Christmas Star or Evil Omen?

When Jesus spoke of signs in the sun moon and stars in the last days, [Luke 21:25] he wasn’t talking about astrology. But the heavens that he created do sometimes provide a herald of things to come, as in the star that the Magi followed to reach Bethlehem shortly after his birth.

There are at least three major astronomy events in December 2020 and they are causing a stir amongst believers and unbelievers alike.

1. The Geminid meteor shower of December 14 put on a spectacular show, reaching its peak brightness in the early hours of December 14th. Photographers were able to capture stunning shots of the fireballs that can glow in lots of different colours.
2. A total solar eclipse was visible in Chile and Argentina on the same day, December 14. Some locations in southern South America, south-west Africa, and Antarctica saw the partial phase of this South American total solar eclipse.
3. A ‘Great Conjunction’ of Jupiter and Saturn‘ will form a ‘Christmas Star’ on the winter solstice; Jupiter and Saturn will have their closest encounter in almost 400 years on the Solstice, December 21st.

Historic Signs in the Sky

Throughout history, people have seen eclipses, comets and conjunctions as omens, either of good or evil.

Death of Julius Caesar
The Great Comet of 44 BC was a seven-day event in July 44 BC. It was interpreted by Romans as a sign of the deification of recently assassinated dictator, Julius Caesar (100–44 BC). It was perhaps the most famous comet of antiquity. Pliny also wrote on the phenomenon of eclipses, giving two examples: one that occurred after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, and an eclipse that lasted for almost a whole year during the war between Anthony and Octavian (Augustus).

Norman Conquest
In 1066, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle announced, “a portent such as men had never seen was seen in the heavens”. Visible for a week, it was described by some as the “long-haired star”. It even made its way onto the Bayeux tapestry. (See it below)

In what we now call the Norman Conquest, the comet spelled bad news for Harold II, the English king who was subsequently killed by an arrow at the Battle of Hastings. But William I, on the other hand, regarded it as a positive portent. William (The Conqueror) went on to conquer and rule all of England.

Years of Anarchy
An eclipse in 1133 took the blame for a string of calamities to strike 12th-century England. Henry I’s death on 1 December 1135 prompted his nephew Stephen of Blois to seize the English throne. What followed was 19 years of civil war, a period of turbulence that’s now remembered as the Anarchy.

The Civil War
As the sun disappeared over England in 1652, during the volatile political climate after the Civil War, people feared the end of the world. The eclipse had been “much threatened by astrologers”, as “the precursor of great calamities and mischiefs”. And The Fifth Monarchists – a group of violent Puritans seeking to overthrow the government – believed the Second Coming of the Messiah was imminent. In fear, the country ground to a standstill that day. “Hardly any would work,” noted a Diarist at the time, and many hid in their houses all day.

The Great Plague and the Great Fire
In late 1664, a bright comet was to be seen in the sky and the people of London were fearful, wondering what evil event it portended. Then the Great Plague of London came, lasting from 1665 to 1666, the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England. Following this in 1666 the Great Fire of London swept through central London destroying most of the city in September 1666.

An Evil Portent?

Now some are talking about a new “christmas star”, as we witness an unusual conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, making a very bright appearance at the Solstice this year. At the same time, these planets are also moving from one constellation into another almost simultaneously. To have one of these planets switch signs is itself a big deal; to have two shift within days of each other is momentous.

This’Great Conjunction’ — when both planets ‘meet’ in the sky — takes place on December 21, the longest night of the year, when the two will look like one conjoined star, dubbed the Christmas Star by some astronomers and the Solstice Star by others.

The last Great Conjunction in Aquarius happened in 1405, and the last time Jupiter and Saturn lined up in this same part of the sky, in exactly this way, was 800 years ago.

Coincidentally, also in December this year, there has been a total eclipse of the sun, [14 December 2020 Total Solar Eclipse]

What’s happening on December 21st?

The ‘Father and the Son’ meet for Christmas!

Jupiter and Saturn will have their closest encounter in almost 400 years on the solstice (Dec. 21). This is the point when the daytime is at its shortest in one hemisphere and the longest in the other hemisphere.

Jupiter in Mythology
Jupiter, also called Jove, was the chief Roman god. Like Zeus, his Greek counterpart, Jupiter was a sky god. One of his most ancient epithets is Lucetius (“Light-Bringer”); and all places struck by lightning were sacred to him. That name “light-bringer” is also the meaning of the name Lucifer!

Saturn in Mythology
The Roman god Saturn was the father of Jupiter! (This was accomplished through an incestuous coupling with his sister Ops.) He was described as a god of prosperity, agriculture, renewal and liberation. Saturn’s reign was depicted as a Golden Age of plenty and peace. It is the pagan version of the Millennium.

Saturn was especially celebrated during the festival of Saturnalia each December, a time of feasting, gift-giving and revelry. It doesn’t take a huge leap of understanding to see how this end-of-year feast came to be repurposed as Christmas. (See my article about that.)

How apt, then, that Saturn should join with his son (aka Lucifer) at that very time of year (Saturnalia) to give us a new bright star in the skies at the Solstice.

The First Christmas Star

Was the biblical star of Bethlehem a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn also? Some have argued this incorrectly. We simply do not know when this biblical star appeared or what it was. Many guesses have been made over the years.

