The Star of Bethlehem - The Rest of the Story
Transcription
The Star of Bethlehem - The Rest of the Story
The Star of Bethlehem - The Rest of the Story 1 The puzzle is coming together! Can you see it? The common theme of the pieces is .. The Return of Jesus Christ! Only this is no game. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com Those Jesus knows will have eternal happiness in Heaven with Him. (Matt. 25:10-12) Those Jesus doesn't know will have eternal torment in Hell without Him. (Matt. 7:21-23) And the time is short for that relationship to be made, strengthened, and shared. Another inescapable common theme of the puzzle pieces is the year 2015. No one knows what will happen for sure in 2015, but one can't handle the puzzle pieces without coming to the conclusion that something eventful is going to happen. Please read on … and see if you agree. 2 We tend to think that tomorrow will be somewhat like today, but things can change fast. Things that man may not have any control over … Luke 17:26-30 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 21:34-36 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." 1 Thes. 5:2 "for you know very well that the day of the LORD will come like a thief in the night." 1 Thes. 5:4 "But, you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief." www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/2015.html 3 People tend to procrastinate and have compromising priorities without deadlines and focus. I believe the LORD may be graciously giving us deadlines so that we focus on Him. Bible book Daniel 9:25-26 could very well be a dual prophecy of Jesus' 1st and 2nd coming: "From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Jesus comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.'" Jesus 1st coming (476 years from the decree until Jesus' death and resurrection) Jerusalem's walls were rebuilt as a result of the decree made in 444 BC. Seven 'sevens,' plus sixty-two 'sevens.' (476 years) from 444 BC lands on 33 AD. (7+62=69X7X360/365.25=476 years - no "0" year between BC and AD) Jesus entered Jerusalem in 33 AD as a king riding on a donkey, then was "cut off/crucified". There are exactly 7 7's from the 6-Day war until Day of Atonement 9/23/2015) Jerusalem was restored as a result of the 6-Day war on 6/7/1967. Seven-sevens (49 years) from 6/7/1967 lands on The Day of Atonement 9/23/2015. (7 years X 7 X 360 days per Biblical year = 17,640 days from 6/7/1967 to 9/23/2015) (see www.timeanddate.com calculator) Will anything significant happen on or around 9/23/2015 Day of Atonement? No one really knows .. Except God. He knows. That being said, there are several specific and date-related issues regarding 2015. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/2015.html 4 In the Bible book of Leviticus, God describes His appointed feast days. Jesus fulfilled each of the Spring feast days on those exact days: Spring Feasts (are given in Lev. 23:4-22) 4/3/33 Passover (Jesus was crucified as our sacrificial lamb) 4/3-4/33 Feast of Unleavened Bread (Jesus was buried in the tomb) 4/5/33 Feast of First Fruits (Jesus rose on the day after the Sabbath) 5/24/33 Feast of Weeks (the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost) Jesus fulfilled all the Spring feasts days on their day within the same year. Is it reasonable to think that Jesus may fulfill each of the Fall feast days on the exact days like He did the Spring feast days within the year - some year? Fall Feasts (are given in Lev. 23:23-44) Feast of Trumpets - repentance - (Jews repent) Day of Atonement - redemption - (Jews drawn to Jesus) Feast of Tabernacles - rejoicing - (Jews stand with Jesus) It has been said that the Spring feasts are for individual redemption (salvation), and the Fall feasts are for national redemption (group salvation). It is interesting that Passover 2015 falls on a Friday, 4/3 just like in 33 AD. The fall feasts in 2015 fall on 9/13, 9/23, and 9/28 just like in 33 AD, and even on the same days of the week - Sunday, Wednesday, and Monday. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/christian-jewish-perspective.html 5 What is so important about The Day of Atonement? Atonement is God's way of making things right between man and Him. The Day of Atonement is a Feast Day established by God in Leviticus 23:26-27 "The Lord said to Moses, 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement." Rom. 3:21-25 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. The "The Day of Atonement" is also known as Yom Kippur. It is observed annually in the fall as the 2nd of the 3 fall feasts. The Day of Atonement 9/23/2015 is exactly "seven-sevens" (17,640 days later) from the restoring of Jerusalem in 6/7/1967. This relates to Daniel 9:25, but what does it mean? Jesus came as a sacrifice of atonement - Passover and Day of Atonement to redeem His people and to make things right by bringing justice. 6 Compare this Day of Atonement passage with the beginning of the Trumpet judgments in Rev. 8. Does God link the Day of Atonement with His coming justice and judgment? Does one usher in the other? 7 To make it more interesting … Day of Atonement 9/23/2015 is also the beginning of the next Jubilee year. The Hebrew word for Jubilee is yo-bel (H3104) which is a trumpet blast announcement. Ter-oo-aw (H8643) is the Hebrew word which means an acclamation of joy or a battle cry, especially of trumpets. It can be a joyful sound and an alarming sound depending which side you are on. A Jubilee year only comes around every 49 years and is a celebration of freedom. Notice the significance of 7X7 or 49 years below: (the 50th year is the first year of the next 49) Lev. 25:8-10 “‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan." Note that the trumpet is to sound on a Jubilee Day of Atonement (see previous page). The command for trumpets to be blown is not given on non-Jubilee Day of Atonements. The next Jubilee begins on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) 9/23/2015. Will Jesus gather or begin to gather His Jewish people on the Day of Atonement some Jubilee