THE BIBLICAL TIMELINE

THE LUNAR ECLIPSE OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS

Flavius Josephus (circa 37 – 100 A.D.), a Jewish historian and apologist, interests us in so far that his lunar eclipse marks Herod's death and the birth of Christ. He began writing first century history after becoming a Roman citizen around A.D. 70 and for hundreds of years remained the most widely read. His major contribution depicts Jewish life before and during the Jewish uprising in 66 – 70 A.D.

Though the causes for the war are many and complex, he needed to show his appreciation for Roman citizenship, a prize commodity, therefore he made heroes out of his Roman benefactors: Vespasian, emperor of the Roman world (69-79), and his son, Titus.ⁱ So he blames the war on the violent nationalists such as the Zealots and a splinter group, the Sicarii (Jewish assassins), though in the beginning he'd joined the former after they'd killed off a Roman garrison in Jerusalem. Actually the two groups did play a large part in provoking the war and the Sicarii continued even after the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.

Because Josephus couldn't remain alive and not please the Romans, he left serious omissions during the period that most concerns us (4 B.C. to 6 A.D.). His dating regarding events before his time has also been found contradictory. But needless to say his mention of an eclipse is innocuous and trustworthy. However in order to determine which one he refers to we need to know his account of events seventy years prior to the war and unfortunately before his time. In particular we need to look at what hap- pened between the eclipse and Herod's internment before the following Passover.

Dennis McCallum (his site no longer operable) in his Chronological Study of the Life of Christ, tells us:

Shortly before the death of Herod, Josephus (a Jewish historian: A.D. 37 –A.D. 95) says there was an eclipse of the Moon. This is the only mention that Josephus makes of an eclipse in his entire volume of History (thus demonstrating that he was not fanciful about omens in this area like other historians of the period). Through astronomical calculations we find that a lunar eclipse occurred on Mar.l2/l3, 4 BC. We also know that no lunar or solar eclipse occurred in either 3 or 2 BC. Shortly after his death the Jewish Passover occurred (which in that year should have occur- red on April 11, according to astronomical calculations). There- fore, Herod's death occurred between March l2 and April 11, in 4 BC.

Although an eclipse indeed did happen just before Herod's death, there wasn't enough time for all the events to unfold between March 12, 4 and the Passover on April 11, 4 (see December 22). For that reason and others we must reject the eclipse of March 12/13, 4. This syzygy men- tioned by Josephus reads as follows:

But Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon.ⁱⁱ

We show on December 23 that Herod died about 18/19 days after this eclipse. From that time we can approximate the birth of Christ.

These two condemned rabbis, Judas and Matthias, had incited their students to tear down what they considered an idolatrous golden eagle Herod had erected over the eastern gate of the temple. Herod moved their trial to Jericho, found them guilty and probably timed their execution to the day of the eclipse. That way he could tell the superstitious that via this darkening of the moon God would show His displeasure with the two rabbis and His approval of their execution.

Along with Dennis McCallum and others I assumed in December of 2008 that Josephus meant the eclipse on March 13, 4 B.C. After choosing the Day of Atonement, Tishri 10, for the birth of Christ, I derived the date of October 2, 7 B.C.E. However three other eclipses occurred over Palestine and the East that I failed to check out (I know I should have). I along with others now have reason to believe that Josephus referred to an eclipse that occurred in B.C. 1.

Astronomers can calculate past eclipses with great accuracy, even within a few minutes. But we need to know which one Josephus refers to. Be- tween 7 and 1 B.C.E. there were four, as seen from Palestine and Meso- potamia: a total one on March 23, 5; another total one on September 15, 5; a partial one on March 12/13, 4; and a total eclipse on January 10, 1.ⁱⁱⁱ On December 22 we show that the eclipse of March 13, 4 and March 23, 5 does not allow enough time for all the events mentioned by Josephus to unfold. That limits the choices to September 15, 5 and January 10, 1. Sep- tember 15, 5 poses problems with too much time between it and the Pass- over, leaving only January 10, 1. On December 24 and 25 we show how astronomical data support January 10, 1 B.C.E.


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ⁱ Josephus 
ⁱⁱ Antiquities 17:6:4
ⁱⁱⁱ E. Martin, The Star that Astonished the world, Chapter 8. 

THE ECLIPSE OF MARCH 13, 4 B.C. VS. JANUARY 10, 1 B.C.

Recall from December 21 that just before Herod's death and a Passover, a lunar eclipse occurred right after the execution of two rabbis.

But Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon.ⁱ

This eclipse marks the death of Herod and points to the birth date of Jesus. But we have to determine which eclipse Josephus refers to. There exists four in question: a partial one on March 13:4 and a total one on September 15, 5, March 23, 5 and January 10, 1. If we go to our cal- endar converter, click the third radio button down and type in March, 4 B.C. we see that 3/13/-4 falls on Adar 15. The days of Purim fall on Adar 14 and Adar 15.ⁱⁱ Recall from the book of Esther that during Purim the Jews celebrate their release from Gentile domination and the fall of Haman the Agagite. He had attempted to kill off all the Jews (see De- cember 17). Herod would never have executed the two Rabbis during Purim because of the resulting outrage. Though Herod trampled on Jew- ish sensibilities, burning to death the two rabbis while the Jews burnt effigies of Hayman would've probably caused a riot.ⁱⁱⁱ The Hebrews would've connected Hayman and Herod as two of a kind. Both of them came from Edomite and Canaanite stock and had ten sons. As it was, during the following Passover following the eclipse a revolt did occur over the death of the rabbis.^iv

There was also an eclipse on March 23, 5 B.C. But that date falls on Ni- san 15 when all the Jews would've been in Jerusalem for the Passover. News of burning to death the two rabbis would've caused an outrage and more trouble for Herod then had he waited until afterwards.

An eclipse, such as the one on B.C. March 13, 4 (or March 23, 5 B.C.), can only occur during a full moon. The following Nisan 1, 4 B.C. showed the first new moon. Nisan 1 falls in March or April. The Passover on Ni- san 14 signaled the next full moon and therefore occurred 29 days after the eclipse. As we'll show, Herod died about 18 days afterwards. In chapter 8 of his book, The Star that Astonished the World, Dr. Martin argues convincingly that we can't squeeze all the events surrounding Herod and his burial rites into that 29 day interval. Therefore the eclipse mentioned by Josephus could not have been the one on March 13, 4 B.C. (or the one on March 23, 5.B.C. for the same reasons).

If one were conservative in estimating the interval of time between the lunar eclipse (which occurred just after the two rabbis were executed) and the arrival of the springtime Passover, one has to allow (at a bare minimum) ten weeks.^v

Indeed we have to allow 30 days alone for the customary period of mourning (Sheloshim) over Herod's death in accordance with Numbers 20:29 and Deuteronomy 34:8. After the burial a seven day mourning period followed for the immediate family.^vi The Jews mourned Aaron and Moses for thirty days and in Genesis 50:3 the embalming process took 40 days for Jacob. Only after those forty days did the Jews begin a thirty-day morning (Sheloshim). ³And forty days were fulfilled for him (Jacob); for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days (Genesis 50). Herod, who thought most highly of himself, would've demanded the same fuss made over his own funeral.

Though his illness became worse, Herod didn't die right after the eclipse. The physicians attempted a few remedies before advising him to go to the Dead Sea about 25 miles southeast of Jericho.^vii There in Callirrhoe he bathed in the warm mineral baths before returning. So prior to the 30 and 40 days of mourning and embalming we add a couple of weeks: one for treatment by the court physicians and another for the trip to Callirrhoe. Herod also had his son, Antipater, slain five days before his death.^viii So we have the death occurring about 18/19 days after the eclipse.

To show Herod's concern over how the Jews would react to his death, consider: He knew his demise would set the Hebrews to celebrating. So after returning from Callirrhoe he had all the prominent Jews rounded up for execution on the day he passed away. That ensured the Hebrews would mourn after Herod's death rather than dance in the street.^ix (I nev- er said he wasn't crazy.) Bringing all those Jews together in the hippo- drome would've taken at least a week. (The Jews were released and sent home after Herod's death.)

The forty-days for embalming and thirty days for mourning for Herod probably did not overlap completely. So we have at most some 18 + 30 + 40 = 88 days. That period would cover Herod's therapy, his death, his embalming and trip to his burial site in Herodian about eight miles south of Jerusalem. We have to add 7 days after the burial for the family mourning, which leaves 95 days.^x We'd also have to consider the prepar- atory time needed to assemble the cortege for the trip to the Herodian and Herod's internment.

After this was over, they prepared for his funeral, it being Archelaus's care that the procession to his father's sepulcher should be very sumptuous. ^xi

They didn't have e-mail in those days. The family would've had to send couriers to all the military elite and dignitaries throughout Judah and assemble them in Jericho. They would've needed the army to guard the procession. We still haven't considered how long the body may have remained in Jerusalem before proceeding on.

All the above events occurred before the Passover.^xii So we have to allow about 10 to 12 weeks between the eclipse and Herod's internment. As anyone can see our 29 days won't do at all for March 13, 4 or March 23, 5. However the eclipse on January 10, 1 B.C. allows a twelve week period before Nisan 14.

