Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. - Revelation 12:1God 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, and for days and years." (Genesis 1:14). Ever since the beginning of time men have cataloged the heavens into signs, or constellations. The prophet Enok wrote of them and the Hebrews used them as a calendar and for forecasting prophetic events. The famed wise-men used them to predict the first coming of the Messiah and they also proclaim what will happen at his second coming. One in particular forecasts Messiah's second coming and it is Bethulah, or the virgin. The modern name is Virgo.
Throughout the years Virgo has differing positions in the sky and it's relationship to other constellations changes as well. In Revelation 12, the prophet John is given a great sign which involves Virgo. She is in conjunction with the Sun, the Moon, a garland of 12 stars, and the great dragon. This configuration actually occurred on September 12, 1999 over Jerusalem. It is shown in the picture above.
Virgo is laying on her back with her feet up and the moon is in her 'birth canal'. The moon is in its new phase and only a sliver is showing. This is the time of the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets. Remember that in the feast of trumpets, the moon represents the coming of Messiah. Above the virgin's head is Coma Berenices, which has 12 stars and the sun is just below the horizon, thus 'clothing' her with the sun. If it were not below the horizon, the constellation would not be visible because of its brightness. The constellation Draco, the dragon, is just above the woman's feet waiting to devour the child but it not shown in this picture because of size constrictions.
This configuration of constellations has never occurred before and will not occur ever again, unless you believe in the evolutionist's time scale in which case it will only occur every 26,000 years. Since I believe in Biblical creationism, I must ask what does it mean that it did occur September 12, 1999 ?
In the Revelation 12 account, this event begins an intense time of trouble for Israel, the Jewish people, and for true believers in Jesus Christ. Because the Dragon, which is Satan, fails in his earlier attempt to destroy Jesus he will turn with great ferocity against Israel (all Jewish people) "and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." This means true Christians!
1999 to 2000 did mark a large increase in the number of Jews returning to Israel from around the world including a big increase from the United States. However, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of nearly 800,000 immigrating to Israel.
Two other events began in the late 1999 period; 1) world-wide increase in antisemitism and 2) the beginning of financial downturn in the western world, which is still going on. Either of these could spur an increase in Aliyah (the return).
Whatever the outcome of these signs in Revelation 12, I feel that something was set in motion in September of 1999 that will trigger the fulfillment of this prophesy. We all need to be in prayer for answers and preparation.
