September 23, 2017 Prophecy Hype and Sensationalism

There's a lot of Internet and FaceBook "buzz" about prophecy unfolding before our eyes this coming September (2017), when we will supposedly "witness" in the skies the prophecy of Revelation 21:1.  Well, I'll be abrupt: It's complete hyped garbage. It is sensationalized nonsense.

In a nutshell, here is what it is all about: On September, 23, 2017, the sun will be in the constellation Virgo ("the virgin"), and on that same date the moon will be seen near Virgo’s feet.  Then, with Jupiter also appearing "in" the constellation Virgo, and the planets Venus, Mars, and Mercury also present above and to the right of Virgo in the constellation Leo - we supposedly have the makings of what is described in Revelation 12:1:

"Now a great sign was seen in heaven — a woman clothed with the sun, under her feet the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."

The planets and other stars in Leo are supposed to represent the "crown" of Revelation 12:1.

[This stuff is being hyped by websites, many of dubious credibility, (usually the "content farms" whose only goal is the income produced from people coming to their website to view this nonsense so they hopefully will click on "ads" which earns the site money.) Most of these sites should be ashamed of themselves.]

The problem is, this "sign" on September 23rd is completely bogus!

So what's wrong with this "sign" of September 23rd, 2017? Plenty.

First, the sun passes through Virgo every year in the September time frame. Every year. Therefore Virgo is metaphorically "clothed with the sun" for about 35 days EVERY year. Second, when the sun is in Virgo, during that 35 days or so each year, the moon will, on one or two of those days, be observed to appear "under her feet". So the situation with the moon being "under her feet" also happens ONCE A YEAR, every year (at the time when the sun is also in Virgo).

Third, it's a real stretch to call the 9 brightest stars of the constellation Leo part of the "crown" and to call the 3 planets that will be in Leo at the time the other 3 stars of the "crown". The stars in Leo are nowhere near the head of Virgo! Leo spans 32 degrees in the sky (about 2/3 as long as Virgo is "tall"), and the entire formation (to call it that) is nowhere near "crown-shaped"! (Visually, Leo spans almost 20% of the sky when the constellation is overhead. If this is a "crown", that's some giant, misshapen, unfamiliar crown! It's almost as large as the constellation Virgo herself!)

Fourth, while Jupiter is present in Virgo this year, this happens in Virgo every 12 years at the same time the sun is in Virgo, so this "rare situation" happens every 12 years. The only thing somewhat unique about 2017 is the position of Mercury, Venus, and Mars between Virgo's head and the star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, which, as I said, in no way forms a "crown"!

Fifth, when the sun is "in Virgo", you can't see it "in Virgo". The only way to "see" this is during the day when the sun, and the constellation of Virgo, are overhead, but then of course, you can see nothing but the very bright sun in the sky and the bright blue sky which obscures all stars and planets alike. You can't “see” Virgo, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Venus, or the moon at that time! So this great hyped "sign" of September 23rd, 2017 is not even visible to anyone as any “sight”!  It is, however, visible in small "pieces".

Here is what I mean: On the morning of September 23rd, before the sun rises, you may see Regulus, Venus, and Mars if you would only look in the right direction at the right time. Mercury might be visible for a few moments before the dawn gets too bright so long as you know exactly where to look. Otherwise, the only other "part" of this "great" (bogus) "sign" in the sky is at sunset September 23rd, when you will be able to see Jupiter low, near the horizon, and the crescent moon. But there is absolutely nothing special about seeing these planets in this way - before sunrise or after sunset. Planets are often visible at sunrise and sunset when they appear close to the sun!

Sixth, if the creator of this hype sees the prophecy of Revelation 12:1 in the sky on September 23rd, 2017, where is the sign in the sky at the same time from Revelation 12:3? There is also supposed to be a "a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven royal crowns"! Seems to me if the situation of September 23, 2017 is so prophetic as the hype says, then the "vision" should also reveal the 7-headed dragon and the 7 crowns. Where is the dragon on September 23rd?

Seventh, and this is the most important flaw in the hype: The revelation in Revelation 12:1 is not to be taken as seen from earth! Read Revelation 4:1:

"After these things, I looked; and there before me was a door standing open in heaven; and the voice like a trumpet which I had heard speaking with me before said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.'"

See the phrase "come up here"? John's vision is FROM HEAVEN, not from earth! So John's vision in Revelation 12 is from a vantage point not possible from earth so attempting to "fit" the ordinary astronomical view we have from earth to John's vision is complete nonsense! Even in Revelation 6:13-14, we read: "The stars fell from heaven to earth just as a fig tree drops its figs when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place." What John is seeing is NOTHING related to what we see from earth!

Once again, we here at The Refiner's Fire caution people to steer clear of such hyped and sensationalized stories as this.  If anything, remember the same hype and sensationalizing was seen just two years ago with the "Blood Moon" nonsense when there were four total lunar eclipses in a row (the great “tetrad”) through 2014-2015 - all happening on Jewish holy days. Oh what major events were supposed to happen!  "Here, buy my book!" said several authors.  Well, if you bought the book, you only found your wallet lighter. That's all.