After Herod's death the Jews demanded Herod's son, Archelaus, to avenge the execution of the two rabbis.^xiii Though the new king honored the Jews in other ways, he first desired Caesar's approval of his reign before doing anything about the rabbis' death. That meant a trip to Rome. Archelaus probably didn't wish to deal with the problematic execution at all. Or at least he hoped that by the time he got back, the people would have calmed down. While preparing to go to the port city of Caesarea, he sent his general to explain to the Jews that the rabbis had been executed according to law approved by the Sanhedrin (The Jewish Supreme Court). During the Passover, with Archelaus still in town, sedition broke out over the conflict. An army sent by Archelaus slew three thousand Jews in the temple precincts, which precipitated a Jewish-Roman war the following summer and autumn.^xiv

To account for all these events after the eclipse, without squeezing them into twenty-nine days, some theologians place this slaughter of the 3000 Jews in the following year. However a careful reading of Antiquities 17:9:2-3 points to the immediate Passover following Herod's demise. The people wanted amends right away, not 13 months later. Archelaus wished to establish his reign as soon as possible. He wanted to leave "immedi-ately" and wouldn't have waited over a year to go to Rome.^xv So the eclipse of March 13, 4 and March 23, 5 B.C. pose unresolved problems.

We're now left with January 10, 1 B.C. and September 15, 5 B.C. for the eclipse of Josephus. On our calendar converter September 15 in 5 B.C. falls on Tishri 14. Herod would not have risked a Jewish rebellion by having the rabbis executed just before the feast of tabernacles that begun on the 15^th, not with everybody in Jerusalem. Besides, the ensuing seven months till the Passover is too long for the above events to occur.

The eclipse of January 10, 1 B.C. gives us better agreement with Luke 3: ¹Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius (14 to 37 A.D.) Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee,²³And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age…

The fifteenth year of Tiberius (14 to 37 A.D.) puts us in 28 or 29 A.D. If we put the birth of Christ in the year B.C. 3 during Tishri then He would have just turned 30 in 28 A.D. So we're forced to go with January 10, 1 B.C. for the eclipse that marks Herod's death.

On December 23 we calculate Christ's birth from the eclipse of January 10, 1 B.C.


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ENDNOTES

ⁱAntiquities 17:6:4,
ⁱⁱ Esther 9:26, 32
ⁱⁱⁱ Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the Word; chapter 9
^vi Antiquities 17:9:3
^v Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World; chapter 8
^vi Antiquities 17:8:4 and Numbers 19:14
^vii Antiquities 17:6:5
^viii Ibid. 17: 8:1
^xi Ibid. 17:8:4 and Numbers 19:14
^x Ibid. 17:8:3
^xi Ibid. 17:6:5
^xii Ibid. 17:9:3-4
^xiii Ibid. 17:9:1
^xiv Ibid. 17:9:3
^xv Ibid. 17:9:1

CALCULATING CHRIST’S BIRTH FROM THE ECLIPSE

In Luke 1:5-20, while alone burning incense in Herod's temple, Zacharias, a high priest, beholds a messenger of God. This messenger informs Zacharias that his wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a child called John (the Baptist). Most likely we could deem this event the first communica- tion from God after the O.T. We find the only clue as to when God breaks this silence in Luke 1: ⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

We find the name, Abia, used twice: in Luke 1:5 and Matthew 1: ⁷And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa. Immediately we recognize Roboam as the first king of Judah after Sol- omon and Asa as the third. Since Matthew 1 gives the kingly lineage of Judah, Abia must be Abijah, the second king. The Strong's Concordance informs us that the name, Abia, has a Hebrew origin and we find it spelled as Abijah 20 times in the O.T.

We find the word, course, (ephēmeria, from ephemeros) only twice in the N.T: (Luke 1: 5, 8). The Strong's Dictionary defines the word as the quo- tidian rotation or class of the Jewish priests' service at the Temple, as dis- tributed by families (of Levi).

In 1 Chronicles 23:6 we read that, ⁶...David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ^7…13The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever (1 Chronicles 23:13).

Zacharias was a descendent of Amram and Aaron because in Luke 5 it was ⁹…his lot…to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. In 1 Chronicles 24 we find David dividing the sons of Levi by lot into 24 divisions or orders. In respect to the sons of Aaron, ³…David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. Then we read, ⁷…the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib…^8…10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah… In Luke 1:5 Zacharias is of the course of Abia.

We conclude Zacharias was of the eighth course. Now we need to know when the first course began. Around the first of Nisan seems the most likely.

In 1 Chronicles 27 we read about ¹…officers that served the king in any matter of the course, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year… ²Over the first course for the first month was… ^3…5The third captain of the host for the third month was…

We conclude that the first course for the priests of 1 Chronicles 24 did begin in the first month. Now with 24 courses we need to determine how long each course lasted.

⁸So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jeho- iada the priest dismissed not the courses (2 Chronicles 23).

⁵And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house (2 Kings 11).

