Realizing the relevance of Earth's Precessional Cross geometry (the movement and geometric orientation of our Earth and Sun in our galaxy) places the signs (and our awareness) in the far greater context of our evolutionary sojourn as a stellar race of sentient souls.

Thus, the Galactic Ayanamsa is defined by the Galactic Equatorial Node (GEN) as being the prime fiducial of the sidereal zodiak; setting the GEN (Gate of God) to exactly 5° 00' 00" sidereal Sagittarius. The Galactic Ayanamsa is 25° 00' 00" for epoch 2000 A.D. Thus, 0° Tropical Aries resides at 5° 00' sidereal Pisces @ 2000 A.D.; i.e., the tropical zodiak has drifted from the fixed sidereal zodiak by 25° 00' 00" based upon the Galactic Ayanamsa.

The placement of the sidereal signs reckoned to the Galactic Equatorial Node (Galactic Ayanamsa) is quite close to the both the Fagan-Bradley reckoning (Spica) and the Babylonian reckoning (Aldebaran). Differences this small can become an academic argument only. However, various stars may lie on different sides of the sign cusps depending on which reckoning is used. Detailed exploration of the appropriate placement of cuspal stars is something I have explored using the Galactic reckoning, perhaps to be published at a later time. Another area where the exactness of sidereal sign cusps are of significance is when using sub-divisions of the signs (dwads, etc) where each sub-division is ruled by a specific sign. Using this astrological technique, the placement of a planet in a chart may cause it to cross a sub-cusp depending on the reckoning used. This is another interesting way to experientially explore the reckoning of the sidereal zodiak.

Due to the constantly moving vernal point (0° tropical Aries), the ayanamsa (any ayanamsa) is a dynamic figure, it therefor must be referenced to a specific time in the precessional cycle--generally this is 1950 or 2000 A.D. When converting a tropical chart to a sidereal chart, this precessional drift must be taken into account, especially if making a chart in the far distant past or future. Software programs generally take into account Earth's precessional drift and nutational variances when calculating a sidereal chart, but the sidereal astrologer must choose the ayanamsa of his or her choice. Star longitudes must be adjusted to the chosen ayanamsa if adding individual stars to an astrological chart. This is important due to the tight orb of stellar influence.

The following chart is a comparison of several of the more common ayanamsas.

* The Ayanamsa @ 2000 AD can be used to convert tropical longitudes to sidereal longitudes. For example if your Sun resides at 0° 00' 00" Aries (exactly on the vernal point) subtract 24° 44' 12" to get your sun's sidereal location using the Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa. Or subtract 25° 00' 00" to get your sun's sidereal location using the Galactic Ayanamsa.

A quick and simple shortcut to this is to add 5° and drop back a sign; i.e., if your tropical Ascendant is 9° 00' sidereal Pisces (add 5°, minus one sign). Your sidereal ASC is 14° 00' sidereal Aquarius. This is true for charts cast around 2000 AD. Remember, an ayanamsa changes over time at the rate of precession. The chart lists ayanamsa for two epcohs: 1950 and 2000 A.D.

** The Delta figure can be used to convert sidereal longitudes calculated with one ayanamsa to the Galactic Ayanamsa. For example, if you have a computer program that calculates your sun to be at 15° 03' sidereal Taurus (aligning with Aldebaran) using the Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa, you can subtract ~ 00° 16' (- 00° 15' 48") to get the Sun's location at 14° 47' using the Galactic Ayanamsa.

Precessional Time is NOT a Constant

To further compound the problem of zodiakal reckoning, we must recognize that the rate of Earth's precession is NOT a constant. It is accurate to say the last erect precessional cross had occurred exactly 180° degrees ago in the precessional cycle, but we can only estimate that to have been 9,000 to 13,000 years ago. The rate of precession may vary over long periods of time, or even oscillate around some harmonic ideal. There are many continuously changing astronomical factors that affect the rate of precession, not to mention the cause of the precessional of the equinoxes is not even clear. (Just as we can not pinpoint a date in the distant past is why I suggest man-made calendars made in antiquity fall short of being able to predict future evolutionary changes to a specific date.)