year. Biblical feast days begin the evening before the day (so technically the evening of 9/22/2015). So now we have the Day of Atonement and the next Jubilee on 9/23/2015. So what's so special about Jubilees? Consider some of the following past Jubilees … 8 Past Jubilee Years - "Freedom" 1917-1918 - General Allaby frees Jerusalem from the Turks 1966-1967 - Israel frees Jerusalem in the 6-Day War (6/7/1967) 2015-2016 - ?? There have been 40 Jubilees since Jesus' resurrection. There have been 70 Jubilees since Joshua crossed the Jordan river (entering the promised land 40 years after the first Passover in Egypt). The numbers 40 and 70 are very prominent throughout the Bible usually signifying the completion or fulfillment of something. Or … the beginning of something new. According to the Jubilee, everyone is to return to his own property. The next Jubilee year begins with the 2015 Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Jubilees are also the culmination of seven 7-year Shemitah cycles. Every 7 years is a Shemitah year. This year the Shemitah runs from 9/25/2014-9/13/2015. World events and the American economy appear to be tied to the Shemitah year. See … http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/The-Harbinger.html While this is interesting, what makes it very intriguing is that the 1966-67 and 2015-2016 Jubilee years also occur in years of Tetrads. What is a Tetrad? Next slide please … 9 A Tetrad consists of 4 total lunar eclipses in a row. Total lunar eclipses are called "Blood Moons", because they are red in color. Significant events often happen in Jewish history when a tetrad falls on Biblical feast days like below: 1949- 50 - Israel became a nation 5/14/1948, borders established in 1949 1966- 67 - Jerusalem city land restored 6/7/1967 2014-15 - ??? Note: 1949-50 and 1966-67 were similar in that freedom followed war. 2014-2015? Notice that the 1966-67 and 2014-15 Tetrads are also connected to Jubilee years as mentioned earlier. 4/14/32 & 10/7/32 were total lunar eclipses, 4/3/33 & 9/27/33 were partial eclipses - (according to NASA) - all 4 of these fell on Biblical Feast Days Jesus Christ was crucified on 4/3/33 within this period. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/blood-moons.html 10 Passover 2015 actually begins at twilight Friday April 3rd like it did in April 33 AD. Passover runs from evening to evening which is why the eclipses are on different days. 11 www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/passion-week.html 12 The Next Tetrad Occurs on These Biblical Feast Days: 4/15/2014 - Passover 10/8/2014 - Feast of Tabernacles 4/4/2015 - Passover 9/28/2015 - Feast of Tabernacles The 9/28/2015 blood moon is considered a super blood moon since it will appear 14.5% larger than usual and will be seen clearly from Jerusalem. This has never happened before in a tetrad. It also occurs shortly after the Shemitah year ends 9/13/2015. Between the first "blood moon" total lunar eclipse in this tetrad and the last lies: 9/13/2015 - Feast of Trumpets (partial solar eclipse), and 9/23/2015 - Day of Atonement and the day the next Jubilee begins. Will Jesus gather or begin to gather the Jewish people some Day of Atonement and on a Jubilee, then to tabernacle with them in the future? Another Jubilee year does not occur for 49 years, and the next tetrad falling on the Biblical Feast Days does not happen until 2582-83. These 3 tetrads (1949-50, 1966-67, 2014-15) fall within 70 years - two of which can be related to Biblical prophecy being fulfilled. Is there something special here about these tetrads? What if all 3 tetrads are included within lunar triples? 13 A lunar triple is 3 total lunar eclipses in a row Lunar Triple before the 2014-2015 Lunar Tetrad 1-December 21, 2010 2-June 15, 2011 3-December 10, 2011 Lunar Tetrad 2014-2015 1-April 15, 2014 2-October 8, 2014 3-April 4, 2015 4-September 28, 2015 Lunar Triple after the 2014-2015 Lunar Tetrad 1-January 31, 2018 2-July 27, 2018 3-January 21, 2019 (note these lunar triples do not fall on Biblical feast days) 14 Graph below courtesy of: http://bloodmoonscoming.com/?page_id=127 15 16 First date and last date of 2 Lunar Triples December 21, 2010 January 21, 2019 midpoint is 1/5/2015 (middle date which also falls on Epiphany Eve) First and last date of the 2014-2015 Tetrad April 15, 2014 September 28, 2015 midpoint is 1/5/2015 (middle date which also falls on Epiphany Eve) This shows that the 2014-2015 Lunar Tetrad is in the exact middle of 2 Lunar Triples - to the day. Is God highlighting this Tetrad? 10 "Blood Moons" in a row. In groups of 3-4-3 with the middle 4 in the exact middle of the 2 groups of 3 - to the exact day. This also happened in the 1948 and 1967 periods. That makes 30 perfectly positioned total lunar eclipses. The 1/5/2015 middle date of both the Triples and Tetrad lands on Epiphany Eve. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/harbinger.html 17 18 Epiphany 1/6/2015 falls within the middle of both the 4/15/2014 - 9/28/2015 tetrad and the 2/21/2010 - 1/21/2019 triple (as well as in the middle of 18 other pairs of lunar and solar eclipses.) Epiphany is: 1. a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ through the visit of the Magi, 2. an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity, and 3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight. (This Star of Bethlehem journey has produced many epiphanies for me.) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epiphany 19 Observed on January 6th, 2015 the Epiphany celebration remembers the miracles that manifest the divinity of Christ. The name "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word Epiphaneia, and means "to show, make known, or reveal." It's interesting that Epiphany falls on January 6 in 2015. In Strong's Bible dictionary, the Greek word G2015 is "epiphaneia from G2016; a manifestation, that is, (specifically) the "advent" of Christ (past or future): appearing, brightness. “Advent” in Wikipedia is from the Latin word “adventus” which is the translation of the Greek word “parousia”, and is commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. The word parousia G3952 is found in the following verses: Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1 Corinthians 15:23; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 8, 9; James 5:7, 8; 2 Peter 1:16; 3:4, 12; 1 John 2:28. There are 6 scriptures in which the Greek word G2015 is found: 2 Thes. 2:8, 1 Tim. 6:14, 2 Tim. 1:10, 2 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 4:8, and Titus 2:13. All of them are related to our LORD's 2nd coming and/or appearing. 