Heavenly Signs

[visionary]

the sun was darkened on the day of the crucifixion from noon until 3 in the afternoon....Mark 15:33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
As mentioned earlier, the gospel of Mark reckons the 24-hour day on Gallilean time, begining at sunrise, traditionally 6 A.M.. Thus, Mark is here reporting that the Sun was darkened from noon until 3 P.M...

Ancient non-Biblical sources confirm this. Phlegon Trallianus records in his history, Olympiades ....

"In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad [AD 32-33], a failure of the Sun took place greater than any previously known, and night came on at the sixth hour of the day [noon], so that stars actually appeared in the sky; and a great earthquake took place in Bithynia and overthrew the greater part of Niceaea," F. Richard Stephenson, Historical Eclipses and Earth's Rotation (Cambridge University Press, July 1997) ISBN 0-52146-194-4.
Phlegon was a Greek freedman who wrote his histories during the reign of Hadrian (117-138 AD). His birthplace, Tralles, was near Ephesus.

Phlegon's Olympiades are largely lost to history, but this fragment concerning the failure of the Sun is unusually well-attested. Seven ancient historians directly quote it: Eusibius, The Chronicon Alexandrinum, Syncellus, Jerom, Anastasius Bibliothecarius, The Historia Miscella and Freculphus Lexoviensis. Other ancients, such as Julius Africanus, Joannes Philoponus, Maximus, Malelas and Origen, cite Phlegon's account without quoting it. Kepler wa

As familiar with Phlegon's report, as it caused trouble for one of his historical theories.
See, John Chapman, Phlegon Examined Critically and Impartially (Cambridge University Press, London, 1734) Chapman is long out-of-print, but is available in microform in some libraries.

[visionary]

Julius Africanus mentions Phlegon's report of the darkness, and also a similar report of the darkness by Thallus, who wrote his History circa 50-100 AD. Thallus' manuscripts have not survived, but Africanus perserves some of his writing by critiquing it. Specifically, Africanus faults Thallus for stating that the darkness was the result of a solar eclipse.

"On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun."Africanus realized that a solar eclipse cannot occur at the time of the Passover full moon. The means of the darkening is yet a mystery, although continuing research may yield clues. An obvious candidate explanation is volcanism. Israel is in a sheering subduction zone, the Levant is studded with volcanos, and multiple sources record tectonic activity on the day of Christ's execution.

[visionary]

Perhaps it will not surprise you to learn that only one Passover lunar eclipse was visible from Jerusalem while Pilate was in office. It occurred on April 3, 33 AD..Colin J. Humphreys and W. G. Waddington, "Dating the Crucifixion," Nature Magazine, Volume 306, December 22/29, 1983.

[visionary]

The sky at Christ's birth can be viewed as a kind of visual poetry, with the new moon symbolically "birthed" at the foot of Virgo, the virgin. To complete that celestial poem, on the night of Jesus' death the moon had returned to the foot of the virgin.

[visionary]

Think of this for a moment...

The movement of the heavenly bodies is regular, like a great clock. The Clockwork Star finally means that from the very instant at which God flung the universe into existence, he also knew the moment he would enter human history in the person of Yeshua of Nazareth. He marked it in the stars. And from before the beginning of time as we experience it, God knew the very moment when Messiah would breath his last on the cross.

[Bananna]

Thanks
Great information. I wonder if the Chinese record the event from their perspective.

Bananna

[Henaynei]

interesting information :) thanks vis

[Lulav]

I guess you enjoyed the Bethlehem Star site. :) Or did you see the program?

[dvd_holc]

thx visionary

[judahsgem]

Visionary,
Such wonderful information. I've not heard it before. Do you care if I pass it along to a family member of mine, who is deeply interested in acient histories/archeology/etc?

[Gwenyfur]

Very interesting, thanks visionary :)

[visionary]

Visionary,
Such wonderful information. I've not heard it before. Do you care if I pass it along to a family member of mine, who is deeply interested in acient histories/archeology/etc?go for it...

[visionary]

Thanks
Great information. I wonder if the Chinese record the event from their perspective.

BanannaIt would be great if we could find that documentation.

[Bananna]

What about the onehundred saints that came back to life out of their tombs???

[visionary]

A total lunar eclipse will occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon align. This is a rare occurrence as the Moon usually passes above or below the imaginary line connecting Earth and the Sun. During the eclipse, also known as the Blood Moon eclipse, the full Moon will take on a dark red colour as it will be illuminated slightly by sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere. The moon will be in its deepest red for about 30-45 minutes.

[Tangeloper]

This is all very fascinating, Visionary! Thank you for sharing this with us. :hug:

[LittleLambofJesus]

Shalom. I do have a question about that sign of the "dragon" in Revelation.
Why would the author of the Jewish/Hebrew book of Revelation specifically mention "egypt" in Chapter 11?

3 Great Signs are shown in the highly symbolic book. The "birth of the Messiah", the "Dragon" then the "Wraths".

In Ezekiel 29 is shows YHWH calling the "pharaoh of egypt" a "dragon". Thoughts? Thanks. :wave:

http://www.scripture4all.org/

Ezekiel 29:3 "Speak! and you say-- 'Thus says 'Adonay YHWH. Behold Me! on you, Pharaoh/Par`oh king of Egypt, the Dragon/08577 tanniyn, the great, the one reclining in midst of his Rivers which he says to Me ' my River and I, I made for me'.
9 And the land of Egypt becomes to desolation and a waste, and they shall know that I, YHWH. Because he said: 'River to me and I, I made.

Revelation 11:8 and the corpses of them upon the broad-place of the City, the Great, which-any is being called spiritually/any, Sodom and Egypt, the-where also the Lord of them was crucified.

Revelation 12:3 And was seen another Sign in the Heaven, and Behold! A Dragon/drakwn <1404>, great, fiery-red, having heads, seven, and horns, ten. And upon the heads of him seven diadems.

[Gwenyfur]

I'm actually rather curious on what the church bases the day of Epiphany on....
It dawned on me a few days ago my youngest was born on Epiphany...it struck me...as it so fits with her nature in how she loves G-d so much, and strives so hard to live righteously in His sight.