We conclude that each course lasted one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath, for 24 weeks (courses). Then another 24 weeks followed for a total of 48. Each course, separated by about 6 months, would've served at two dif- ferent times during the year. The Jews followed a lunar calendar of 51 weeks per year. On some years they added an extra month, about seven within a nineteen year period, to keep in tune with the earth's rotation around the sun. Two courses served per year totals 48 weeks with three remaining for the feast days: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. During those three weeks no priest alone would serve, rather all of them worked together. ¹¹And it came to pass (during Tabernacles), when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course (2 Chronicles 5). The same verse in the Robert Young's translation (YLT) reads: ¹¹And it cometh to pass, in the going out of the priests from the sanctuary—for all the priests who are present have sanctified themselves, there is none to watch by courses (2 Chronicles 5 (YLT)). In other words they all served together during the feast days.

Now we can understand Luke 6:1 (YLT) that reads, ¹…it came to pass, on the second-first sabbath… The second-first sabbath refers to the first week in the second yearly cycle or tenure commencing in Tishri, i.e., about six months after the first-first Sabbath began in Nisan. The second-second Sabbath would then follow the second-first one. The second-third Sabbath would not begin until after the feast of tabernacles. At that time all the priests would've served together beginning Tishri 15 and ending Tishri 22-23. The following weekly Sabbath would begin the normal course for the second-third Sabbath. The cycle would then end with the second-twenty-fourth Sabbath. A new cycle with the first-first Sabbath would begin on or just before Nisan 1. Scripture refers to the weekly Sabbaths within Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles as "between Sabbaths."

In Luke 1: ²³…it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his minis- tration were accomplished, he (Zacharias) departed to his own house. ²⁴And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived…

In Luke 1:26-38 this same messenger of God informs Mary that she will conceive and bear a son (Jesus): ³⁶…behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. This indeed was a miracle baby.

Then ³⁹Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda (near Hebron; see Joshua 21:11). ⁴⁰And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. ^41...56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Most likely Mary remained until Elisabeth gave birth to John. We can assume Elisabeth gave birth after 280 days, the normal period of gestation. ⁵⁷…Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

Zacharias was of the eighth course. We'll assume temporarily that he received the visitation on the first-eighth Sabbath week. We now use the January 10, 1 B.C.E. eclipse of Josephus as the benchmark for Herod's death (see December 22). We add a couple of years and put the birth of Jesus in Tishri of 3 B.C.E., thus in 4 B.C. Zacharias received the visita- tion. According to our Calendar Converter Nisan 1 fell on March 28. Beginning with and including the week with Nisan 1, we count 8 Sab-baths, but skip the one during Passover (April 10-18). We land on May 19-25 as the eighth week (or first-eighth Sabbath). After having been struck dumb in the temple, Zacharias would've been dismissed before the week ended (Leviticus 21:16–23). We now assume that Elizabeth con- ceived around June 1, 4 B.C.
    30 (days in June)
    31 (days in July)
    31 (days in August)
    30 (days in September)
    31 (days in October)
    30 (days in November)
    31 (days in December)
    31 (days in January)
    28 (days in February)
     7 (days in March)    
280 total days

Two hundred and eighty days lands us on March 7, 3 B.C. for the birth of John the Baptist. Luke 1 doesn't tell us when in Elizabeth's sixth month Mary received her visitation. So we assume Mary conceived the first of Elizabeth's seventh month. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and thus has six months to go after John's birth. About six more months for Mary lands us somewhere in September and Tishri 1 falls on Septem- ber 11 for 3 B.C. The assumption of 3 B.C. puts us in the correct Jewish month.

If we had added the months from Zachariah's second-eighth course then Jesus would have been born six months later in March. This conclusion becomes problematic. Caesar Augustus would have ordered the con- sensus (that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem; see Luke 2:1-6) in August and September, not during the late winter.ⁱ

The most likely days for Christ's birth would be Tishri 10 (Yom Kippur) or Tishri 1. Tishri 1 brings in the Jewish New Year and is a Jubilee Day. Tishri 10 was the Day of Atonement. That's when the high priest, arrayed in linen garments, went into the holy of holies that contained the Ark of the Covenant. Only during this time could he enter in to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat (see Supplement July 31 for more on the Day of Atone-ment.) The great Day of Atonement refers to the cross in 33 A.D.

On December 24 we show why Tishri 1 is preferable.

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ⁱ William F. Ramsay, Born at Bethlehem, 193.

A SIGN OF CHRIST’S BIRTH IN VIRGO

 

Matthew 2:2 tells us a "star" led the Magi westward to Jerusalem (Mat- thew 2:2). We assume at first that a natural "star" led them rather than anything supernatural. The same applies to what stood over Bethlehem (Matthew 2:9). After all the "star" didn't point out the house; it merely stood over where the young child was. God orchestrated the "star" in a way that brought the Magi from hundreds of miles away. Therefore other astrological occurrences divinely ordained could've also confirmed Christ's birth. They didn't have the whole Bible back then and God could have used other methods to communicate. For example during a short period God sent messages via people speaking in tongues in the church at Corinth. So why not use stars and constellations as well? From God's point of view man's belief in astrology would've proved most accom- modating. As long as Revelation 22:18-19 hadn't been written yet (circa A.D. 95), such a supposition does not contradict Scripture (see June 11).