20 In Strong's Bible dictionary, the Hebrew word H2015 is "haphak" - descriptive words include: to turn about or over; by implication to change, overturn, return, be converted, overthrow H2015 appears 94 times in 92 verses in the Old Testament. It is translated 'turn' 57 times and 'overthrow' 13 times. Frequently, the word haphak is associated with judgment. The first nine occurrences confirm this: : i) Judgment of Adam and Eve in Gen 3:24 ... a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life; ii) Judgment and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (3x); iii) Judgment of the Ten Plagues -- the rod which was turned to a serpent; the river were turned to blood; And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people (5x). So we have G2015 meaning appearing, especially of deity, and H2015 meaning turning, overthrow and judgment. By themselves. these 2015 Bible dictionary names together are interesting. However, when you combine them with all the other "interesting tidbits" of information in this pdf, in the context of the times we live and God's pattern of warning, remnant saved, and immediate following judgment, these become …? And here is still another interesting one … 21 If you add 2,520 days to the 11/4/2008 US presidential election you come to 9/29/2015 - the day after 9/28/2015 Feast of Tabernacles. If you include both the starting and ending dates in the math, you come to 9/28/2015 - the Feast of Tabernacles. Date familiar? 9/28/2015 is the last blood moon of the 2014-2015 Biblical tetrad. Is this a change or turnover in world power? (7 years symbolic completion?) 2,520 days = 7 Biblical years X 360 days, or 42 Biblical months (1,260 days) X 2) H2520 has to do with the allotment of the promised land of Canaan to the Israelites G2520 is in 2 Bible verses … Acts 22:22 and Rom 1:28 - notice the context … 22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" - Act 22:22 NIV 28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. - Rom 1:28 NIV - What happens when people refuse to listen? (Rev. 9:20) Consider these 2 links carefully: Feast of Trumpets followed closely by the Day of Atonement and the possibility of rapture followed closely by judgment http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/feast-of-trumpets.html http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/resources/atonement-trumpets.jpg 22 Below are some reasons to consider why some Christians think the rapture may happen on a Feast of Trumpets / Rosh Hashanah We are commanded in the Bible to be watchful: 1. All the Spring Feasts were fulfilled at Christ's first coming, and on the exact day of the feast. All the Fall Feasts picture the second advent, and the Feast of Trumpets is the first of the fall feasts, picturing the rapture. The Feast of Trumpets is followed by The Day of Atonement and then the Feast of Tabernacles. Notice how the rapture is followed by judgment when comparing the Day of Atonement Lev.16:12-16 with the beginning of the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8:1-7. 2. The Feast of Trumpets is also called "Yom Teruah" or the day of blowing of trumpets. It is Israel's call to repentance and a day of reckoning God entering into judgment with His people. John the Baptist and Jesus both had a call to repentance. The Feast of Trumpets precedes the Day of Atonement where there is redemption and forgiveness of sin. It's an annual reminder to us as Christians to reevaluate our lives and repent of known sin. The rapture of God's believing people is a call to non-believing Jews to repent and believe. 3. 100 trumpet blasts are made on The Feast of Trumpets. The "last trump" is the longest and loudest. This is believed to be related to the last trump of 1 Cor 15:50-52. Related passages in Matt. 24:31 and 1 Thes. 4:16-17 also mention trumpet calls. 4. The Feast of Trumpets is known as the Wedding of the Messiah, the Church is the Bride of Christ, and the rapture is when the Church is caught up to heaven to be wed with Christ - the coming together "to become one flesh". 5. "Of that day or hour no man knows, but my Father only" is an expression or common Hebrew idiom used by a groom when asked when his wedding will be. He says this because it is his father that will tell him when his preparations on the bridal chamber are completed and it is time. Again, the wedding pictures the rapture. 6. The Feast of Trumpets happens on the "new moon", which is 29.5 days after the last one, meaning it might occur on the 29th or 30th day, nobody knows for sure. "Of that day or hour no man knows" is an expression referring to this feast. 23 7. The "Open Door" is a symbol of the new moon Feast of Trumpets rapture in Matt 25:1-12, and Rev 3:20-21, & Rev 4:1. Ezek 46:1-3 "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 8. Col. 2:16-17 says the new moon and the Feasts of the Lord are a shadow of things to come. We should take note that the Feast of Trumpets is the only Feast of the Lord that falls on a new moon. 9. There are seven days of awe in between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. Atonement pictures Satan being defeated and eventually cast away. If you add the two day Trumpets feast, and the day of atonement, the 7 days of awe are "ten days of tribulation" which might be referred to in Rev. 2:10. 10. The Feast of Trumpets is also known as the coronation of the Messiah, when He will start reigning as king, thus the beginning of the "Day of the Lord". Trumpets were blown at the coronation of kings. 