A Miracle Ignored. The Celestial Sign We Might Have Missed

A Miracle Ignored? The Celestial Sign We Might Have Missed

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered if the stars hold secrets, messages perhaps, that we often overlook? Throughout history, celestial events have been seen as omens, signs, or divine communications. Could it be that a truly remarkable event, one echoing ancient prophecies and potentially mirroring the time of Christ's birth, occurred just a few years ago, largely unnoticed by the wider world?

The Great Sign of 2017

On September 23, 2017, a fascinating celestial alignment occurred that captured the attention of many students of biblical prophecy. They pointed to the book of Revelation, chapter 12, verses 1-2:

> "And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth." (ESV)

What happened in the heavens on that date?

 * The Woman: The constellation Virgo (the Virgin) was positioned appropriately.

 * Clothed with the Sun: The sun was passing through the constellation Virgo, symbolically "clothing" her.

 * The Moon Under Her Feet: The moon was positioned near the feet of Virgo.

 * A Crown of Twelve Stars: Above Virgo's head lies the constellation Leo (the Lion). Leo contains nine principal stars. On that date in 2017, three planets – Mercury, Mars, and Venus – aligned with Leo's stars, bringing the total number of "stars" forming the crown to twelve.

 * Pregnant and Giving Birth: The planet Jupiter, often called the "King Planet," had been within the "belly" or "womb" area of the constellation Virgo for approximately 9-10 months (roughly the length of human gestation). On September 23, 2017, Jupiter was exiting that region, symbolically representing birth.

This wasn't just a loose approximation; it was a strikingly precise astronomical picture matching the description in Revelation 12. While interpretations vary, the visual correspondence is hard to dismiss outright.

How Rare Was This Sign?

Alignments involving the Sun, Moon, and Virgo happen annually. Jupiter passes through Virgo roughly every 12 years. However, the specific combination – Sun in Virgo, Moon at her feet, Jupiter exiting the "womb" after a retrograde loop mimicking gestation, and the three planets aligning with Leo to form the twelve-star crown – is extraordinarily rare. Some researchers using astronomical software suggest such a precise configuration hasn't occurred for millennia.

Echoes of the First Christmas? The Star of Bethlehem

This brings us to another famous celestial event: the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi. Many scholars believe Christ was likely born not on December 25th, but perhaps sometime between 6 BC and 4 BC. Interestingly, some researchers propose that a series of significant celestial events, potentially involving alignments similar in type (though not identical in every detail) to the 2017 sign, occurred around 3-2 BC.

Consider the Magi. The Bible says they saw "his star when it rose" or "in the East" (Matthew 2:2). This implies they witnessed a significant celestial event before they began their journey. Traveling from Persia or Babylon to Bethlehem would have taken weeks, if not months. They didn't see a star hovering over Bethlehem initially; they saw a sign in their homeland that prompted their long trek.

Could a significant celestial alignment have been that sign? Some point to an alignment proposed around September 11th, 3 BC. This date is fascinating for several reasons within this interpretive framework:

 * The Timing: If the Magi witnessed a major celestial sign around September, it allows ample time for their journey, arriving in Jerusalem and then Bethlehem perhaps months later.

 * A Possible Birth Window: If this September sign heralded the birth, and the Magi arrived later, could Christ's birth have occurred sometime in the winter? Some propose dates like December 17-23. This timeframe fits the narrative of the Magi arriving after the birth.

The Annunciation Connection

Now, let's add another layer. The Feast of the Annunciation, traditionally celebrated on March 25th, commemorates the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she would conceive Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). Count forward approximately nine months (a typical human gestation period) from late March. Where do you land? You land squarely in late December.

However, if we entertain the idea of the celestial sign occurring around September 11th, 3 BC, as potentially representing the "birth" described in Revelation 12 (the symbolic birth from Virgo), could this sign have occurred near the actual time of Jesus's birth? If so, counting back nine months for gestation would place the Annunciation and conception closer to December of the previous year (4 BC), leading to a birth around September 3 BC.

Alternatively, if the September 11th, 3 BC alignment was the sign the Magi saw that heralded the coming birth, and conception occurred around the traditional Annunciation (March 25th), then a birth date around late December (like the proposed Dec 17-23) aligns perfectly with the nine-month gestation period. In this view, the September sign announced the imminent arrival, prompting the Magi's journey.

A Tapestry of Signs?

Whether it's the Star of Bethlehem or the 2017 alignment, the idea that God might communicate or mark significant events through celestial happenings is deeply woven into Judeo-Christian thought ("The heavens declare the glory of God," Psalm 19:1).

The 2017 alignment, matching Revelation 12 with such astronomical precision, was a remarkable event. Was it a coincidence? A literal fulfillment? A warning? A promise? Or, as the title suggests, a potential miracle largely ignored?

While definitive proof is elusive and interpretations remain open to discussion, the convergence of scripture, rare celestial mechanics, and historical timing is thought-provoking. It invites us to look up, to wonder, and perhaps to consider that the intricate dance of the stars might occasionally align to tell a story far bigger than ourselves.

Disclaimer: This post explores interpretations of biblical prophecy and historical timelines based on specific astronomical events. These interpretations, particularly regarding the exact dating of Christ's birth and the meaning of celestial alignments, are still being studied. It is presented for reflection and further discussion. Most importantly it's to make the public aware of these events as it has been largely ignored, and or suppressed.