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The 7 Stars & The 7 Bowls of Wrath

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“The mystery of the seven stars

which you saw in My right hand,

and the seven golden candlesticks.

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:

and the seven candlesticks which you saw

are the seven churches.”

Revelation 1:20.

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The above verse is from the opening chapter of Revelation and makes mention of this constellation.

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But notice that this above verse relates this constellation to God’s people.

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And though this passage seems to have been from a vision which John saw concerning God’s HEAVENLY sanctuary…

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…nevertheless, the EARTHLY sanctuary was a type and symbol of the heavenly, in which this 7-Flame Candlestick enlightened the earthly sanctuary

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the Holy of Holies – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public Domain

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CANDLESTICKS = CHURCHES

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But as Jesus spoke this prophecy, He revealed the true meaning of the Old Testament earthly sanctuary, and how it actually pointed to the New Testament Church of God. 

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Listen once again…

“…and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest

are the seven churches.”

Revelation 1:20.

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Incredible!

                                                                                                                                           

So, God here is revealing an amazing revelation: that the 7-flame candlestick in the Old Testament Sanctuary Service was actually symbolizing the New Testament Church!

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Candlesticks of the Holy Place – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public-Domain

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IN SUMMER

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This sketch is of the Summer Constellations, when they are in the western skies.

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Sagittarius is in the south, and the 7 Stars (Big Dipper) is in the north.

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COULD THERE BE A GREATER SIGN?”

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In Revelation 15:1, it states…“And I saw another sign in heaven…”

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This verse is a direct reference to the “signs in the sun…the moon, and…stars”, which God is just now graciously revealing.

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Notice that this above verse says… “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous“.

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If ever there was a great and marvelous sign in Heaven, this 7 Star Constellation seems to be just that! 

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And it is the easiest of all constellations to locate (excepting for those in the southernmost latitudes of the Earth who cannot see it, except via computer, printed works, etc…).

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It seems to stand alone in the northern sky, outshining any other constellation in the night heavens! 

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As for its significance, it is easy to see the message for which it was created to bring. 

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It looks like a bowl.

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A giant bowl…with a handle!

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And in the winter, it begins to slowly tip through the night, as if it is finally spilling out its contents upon the earth, as stated in Revelation…

…”And the first (angel) went,

and poured out his vial upon the earth” 

Revelation 16:2.

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And so it is not hard to see the message which this constellation presents.

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In the summer it begins to slowly tip.

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But in winter it does fully appear to pour out its contents upon the Earth.

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Listen again… “And I saw another sign in heaven,

great and marvellous,

seven angels having the seven last plagues;

for in them is filled up the wrath of God…

And the first (angel) went,

and poured out his vial upon the earth;”

Revelation 15:1 & 16:2

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So, this great constellation which humanity has always taken for granted was actually created by God to teach humanity a great and marvelous spiritual lesson! 

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And this was called “another sign in heaven”, meaning that there were other signs too.

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And of course, back in Revelation 12, there also are other signs spoken of, which this website also deals with, such as this sketch of the Revelation 12 Woman (aka, Ursa Major) shows.

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

ABOVE PICTURE: Revelation 12 Woman Constellation as seen in desert in warmer months

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THE CHURCH VICTORIOUS UPLIFTS THE CROSS

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Now this ‘pouring out’ phenomenon is very amazing, indeed.

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But the Lord does not stop here.

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He has more to say to us about these 7 angels with the 7 vials of God’s wrath.

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You see, when this heavenly bowl is fully tipped (in winter), it appears also like a giant colossal three-dimensional uplifted Cross, on a hill, with its shadow before it, towering high above the earth!

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(This shadow before it represents the Old Testament which were types and shadows pointing forward to the first Coming of Jesus and to His Cross. See Colossians 2:17, plus other places) 

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So now we begin to see what God is trying to tell us about His wrath.

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God is not just a “Big Bully in the Sky”, as many claim. 

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God is not merely waiting to crush out all sinners from off the face of the Earth!

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No! God’s great wrath is seen in the Cross of Christ!

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It was Jesus Christ who came to this earth to take upon Himself, the wrath and punishment that we deserve.

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And as God’s people begin to give themselves wholly to God, they then will begin to uplift the Cross in their own individual lives.

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And once this is accomplished church-wide, then and only then will this great and marvelous Constellation be a fitting symbol of God’s people!  

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

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Then God’s Church will truly uplift the Cross of Christ for all the world to see!

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But why would God give such a sign in Heaven?

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

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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SIGNS IN HEAVEN PROMISED LONG AGO

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QUESTION: “So why is God just now revealing this ‘great and marvelous’ sign in Heaven?”

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This is because God promised long ago that just before the end…

... “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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The long-ago, afore-promised Signs In Heaven have turned out quite different from our preconceived notions.

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These signs are literal signs in heaven.

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But while they are literally written in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, they nevertheless reveal great and marvelous spiritual Bible truths.

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“…and great signs shall there be from heaven.”

Luke 21:11

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And if one thinks about it, whenever God gave a sign in the Bible, that sign always pointed to some higher spiritual truth.

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Take Baptism, for example.