"The Great World Cycle," or "Earth's Great Year," as Earth's precessional cycle is sometimes called, is estimated to be between 22,000 and 26,000 solar years--often rounded to the latter figure. The 25,920 figure, often seen, is a natural harmonic ideal found in quantum math. Another quantum number of significance is 22,680, quite close to the 23,000 figure. These are all academic figures however: Earth's current rate of precession is calculated to be ~25,867 years, and it is slightly increasing. This is about 1° every ~71.85 years, or 0° 00' 50.26" per year.

Walter Cruttenden, in his binary star model, suggests our binary sun's average orbital period is 24,000 years, with it slowing to 22,000 years or less at the binary orbit's apoapsis and increasing to 26,000 years at its periapsis. This model appropriately recognizes an ever changing precessional rate.

Some Technical References on Precession & Earth Orientation:

REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
DIVISION I WORKING GROUP ON PRECESSION AND THE
ECLIPTIC - Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy (2006) (PDF)

IERS (International Earth Rotation & Reference System Service)
http://www.iers.org/

Earth Orientation Centre
http://hpiers.obspm.fr/eop-pc/

JPL Technical Report Server
http://trs-new.jpl.nasa.gov/dspace/handle/2014/6130

* * *

Related Material

The Heptanomis

Earth's ~25000-year polar precessional circle inscribed in the heavens, also called the polar arc, is naturally divided into seven evolutionary epochs called the Heptanomis--also referred to as the seven heavens, mansions, and the seven days of creation.

View the Heavens: Under the Stars

Getting to know the heavens: This link is to a star chart the heavens that shows the individual stars, constellations, and the sidereal signs. Visually learn how the stars and constellations interrelate and blend to create each sidereal sign. This is a wonderful tool for the novice or seasoned astrologer, for the astronomer, for the casual sky watcher, or simply for those who wish to know more of the Greater Heavens under which we live. The Sky Chart is also a wonderful reference for the material presented in each month's Lunar Planner. You can also see the celestial equator and the galactic equator, the contellations they pass through and their nodes.

Order Your Personalized Star Chart

This made to order star chart of the sidereal heavens shows where the planets and asteroids were at the time of YOUR birth.

Visually learn which stars conjoin your natal planets; and see where they reside in the constellations and sidereal signs.

Learn about your Horizon Plane, Meridian, and Prime Vertical, how these great circles create your Personal (Natal Cross), and how that cross nests upon Earth's Precessional Cross--all creating your personal sacred geometry.

This is your personal astronomy from which an astrology chart is derived. The great circles in this chart create your Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-heaven, Anti-Mid-heaven, Zenith, Nadir, East Point, and Vertex. Your Personalized Star Chart reveals exactly where these great circles and points lie in the heavens, and which stars and constellations they align with. This chart will provide insight into your greater self for years to come--and it prints as a beautiful high-resolution poster.

To learn more about the Personalized Star Chart, to order one, and to learn
about your Great Circles and Personal Points, visit Argo Navis Publications.

Precession of the Tropical Zodiak & the Astrological Ages

The vernal point is also the fiducial (reference point) for the tropical zodiak, defining 0° tropical Aries. Because the vernal point moves in the ecliptic, the entire set of signs comprising the tropical zodiak also moves with respect to the stars (and the sidereal zodiak), which remain fixed in their location in the heavens.

