Sept 11 – The King Is Born

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” [Psalm 19:4]
Romans 10:18 ESV

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, “which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Psalm 19:1-5 ESV

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons [appointed times], and for days and years.”
Genesis 1:14 ESV

The One who made the heavens uses them to communicate. The signs in the heavens have clearly spoken and revealed knowledge. If this is true, people of every nation and every language could have looked up and seen the birth of Christ revealed. In Dr. Michael Heiser’s book “Reversing Hermon”, he lays out many of the astrological details around Jesus’ birth to show that His birth was a clearly visible sign.

Revelation 12 has several images that point us towards what was going on in the stars at the birth of Jesus. Jews at the birth of Christ would have been able to see in their time these major astronomical events and known what was taking place. Today, we can look at these events and their timing in history to discover the exact date of Jesus’ birth. The signs appeared in heaven.

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
Revelation 12:1-5 ESV

In Revelation 12, the woman is clothed with the sun, the moon is under her feet, and she had twelve stars are at her head. This is a celestial alignment of Virgo (the virgin maid, whom we know as Israel and as Mary), with the moon at her feet and the sun in her midst. This rough alignment happens every year for a 20-day period, but the pinpoint alignment narrows to a 90-minute window.

“And another sign appeared…” Next we see the dragon. Some believe this to be the Hydra constellation, positioned slightly below and to the side of Virgo. It had two other constellations nearby, Corax (Raven) with seven stars and Crater with ten stars.

Next for the birth of Jesus, we look for the position of Leo over the virgin’s head. The lion is the sign of Judah, the tribe of King David and King Jesus. It was considered as the chief of constellations. The main star is Regalus, “King Star”, and it would come into alignment with Jupiter, which was considered the “King Planet”.

Remember the magi that followed a star to Jesus’ birth? They saw the signs and the appointed times. Jupiter would have been the “star” that was tracked by the magi. As they followed the King Planet’s movements, it suddenly burst into alignment. The two king signs would align as Leo rose above the virgin, the sun was in her midst, the moon was under her feet, and Hydra was waiting below and to the side.

According to these signs and the latest computer calculations, they only all came into place at one brief period on one special day on the calendar: September 11, 3 B.C. That year, September 11th was Tishri 1 on the Hebrew calendar, the first day of the Jewish year and the Day of Trumpets. Often Jewish kings would choose the Day of Trumpets to be inaugurated. Also, Jewish tradition celebrated the beginning of the world on the Day of Trumpets —the very first day of the human calendar. But on this special day, the trumpets announced the birth of the King of Kings and the beginning of a renewal of creation.

Interestingly, Jewish tradition also celebrated Tishri 1 as Noah’s birthday. Therefore, the birth of Jesus is associated with Noah. And Jesus said that His return will be like the time of the flood. In Matthew 24:37-39, He says, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Today, celebrate the birth of Jesus and all the signs that the Lord gave to the earth. And as you celebrate, be aware of the days of Noah, and be conscience of the days just prior to the flood. While the earth eats and drinks and parties unaware, Christ is coming back. Just as anyone could have looked up and seen the extraordinary things taking place in the heavens when Jesus was born, so too anyone can look around and see the growing signs of His return.

Also, on Tishri 1, we celebrate again. The calendar we use and the Hebrew calendar shift in their alignment, and this year Tishri 1 begins at sunset on October 2nd. That evening we’re going to have a special meeting together, and then we’ll also have our regularly scheduled House Prayer on October 3rd. We should celebrate Jesus every day of our lives, but let’s be extra intentional today and again on October 2nd. Pay attention and remain watchful!