 

The Magi who trekked to Jerusalem would've been aware of Genesis 1:14 as well as Isaiah 7:14: ¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firma- ment of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. Isaiah 7:14 gets more specific, referring to a sign of Christ ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

 

When we search Scripture for any more information regarding starry signs we note in Revelation 12: ¹And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: ²And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

 

Today most of us wouldn't interpret Revelation 12:1-2 as an astrological sign. Instead we would just say the woman represents either the true believers or Mary or ancient Israel that gave birth to Christ. When she flees into the wilderness in verse 6 she represents the churches in the wilderness (the world for 1955 years). The thousand two hundred and threescore days reflects the forty years the Israelites spent in the wilder- ness. The child of course is Christ or the true believers. The moon is the law of God that no longer holds the true believers accountable; therefore the moon is under her feet. Malachi 4:2 refers to God as the Sun of righteousness. God, the sun, clothes the true believers with His right- eousness so that they no longer stand naked before God with all their sins exposed. The twelve stars could represent the twelve tribes of Israel that in turn represent the kingdom of God.

 

But from man's point of view the Bible evolves with new meanings like the rings of a tree. How would people understand Revelation 12:1-2 when first written circa 95 A.D? They would have interpreted it according to Genesis 1:14 and Isaiah 7:14, i.e., as an astrological sign pointing to the birth of a king. Heaven in the Bible can refer to three different spheres: (1) to the immediate level near the ground where birds and planes fly; (2) to the sun, moon and stars; (3) or heaven can mean where God resides outside the universe. In Revelation 12:1-2 heaven refers to outer space. The Magi who came to Jerusalem and spoke to Herod were well versed in astrological interpretation. Dr. Martin speaks from the Magi's point of view when he writes,

 

There can be no doubt that this (Revelation 12:1-2) was an astronomical symbol showing the time of Jesus' birth.ⁱ Astro- logical matters at this time in history were reckoned by most people as being first-class scientific indicators to present and future events.ⁱⁱ Historical documents show how serious people were in regard to what they called the science of astrology…ⁱⁱⁱ

 

The Jews interpreted the stars differently than the Gentiles. While the latter considered the celestial pageantry of 3-2 B.C. to concern Rome and Caesar Augustus, the former interpreted it as a sign pointing to the king of the Jews, as did the Magi. The Jews didn't attribute prognosticating power to the stars but rather thought God arranged the heavens for purposes of communication, particularly the Messiah's birth. Although Herod had his own astrologers, he wanted the Magi's (Gentile's) side of the story re- garding what they saw in the east. It not only prompted the wise men to come to Jerusalem but put Herod up to killing all infants in the area.

 

Two thousand years ago people wanted to believe that the stars foretold events, particularly the birth of kings. God condescended to them: He gave them the star the Magi followed to Jerusalem and Revelation 12:1-2 to pinpoint Christ's birth. People in those days would assume that Reve- lation 12:1-2 referred to Virgo the Virgin, the only one such constellation in the ecliptic (the yearly path of the sun from earth's point of view).

 

The constellation Bethulah (Hebrew for Virgo) herself is seen rising in the early evening sky during Passover/Unleavened Bread. She is at zenith and highest in the early evening sky during Pentecost, and setting above the western horizon in the early evening sky at Tabernacles. Bethulah is then not seen again in the early evening sky until the following Passover/Week of Unleavened Bread. This constellation clearly portrays Israel and the Feasts of YHVH.^iv

 

There are twelve stars around the head of Virgo according to Revelation 12:1. Those six in the southern hemisphere: (1) Pi, (2) Nu, (3) Beta (near the ecliptic), (4) Sigma, (5) Chi, (6) Iota. Those in the northern hemi- sphere: (7) Theta, (8) Star 60, (9) Delta, (10) Star 93, (11) Beta, (12) Omicron.^v

 

Now we have to verify Revelation 1:1-2 by showing that this astrological sign actually did occur at the appropriate time. On December 23 we approximated that Jesus was born sometime in September of 3 B.C.E. On December 21, 2008 (post deleted) we said that Tishri 10 marked a rea- sonable day for Christ's birth. However Tishri 1 (Rosh ha-Shanah), the Jewish New Year, becomes a more likely possibility.