The location of the vernal point in the sidereal zodiak defines the current zodiakal age. The sidereal zodiak is a set of signs, much like the tropical signs, except they do not move in the ecliptic. The sidereal signs are aligned with their corresponding constellations. The tropical zodiak aligned with the fixed sidereal zodiak around 200 A.D. but has since drifted 25°; i.e. this was when zero degrees tropical Aries aligned with 0° sidereal Aries. The vernal point currently resides at about 5° sidereal Pisces as it slowly moves toward the sidereal sign of Aquarius--thus we are completing the age of Pisces. We will formally enter the age of Aquarius when the vernal point precesses to 0° Aquarius--in about 360 years (5° x 72 yrs) from now. The vernal point is also called the Birthplace, or the Office of the Christos (point of the sun/son/soul)--governing the timing of the re-birth of soul consciousness into the world.

The vernal point's arrival to 5° sidereal Pisces at this time in Earth's precessional cycle (circa 2000 A.D.) creates a primary event that supersedes the importance of changing zodiakal ages: this event is the formation of a perfect cross in the cycle of Earth's Precession of the equinoxes. The formation of this precessional cross is explained below.

The center (blue) ring in the above illustration is the sidereal zodiak. The signs of the sidereal zodiak align with their corresponding constellations and their stars. The sidereal zodiak does not move. It is referenced to the fixed stars in the heavens, or to the fixed and primary galactic equatorial axis in the ecliptic (the horizontal line). This axis is created by the intersection of the ecliptic plane and the galactic plane, which are tilted with respect to each other by 60°. The two nodes of this axis in the ecliptic are the “Galactic Equatorial Node” (GEN) at 5° sidereal Sagittarius, and the anti-GEN at 5° sidereal Gemini. They are also called the “Gate of God” and the “Gate of Man.”

The outer (violet) ring reveals the thirteen ecliptical constellations (not signs). This ring shows where the boundaries of the actual constellations cross the ecliptic. The constellation Virgo encompasses the largest length of the ecliptic (about 44°). The constellation Scorpio dips south of the ecliptic plane with only the Scorpion’s head lying upon the ecliptic–encompassing only about 6° of the ecliptic. Ophiuchus, the serpent holder, stands upon the Scorpion and crosses the ecliptic–thus creating the thirteenth ecliptical constellation (not sign).

The inner (green ring) is the tropical zodiak (at 2000 A.D.) The tropical zodiak moves around the ecliptic with respect to the fixed stars--with respect to the sidereal zodiak and to the constellations. It moves because 0° tropical Aries is referenced to the moving Vernal Point. The Vernal Point moves around the ecliptic at a rate of about 1° every 72 years (once around the ecliptic in Earth's ~25,000-year precessional cycle) due to Earth's precession. The tropical zodiak and its signs are not reference to the stars or actual constellations, the tropical signs are referenced to Earth's seasons (the Vernal Point is where the Sun resides in the ecliptic on the spring equinox, as experienced in the northern hemisphere). The signs of the tropical zodiak are currently miss-aligned with the true sidereal signs (and the energies of the actual stars and constellations) by ~25°, and they are drifting further and further apart due to Earth's precession.

http://www.lunarplanner.com/siderealastrology.html

In the 1970s the professor of the History of Science, Livio C. Stecchini, examined ancient Egyptian charts of the circumpolar constellations, showing the Hippopotamus (Draco) and the Thigh (Ursa Major or Great Bear) as well as a hawk-headed man, probably Horus, seen pointing a pole or spear at the head of the Bull [13].

 FIGURE 3

According to the Czechoslovakian Egyptologist Zybnek Zaba, the pole or spear held by the hawk-headed man indicated the meridian line passing through the north celestial pole. But Stecchini did not agree. He maintained that Zaba did not notice that the spear's head divided the seven stars of the Thigh (Big Bear) constellation into groups of three and four stars. This line defined by the spear, argued Stecchini, does not indicate the meridian passing through the north celestial pole at all, but the meridian passing through the pole of the ecliptic. According to Stecchini, the ancient Egyptians not only understood the precession of the equinoxes but also knew that the true meridian is the one passing through the pole of the ecliptic. Another point that seems to have escaped both Zaba and Stecchini, however, is the peculiar way the standing Hippopotamus holds a rope with its right hand that is attached to the lower end of the Thigh constellation. In my opinion the position of the 'right hand' seems very much to denote the actual position of the pole of the ecliptic onto which the Thigh (Great Bear) constellation seems to be 'moored' to or 'anchored' with a rope.

