What Greater Sign is there? Revelations 12 & Sep 2017

I have had quite a few questions about the Great Sign that will take place in the heavens in September 2017 over Israel.  Prophecy News Watch’s director Kade Hawkins and Global Watch Weekly (who publish all sorts of fantastical ‘prophetic’ information) have worked together previously, and have been pushing this story to the public and getting everyone extremely anxious and excited;  first about the pattern of the 4 blood moons or lunar eclipses falling on biblical feast days and now the Great Sign that will take place in the heavens on the 23rd September 2017.

Kade Hawkins (who worked for Chuck Missler and was on the board of Koinonia House for 16 years) started Prophecy News Watch publishing prophecy news only. They built up a massive database of people subscribing to their mailing list.  I made a remark years ago that Prophecy News Watch would soon start to advertise false teacher’s teachings to lead people astray, and within 2 years it happened – they started to advertise books and DVDs to all sorts of unbiblical teachers and their teachings.

https://vimeo.com/213068005

Revelation 12:1-6 says: “1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days.”

Kade Hawkins who apparently made this link between the Great Sign (the coming astronomical alignment) in September 2017 and the passage in Revelation 12 made a report, that gives a balanced view, but not a biblical view to the questions that everyone has, for instance:

1. Is this sign of biblical significance?
2. Should Christians look to this sign that something out of the ordinary will take place?
3. Is Jesus Christ coming back on this date?
4. Should we be searching the stars for clues as to what’s going to happen in the future?

Global Weekly Watch goes on to tell us that we must trust them and Kade Hawkins as he is;

“…one of the most prolific providers of critical bible prophecy news and as such has developed a reputation in the bible prophecy community that is trusted and credible‘. (Emphasis added)

They also say;

“There are just over 56 days to go until one of the most incredible signs of the times will go on trial.  With fever pitch discussions now raging across Christian forums see the latest at http://www.globalwatchweekly.com/56days.htm”  (Emphasis added)

If we look at what Global Weekly Watch ‘56days‘ report says, we are told the following:

The Biggest Debate in Prophecy

The astronomical alignment of September 23rd 2017 should have been hailed as one of the most monumental signs in the history of Christianity but not all Christian researchers are in support. Why? Because it raises the specter of the studying of the stars which has historically and traditionally been associated with astrology.

Historically astrology surfaced around the time of the great kingdom of Chaldea which was eventually absorbed and assimilated into Babylonia and since then it has become a profound component of secular society.

Astrology, as one would expect, is rejected entirely by God’s word. In fact the Bible considers consulting the heavens for guidance as a form of sorcery (Leviticus 19:26 – 28, 31; 20:6). God warned ancient Babylon about trusting in astrologers when he makes mockery of them by saying,

“You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from what shall come upon you.” Isaiah 47:13

God specifically condemns those who use the heavens to predict the future,

“There shall not be found among you [any one] . . . that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch . . . ” Deuteronomy 18:10

In fact a result of the idolatry of various occult practices including astrology, the tribe of Judah was enslaved and dispersed as a nation. Israel’s involvement in astrology and the worship of heavenly bodies was described by many of the Old Testament prophets, including Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Amos. All described how this was displeasing to the Lord and that his judgment was the result of such practices.

So how does this relate to the Great Sign of Revelation 12? Its because the theology behind the Revelation 12 sign is based on what is called “the gospel of the stars” (Emphasis added)

Bible theology called “The gospel of the stars”? Really? Is there such a thing?

Global Weekly Watch says;

“The Gospel of the stars is based on the premise that God uses his creation, notably the heavens, to convey the message of the gospel. The understanding is that there was a period in time before Moses when there was no written word and so God used the stars (along with oral tradition) as the means by which to communicate fundamental truths to the likes of Abraham, Job, Enoch, Seth and other Patriarchs of old.” (Emphasis added)

The Dave Hunt from the Berean Call says in his article “THE GOSPEL IN THE STARS”

“For the last several months, we have been calling attention to the alarming fact that even among evangelicals, in apparent fulfillment of Paul’s warning concerning the last days, sound doctrine is being set aside in favor of myths. These are being foisted on the church by some of the most respected church leaders—and being embraced by millions of Christians, who seemingly have insufficient discernment to recognize today’s deceptions. Most of these myths derive from “Christian psychology.” This month we will consider one that does not: the seductive and dangerous idea of the “Gospel in the Stars.

