A Heavenly Sign For Passover
2007
Where Jupiter Halts in
Ophiuchus
By Steve Santini
March 2007
Let us begin simply. On April 6, 2007 over Jerusalem in the southern night sky, in the midst of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the planet Jupiter will visually stop in the right foot of the stellar sign Ophiuchus just above what the ancients knew as the golden gate of heaven.
Even though most would consider this a trivial matter, when one considers this involvement of Jupiter in the sign of Ophiuchus within the remote and proximate context of other heavenly signs over the last twelve years the significance of this one event is magnified.
To those who know and love scripture heavenly signs cannot be dismissed as meaningless. Scripture states, in Genesis 1:14, that the lights in heaven are for signs and for seasons and for days and years. In the ancient Hebrew language the word for seasons is moade as written with English letters. This word means a signal for an appointed meeting, conventionally one year, according to Strong’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible. The probable Hebrew root word, yaad, according to the same, means to meet or more specifically to engage for marriage..
Jesus did expect those waiting for the kingdom of God to observe the heavenly signs as a portent to his second advent. In Luke 17:20, Jesus says, according to the King James translation, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” At first reading this translation seems to discourage one from observing the heavenly signs of the times, yet when the rules of Greek grammar are applied to the underlying Greek text, this verse is a question demanding a positive answer. In the Greek language, according to J. Greshem Manchen’s, New Testament Greek for Beginners, questions beginning with ouk and using the indicative, as this verse does, require a positive answer, while those beginning with un and using the indicative require a negative answer. Since this verse begins with ouk, it would be better translated as such, “Doesn’t the kingdom of God come with observation?” With this translation the following context of this chapter in Luke in regards to heavenly signs to be observed would seem to flow rather than seem to contradict as the traditional translation would have it.
Jupiter and its movements gained more attention in ancient cultures than any of the other heavenly body including the sun and the moon. Some cultures worshipped Jupiter as their chief god. The ancient, one time grand capital city of Egypt was named the city of Jupiter in the language of the Egyptians and later named Thebes in the Greek language. The ancient Hebrew name for Jupiter is Zedek. It means righteousness. In the biblical book of Hebrews, which is the book regarding the transition from this heaven and earth into the next, three of the thirteen chapters are devoted to the subject of is the priest Melchizedek and the Melchizedek priesthood. Melchizedek is a compound word that contains this Hebrew word Zedek, the Hebrew name for our planet named Jupiter. Melchizedek means either righteousness is my king or king of righteousness. (Heb. 7:2) Here, one may recall that Abraham, the father of faith, paid tithes to Melchizedek.
The importance of Jupiter to spiritual men can also be recognized in the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. The “wise men” who came to worship Jesus after his birth were members of a long line of an ancient eastern cast located in Persia. They were called magi. A large part of their responsibility was to watch the heavens and interpret the signs occurring in the cycle of the zodiac for the future administration of government. As was the practice they recorded the information and stored it in their archives for future generations of magi. At one time, when the Old Testament Hebrew prophet Daniel was in captivity in Persia’s Babylon, the Persian king assigned him to be the head of this cast of magi. Apparently, it was Daniel who informed this cast of those heavenly signs for which to look in order to reveal to them that the Messiah, Jesus, had been born in Israel.
Between the spring of 7 BC and the fall of 1 BC there were about 20 noteworthy signs. Of these 20 signs, 13 included the planet Jupiter as it rose in the east after sunset. The most noteworthy may have been the triple conjunction of the planet Jupiter, as visually it moved back and forth in retrograde motion, and the bright star Regulus in constellation of Leo. This retrograde motion began during the fall feast days of “Tabernacles” in the seventh Hebrew month of Tishri in 3 BC. It could very well be that the “star” the magi observed in the east was the planet Jupiter rising in various positions in the signs of the zodiac and in differing configurations with other heavenly bodies.
Jupiter turns retrograde visually every twelve years in the vicinity of Ophiuchus. Jupiter’s retrograde appearance in Ophiuchus’ in 2007 is unique. This time, Jupiter’s retrograde zone will be bounded by the spread feet of Ophiuchus. As it moves forward in direct motion in its normal circuit Jupiter will visually stop, as stated previously, in the right foot of Ophiuchus over the golden gate of heaven, then in August Jupiter visually reverses its motion stopping in Ophiuchus’ left foot poised above the malevolent star Anteres in the heart of Scorpio. Jupiter will then, for the third time, traverse the same span between the feet of Ophiuchus over Scorpio in its normal direct motion until it passes over the right foot of Ophiuchus in November and exits this current retrograde zone.