 

Within the last twenty years they've programmed computer models to show what the sky looked like thousands of years ago. In Tropic astrology the system as defined by Ptolemy in the 2nd century is fixed to the sea- sons, i.e. the orientation of the Earth relative to the solar system. In 3 B.C.E. the Sun is in the constellation of Virgo the Virgin from August 24 to September 22.^vi But to satisfy Revelation 12:1-2 the sun must cloth the virgin, i.e., must reside mid-bodied to her, which narrows the interval down from August 27 to September 15, a period of twenty days. This period satisfies what we got when counting to the eighth course of Zacharias on December 23. But to satisfy Revelation 12:1-2 completely the moon must reside beneath the virgin's feet. The only date in 3 B.C.E. that the sun resides inside the constellation of Virgo and the moon under her feet is September 11. This configuration, as seen from Palestine, took place between 6:15 p.m. (sunset) and about 7:45 p.m. (moonset). That date and time would satisfy Revelation 12:1-2 and could only occur in one day out of the year.^vii

 

At the moment of sunset on September 11, 3 B.C.E. the moon, as seen from Jerusalem and scheduled to set at 6:35, lays just beneath the virgin's feet at an altitude of eight degrees. It is twenty-two degrees left of the sun's azimuth which is at 277°. The head, left shoulder and arm of the constellation reside beneath the horizon. The sun, in the middle of the constellation, sinks just out of sight at 5:53 P.M. The brightest star, Spica (Latin), is at an altitude of 3 degrees and sets at 6:12 P.M. The word Spica means an ear of corn for what she holds in her left hand. The name of the star in Arabic, Al Zimach, means the branch. Zechariah 3:7 prophe- sizes Christ as The Branch, also Zechariah 6:12. In John 12:24 we read, ²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. That the star Spica fall(s) into the ground at 6:12 P.M. could arguably mark the moment of Christ's birth.^viii

 

From our calendar calculator September 11, 3 B.C.E. falls on Tishri 1, (YOM TERUAH, as referred to in the Torah) on a new moon and most appropriate day for Christ's birth.^ix The KJV calls Tishri 1 the "day of trumpets." (Actually they blew the ram's horn. Every other first of the month they blew the trumpet.) Tishri 1, a Jubilee day in a Jubilee month, ushers in a new moon, the Jewish New Year and a most holy day (Le- viticus 23:23–26). In Numbers 29: ¹…in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets (ram's horn or shôpār) unto you. That September 11, 3 B.C.E. falls on Tishri 1 adds one more "coincidence" among all the others listed on February 23, 25, that when taken together defies all probability.

 

It so happens that those living in 3-2 B.C. witnessed even more celestial pageantry then September 11, 3 B.C.E. Other starry signs included the star of Bethlehem and pointed to the birth of Christ, which we look at on December 25.

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ⁱ Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World, Chapter 3 

ⁱⁱ Ibid. Chapter 1 

ⁱⁱⁱ Ibid.

^iv Biblical Astronomy September/October 2007

^v Keystone Christian Reading Room.

^vi Wikipedia 

^vii Keystone Christian Reading Room.

^viii The Birth of יהושע the Messiah The Sign of Revelation 12:1-2

^ix Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World. Chapter 5 

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Since the late 1960s astronomers have been zeroing in on the most likely and long-sought-after "star" of Bethlehem. That this star fits into our timeline for the birth of Christ (September 11, 3 B.C.E. see December 24) makes it important. Actually the whole astrological pageantry between May of 3 B.C.E. and December of 2 B.C.E. supports our claims for Di- vinity and points to September 11, 3 B.C.E. for the birth date.

Recall that for centuries the Magi had been studying astronomy, astrology and religion. After 539 B.C.E Genesis 1:14 would have struck them as most interesting: ¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: Astrological events of any signifi- cance would've been anticipated and monitored for weeks in advance.

Thirty days before the birth date and about an hour and twenty minutes before sunrise on August 12, 3 B.C.E., the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter rose in the eastern sky in conjunction with each other. Jupiter often was associated with the birth of kings and therefore called the King planet.ⁱ

This conjoining occurred in the zodiacal sign of Cancer, the concluding sign for interpreting the astrological year. The sun, moon and Mercury resided in the constellation of Leo the lion, the sign of Judah and the beginning one for the astrological year. So we have the ending of one period and the beginning of another.

The mergence of Jupiter and Venus in the eastern sky on August 12, 3 B.C.E. may well have been the star in Matthew 2: ²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. The King James translation of this verse sug- gests the Magi may have seen this star while in the east. But the trans- lation of Matthew 2:2 in "God's Word" has …his star rising… and the Mace New Translation translates the verse as a ...rising star… Also the New English Bible translates the verse as the rising of his star. We can understand Matthew 2:2 (KJV) to read …we have seen his star (rising) in the east.