THE GREAT MOORING-POST OF THE SKY

There are many references to a mysterious object called the 'Great Mooring-post' in the Pyramid Texts, often found alongside passages that are clearly astronomical in character [14].

            "The Great Mooring post calls to you... you ascend here as a star, the Morning Star. He comes to you his father, he comes to you, O Geb; take his hand and let him sit on the great throne that he may join the two 'Hrmt' [?] of the sky. " PT 2014

            "The doors of the sky are open for you, the mourning-woman summons you as Isis, the Great Mooring-post calls to you as Nephtys, you have appeared upon the causeway..." PT 2232

It is clear that the 'Great Mooring-post' is somehow to be regarded as being associated to the sky ascent of Osiris, the form of the defunct king who is assisted by his sisters, Isis and Nephtys. Now it is well known that Osiris in his stellar form is the constellation of Orion. Not surprisingly, therefore, there are other references in the Pyramid Texts to the Great Mooring-post which appear in passages where Orion is specifically mentioned. For example:

            "O King, you are this great star, the companion of Orion, who traverses the sky with Orion, who navigates the Netherworld with Osiris... the Great Mooring-post cries out to you as to Osiris in his suffering." PT 882-4

            "The Great Mooring-post calls out, because you are he who stands and will never tire in the midst of Abydos [Osiris?]...Betake yourself to the waterway, fare upstream to the Thinite Nome, travel about Abydos, in this spirit form of yours which the gods commanded belongs to you, may a stairway to the netherworld be set up for you to the place where Orion is...” PT 1711-7

Orion, however, is not a circumpolar or even a northern constellation but very much a southern constellation. Oddly, there are other passages which associate the Great Mooring-post to the 'imperishable stars', the northern circumpolar stars that never 'die' i.e. never set [15]:

            "The doors of the sky are opened for you, the doors of the firmament are thrown open for you... the Mooring-post cries to you, the sun-folk call you, the Imperishable Stars wait on you..." PT 876

            "The Great Mooring-post calls to you... may you remove yourself upon your iron throne, may you cross the lake, may your face be [cleansed?] in the north of the sky..." PT 1012-6

It has long been accepted by Egyptologists that the imagined skyward ascent of the king's soul was either in the north of the sky among the 'Imperishable Stars' or in the south of the sky amongst the stars of Orion [16]. This specific belief is materialised in the Great Pyramid of Giza by the so-called star-shafts emanating from the King's Chamber, where one was targeted north to the circumpolar stars and the other targeted south to Orion [17]. In consideration of this, it is justified to wonder if the pyramids were not, in some symbolic way, 'moored' or 'anchored' not just to the circumpolar region of the sky in general but, more specifically, to the pole of the ecliptic, the true 'pole' of the sky?

 FIGURE 4

The shafts in the Great Pyramid: the southern shafts were directed to Orion's belt and Sirius; the northern shafts to the circumpolar constellations of Ursa Minor and Draco. The mythological counterparts are Orion-Osiris; Sirius-Isis; Ursa Minor-Upuaut/Horus; Draco-Hippopotamus Goddess.