To some ancient cultures Ophiuchus was known as the 13th sign of the zodiac. Ancient Egypt included both Ophiuchus and Orion in their 14 sign zodiac in contrast to today’s 12 sign zodiac. Obscure ties with Sumerian or Babylonian zodiacs entwine Ophiuchus with Creation tales of the gods Tiamut, Enki and Marduk - all represented by Jupiter.
Ophiuchus is known as the serpent holder. The ecliptic, or the circuit of the sun, moon and planets, passes through his feet. As he holds the serpent attempting to grasp the crown, “Cornea Borealis”, he stands with his left foot poised above the scorpion, Scorpio. One major star in the sign of Ophiuchus, Ras al, Awa, means head of the desired. Another, Triophas, in the Hebrew language, means treading under foot. The Greek poet Homer refers to Ophiuchus as the god-man. In Greek mythology he was know as the healer and the desired one. In the Egyptian zodiac of Denderah he was known as the the head of him who cometh and was depicted with a hawk’s head to signify that he was one of the gods who comes to the earth in the form of a man.
Ophiuchus’ right foot stands above the galactic center or golden gate of heaven. This golden gate of heaven is located between the arrow of Sagittarius and the stinger of Scorpio where the ecliptic crosses the Milky Way. It was from this heavenly gate that the ancients believed the gods descended.
It was at the eastern Golden Gate of the Hebrew temple in Jerusalem that the nation of Israel believed that the gods (saints) arrived on earth as the holy angels preceding the arrival of the Messiah. (Jude 14, II Thes. 1:6-10)
In 1995, this golden gate of heaven below Ophiuchus’ right foot drew the attention of the avid heavenly observer and chronicler, Robert Scott Wadsworth. Then Jupiter was passing thru the right foot of Ophiuchus in its 12 year course around the zoidiac. As Jupiter passed through it was joined, uniquely, by Venus and Mars. Venus, as most cultures have concurred, represents the glorious bride. Mars, on the other hand, represents blood and war. More specifically, Mars represents the war that is to be fought by Joel's prophesied great army, or coming saints, against the powers of this world for the heart of the femininely represented church.
As a result of this observation, Bob discovered something that had remained unnoticed since ancient times. That is; if a straight line were drawn from the right heel of Ophiuchus through the central polar star it would also pass through the heel of Hercules poised over the head of Draco and if that line were extend beyond to the other side of the circular zodiac it would pass through the heel of Orion that is poised over a serpent’s head, as depicted in Egypt’s ancient linear zodiac of Dendrah. Interestingly, both Ophiuchus and Orion have a star named Saiph in proximity to their so positioned heels. Bob calls the line up of the three heels of Ophiuchus, Hercules and Orion, “the alignment of the heels” Prophetically, here in the heavens and in Genesis and Romans, the serpents head is one day to be bruised underfoot.
In addtion and as a complement to Bob's observation are these observations regarding the alignment. It was also in 1995 that faint Comet Hale Bopp was discovered in telescopes on its way into the solar system. In 1996 this comet achieved naked eye brightness as it was in the right side of Ophiucus. It then passed across the zodiac and lost its naked eye brightness as it passed out of the circular zodiac in Orion.
Also, in regards to this alignment, the galactic anti-center or silver gate of heaven is located across the heavens from Ophiuchus and heaven’s golden gate in Orion. The ancients believed that this silver gate in the over arching Milky Way opposite the golden gate was the one through which souls ascended.
Here, recall that the Egyptians considered both Ophiucus and Orion as primary signs of the zodiac. Biblically, the ancient beliefs of the Egyptians cannot be discounted. Abraham spent time in Egypt. Joseph was elevated to the position of administrative head of Egypt. The descendants of Jacob spent 400 years in Egypt. Moses, the deliverer and designer of the tabernacle from the heavenly pattern, had been educated in all the ways of the Egyptians. And, it was thus prophesied and fulfilled of Jesus. “Out of Egypt have I called my son” (Matt. 2:15) The prophet Isaiah states that in the future when Egypt and Assyria are healed that there will stand both a monument and a pillar to the Lord in Egypt. (Isaiah 19:19ff)
The year of 1995 when Jupiter passed through the feet of Ophiuchus commenced a time period of which there were to shortly come significantly more heavenly signs that pointed to the last days of this age since the beginning . This projection was made by Bob Wadsworth after 3000 hours of computer simulations. Of course, previously unseen naked eye visible comets and out bursting super nova could not and cannot be projected.
