In 33 AD, during the Passover, the Sun is in Aries, a constellation of particular interest for this festival. To begin with, it is the sign for Israel. It is fascinating that during the time of Jesus, the Age of Aries is winding down. An “age” is when the tilt of the earth’s axis points in the direction of a constellation and is said to be of 2160 years in duration. Around 2100 BC is when Abraham lives, with whom comes God’s key Covenant of Circumcision – which still is the signal mark for membership in this People of God. So, as the Age of Aries begins, the People of Israel also have their beginning.
Now within Jesus’ lifetime that age is ending as the Age of Pisces (the fish) begins. In a side note, in the early Church, the Greek word for “fish” forms an anagram for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior” – a simple confession of faith – and, during the time of persecution, when a “fish” is drawn by two intersecting arcs, it is a secret way of discovering fellow believers. Pisces, at least in the near-east zodiacs, has almost always been depicted as two (fish) being bound together into one (sign), which is an accurate description of “the Fish” (Jesus) Who has two natures (God and Man) joined into one Person. It is then of no great surprise to learn how as the Age of Aries is ending, the age of Christianity begins, as also does the Age of Pisces.
Returning to Aries, both “the Ram” and “the Lamb” have long been connected to this constellation, and both have important histories within the Old Testament as well. The ram is a main character when God commits Himself to Abraham in Covenant [Genesis 15:9] and it becomes Isaac’s sacrificial substitute [22:13; also called a lamb in v 8]. Rams are the sacrifices at the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests [Exodus 29; Leviticus 8] and they figure in a number of other sacrifices.
The lamb is the preferred sacrifice for the woman who has completed her purification after the birth of a child [Leviticus 12:6-8], (Mary offers two turtledoves or pigeons since the Family is too poor to offer a lamb [Luke 2:24]). The sacrifice of a lamb opens each workday in the morning and another sanctifies each new day as it begins in the evening [Numbers 28:4). And John the Baptist announces Jesus as “Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!” [John 1:29].
The lamb is the central character in the Passover. For that final plague in Egypt, with a rope passed through the ventilation window above the house’s only outside door, the Israelite hoists a lamb and drains its Blood onto the sill. This Blood then is applied to the doorposts and lintel [Exodus 12:22-23] so that by passing through the Blood (“The Blood is the Life” [Deuteronomy 12:23 and others]), the sole entrance into the house now becomes the door of salvation and Life – a description which Jesus uses for Himself [John 10:9]. Every following year, Jehovah’s People slaughter a lamb and roast it whole (which would require two spits in a cross shape – Justin Martyr [c. 165]) as a participation (communion) in this great salvation event.
However, when the Passover occurs on a Sabbath (as it does in 33 AD), a special provision for this practice kicks in. Normally on the Passover’s Preparation Day [John 19:14], the slaughter of the Passover lambs occurs just before nightfall, after which the lambs are roasted. However, since any cooking is forbidden on a Sabbath (which begins at nightfall), the Babylonian Talmud declares that the slaughter must be moved up to 12:30 PM. When Pilate presents Jesus to the crowd chanting “Crucify Him!”, it is “about the sixth hour” [John 19:14] (that is, from sunrise – 12 noon our time). Accounting for the time to get to the hill Golgotha, Jesus is crucified when the Passover lambs begin dying – they are dying when the Passover Lamb, Jesus [I Corinthians 5:7], is dying.
At about “the sixth hour,” the ancient secular historian Phlegon (b. 90 AD?) describes a strange phenomenon, “a greater and more excellent” eclipse of the Sun, so that “day turned into dark night.” Something eclipses the sun, although as we shall see, it is not the Moon, which is on the opposite side of the Earth about to be eclipsed itself.
Rick Larson mimicks the effect in his DVD presentation “The Star of Bethlehem,” that when the Moon is eclipsed, if one is standing on the Moon, the Earth would be eclipsing the Sun. As the Sun’s light is shielded, the stars around it now become visible – on this day, the constellation Aries becomes visible, with a dark black hole (the darkened Sun) where the “lamb”’s heart would be. The Sun, “the Supreme Father,” has turned away from His Son, “the Lamb,” and there is a dreadful emptiness left behind – “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46].
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As Jesus dies at the ninth hour (3:00 PM), whatever it is that shields the Sun now moves on. If it is an asteroid, then it would have to compete with the Moon in size in order to cover the Sun so completely. With the Moon on the opposite side of the Earth, its counterbalance may mean that the Earth’s orbit would not be affected so much, although between the two pulls, that may explain the earthquakes that happen about that time. If it is an asteroid, then its path would be affected, although, obviously, it is not captured. It would not be noticed, since being between the Sun and the Earth, its reflected light would shine in the wrong direction.
It is essential that the “asteroid” does move on, because the Sun’s rays are necessary for the next celestial event. The Jewish leaders approach Pilate to speed up the process of death for the crucified so that the condemned would not be hanging during the high feast day. In the hanging position on the cross, the crucified can take a breath in, but cannot expel the breath. He must lift up in order to do that – that is one reason why the feet are also nailed, so that they will not slip and he can lift himself, and ironically extend his time of agony. So to speed up the process, one needs only to break the legs and, as the crucified grows weaker from trying lift himself by his arms, he finally suffocates to death.
When the soldiers come to break Jesus’ legs He is already dead. Having centuries of crucifixions under their belt, and having seen every which way some have tried to thwart this death penalty – a favorite reinterpretation of Jesus’ death is that He is drugged – the Romans have a very excellent way to guarantee results: a spear into the heart. If He wasn’t dead then, He is now. The Blood is separating, which means that death has been for a while.
Joseph of Arimathea summons the courage to request Jesus’ body. It has been only four or so hours since the crucifixion. We know that with some crucifixions the condemned have lasted days if not a week. The Centurion is only just back from breaking the legs and death normally would not occur that quickly, but he assures Pilate that Jesus is indeed dead.
As the Body is removed from the cross, hastily prepared for burial and then seemingly “thrown” into the tomb because of the press of time, from 5:00 to 8:30 PM, the Moon itself is now being eclipsed. It is a total eclipse*, a “Blood Moon” (see earlier posts in regard to this phenomenon). Although the eclipse is not visible to those in Jerusalem until the tail end (moonrise is about 8:00 PM), this grief is not meant merely for show – as “a sword will pierce through [Mary’s] own soul also” [Luke 2:35], so the heavens genuinely mourn as only creation can.
This part of the Ballet of the sky is not as elaborate as when it rejoiced at Jesus’ birth, however at His death it is hard to match the effect, the eloquence and the muted power of its grief on this solitary day in the history of the universe, when “the Lamb, the Lambs and the Lamb” bear witness to God’s act of salvation in Jesus.
*Although it did appear to be a total eclipse when I first looked in Starry Night, I now realize that it is a partial eclipse with about 65-70% involvement. Again the moon is at the feet of Virgo (as it had been for the birth of Jesus) and just as it enters Libra (the Scales of Justice), it now enters the shadow of the earth.
…the heavens genuinely mourn as only creation can…..blood moon….
Thanks brother. You blessed me!
Today, keeping PASSOVER 2013 BY THE CREATOR’s CALENDAR IN THE HEAVENS…..APRIL 24TH (Aviv 14th) 2013……
My posts on this are on FACEBOOK —-> iluminada Williams
Thank you, Ilu, for your comment. It is humbling when we realize just how much even creation is a partner in declaring “the Glory of the Lord.” 1980 Hebrew years ago today was the most significant act of Love that has occurred in the history of the universe – it is well worth a pause to give thanks. Thank you for the reminder!
Jim