The Magi Series: Part III

By Bob Schlenker  (Prints about 12 pages) (Part 3 of 3)

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Genesis 49:10 - September 10th to 23rd 1991

The Sign to the Magi Reappears!

There remains to this day speculation and controversy about the nature of the specific sign seen by the Magi. I don't think anyone would argue against their observation of the massing of four planets in the constellation Leo. This had to have been one of the signs, if not THE sign that prompted the Magi to go find and worship the child. I feel that it was one of a very few signs for two reasons. The first is that this is the sign that drew my attention to the heavens and led to my discovery of what I am about to share - the sign of Christ's reappearance in judgment. The second reason is because this massing of planets was the configuration that, just like how it was with that sign, immediately preceded the configuration described in Revelation 12:1.

My recognition of the sign to the latter day Magi altered the course of my life's passionate quest for truth. Since that time, now nearly 10 years past, the Lord has granted me such favor that I have no words to adequately express my gratitude for the depth and breadth of His grace. To His Glory!

In May of 1991, the news media brought my attention to bear on the early evening's celestial display. Three bright planets were doing a little inversion of order just after dark in the western sky. I have some programs on my computer that simulate a planetarium. These allow me to view the heavens as they were at any given time in history and as they will be in the future, if they continue consistently. As I used the animation function on one of these programs to set the planets in motion, I curiously observed their relative positions and their positions against the backdrop of the stars. By means of this simulation, as I observed the motions of the planets through the summer months I came to a startling realization! On my monitor there appeared a familiar configuration, a massing of the planets Mars, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in the Zodiacal constellation Leo.  This particular configuration was familiar to me because it had been suggested as being the sign for the Magi in a book I read based upon the work of Dr. Ernest Martin in the late 1970's and early 80's. The massing of the same 4 planets in Leo that the Magi had seen almost 2000 years earlier was soon to appear in the late summer sky of 1991! I felt strongly in my spirit that this was extremely significant! In amazement, I prayed about and pondered what the reappearance of this sign could mean in our day.

As I continued to animate the planets on my computer, a very interesting configuration appeared on my screen. If I was intrigued and excited before, I became much more so upon this discovery. My spirit soared!  As I began to search out the meaning of these things, I checked Bullinger's commentary about Leo in The Witness of the Stars. He pointed out that the significance of Leo could be seen as the lion of Genesis 49, verses 8 and 9. When I turned in my Bible to that passage, Jacob's deathbed prophecy about his son Judah, I just about shot through the ceiling! There it was! A description of the very sign to which I'd been drawn was before my face in verse 10! Hallelujah, the Lord was coming soon! I rejoiced and praised his holy name! I believe the Lord has led me to one of the most incredible prophetic revelations of our day! Before we explore this further, I'm going to lay more of the necessary foundation for understanding this prophetic revelation.

Jacob's Deathbed Prophecy

In the 49th chapter of the book of Genesis, that very book of beginnings suggested by the prophet Isaiah as containing God's declaration about the end, Jacob is offering his final prophecy about each his sons.

And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days." (KJV) Genesis 49:1

Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. {9} You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness-who dares to rouse him? {10} The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. {11} He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. {12} His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. {12} His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. {13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. {14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. {16} On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.  Revelation 19:11-16

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:  (KJV) Isaiah 28:9-10

• Judah, your brothers will praise you

• Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies

• Your father's sons will bow down to you.

• You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness - who dares to rouse him?

Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."  Revelation 5:5

Then he uttered his oracle: "Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. {19} God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? {20} I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. {21} "No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. {22} God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. {23} There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' {24} The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.  Numbers 23:18-24

In Jacob's prophecy, it says, "you return from the prey, my son." Whose son is the lion who will fulfill these prophecies? Is it literally Judah, Jacob's son, or is it Jesus Christ, God's son, the Lion of the tribe of Judah? Of course, its Jesus; again, at his return in judgment. Balaam prophesied about what would happen shortly, which prophecy can be seen to have been a foreshadowing of that which would happen when the Lion of the tribe of Judah would come in judgment. Balaam said, "No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them." The shout of the King, THE KING is among them, not just any old king, and no misfortune or misery is observed in them when this prophecy is fulfilled! This is yet future, but no longer distant.

Consider the last part of the prophecy again. "It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!' {24} The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims." The people of Israel did and will do like the Lion. He will "not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims." Keep in mind that Jacob said; "you return from the prey, my son." When the time arrives when The Lion returns from the prey, his prey will have been devoured and the blood of his victims will have been drunk. The enemies of Jesus Christ will have been destroyed. Then, The Lion will rest!