1 Kings 1:28-34, 2 Kings 9:6-13, 2 Kings 11:12-14 and at the building of the temple Ezra 3:10, John 2:19-21, 1 Cor. 3:16-17, Rev 21:22 11. It is also time for the bema judgment, or the judgment of the works of the righteous, and judgment must begin at the house of the Lord. The rapture is a judgment separating believers from non-believers. 12. On the Feast of Trumpets "At the instant that the Jewish workers heard the trumpet sound, all would immediately stop harvesting and go to the Temple for worship! A Jew & an Arab might be working side by side in the fields - but when the trumpet sounded on this particular day, the Jew would stop and go to worship, while the Arab kept on harvesting. Jesus used this same analogy in Matt. 24:36-44 of the 2nd Coming." www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/feast-of-trumpets.html 24 It is interesting to note that in the years 2011-2020 the only eclipse that occurs on a Feast of Trumpets happens on Sunday 9/13/2015 and it is a partial solar eclipse. Remember feast days actually begin the evening before the day on the calendar. No eclipses fall on the Day of Atonement in those years. However, a total lunar eclipse occurs on 10/8/2014 and another one on 9/28/2015. Both of these lunar eclipses fall on The Feast of Tabernacles are included in the 2014-2015 tetrad. Feast of Trumpets (eve) Day of Atonement 9/28/2011 9/16/2012 9/4/2013 9/24/2014 9/13/2015 10/2/2016 9/20/2017 9/9/2018 9/29/2019 9/18/2020 10/8/2011 9/26/2012 9/14/2013 10/4/2014 9/23/2015 10/12/2016 9/30/2017 9/19/2018 10/9/2019 9/28/2020 (Wed) nothing (Sun) nothing (Wed) nothing (Wed) nothing (Sun) partial solar (Sun) nothing (Wed) nothing (Sun) nothing (Sun) nothing (Sun) nothing nothing nothing nothing 10/8/2014 total lunar 9/28/2015 total lunar nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing Some people believe solar eclipses are related to the Gentiles and lunar eclipses are related to the Jewish people. 25 I don't think Jesus will rapture His people on 9/13/2015, but the symbolism here is interesting. It's amazing the symbolism that could be applied to the 9/13/2015 partial solar eclipse if and when you consider the possibility of the rapture occurring that day (Matt. 24:40-41, 1 Thes. 4:13-18, 1 Cor.15:49-52) 9/13/2015 falls on the Feast of Trumpets. Later on I'll share how Jesus might have entered this world physically on the Feast of Trumpets at His conception. In the same way, Jesus could enter the world physically again on a Feast of Trumpets at the rapture as He meets believers in the clouds. Just as a partial solar eclipse has a separation of light and dark so the rapture separates believers from non-believers. Just as Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday will He rapture His people on a Sunday? 9/13/2015 falls on a Sunday. Just as the owner of a business, in Jesus' parable story, hired workers in the 11th and final hour of the day paying them the same wages as those workers who had worked all day - so people in that final hour before the rapture could come to believe in Jesus, and achieve heaven the same as those believers who have faithfully followed Jesus for many years. There is even more symbolism when you look at the position of the planets, sun. moon, and stars that day. 26 Note that the 9/13/2015 Feast of Trumpets solar eclipse is in the exact middle of the 3/20/2015 and the 3/9/2016 total solar eclipses. And the 3/20/2015 total solar eclipse is in the exact middle of the Shemitah year 9/25/2014 9/13/2015. 9/13/2015 marks the end of the Shemitah year. 3/20/2015 is the spring equinox, and 9/23/2015 is the fall equinox on the Day of Atonement27 What else might happen on 9/13/2015? http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/harbinger.html 28 "The Shemitah year, or the Jewish Sabbatical year began on September 24, 2014, on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The Shemitah is the seventh year in the seven year agricultural calendar of Israel. It ends on the Feast of Trumpets 9/13/2015. According to the Torah, personal debts were to be waived and a sort of financial reset occurred in ancient Israel during the Shemitah. Time was set aside for the nation to rest and devote themselves to worshipping and fellowshipping with God. Disobedience to the Shemitah law brought God’s judgment! (Exodus 23; 10-11, 2 Chronicles 36:20-23) Bestselling author of The Harbinger and the new book, the Mystery of the Shemitah, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn has uncovered a startling connection between the Shemitah and the financial markets here in the US. Rabbi Cahn’s investigation reveals that since 1973, every US financial collapse combined with subsequent recession has occurred during the Shemitah 100% of the time! That includes the financial collapses of 2001 and 2008, the worst one-day crashes in US history! But the evidence gets even more convincing because the pattern of seven year cycles can actually be traced back to the financial collapse that led to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Interestingly, these seven year cycles concur with the Shemitah years on the Jewish calendar!" http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2014/September24/241.html 29 To fully understand and appreciate what is being shared next, it is best if we go to the beginning of the Star of Bethlehem Story and my journey story, and where this and the www.bethlehemstarsequel.com website all started. www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/my-journey.html In The Star of Bethlehem, Rick Larson reveals how 9 clues from the Bible lead to discovering how the "Star" of Bethlehem was a real event. Using planetary software, he explains the star was really 2 planets, Jupiter and Venus, that came so close together they produced the brightest star anyone had ever seen (or anyone has ever seen since). Then how Jupiter moved across the sky to stop over Bethlehem in Judea in retrogradation. The timing of these events and symbolism is astounding! You can check this out for yourself at: http://www.bethlehemstar.net/ or watch the full video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGUlWa2r-bk (or www.youtube.com search The Star of Bethlehem Documentary 2007) The Star of Bethlehem looks at the past when Jesus Christ came the first time … The Rest of the Story considers what implications this may have for when Jesus Christ comes back a second time. My journey carried on where The Star of Bethlehem left off by asking, "If God arranged the positions of planets and stars so precisely at Jesus' first coming, might He also have created something special for His second coming? 