Recently, world-renowned comet hunters, including some NASA members, have commented on the high number of naked eye visible comets over these years since 1995. Actually there have been 14 naked eye visible comets since quite bright Hyakatuke and Hale Bopp in 1995-96 through Great Comet McNaught at the beginning of 2007; each enriching the plethora of planetary, lunar and solar massings, alignments, and conjunctions in zodiacal signs depicting biblical prophesies of the last days of this age.
One of these massings, including alignments and conjunctions, occurred in May of 2002. Saturn, Venus, Mars, and Mercury massed in the head of Taurus as naked eye visible Comet Utsunomiya passed through and alighted on Mercury near Taurus' brightest star, Aldebaran, known as the red eye of the bull.
At this time Jupiter the King Planet was lingering in its then current retrograde motion in the next sequential sign of Gemini. The sign of Taurus represents the bull of judgment pushing forward. According to information in Joseph Seiss' 19th century book, The Gospel of the Stars and the representations of most ancient Egyptian zodiac of Denderah where the figures of Gemini are that of a man and woman holding hands, this sign represents, more clearly than any other sign, the future union of spiritual masculine and spiritual feminine or the union of the saints and the church under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Now, on to the context of the more current signs preceding this halt of Jupiter in Ophiuchus’ right foot during 2007’s Feast of Unleavened Bread:
In 2006 at the evening hour of commencement of Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, Spica, the brightest star in Virgo was occulted by the full moon on the eastern horizon as viewed first from Israel. In this year of 2007 the full moon will be very close to the star Spica in the east rising several hours after the commencement of the feast at sunset. The timing of these events has not occurred in thousands of years nor will they be repeated for thousands of years.
In October 2007 Comet Swan went into “outburst” and became naked eye visible in the Crown called Cornea Borealis. The serpent held by Ophiuchus is depicted attempting to grasp this crown
In mid November 2006, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury and the Sun massed in Libra-the sign preceding Scorpio/Ophiuchus.
On December 10, 2006, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury massed in Scorpio, which extends beneath Ophiuchus, with Venus close by.
On December 13 the sun, while in the right foot of Ophiuchus, released an unexpected and most powerful earth directed coronal mass ejection of plasma that knocked out some satellite operating systems and produced auroras as far south as Arizona in the US.
In mid December Great Comet McNaught became naked eye bright in the right side of Ophiuchus.
On January 9, 2007, Jupiter in it normal direct motion entered its unique retrograde zone bounded by the feet of Ophiuchus
On January 14, 2007 Great Comet McNaught became visible in daylight skies in the northern hemisphere as it passed over Sagittarius on its way out of the zodiacal circle into the skies of the southern hemisphere.
In January 2007 human sightings, in the rising trend of atmospheric plasma fireballs, increased by 137% of the monthly average with one large fireball being reported by hundreds and seen by thousands across five US states.
On February 16 an exploding super nova in Scorpio below Jupiter became a rare naked eye visible object. Five days later another exploding super nova was discovered in Scorpio within 3 degrees of the first.
On March 1, 2007, the nearly full moon occulted (passed in front of) the planet Saturn as it was positioned in Leo close to the king star, Regulus. This occultation first became visible in its earthly traverse over the night skies of Israel.
On March 3, 2007, there was a full lunar eclipse in
Leo near Regulus that was termed ”unique” by NASA’s eclipse specialist, Fred
Espenak, in that it was partially or fully visible from
every continent around the world.
In mid March it was discover that periodic comet 96P/Machholz 1 was brightening more rapidly than normally expected and will become a naked eye visible comet at magnitude of 2 after its close passage around the sun on April 4, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the following days it will be on the eastern morning horizon just before sunrise in the center of Pisces-another sign depicting the union of masculine and feminine.
Now, on April 6, 2007 over Jerusalem in the southern night sky, in the midst of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the planet Jupiter will visually stop in the right foot of the stellar sign Ophiuchus just above what the ancients knew as the golden gate of heaven.
When one considers the
proximate context to this event and the remoter context of this 12 year span of
Jupiter’s cycle from Ophiuchus unto Ophiuchus, the wise would say something
prophesied is on the horizon. What? In the very short term it may be uncertain
yet in the longer term it seems apparent that the transition unto paradise on
this earth is at hand.
Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Its A Wonderful Sign: Comet 17/P Holmes
Sagittarius, Nunki, Jupiter and the Moon: September 2008
Fifteen Bright
Comets: 1996-2008
The Celestial Signs of 2002’s Spring
Copyright,
Steven G. Santini, 2007