Balaam's third oracle reads as follows.

and he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, {4} the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:   Numbers 24:3-4

How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! {6} "Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. {7} Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. "Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.   Numbers 24:5-7

God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. {9} Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness-who dares to rouse them? "May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!   Numbers 24:8-9

• The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

Then he uttered his oracle: "The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, {16} the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: {17} "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.  Numbers 24:15-17

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.  Genesis 3:15
 
• until he comes to whom it belongs

• and the obedience of the nations is his.

The words of the prophet Isaiah seem equally relevant.

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  Isaiah 11:3-4:

• He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, Do not be afraid O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt.  John 12:14-15

• he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save." Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.   Isaiah 63:1-6

• His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

Now that the context of the prophecy has been well established, let's return to verse 10, the verse that my attention was drawn to as describing the celestial configuration in 1991.

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.

Celestial Revelation Insights

The stars tell their message through the words that have been associated with them. Because they are named and their names have meanings, and because they are organized into groups which also have names and pictures drawn around them, the words tell a story. Here are some of the meanings of the ancient names of Hydra and Leo and of some of the stars in them. Not too surprisingly, the story told here is in harmony with the story told in Jacob's prophecy!

In Hydra (which means - "he is abhorred") we find Al Phard which means the separated, put away; Al Drian, the abhorred; and Minchar al Sugia, the piercing of the deceiver. Is this serpent any other than Satan himself?

Bullinger writes about Leo, "The Hebrew name of the sign is 'Arieh', which means the Lion. There are six Hebrew words for lion, and this one is used of the Lion hunting down his prey." This very word is found in Genesis 49:9! He also writes, "The Syriac name is Aryo, the rending Lion, and the Arabic is Al Asad; both mean "a lion coming vehemently, leaping forth as a flame!"" Some of the star names in Leo are: Regulus, treading under foot; Denebola, the Judge or Lord who cometh; Al Giebha, the exaltation; Zosma, shining forth; Minchir al Asad, the punishing or tearing of the Lion; Deneb Aleced, the judge cometh who seizes, and Al Dafera, the enemy put down. Isn't this a wonderful way for God to tell His story?

Also from verse 8, allusion is made to a passage found earlier in Genesis. The phrase; "Judah, your brothers will praise you" should wrest our attention when we realize that the name Judah means praise, a principle I mentioned earlier. It is not only emphatic, but worshipful. Praise your brothers will praise you. We seem to be directed to the record in which the worship is given another brother who is also symbolic of HaMashiach. Judah's brother Joseph was telling his brothers about his dreams that concerned receiving worship from his family. By these dreams, God was giving a prophecy about the exalted position of the coming Messiah. Here is Joseph's dream.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.   Genesis 37:9:

Verse 10 in Genesis 49 mentions the scepter, (Hebrew - shebet) directing our attention to the scepter of Balaam's prophecies which is a STAR. Remember Numbers 24:17?

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.

For yet another and a very important celestial reference, did you know that the word "feet" in Genesis 49:10 is from the Hebrew word "regel"? This is the very root word of Regulus, the bright star in Leo which means "treading under foot"!

These celestial references are woven into Jacob's prophecy about Judah for good reason. They teach us how to interpret the time element in verse 10. Without a precedent, I might hesitate to make such a statement, but if you consider the announcement given to the former Magi about the first coming of Christ, it seems pretty plain that there is a celestial sign being declared. In Revelation 12, we found a direct and obvious reference to a configuration in the constellation Virgo.

A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.  Revelation 12:1

I want to note a few more things here before I proceed. There is a star in Leo named Sarcam, (Hebrew) which means "the joining." Bullinger believes that, because of this star's name, this might be the point where the two ends of the Zodiacal circle have their joining. The Sphinx suggests that Virgo is the first constellation of the circle of the Zodiac and that Leo is the last. It is then a noteworthy fact that the scripture which relates the celestial announcement of Jesus' first coming involves the first sign of the zodiac and that the scripture which relates the second and last coming, the last sign of the zodiac.

In Revelation 12:1, we found that the woman described was both the Lord's mother - Mary and the constellation Virgo. Jacob's prophecy is to be interpreted similarly. Judah, the Lion is not only Jesus Christ but also Leo, the only zodiacal constellation depicted as a lion.