This theory was popular in the late 1800s. Some of the books published then have lately been brought back into print, among them E. W. Bullinger’s Witness of the Stars and Joseph A. Seiss’s The Gospel in the Stars. It is asserted that the signs of the zodiac were originally designed by God to communicate the “gospel”; that this “Gospel in the Stars” was known to those living before the flood; that it was later corrupted into astrology; and that the alleged recovery of the “gospel interpretation” of the zodiac is a great witness to God and His Word.

Not one shred of historical evidence can be offered in support of this theory. It is based not upon fact but speculation. Seiss even admits that the insights leading to his thesis came “in connection with his studies of the marvelous wisdom embodied in the Great Pyramid at El Giza” (p 5). The alleged “Gospel in the Stars” is simply a “Christian” interpretation of astrology and occultism, in the same class as pyramidology—and equally dangerous. (Emphasis added) See full article here:  ^{https://www.thebereancall.org/content/gospel-stars}

See Tom Lessing’s article on the The Great Pyramids here on”An Altar to the Lord?”

Global Weekly Watch then goes on to say;

“So here is the dilemma. On one hand we have the Bible forbidding us against astrology yet on the other hand the Bible tells us we need to be watchful of the signs and observe the signs in the heavens for confirmation of the coming of Christ. This is a paradox which has puzzled researchers for a long time.”

Does the bible really tell us that “we need to be watchful of the signs and observe the signs in the heavens for confirmation of the coming of Christ”?  Here’s the real dilemma Global Weekly Watch and Prophecy News Watch! “The bible never tells us ever to watch and observe the stars!”

What does the bible say about watching the signs of the times?

This is for Israel during the Tribulation, and people who come to accept Jesus Christ during the Tribulation:

Matthew 24:3-28  “3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come. 15 When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say to you, See, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Why if they shall say to you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”

For the the bride of Christ to escape the Tribulation through the Rapture:

Luke 21:36    “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”

See all article here on the Rapture / Tribulation

What signs are we to watch for?

Signs of the Times are for example: Governments, monetary systems, one religion (of unity among all faiths) which is Mystery Babylon and it’s false church, the apostasy of the Christian church, wars, rumours of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes etc.  When good becomes evil and evil becomes good. False teachers arising by the millions and deceiving the whole world, and the appearance of the Antichrist and his False Prophet and the abomination of desolation in the temple in Israel and the establishment of the Mark of the Beast, etc.

1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

No where does the bible tell us to watch and observe the heavens (sun, moon, stars and planets) for signs of the coming of Jesus Christ or to even confirm His coming.  The Word of God does that.

This is why the bible forbids you to stargaze!. The bible never contradicts itself.

Isaiah 47:13 “Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.”

The bible does however speak about signs in the last days that will take place, lets see what it says:

The signs also which shall be before the last day

Luke 21:25-28
25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves. 26 People will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Word of God tells us there will be signs in the heavens.  But don’t be anxious or stress out, we mustn’t focus on these things but instead “Stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”  This is what you are to do my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, stand up and look to Jesus Christ, do not look to the sun, moon and the stars.

Most incredible sign of all time?

Prophecy News Watch and Global Weekly Watch tell us that this great sign that culminates on the 23rd September 2017 is the “most incredible signs of the times”

Most incredible sign of all time?  Are they serious?  Yes they are and they want you to focus all your attention on the moon and the stars instead of Jesus Christ.  They want to capture your imagination and get you stargazing.

As in the Days of Noah

In the Days of Noah they never saw a single sign in the heavens, the only sign they saw or heard was Noah preaching the Message of Righteousness for a hundred years as he built this gigantic ark for the coming world wide flood.

2 Peter 2:5  “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

When the Pharisees and Saducees wanted a sign in the heavens from Jesus Christ, as most people (Christians) want today, Jesus said to them;

Matthew 16:1-4  “1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.”

What greater sign is there?

What is the sign of the prophet Jonah? The gospel of Luke says regarding the time the prophet Jonah was sent by God to preach to Ninevah:

Luke 11:29-32 “29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”

What does this then mean?

Jesus Christ stated in (Matthew 12:39) that Jonah was a prophet of God.  Jonah was sent to the city of Ninevah to preach, but he mumbles and grumbled terribly and argued with God about going, he was totally disobedient and refused.  God does something drastic and (Jonah 1:17) says:  “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights“. After which he was spat out on the shore in Israel, a 3 day travel to the city of Ninevah (Jonah 3:3). Jonah did not live inside the belly of the fish but actually died and went to hell (Sheol).