30 This was my beginning of www.bethlehemstarsequel.com. We don't know exactly how and when Jesus will come back the second time, but the Bible says to watch for signs, and it gives us many clues. People have tried to set dates for Jesus' 2nd coming in the past, and were proved wrong when nothing happened when those dates rolled around. No one knows when Jesus will come back, but the Bible commands us to watch for signs. This presentation is my best effort to share what I have learned realizing that I don't have it all figured out nor do I have answers for all the questions it produces. Included in this presentation are some possible "signs" that are verifiable on Biblical and American calendars, NASA's website, and planetarium software. Consider the information and you come to your own conclusions. The purpose of this presentation is to: 1st encourage an appreciation of an awesome God who orchestrates the universe and human events in amazing precision and planning; 2nd bring an awareness that He may be coming very soon; and 3rd to encourage all of us to reevaluate our beliefs and priorities. 31 To understand this presentation, it helps if you have a basic understanding of Christian beliefs: We believe that God gave us the Bible through people - and it is truth. The Bible tells that God is One God in 3 Persons: the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. He is our perfect God and Creator. It was God's plan from the beginning of creation to have Jesus come to this earth physically the first time as a human baby. He, who knew no sin, grew up and died a physical, sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross for our sin. Jesus defeated death by rising from the dead, ascending to Heaven, and now sits at the right-hand of our Father who is in Heaven. By faith in Jesus we will be with Him in the eternal happiness of Heaven - as evidenced by our desire to please Him for what He did for us on the cross and our trust in Him for what He says about our future. (See www.bethlehemstarsequel.com. Click on the "Dreaming of Heaven" link.) In Matthew chapters 24 - 26 of the Bible, Jesus said He is coming back a second time to this earth to both reward and judge people according to where they have placed their faith. And He commands us to watch for Him. Part of the reward is Jesus physically "catching up" and "rapturing" into the clouds to meet Him in the air those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation. Judgment then follows for those who are left behind. Jesus comes to the earth physically to rule and to reign. 32 I am going to be presenting a lot of information involving: star positions and planet movements, solar and lunar eclipses, Jewish feast days, and Bible prophecy All this can be verified this through: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html - lunar and solar eclipse dates (goes back to 2000 BC and forward to 3000 AD) http://www.cgsf.org/dbeattie/calendar/?roman=2015 - Hebrew Feast Days - recorded in Leviticus 23 www.timeanddate.com - calculates days between events www.stellarium.org - free planetarium software http://www.biblestudytools.com/niv/ - online Bible Re-create The Star of Bethlehem on your own computer using the Stellarium software. Note that the Stellarium BC year is off by one since33 there is no "0" year between AD 1 and BC 1. I strongly encourage you to watch The Star of Bethlehem on DVD as soon as possible. The entire presentation is a little over an hour long. It will greatly support the information now as I share "the rest of the story" - the sequel. Watch the full video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGUlWa2r-bk (or www.youtube.com search The Star of Bethlehem Documentary 2007) The next slide shows the Virgo constellation of stars on the Biblical Feast Day of Rosh Hashanah which is also called the Feast of Trumpets. This Virgo constellation arrangement occurred on 9/11/3 BC Feast of Trumpets - a possible conception date for Jesus. Notice how the Rev. 12:1-2 Bible verses describe this Virgo constellation, especially in the context of Jesus' possible conception and birth. Nine months later on 6/17/2 BC Jupiter and Venus came so close together to produce the brightest "star" anyone had ever seen. Is this what the wisemen (called Magi) saw which caused them to follow Jupiter until it retrograded and stopped over Bethlehem on or around 12/25/2 BC? To understand how these dates were determined, watch The Star of Bethlehem. 34 Rick Larson presents the possible conception, birth, and Magi visit times as they relate to what was happening astronomically in the planets and stars at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGUlWa2r-bk and here is The Celestial Bethlehem Story told in a picture. 35 To Summarize the Star of Bethlehem 9/11/3 BC - Feast of Trumpets - Virgo and Jupiter in Leo - (possibly Jesus' conception) Read Rev. 12:1. The constellation Virgo, clothed by the sun, the moon at her feet, and a crown of 12 stars at her head (9 stars in Leo and the 3 planets Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter) on Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) possibly Christ's conception when He physically entered this earth. King planet Jupiter, joined with King star Regulus, in constellation Leo the Lion (King of Judah). Interestingly, this also happened again on Feast of Trumpets 9/29/2011 (which is bracketed inside by the first and last of the lunar triples of 12/21/2010 and 1/21/2019 explained earlier). (The 9/28-29/2011 Feast of Trumpets Virgo constellation is unique in the years 2011-2020. 