Planetary Conjunctions
In 1614, German astronomer Johannes Kepler determined that a series of three conjunctions of the planets Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the year 7 BC. He argued (incorrectly) that a planetary conjunction could create a nova, which he linked to the Star of Bethlehem.

In 6 BC, there were eclipses of Jupiter by the Moon in Aries. Jupiter was the regal ‘star’ that conferred kingships – a power that was amplified when Jupiter was in close conjunctions with the Moon.

In 3–2 BC, there was a series of seven conjunctions, including three between Jupiter and Regulus and a strikingly close conjunction between Jupiter and Venus near Regulus on June 17, 2 BC.

Comet
Halley’s Comet was visible in 12 BC and another object, possibly a comet or nova, was seen by Chinese and Korean stargazers in about 5 BC. This object was observed for over seventy days, possibly with no movement recorded. Ancient writers described comets as “hanging over” specific cities, just as the Star of Bethlehem was said to have “stood over” the “place” where Jesus was (the town of Bethlehem).

Supernova
A recent (2005) hypothesis advanced by Frank Tipler is that the star of Bethlehem was a supernova or hypernova occurring in the nearby Andromeda Galaxy. Another theory is the more likely supernova of February 4 BC. A nova or comet was recorded in China in 4 BC.

Was Jesus Born in December?

It is now assumed, even by most of the Church, that Christmas is the actual birthdate of Jesus Christ. Thus the “christmas star” is associated with December. However, it has been successfully argued that the birth of Jesus took place earlier in the year, and the feastday we now know as Christmas was a later invention.

Alexander Murray of History Today argues that the celebration of Christmas as the birth day of Jesus is based on a date of a pagan feast of Saturnalia.

The Roman festival of Natalis Solis Invicti [the birth of the unconquered sungod] has also been suggested, since it was celebrated on December 25th.

No celebration of Christ’s birth is recorded in the Church until the 4th century. The festival of the Nativity which later turned into Christmas was a 4th-century feast in the Western Church -most notably in Rome and North Africa – although it is uncertain exactly where and when it was first celebrated.

The earliest source stating 25 December as the date of birth of Jesus is likely a book by Hippolytus of Rome, written in the early 3rd century. He based his view on the assumption that the conception of Jesus took place at the Spring equinox which Hippolytus placed on 25 March, and then added nine months to calculate the date of birth. That date was then used for the Christmas celebration.

The Birth of Another Christ?

From all that is given above, we can see there is no connection between the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, and the birth or return of Jesus. Anyone pinning their hopes on this being a latter-day Bethlehem Star is going to be disappointed. However, there is a good possibility it is the herald of another coming, that of a false christ.

The Jealousy of the Devil: Stealing all that is of Christ

In satan’s mind and way of thinking, mimicking the birth of Jesus would be something to aim for. He would happily use the circumstance of Christmas being widely thought of as the appearance of a Saviour, to make his own appearance on earth. He would love to have his very own “Christmas Star” too.

Add to this the pagan ideas of Saturnalia, a time of revelry and rejoicing, and the solstice – a time of year sacred to many non christian groups.

Remember that the hallmark of the god Saturn (for whom the feast was named) was liberation, wealth, hope and happiness, and a NEW BEGINNING for mankind. How indicative of the fake messiah!

We must add to this the current belief in the ‘Great Reset’, also called “The Great Awakening” which is now looking to the Solstice Star as its long-predicted Solar Flare event to change the world. Although many other predictions about the Awakening have come and gone, new-age believers are now fixing their minds on the December 21st conjunction as their V-Day.

Opening a Portal (But to What?)

One writer says:

The December Solstice was chosen to signify a “return to the light.” In 2020, December 21st, stands out as being a potent day, not just because of the Solstice, but also due to a very rare alignment taking place this year known as the Great Conjunction. Furthermore, there is also a Total Solar Eclipse just before this on December 14, which also adds to the energy. The Solar Eclipse opens a portal to a brand new beginning and the Great Conjunction a few days later will amplify this portal energy. [Source]

For many, this is the start of the longed-for “Age of Aquarius“. Please read this thread discussing the idea, which has confused and even scared many people.

False Prophets Join the Chorus

But the alarm is being amplified by false teachers in the Church:

Using predictions from Mayan calendar, Pastor Paul Begley says this world will end (and the new one begin) on December 21, 2020. After false claims the world would end on December 21 2012 – when the Mayan calendar ran out – it’s now said to herald a New World eight years later, on December 21, 2020. He says these portentous events lead to the promised return of Jesus Christ. [Source]

Or, as I said, the appearance of someone posing as the Christ?

The End of Life As We Know It

I have been writing recently on the massive changes we have all been experiencing this year, and how those changes have challenged us, divided us, alarmed us and – for some – prepared us for what is to come.

Now the arrival of another omen not only points to bigger challenges, but could (we do not know! God knows!) bring the beginning of the End for all who wait for the Lord. This would not be without offense being caused to those who refuse to see the truth, but opposition, derision and even persecution for all who are determined to stand in the truth.

Apart from anything else, we can expect an escalation of demonic activity around the dates mentioned, as pagans gather to worship, new-agers believe it’s their time of Restoration, and the devil gathers his forces in preparation for his final bid at world rulership.

Be especially wary at this time, and be constant in prayer.