Leo Roars

The scepter will not depart from Leo, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,  from Genesis 49:10

Here's the celestial scenario. Of the four planets that had just previously massed in Leo, Mars had already moved from Leo. Venus was in retrograde motion between Leo and Hydra, but Jupiter and Mercury did something very interesting. Now, Jupiter is very slow moving relative to the other 3 planets and just continued to move in a consistent fashion toward the star Regulus. The star Regulus in Leo can be considered stationary, as it remains in the same position relative to the other stars. Mercury had begun retrograde motion in the same path and at the same time as Venus but moved more quickly to meet Jupiter at Regulus, and I mean at Regulus! This meeting on the 10th of September in 1991 is the configuration that grabbed my attention as I observed the computer animation because Jupiter, Mercury and Regulus came within ½ a degree of each other, as viewed from earth!

To give you an idea of the proximity of this star and two planets, when I watched them early in the morning sky on that cool autumn day, I held up my little finger at arm's length and easily covered all three of these bright celestial bodies with the fingernail on my little finger! As I continued to observe the motion of these planets over the next several days, Jupiter continued its relatively slow paced movement, but fast moving Mercury quickly passed from between Leo's feet. This is what it looked like.

Jupiter will not depart from Leo nor Mercury from between the feet until Y'shua comes in judgment.

Here's my interpretation of the rest of the celestial symbolism of Genesis 49:10. The "scepter" represents Jupiter, commonly known as the King or ruling planet. The "rulers staff" is the planet Mercury.

It's pretty easy to recognize how the king or ruling planet could be symbolized by the word "scepter." It was seen in Revelation 12 as a "crown of 12 stars," a similar symbol of rulership authority. What's the connection between Mercury and the "ruler's staff"? I think the KJV offers a better clue in translating the Hebrew word chaqaq as lawgiver instead of ruler's staff. OK, so how is Mercury the "lawgiver"? Mercury is historically known as the messenger god, the messenger planet. It's this message giving aspect of Mercury and its association with the function of the angel Gabriel that gives us the connection.

The angel Gabriel is God's agent responsible to give messages. He's only named 4 times in the Bible but is probably shown many more times performing his office of "chief speaker." In Exodus 3:2, it says that an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush. When we read about that event in Exodus 3 we see that, although it says many times that God spoke to Moses, there must have been an angel involved who functioned as an agent for God. We read in Acts 7, verse 38 that it was an angel who spoke to him on Mt. Sinai when he "received living words to pass on to us." This refers to the giving of the law, thus - lawgiver! The angel who acted as God's agent in the giving of the law is not named, but Gabriel is suggested because it is he who is apparently the primary message delivering angel. Interestingly, the NIV translators chose to describe angels as "celestial beings" in Jude 8. So we see that Gabriel, a "celestial being" was probably the lawgiver and as such is associated with the messenger planet Mercury. If you read Acts 14, verse 12 in the , you'll see another interesting association. It reads:

And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. (KJV) Acts 14:12

Verse 10 of Genesis chapter 49 might then be rendered: "Jupiter will not depart from Leo nor Mercury from between the feet until (and I'll paraphrase here) Jesus Christ comes in judgment."

On September 10, 1991, Mercury met Jupiter at Regulus in Leo. Regulus is from the root "regel", which means "foot", or "feet" and seems to mark the place where the planets enter between the feet of the lion. Jupiter remained in Leo moving slowly. Mercury rapidly moved eastward, exiting from between the feet of the lion on about the 23rd of September, by which time the prophecy of the coming of the Judge must have been fulfilled.

He Came in Judgment

What event would you like to pick for the event to match up to the celestial sign of Y'shua's first advent? His conception? His birth? His baptism? Fortunately, for that one, we know which event was marked based upon the verses that followed the sign's description in the scripture. His birth! What event in the sequence of his return is marked? Maybe you can tell which event based upon a close examination of the context of the description of the sign, but I can't. I can compare it to the sign of his first coming, however, and consider that it compared somewhat to his birth. Given that a birth is preceded by a conception and the term of a pregnancy, it isn't the first event in the series, so what was marked by the sign of his coming as a lion was probably not the very first sign, but, an early sign. One that went relatively unnoticed. It was subtle. It came and went without much fanfare. Given almost 8 years to think about it and  observe other signs of the end, I have come to believe this sign marked the beginning of the 14 years of Genesis 41.

Which Day was Marked?

Corroborating Signs

The celestial signs marked in the Bible in those special passages given to establish chronology certainly confirm the fact that the sign was meant to be noticed and 1991 marked. See Deuteronomy 31:28 and Psalm 91:13. I have documented these specially linked signs in another document.