The rising of a star or planet just before sunrise was particularly significant in interpreting events relating to important people.ⁱⁱ The New Testament…clearly shows that the Magi observed an ordinary star (or planet) ascending above the eastern horizon which they interpreted as the sign that a Jewish king was now within his nativity period.ⁱⁱⁱ

In Revelation 22:16 Christ refers to Himself as a morning star: ¹⁶…I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And 2 Peter 1:19 mentions Christ as a day star. ¹⁹We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Also the Magi would have had access to Isaiah 60: ³And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

We now jump ahead to twelve days before the birth date. Nineteen days after August 12, i.e., on August 31, 3 B.C.E., Mercury, the gods' mes- senger, left the sun and Virgo, the virgin, to conjoin with Venus. Jesus was born of a virgin represented by Virgo. Venus, the goddess of fertility, was in Leo. The constellation of Leo represents a lion. Christ came from the tribe of Judah, which is associated with a lion. ⁹Judah is a lion's whelp. (Genesis 49). Mercury symbolized the messenger of the gods and John the Baptist, the messenger of God, announced Christ of Judah. ²…Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee (Mark 1). Jupiter, the "King Star," and "Father of the gods," was also entering Leo. The constellation of Leo was the chief or head sign of the Zodiac both in the secular and the biblical Zodiac. This sign was especially important in astrological circles.^iv The sun, the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) and Supreme Father that, according to as- trologers, ruled the heavens, resided in Virgo when Mercury left the con- stellation to enter Leo. Though the Magi would not have had access to Mark 1, the other two verses (Genesis 49:9 and Malachi 4:2) along with these starry configurations would've suggested the birth of a great king.

Eleven days later, i.e., on September 11, 3 B.C. (Tishri 1), from 6:15 to 7:45 P.M. the sun clothed Virgo with the new moon under her feet (as explained on December 24). Twelve stars cover her head. This agrees with Revelation 12:1-2 and points to the time of the birth of Christ. ¹And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: ²And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be de- livered.

For the summer of 3 B.C. Augustus, the first emperor of Rome had made a decree: peoples of the Empire must register, granting Augustus the title of Pater Patriae or "Father of the Country."^v That would explain the "consensus" demanded of Joseph and Mary. Joseph had descended from a kingly line (Matthew 1:1-17), which meant Mary conceivably could give birth to a king. So both of them would've had to swear allegiance to Augustus. The Romans no doubt figured the celestial pageantry listed here pointed to Augustus and the Roman Empire. But a year later the Magi chose to go to Jerusalem instead of Rome. Perhaps the prophet Daniel, who prophesied Christ in Daniel 9 (see January 12), had enlight- ened the Magi about the coming Messiah. In Daniel 5:11 Daniel had been …made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; At any rate, …scholars today are able to see that there was a great deal of mingling of beliefs between the Jews and the Magi at this period of time. This was because of their connections with one another since the 6^th century B.C.E.^vi 

On September 14, 3 B.C., with the sun still in Virgo, Jupiter the "King planet" conjoined with Regulus, the "Royal Star" in the "Royal Con- stellation" of Leo. Located nearly on the ecliptic, Regulus had the attri- butes of greatness and power.^vii  Jupiter had just united with Venus (Au- gust 12) and now twenty-eight days later was uniting with the King Star, three days after Christ's birth. On December 1 Jupiter stopped its normal motion and began its retrogression back towards Regulus. On February 17, 2 B.C.E. Jupiter and Regulus meet again with the moon between them. Jupiter continued its retrograde motion until March 29, 2 B.C.E. before assuming normal motion back towards Regulus. On May 8, 2 B.C.E. in the western sky Jupiter met for the third time with Regulus, the King, with the moon again between them. These three conjunctions, all within Leo, would have been seen as a circling motion of Jupiter around the king star. The Magi could've interpreted this event as the crowning of a great king out of Judah.

To see that Regulus is the king star note that in Numbers 24: ¹⁷I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel…^18…19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that re- maineth of the city. Note we have the Star associated with the Sceptre and dominion and with Jacob, which is associated with the lion and Judah (Genesis 49:9). This Star is Regulus, the King Star in Leo. In Genesis 49: ¹⁰The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet… Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, resides between the forefeet of the constellation.

Those in Rome would've thought these three conjunctions pointed to Caesar Augustus (23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14). It was the 25^th year of his reign and the 750^th priestly anniversary of Rome. It was a time of peace and prosperity. The people and Senate of Rome had just given Augustus his supreme title as the Father of the Country. But note the first of these three conjunctions (September 14, 3 B.C.E.) occurred only three days after September 11, 3 B.C.E., the birth date of Jesus

Ten months after Jupiter and Venus merged in the eastern sky (August 12, 3 B.C.E), the same two planets on June 17, 2 B.C.E. conjoined again; this time in the western sky and in the constellation of Leo.^viii Jesus would now be 9 months and 6 days old.