THE SLOPE OF THE PYRAMIDS

It is well known that the monumental Pyramids of the Old Kingdom in Egypt, from the 4th Dynasty (c. 2500 BC) to the 6^th Dynasty (c.2100 BC), have slopes 52° +- 2°, with two notable exceptions being the two pyramids at Dashur, with the Red Pyramid having a slope of about 43° 22' and the Bent Pyramid having half its height at slope of 54° 27' and the top half at 43° 22'. Today there are still some 25 royal pyramids standing in the 25 kilometres strip of desert land adjacent to the west bank of the Nile Valley near modern Cairo. Most have their core masonry sufficiently intact to allow relatively accurate measurements of their slopes. A recent batch of slope measurements were provided by Jaromir Malek and John Baines in 1984 and Mark Lehner in 1997, of which 17 pyramids spanning from the 4th to the 6th Dynasties can by analysed. The first, a pyramid attributed to the relatively unknown pharaoh Huni of the 3rd Dynasty, is generally thought to have been 'converted' into a true, smooth-sloped pyramid by the founder of the 4th Dynasty, king Snefru, the father of Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza. I have thus considered the Meidum pyramid as being part of the 4th Dynasty trend.

TABLE 2

Source: Atlas of Ancient Egypt by Jaromir Malek and John Baines (Adromeda Oxford 1984) and The Complete Pyramids by Mark Lehner (Thames and Hudson 1997).

No convincing explanation has, so far, been given as to why the Pyramid builders selected slopes of 52° +/- 2°. There are geometrical theories and also construction issues that have been proposed as an explanation in recent years, but none are very satisfactory. From Table 2, we can see that the angle of slope most often encountered is 53° 07' 48", which occurs in nearly 50% of the Old Kingdom pyramids. This range of angles, from 54.5° to 51.7°, as can be seen from Table 1 above, bears a conspicuous correlation to the range of angles of the pole of the ecliptic of 54.5° to 51.5° at upper culmination as seen from across the pyramid fields of the Old Kingdom. In consideration of this, it is very tempting to inquire whether the ancient builders could have incorporated the angle of the pole of the ecliptic in the design of their pyramids.

Let us examine this possibility.

A STAR RELIGION

There are many studies that show that the pyramid builders linked their religion, and consequently their pyramids, to the stars [18]. It is also known that the ancient pyramid builders observed the stars as they culminated at the meridian north and south. Special attention, too, was given to the rising of the stars in the east, especially at dawn. The dominant group of stars that have been identified from ancient Egyptian sources with certainty are Orion, Sirius and the circumpolar constellations of Draco, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. These circumpolar stars were perceived as being 'immortal' and 'indestructible' because they never rise or set but perpetually revolve in concentric circles around the north celestial pole. This led many Egyptologists to assert that the ancient Egyptians gave special attention to this region of the sky. At the very least, this all shows that the pyramid builders were avid observers of the rising and culmination of the stars, and most probably recorded their positions over long periods of time. It is also reasonable to assume that observations of the circumpolar stars might have been made while also observing simultaneously other stars rising in the east and still others simultaneously culminating in the south. The opinion is unanimous among Egyptologists and astronomers that the square bases of the Old Kingdom pyramids were deliberately made to face the four cardinal directions, in some cases with remarkably high precision. This, when coupled with the ancient builders' keen interest in the sky, would mean that the dominant alignments were an axis running east-west and another axis running north-south, forming an imaginary cross through the pyramid. The implications are, therefore, that the east-west axis served for the observation of the rising of celestial bodies in the east whereas the north-south axis served for the observation of the culmination of celestial bodies north and south at the meridian. Now, due-east defines the rising place of the equinoxes i.e. the positions occupied by the sun at the spring or autumn equinox. When an equinox is rising due-east on the horizon, the prime meridian or 'great circle' will loop directly above, passing through the north celestial pole and also through the pole of the ecliptic. Thus, by definition, the pole of the ecliptic is always on the prime meridian line when an equinox point is rising in the eastern horizon. However, the pole of the ecliptic will be at upper culmination at the meridian (about 53.5° altitude) only when the vernal point (spring equinox) is rising due-east. When this happens, all the main 'stations' (or 'colures') of the sky --the two equinoxes and the two solstices-- will be found in the four cardinal directions of the celestial landscape.

 FIGURE 5

An observer at Giza at epoch c. 10,500 BC. When the vernal point (VP) is on the rise due east, the prime meridian loops directly overhead and passes through the north celestial pole, the pole of the ecliptic and the star Zeta Orionis in Orion's belt.