6/17/2 BC - Venus and Jupiter in Leo - possibly Jesus' birth 9 months later after 9/11/3 BC, the biggest King planet Jupiter, near King star Regulus, in constellation Leo the Lion (King of Judah), joined with Venus the brightest mother planet to form the brightest "star" anyone has ever seen nor will ever see again. The magi may have seen this "star" at Jesus' possible birth and followed Jupiter as it moved and to stop in retrogradation over Bethlehem on 12/25/2 BC where they would have found Him as a 6 month old toddler. Jesus is the King of kings and the LORD of lords. Interestingly, this joining of Venus and Jupiter will happen again 6/30/2015, though not nearly as bright. Watch the evening western sky through the month of June 2015. 12/25/2BC - Jupiter stops and retrogrades in Virgo's arm - possibly Jesus found by the Magi 6 months later, Jupiter stops is in the arm of Virgo appearing over Bethlehem when looking from Jerusalem * note: BC dates on screenshots are off one year since there is no "0" year between BC and AD 36 37 As a reminder, nothing may happen on 9/13/2015, but consider the possibilities and symbolism here: Jesus was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18-25) - 9/11/3 BC - virgin Virgo clothed by the sun with the moon at her feet on the Feast of Trumpets fits the description of the woman in Rev. 12:1. Rev. 12:2 says "She was pregnant" Jesus is referred to as the "King of kings" in Rev. 19:16 and the Lion of Judan in Rev. 5:5 - King planet Jupiter retrogrades over King star Regulus 3X in Leo the Lion before leaving the constellation Jesus born in Bethlehem and the Magi (wisemen) saw "His star" and followed it to Jerusalem (Matt. 2:1-8) - 6/17/2 BC - before the largest king planet Jupiter leaves Leo, it joins with the brightest mother star Venus to form the brightest "star" anyone has seen - the Magi see the star and begin their journey to seek the King Jesus is found with His mother by the Magi, and they worship the 6-month old infant King. (Matt. 2:9-11) - 12/25/2 BC - after Jupiter joins with Venus it leaves Leo and travels to retrograde and stop in Virgo's arm Jesus dies on a cross around 3:00 pm, Friday, 4/3/33 AD (9:00 am - 3:00 pm) (Mk. 15:33-47) - 4/3/33 - looking from the moon, the earth eclipses the sun in Aries - The Ram consellation (Rev. 5:1-14) That evening the moon is full at Virgo's feet. A lunar eclipse was seen from the earth. Jesus will return someday and catch up or "rapture" those who are waiting for Him into the air to be with Him. (1 Thes. 4:13-18, Lk. 17:26-37,Matt. 24:30-31, Phil. 3:17-21, 1 Cor. 15:50-58, 1 Thes. 1:8-10, 2 Thes. 2:1-12, Rev. 7:9-14) - 9/13/2015 - Jupiter returns on the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) like at Jesus' 9/11/3 BC conception, to the position Jupiter had in Leo at Jesus' 6/17/2 BC birth, but now the moon has been "caught up" from Virgo's feet to be with the sun in a partial solar eclipse at Virgo's head on a Sunday the first day of the week. Nothing may happen on this date, but the symbolism and similariities with the BC dates is still interesting. 38 Some people believe the moon symbolizes the Church (believers in Jesus) and the sun symbolizes Jesus Christ since the moon has no light of its own, but only reflects what it receives from the sun. Notice how the moon is located at the feet of Virgo on 9/29/2011 Feast of Trumpets (same as 9/11/3 BC at Jesus' conception), but moves to be with the sun on 9/13/2015 Feast of Trumpets. The king planet, Jupiter, is also in the Leo the lion constellation - in the same position it was at Jesus birth. Jesus is from the Jewish tribe of Judah, and is called the Lion of Judah. The rapture is believed to be the "catching up" of believers in Jesus from the earth into the air to be with Him - similar to how the moon goes from Virgo's feet to be with the sun in this partial solar eclipse. Personally, I don't believe the rapture will occur on 9/13/2015, but many parallels and similarities can be inferred or implied here with the rapture: 1) there is a partial solar eclipse on 9/13/2015 - Feast if Trumpets - like separating light from dark - believers from non-believers where the moon is with the sun at the head of constellation Virgo led by Jupiter the king planet in the constellation of Leo the Lion (similar to 9/11/3 BC at Jesus' possible conception) Jupiter is near Regulus, the king star in Leo, and in the same position as 6/17/2 BC (Jesus' possible birth date and 9 months after 9/11/3 BC) Jesus is the Lion of Judah, our King of kings, and LORD of Lords 2) Messianic Jews believe that Jesus will meet the Church in the air some year on The Feast of Trumpets - 9/13/2015 falls on The Feast of Trumpets - (1 Thes. 4:13-18) 9/11/3 BC and 9/29/2011 also occurred on the Feast of Trumpets 3) 9/13/2015 falls on a Sunday - Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday - like Husband, like Bride His Church - will the Church of Christian believers rise on a Sunday? 4) lunar eclipses are signs for the Jews, solar eclipses are signs for Gentiles (Rom. chapters 9-11) - a solar eclipse occurs on 9/13/2015 - the rapture will include both Christian Jews and Gentiles - a lunar eclipse occurs on 9/28/2015 - the Feast of Tabernacles (Rev. 14:1?) 