During this conjunction a full moon set the eastern sky aglow, allowing further interpretations in Rome. In Mesopotamia during the evening they would've looked towards Palestine and seen this conjunction as a single "star" brighter than all others. In his book, The Planet that Wasn't, Asimov asks "Is the fact that the unusual 'star' was seen in the direction of Judaea enough to make them think of a Messiah?"^ix 

The Magi, meaning astrologers, would've attributed divine significance to this convergence. It was probably the star of Bethlehem.^x They would've had access to Numbers 24: ¹⁷There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel and would've anticipated a star regarding the Messiah. They also had access to Numbers 14: ¹⁷I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel… They thus could have trav- eled west towards this star and come to Jerusalem. Recall that Jacob is associated with a lion. Leo, the "Royal Constellation" began the year for interpretation of coming events. While the conjoining of these two planets occurred twice, the one on August 12, 3 B.C.E. took place in Cancer, the ending of the astrological year. People back then would've interpreted these two events as the closing of one era and the beginning of another. These astrological configurations could not have occurred centuries be- fore or after June 17, 2 B.C.E.^xi 

Forty days later, on August 27, 2 B.C., a massing of four planets occurred in the constellation of Leo: Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and Venus. The moon was entering Leo and the Sun was entering Virgo. This grouping signaled to astrologers a common interest or purpose, possibly beginning with a war (with Mars involved) before a new beginning opened up by a king of Judah.^xii

In the early morning of December 25, 2 B.C.E. (29 Tevet), Jupiter be- came stationary on the meridian over Bethlehem, as seen from Jerusalem. ⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was (Matthew 2 KJV) The Magi would've followed Jupi- ter westward to Jerusalem, then camped there to gossip with Herod be- fore leaving for Bethlehem. They then saw the star of Matthew 2:9 over Bethlehem. The verbal phrase, having come, in Matthew 2:9 in Young's Literal Translation (YLT) makes more sense than that of the King James. Compare: ⁹And they, having heard the king, departed, and lo, the star, that they did see in the east, did go before them, till, having come, it stood over where the child was (Matthew 2 YLT). The planet didn't travel from north to south; rather after having come (as the Magi talked to Herod), Jupiter stood over Bethlehem just before dawn, when the wise men got ready to leave Jerusalem.

Jupiter not only stopped over Bethlehem, as seen from Jerusalem, but it stood still right in the middle of the constellation of Virgo, the Virgin. And, of course, Jesus was born of a virgin. The planet remained sta- tionary for about six days.^xiii If Jesus had been born on September 11, 3, He'd be at 1 year, 3 months and 14-20 days. From the Jewish perspective December 25 (Hanukkah) would've been the most appropriate time for the Magi to give their gifts to Jesus.

To understand how Jupiter could appear to stand still we first have to understand that earth is the third planet from the sun, Jupiter the fifth, and both travel counterclockwise around the sun. A silver dollar could represent earth's orbit placed atop a pancake for the path of Jupiter. As earth, the faster planet, approaches Jupiter, the latter appears to travel eastward through the stars in progression. As the earth, due to its faster speed, gets closer to this massive planet the latter appears to slow down and stop. Jupiter then seems to reverse its direction (in retrogression) and travel westward, like a slower moving car on the highway that, as seen from a faster vehicle, appears to be backing up. Between December 1, 3 B.C.E. and March 29, 2 B.C.E. the retrogression lasted for four months.

Note that December 25 occurs during the Winter Solstice, when the sun stops its southern route over the tropic of Capricorn and starts back north. The Gentiles considered this time the birth of the new sun. Psalms 84:11 compares Christ to the sun: ¹¹For the LORD God is a sun… The Winter Solstice …was celebrated in most areas of the world as the nativity of the "Ruler" of the heavens.^xiv 

A study of these starry configurations shows how precise God timed each astrological event to coincide with the historical and vice versa. That fact illustrates how God must have created His timeline with utmost precision.

In conclusion Jesus was born on September 11, 3 B.C.E. The Magi would've probably left for Jerusalem after the Jupiter-Venus conjunction on June 17, 2 B.C.E. They would've left for Bethlehem around December 25, 2 B.C.E. and Jesus is at about 15 months. Herod then had all children two years and younger executed (Matthew 2:16). He then died around January 28, 1 B.C.E.

On December 10 we begin with the crucifixion.
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ⁱ Hendriksen, The Gospel of Matthew, 153.
ⁱⁱ Ernest Martin, The Star that Astonished the World, Chapter 4
ⁱⁱⁱ Ibid. Chapter 1
^iv Ibid.
^v T. Lewin, Fasti Sacri, 135.
^vi Ibid. Chapter 2
^vii Ibid. Chapter 4
^viii Christianity Today, "The Celestial Pageantry Dating Christ's Birth," 1976, by Ernest Martin.
^ix Isaac Asimov, The Planet that Wasn't 222
^x Roger W. Sinnott, Sky and Telescope, December, 1968, 384–386. Sinnott's results make the Star of Bethlehem more plausible astronomically than it has seemed heretofore. (C.A. Federer, Sky and Telescope 36 {December 1968}, referencing the article in that same issue, by Roger W. Sinnott, "Thoughts on the Star of Bethlehem," p 384.)
^xi Dr. E Martin, The Star that Astonished the World. Chapter 1
^xii Ibid.
^xiii Ibid. Chapter 4
^xiv Ibid.