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Baptism was with literal water, but it pointed to the “water of the washing by the Word” which we must be immersed in, in order to have spiritual life. Ephesians 5:26

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So here is just one example of how Bible signs pointed to higher spiritual truths.

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Isn’t God wonderful? That God is willing to give a message to humanity, just prior to the great day of God’s wrath.

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Isn’t it so marvelous that God is still in the “Saving Business”, in giving us this timely message written in Nature?  

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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 7 BOWLS OF WRATH

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“And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth;

and there fell a noisome and grievous sore

upon the men which had the Mark of the Beast,

and upon them which worshipped his image.” 

Revelation 16:2 

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These plagues are not merely to cause suffering.

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Just like the plagues which fell upon the Egyptians, so also, these plagues are designed to separate God’s people from the wickedness and unbelief which holds us captive in Egypt…Spiritual Egypt!

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”THESE THINGS IN THE CHURCHES”

Revelation 22:16

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“I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.” Revelation 22:16

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The above verse is a very much neglected verse, but is far more important to a correct understanding of Revelation, than most everyone realizes.

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Bible prophecy is of little value, unless it has a direct bearing upon the Believer’s life and heart.

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Listen…

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction,

for instruction in righteousness: 

that the man of God may be perfect,

thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

2nd Timothy 3:16, 17.

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So, this verse lets us know that even Bible prophecy has been given for, “doctrine, reproof, correction, and for instruction in righteousness.”

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WE ARE THE SPIRITUAL TRIBE OF LEVI

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Everything in Scripture concerns, “doctrine, correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness”.

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Not only this, but this little book at the end of the Bible is, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”.

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If we would only carefully study this first chapter of Revelation, we would begin to see that this little Book is all about the Church.

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We are the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Each and every Believer, whether formerly a national Jew, or just a gentile, is now a “Jew inwardly” (Romans 2:29).

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We are now a “royal priesthood”, which now makes us of the tribe of Levi, the Levitical priesthood, spiritually speaking (1st Peter 2:9). 

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the holy of holies- www.thebiblerevival.com -public domain. 2ND Picture: Menorah_0307-Wikipedia. Public domain

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THE BOTTOM LINE

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To explore all these things would take up an entire book.

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So, instead of giving a detailed study of this very complicated passage concerning these angels with 7 bowls of God’s wrath, let’s just get to the bottom line of all this.

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These 7 angels represent God’s people. “Angel” in Scripture, means “messenger”.

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And it is God’s people who are to pour out these 7 bowls of God’s wrath upon the earth.

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These 7 bowls of God’s wrath are designed to purify those in the Church who, like Peter must be “sifted as wheat”.

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And when God’s Church becomes purified from our worldliness, we will then be able to lift up the Cross for all the world to see.

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This is the great meaning of these bowls of God’s wrath.

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Just listen to this incredible prophecy from Isaiah…

…”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,

and healeth the stroke of their wound.”

Isaiah 30:26. 

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This is speaking of the near future!

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God’s Church…His elect, His true and faithful Church will shine forth as the Sun.

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But first we must be purified.

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This is speaking of you and me, and every Believer who is willing to let God purify our hearts… by fire…by the fires of this great tribulation.

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Just listen to Malachi…

“And He (God) shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:

and He shall purify the sons of Levi,

and purge them as gold and silver,

that they may offer unto the LORD

an offering in righteousness.”

Malachi 3:3 

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Who are the “sons of Levi”?

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They were the royal priesthood in Israel.

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But today, God has chosen you and me to be His royal priesthood.

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Listen… “But ye are a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;

that ye should show forth the praises

of Him who hath called you out of darkness

into His marvellous light”

1st Peter 2:9.

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So God is just now sitting as a Refiner and Purifier of silver.

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And God wishes to remove every trace of dross from you and me.

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But as we have already discussed, we must be purified by fire, just as silver and gold is purified by fire.    

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Mark of the beast – pub. dom. – Wikipedia

Gold key_logo_removed wiki public domain.

Theholyofholies- www.thebiblerevival.com -public domain. 

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THE 7TH BOWL OF WRATH

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“And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air;

and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven,

from the throne, saying, It is done.”

Revelation 16:17   

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So, if we look at this wonderful constellation, we see that at the same time it is pouring itself out upon the world, it begins to look like a colossal Cross, lifted high above the earth.

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Just listen to prophecy…

“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.

For how great is His goodness,

and how great is His beauty!”

Zechariah 9: 16, 17.

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So here we see that God’s people will be “in that day” as, “the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign”.

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In that day, we will be purified from every trace of dross.

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We will, “shine as the stars, for ever and ever” Daniel 12:3.

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In that day, we will shine as the Sun.

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The world will not be able to gaze upon God’s people for brightness.

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They will be destroyed by Christ’s brightness which shines out from within His faithful ones.

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And the world will acknowledge that God is true, and every man a liar.

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Every knee shall bow at that moment.

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And “every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

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And now we are starting to see that all these prophecies from the New and Old Testaments are beginning to all come together into one, big, beautiful truth.   

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Transfiguration – Bloch – cropped – Wikimedia Commons – 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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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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