5) the eclipse reaches its maximum at the 11th hour - (Matt. 20:1-16, 1 John 2:18-19, John 11:9-10) - Jesus said His Kingdom was like an employer who, at the end of the day, paid the same wage to those who had worked all day as He did to those he hired at the 11th and final hour of the day - though rewards will be different, those people who believe Jesus shortly before the rapture will be able to go to Heaven and be with Jesus the same as those who have believed in Jesus for many years 6) 9/13/2015 falls within a lunar tetrad of 4 total lunar eclipses that each land on a Biblical Feast Day 39 7) Messianic Jews believe that non-believing Jews will turn to Jesus on a Day of Atonement which falls 10 "days of Awe" after the Feast of Trumpets and 5 days before the Feast of Tabernacles 8) the 9/23/2015 Day of Atonement falls within the lunar tetrad along with The Feast of Trumpets 9) the Day of Atonement is exactly seven-sevens to the day from when Jerusalem was restored in the 6-Day war on 6/7/1967 and fits the context of the verse Dan. 9:25 (7x7x360 = 17,640 Biblical days - 6/7/1967 + 17,640= 9/23/2015) 10) Messianic Jews believe that Jesus will return during a Jubilee year (Luke 4:16-21) - the Day of Atonement begins the next Jubilee (which only comes around every 49 years (Lev. 25:8-10)) 11) when you find the middle day between the first and last of the 4 total lunar eclipses of the tetrad, you find that it is the same exact day as when you find the middle day between the first and last of 2 lunar triples placing this tetrad in the exact middle of the lunar triples (a lunar triple is 3 total lunar eclipses that fall within one year) The middle date of the 2010-2019 triple and 2014-2015 tetrad is 1/6/2015 Epiphany - a time celebrating the acknowledgement of Jesus as King, Priest, and Sacrifice 12) the first lunar triple eclipse begins shortly before Virgo appears like Rev. 12:1 on The Feast of Trumpets 9/29/2011 (like it did shortly before Christ's first coming on 9/11/3 BC), and the last lunar triple ends shortly after Hanukkah 12/3/2018 (1,335 days from 4/8/2015 which is the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:4-8, Dan. 9:27 and 12:11-12) encompassing the 7-year period of time 2011-2018 - Hanukkah celebrates the 12/25/164 BC victory of Judas Maccabeus over Antiochus Epiphanes typifying the coming antichrist by desecrating the temple & stopping sacrifices in June 167 BC. 13) the same pattern of the lunar tetrad exactly in the middle of a lunar triple that occurs in 2011-2018 also occurred in 19631972 encompassing the 6/7/1967 6-Day war where Jerusalem was restored, and also occurred in 1945-1954 encompassing 5/14/1948 when Israel became a nation and 1949 when Israel's borders were established. (Another pattern like this won't occur for over another 500 years) 14) In Luke 21, Jesus talks about the generation that will see Jesus' 2nd coming. Psalm 90:10 references a generation to 70 maybe 80 years at most. On May 14, 1948 Israel became a nation. 1948+70=2018 - the end of a 2011-2018 period. The 2nd Jewish temple was destroyed in 70 AD. 70+1948=2018. 40 These pictures show the similarities between the Jewish New Year 3/20/2015 total solar eclipse and the Passover 4/4/2015 total lunar eclipse. Both dates involved Virgo, Leo, Pisces, moon, and sun. See www.bethlehemstarsequel.com blood moons link. 41 God only knows what will happen between 6/15/2015 and 9/23/2015, but it may be a time to note any unusual wars developing or occurring. 42 Like 5/14/1948 when Israel became a nation, Mars is in Leo on Day of Atonement 9/23/2015. 43 As we look at upcoming events, please do so with an open mind. God is God. He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and I certainly don't have the future figured out. He is our Creator! That being said, God is a God of incredible order and purpose as you see in The Star of Bethlehem, and He is faithful to what He has inspired in the truth of the Bible. He will fulfill what He has said in the Bible. BIBLE Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth People get nervous when you start to mention dates associated with Jesus' second coming. I do, too. But at least consider the context of this next Bible verse people often quote … 44 Matt. 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Question: Now that Jesus has risen from the dead and is seated at the right-hand of God the Father and is no longer limited by His self-imposed humanity, does Jesus know now when He will come the 2nd time? I think He does - He is God. (John 17:11) Did Jesus know then? No, or His statement in Matt. 24:36 would be a lie. Jesus was fully human and fully God during His earthly ministry, yet He accepted His self-imposed humanity and had to grow up like the rest of us with certain human limitations. Luke 2:40 & 52 And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. John 8:25-30 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26 "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. 28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man (John 3:15-16), then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be (John 10:33)] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. 29 The One who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases 45 Him." 30 Even as He spoke, many put their faith in Him. These Bible verses support that Jesus Christ was and is fully human and fully God. John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. John 1:14 The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 8:23-25 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins." 25 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. John 8:53-59 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?" 54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." 57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" 58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 10:31-33 31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." 46 Jesus Christ finished creating the heavens and the earth in 6 days along with their positions and movements all determined from the beginning of creation. Col. 1:15-17 15 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. If Jesus completed creating the heavens and the earth in the beginning in six days and synchronizing everything with human events right down to the hour of His death on the cross. Might He also have set everything in place, including dates, at creation for His second coming? Jesus knew at creation when His second coming would be, He knows now as we waits in Heaven, and He didn't know until His 47 resurrection when He was coming a second time in His self-imposed limitations of humanity while physically on this earth. If Jesus knows the time of His 2nd coming now, could He have told the angels? Is there anything preventing Him from telling - in due time His people that make up His Bride, the Church? (Col. 3:3) Some things might be a matter of timing: Dan. 12:4 "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." Dan. 12:8-10 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" 9 He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. Knowledge has certainly increased with the advent of the computer and software. We now have access to the positions of stars and planets over the centuries, we know that Israel became a nation in 1948 and Jerusalem was restored in 1967, and we know when the Jewish Feast Days occur as well as events like tetrads and lunar triples. None of these were available when Jesus said in Matt. 