If you chart the frequency and intensity of "natural" disasters, you'll find that 1991 marked a dramatic rise.  Further signs in the earth marking 1991 were the Desert Storm (subject of prophecies in Daniel 8:1-7 and Psalm 91:1-12) and the dissolution of the USSR, which rocked the world of that time.

Another event in 1991 I would classify as a sign would be the expectation of the Jewish Messiah's arrival by the Lubavitch sect of orthodox Judaism. This was predicted by their leader, the now deceased Rabbe Menachem Schneerson. His prediction was given credence because he accurately predicted the date on which the Gulf war we know as the Desert Storm would end! Through his research and interpretation of ancient Jewish commentaries, Rabbi Schneerson had become convinced that the war was fulfilling prophecy and that it would end on the Holy Day Purim. On midnight, the day before Purim, U.S. President George Bush announced to the world that the war was over! The Rabbe hit the prophetic jackpot! Schneerson and his followers were overjoyed and insisted that this would be followed shortly by the appearance of the Messiah. Initially, Passover of 1991 had been named as the time of his expected arrival, then Rosh Ha-Shanah. The Messianic fervor that resulted is very significant because it had such a dramatic and enduring influence.

Another sign from the realm of Satan's deceitful manipulation and disinformation tactics gives insight to the wise. Just as there are genuine messages given by  heavenly beings, there are those which are counterfeit. These must be tested to determine their authenticity. The report of a quite remarkable prophecy came to my attention in a manner which was undeniably the Lord's doing. No question about it, the Lord wanted this to come to my attention. This prophetic message was given by a spiritual entity which calls itself the "Queen of Peace." This particular message is one of several revealed to a young woman in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. I found it of great interest because a 9 day period of time was specified by this spirit as being of the utmost importance for changing the history of the world. Would you like to guess which days were named? These 9 days were when Jupiter and Mercury were both between the feet of Leo! Coincidence, or corroborating sign?

Let me quote this message with some of the commentary included from a group affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church called Caritas of Birmingham.  I've uploaded a scanned and converted to html copy of the paper I received here if you want to see the whole thing. This message was given on August 25, 1991, shortly before the heavenly sign was to occur.

Dear Children,

Today also I invite you to prayer, now as never before when my plan has begun to be realized. Satan is strong and wants to sweep away plans of peace and joy and make you think that my son is not strong in His decisions. Therefore, I call all of you, dear children, to pray and fast still more firmly. I invite you to renunciation for nine days so that with your help everything I wanted to realize through the secrets I began in Fatima may be fulfilled. I call you, dear children, to grasp the importance of my coming and the seriousness of the situation. I want to save all souls and present them to God. Therefore, let us pray that everything I have begun be fully realized. Thank you for having responded to my call.

In the group's commentary about this message, we are told that "Never before in history have individuals had so much ability to alter the whole world." It says that "these 9 days (between September 13 and 21, which are Tishri 5-13) will have global consequences and its significance cannot be overestimated." The commentary closes, saying, "It is felt that this message is inviting us to push ourselves into renunciation for a period of nine days to change the history of the world." Renunciation indeed! I don't think fulfilling the secrets began in Fatima is part of God's genuine plan for us. How about we renounce idolatry and demon worship instead! It doesn't take rare gifts of discernment to be able to identify this prophecy as a counterfeit. Make note: The Devil is not stupid. He's a disinformation specialist. Given that a wise counterfeiter does not make three dollar bills, we should note that those days were very important.

Satan has access to knowledge about the times appointed by God only after they are revealed unto His servants. Herod had to inquire of the Magi, didn't he? There is a man coming after the pattern of Herod who would subvert the Lord's plan if He could. This is why the relevant truths relating to the appointed times are revealed on a need-to-know basis. What is your current level of security clearance, spiritually? Are you diligent about your duties before the Lord? Are you faithful to that which he has given you?

Having the benefit of hindsight, it is an established fact that those who observe such things noted Israel's enjoyment of a remarkably robust economonic season during the span of the Abundance week - 1991 to 1998.

Again, given the benefit of the passage of time, I can say that there has been another sign some might consider a confirmation of my theory about the 14 years of Genesis 41. If  Yom Kippur of 1991 marked the beginning of the Abundance week, the beginning of the Famine week would have begun in 1998, on Yom Kippur. Consider the following prophetic declaration from a widely known passage in Daniel.

He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."  Daniel 9:27