Sunday, June 14, 2009

Alan Butler on Astrological Signs at the Passion

Stephan asked me to put you in the picture with regard to what I had found astronomically and astrologically that was associated with the matters we have been discussing.

It only just occurred to me to look at what was happening astronomically at the time the Emperor Tiberius was dying, when Caligula came to be Emperor and when Marcus Agrippa was proclaimed to be King and Messiah. Ancient astronomy is very definitely my thing.


I took the first operative date to be March 26th 37 CE, which is the date Tiberius died - and I think I now know why he had to die at this time. This may explain the stories that they didn't wait for him to die naturally but smothered him with a pillow. Within a day or so of Tiberius' death there was an inferior conjunction of Venus and the Sun. For a couple of weeks prior to this Venus had been dropping back towards the Sun as a morning star. First of all let us look at this from a Roman perspective.


The passing of Venus from one phase to another, in this case from morning start to evening star, has always been seen as a portent because it can mean the end of one era and the commencement of another. This has always been especially held to be true if the event coincided with something else really important and in this case it did. The day Tiberius died (if my astronomical programmes are to be believed) was the day of the Spring Equinox. Historically speaking this was the start of the year. Once again this is indicative of the end of one period (i.e. the year) and the start of another. Take the two factors together and anyone with astronomical prowess would have said this was the best time for one Emperor to die and another to come to the throne. This is almost certainly why Tiberius had to die when he did. The Sun was already moving north and Venus would soon appear as an evening star. There was, if you wish, a window of astronomical and astrological opportunity that couldn't be missed. Caligula had to be enthroned before Venus appeared again. He was very superstitious and would have certainly been made aware of these facts.


Note: Since Caesar's time the Roman year officially began in January but from ancient times it had always begun at the time of the Spring equinox, in March.


Now from a Jewish perspective. Previous research with Christopher Knight has shown that there is a more than good chance that a particular phenomena known to the Jews and venerated, namely the Shekinah, was an astronomical phenomena. The Shekinah is often associated with the pillar of fire the Children of Israel saw in the desert but without going into specific detail it seems as though it could actually have been the appearance of Venus in the halo of the Sun at dawn. The idea is that there was probably a portal in the wall of the Jerusalem Temple behind the Ark in the Holy of Holies. This pointed due east. If opened at dawn the Sun would have risen between the outstretched wings of the cherubim on the top of the Ark. This was probably significant because it had once indicated the coming together of the God and Goddess but this aspect of ancient history had doubtless been forgotten or suppressed. But this could only have happened at the time of Spring or Autumn equinox, when the Sun rose at due east because otherwise it would not have appeared in the portal behind the Ark.


The Shekinah appeared when Venus was dropping back towards the Sun from its position as a Morning Star or when it had just crossed the Sun from being an Evening Star. For a brief period of only a couple of days in each case Venus would rise bright and beautiful in the halo of the Sun, just before dawn. It is really spectacular and from first appearing silver it suddenly appears to burn blood red. There seems to be a connection between the appearance of the Shekinah and kingship. It doesn't happen all that often because although Venus crosses and re-crosses the Sun regularly it doesn't often do so at a time that coincides with either equinox.


When we take this together with the Year of Jubilees, what are people supposed to think? We have the Spring equinox - the time of transformation and the start of the spring, we have the appearance at dawn of the Shekinah and we have the Jubilee. If ever the Messiah is going to appear it would surely be at such a time. Add to this the fact that the Sun was at the beginning of the sign of Aries, the sign of the Ram, and at the end of the sign of Pisces - the fishes (but traditionally associated with sacrifice), and we have the most potent set of astrological circumstances imaginable.


Of course this might all be nonsense, but I very much doubt it. People were great sky watchers and watched for such omens, especially during an already significant year. What a time for a Messiah to be recognised and crowned!


Email stephan.h.huller@gmail.com with comments or questions.


 
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