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." In His humanity, He was completely truthful to His audience at that time - and no one knew the day or the hour He would return. 48 Here in Rev. 6, I believe Jesus is revealing when He will come - at the rapture of His people (Rev. 7:9) for it is then that there will be no Christians left on the earth to martyr. In Rev. 6:9-11, 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11 Then each of them was given a white robe (Rev. 7:9), and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. Very soon after the rapture, with no more fellow servants left to be killed, judgment will come. I wonder if God the Father had revealed to Jesus, in His humanity, when His 2nd coming would be, and if Jesus had told His audience, if they would have procrastinated in their devotion to Him through the ages. And if John, who wrote Revelation, was given a specific date to write down, rather than an event, if his audience would procrastinate as well. But now, if Jesus is coming back in the very near future and if we know the approximate date, perhaps it gives us a sense of urgency to reevaluate our beliefs and our priorities. In Matt. 24 and 25 Jesus illustrates that the house owner, the wicked servant, and the foolish virgins weren't watching, and they were caught preoccupied, unaware, and unprepared. "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' 12 "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' 13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. 49 In regards to the lunar tetrads and triples mentioned earlier, consider … The next 3 Bible passages seem to be saying that Blood Moons (total lunar eclipses) will be occurring around the time Jesus comes back on the Day of the LORD to make things right between those that know Him and those that don't. Matt. 24:21-31 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. "Immediately after the distress of those days "`the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 50 Joel 2:29-31 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Rev. 6:12-17 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?“ 51 In Acts 2:20-21, the apostle Peter quoted the prophet Joel when he said: "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord". 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. After Peter had finished talking, in Acts 2:37-38 it says, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. John 15:5-8 Jesus told His disciples, "5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Rev. 20:15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 52 Jesus Is Coming Rev. 1:1-3 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Rev. 22:7-21 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" 10 Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy." 12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies 53 to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. So how do we live in light of this information? For me, if 2015 could bring about the second coming of Jesus Christ or a prelude to His second coming, then that means a lot of wild stuff is going to have to happen soon. I believe the "pains of childbirth" talked about in Matt. 24 will become exponentially more evident and stressful. We need to be in a right relationship with the LORD first and foremost. http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/resources/what-should-i-do.pdf And we need to be strong in our faith in Jesus Christ and know what He has to say about living in these days. What can we expect? How can we encourage others who are fearful? How can we discern between those we can trust and those we can not? Next we need to encourage others to be in a right relationship with the LORD. We wouldn't want anyone to spend their eternity in hell, especially those we know and love. We need to understand that our normal means of living could be disrupted at times. Our trust is in the LORD, not ourselves. Yet it makes sense to me to prepare for a storm. With consumables inflating in prices and extremely low interest rates for savings, consumables seem to be a good safe investment. I'm no investment counselor, but I would think anything related to providing the basics of living or providing the resources to acquire the basics are worth considering. If the economy falls apart or digital money isn't worth as much as it used to be, people still need the basics. We need to focus on the eternal and not the temporal. Right now, retirement savings are not on my radar. Our vocational efforts should be directed at providing for our families so that we are not dependent on others, and we should be serving the LORD in our jobs and/or educational pursuits. We are native missionaries wherever we are. Missionaries don't go and squander their resources or blow their relationship with the LORD on high-living before they go to the mission field. 54 Go to: www.bethlehemstarsequel.com for current updates of "The Rest of the Story," and for other related information at the Interesting Viewpoints link. For a more Biblical frame of reference, see: http://www.bethlehemstarsequel.com/resources/second-coming.pdf For comments and questions, You can email me (Clayton) at: [email protected] (put the word "star" in the subject line). PS - This is all a work-in-process, and a sharing of what I am learning. I make changes frequently as my thoughts and understanding develop. 55