The Bible teaches that there is a hollow place in the center of the earth called “sheol” in the Old Testament and “hades” in the New Testament.  There is a place of comfort called paradise and a place of torment in sheol or hades separated by a huge gulf (Luke 16:26).  All of the dead saved and lost went to hades and sheol prior to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The saved were waiting for the payment for sin to be made.  The lost are still waiting to be cast into hell (Revelation 20:14).  ^{—biblelineministries.org}

The bible says:

Jonah 2:1-6 “1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of my affliction to the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and you heard my voice. 3 For you had cast me into the deep, in the middle of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all your billows and your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple. 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.”

Jonah’s death was a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jonah went to preach the gospel of righteousness to the citizens of Ninevah that they might repent and turn from their wicked ways.  Jonah was a picture of Jesus Christ to come.  No signs were given to the people of Ninevah, the only sign was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. (Matthew 16:4)

So what is the Greatest Sign of all time?

Jesus Christ Himself and His death, burial and resurrection is the greatest sign of all time!  We need no other sign but this.  We are to focus solely on Jesus Christ and we must die to ourselves daily (Romans 6:4-8; Galatians 2:20) as we actively purse obedience to God in the process of sanctification (Philippians 2:12-13).

Any other sign or speculation will lead you astray.  The only reason we are given descriptions of the end times signs in the heavens is for us to know that these things will take place, it’s not for us to now stargaze, instead we are to focus on our holiness (2 Peter 3:10-12) and to not be “…..conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2).  We are not be afraid or anxious of what’s to come, but to “….stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

God is in control. Christians have everlasting salvation.

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Conclusion:

To answer those questions I mentioned in the beginning of the article:

• Is this sign of biblical significance?  No.
• Should Christians look to this sign that something out of the ordinary will take place?  …We are not to look to this sign but to Jesus Christ alone. The Word of God is pretty clear on the signs of the times and we are in last days of the last days.
• Is Jesus Christ coming back in September 2017?  …We can’t set a date, Jesus can come back tonight!  He will fetch all Christians before the Tribulation starts.
• Should we be searching the stars for clues as to what’s going to happen in the future?  …Never.

This ‘Virgin sign’ any other Zodiac sign, is not unique. The heavenly arrangement of stars that supposedly depicts Rev 12 happens in the sky on a repeating basis.  2017 is not the first time it has happened and I don’t think it will be the last.

‘Zodiac signs’ are not biblical, they are occult. Zodiac signs’are stars and planets that have been created by mankind, like an imaginary joining of the dots in the sky.  The devil is a very good artist and fooled everyone. Zodiac signs are mankinds figment of imagination. And it’s certainly not there to communicate fundamental biblical truths to anyone, from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

What were the stars created for?

Genesis 1:14  “And 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:”

What signs is the bible speaking of:

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”

For those who are insistent on stargazing:

“Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.” (Jeremiah 10:2 )

There is NO Zodiac connection to Revelation 12:

John saw this as a vision…and his vision was “and there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet etc.”  John did not see stars in the heavens that make up the Zodiac sign of Virgo or an other Zodiac sign.

What does Revelation 12:1-6 really mean? Here is an explanation:

John saw a vision “1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (The woman is Mary who is Israel, the sun is a symbol of righteousness, the moon is a symbol of the people of Israel, the 12 stars symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel) 2 And she being with child cried (Jesus Christ), travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven (Mystery Babylon); and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads (Rome and her New World Order, One Religion etc.). 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven (the 3rd of the Angels that followed Satan out of Heaven), and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born (Satan waited eagerly for Jesus to be born as tried his utmost to kill Him, from King Herod to the cross). 5 And she brought forth a man child (Jesus Christ), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron (When Jesus Christ returns after the Tribulation, He will rule for 1000 years) and her child was caught up to God , and to his throne. (Jesus, died, was buried and resurrected and ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand side of the Father) 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness (Israel during the Tribulation), where she has a place prepared of God (The mountain Petra where God protects the remnant of Israel from the onslaught of the Antichrist), that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days. (God looks after them for the duration of 3 and a half years – the Great Tribulation)“