = Day Star… “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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Here God makes reference to a phenomenon at the end of history, when the “day dawns”, and the “day-star” arises in our hearts. The inference is that God’s people will receive an outpouring of God’s Spirit far beyond what His people now experience.

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So we get the picture from all these verses, that God compares Himself to the Sun, and compares His Coming to the ‘dawning of the day’.

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For further reading on this subject, just click here… “Castor and Pollux (Part 2: The Return of Christ & The Dawning of the Day)”

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Tissot The Seven Trumpets of Jericho wikipedia US public domain

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CONCLUSION…

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There is an unbiblical doctrine today that says “The Bible must be as far as possible, understood literally and not metaphorically. Only when Scripture demands a metaphorical interpretation, should one be used.”

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But there is nothing in Scripture that makes such a demand. This particular hermeneutic is totally contrived by men, and has no Biblical support. God tells us that we arrive at truth from the Bible by, “…comparing spiritual things with spiritual…”.

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The Lord desires more for Mankind, than to simply do some miracle or cause some natural catastrophic event. God desires for us to know Him.

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Listen to Jeremiah… “But let him that glories, glory in this, THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24
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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

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THE END

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NEXT ARTICLE

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“THE SUN SHALL BE DARKENED”

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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

The above passage tells of two spiritual conditions. One is of those in the light, and the other is of those in darkness. This is the spiritual condition of the world. Some in the light and some in darkness. And that is the theme of the next article.

So with these things in mind please go to the companion article to this, titled “The Sun Shall Be darkened” 

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Solar eclipse 1999 4 NR by Luv Viatour for wikipedia GNU Free documentation License

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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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