Thus if the ancient pyramid builders had wished to design a symbolic representation of this very special moment in time when the sky can be truly said to be in perfect order around the pole of the ecliptic, they would have selected a time when Orion was sitting due-south at the same time as the pole of the ecliptic was sitting due-north and the vernal point was sitting due-east.

When was that time?

DEFINING THE 'BEGINNING' AND COSMIC ORDER OF THE WORLD

By using astronomical software to scan the epochs, we find, interestingly, that the only one time in human history when this arrangement could have happened was c. 10,500 BC. Even more interestingly is the fact that the architectural simulacra defined by the Giza necropolis appears to 'freeze' that moment in immutable stone monuments:

1.The central pyramid, with its slope of 53 07' 48' is less than 1 degree away from the upper culmination of the pole of the ecliptic. 

2.The three pyramids are set along the north-south 'colure' i.e. along the prime meridian of the sky. 

3.The general pattern of the three pyramids correlates with the general pattern of the three central stars of Orion i.e. Orion's belt. 

4.The vernal point is in alignment with the Great Sphinx as well as the constellation of Leo. 

 FIGURE 6

The sky in 10,500 BC of the Giza necropolis with mythological figures superimposed on the constellation of Leo and Orion.

This astronomical conjunction, which only occurs in c. 10,500 BC, does not, of course, mean that the monuments themselves were constructed in that remote epoch. What it does is suggest that the ancient pyramid builders of Giza wanted to define the 'beginning' and the cosmic order of the world in a grandiose architectural symbolic plan. It also adds more cogency to the argument that the ancient Egyptians not only observed and recorded the stars over vast periods of time, but that they were well-aware of the effects of Precession.

Notes:

[1] Nature, Volume 408, 16 November 2000 pp. 230-4

[2] See for example Jane B. Sellers, The Death of Gods in Ancient Egypt, Penguin 1992, p. 9. 

[3] R.A. Wells, Sothis and the Satet Temple on Elephantine: A Direct Connection, SAK 12, 1985; also BSAK 4, 1990 

[4] Preface to the 1964 edition of The Dawn of Astronomy, M.I.T. Press 1964. 

[5] Op.cit. J. B. Sellers 

[6] Ibid.

[7] Dr. Kate Spence, an Egyptologist from Cambridge University, remarked on several occasions recently to the British media that the ancient Egyptians were poor astronomers who could not have known of Precession ("They did not have a precise grasp of astronomy" Daily Mail 16.11.2000 p. 16; "Great Builders; No clue about Astronomy: Their building expertise is beyond doubt", but Spence said her findings show they were poor astronomers. "This does show they did not have a sophisticated observation of astronomy." London Reuter 16.11.2000) 

[8] The Orion Mystery, Heinemann 1994; Keeper of Genesis, Heinemann 1996 

[9] See Appendices 1 and 2 in The Orion Mystery. 

[10] L'Astrologie Grecque, Paris 1899 reprinted 1963; also Hamlet's Mill, D.R. Godine Publishers, Boston 1969, p.143, fn. 11. 

[11] Hamlet's Mill, p.239. 

[12] Peter Tompkins, Secrets of the Pyramid, Allen Lane, London 1973, p. 172-3. 

[13] Ibid. p.174. 

[14] See PT 794; 863; 872;884;1012; 1366; 1711; 2013; 2232; 2239]. 

[15] R.O. Faulkner, The King and the Star-Religion in the Pyramid Texts, J.N.E.S. xxv, 1966, pp.153-161.

[16] I.E.S. Edwards, The Pyramids of Egypt, Penguin, London 1993, p. 285. 

[17] E.C. Krupp, Echoes of the Ancient Skies, Oxford Univ. Press, 1983, p.102. 

[18] See The Orion Mystery.

http://robertbauval.co.uk/articles/articles/anchor.html

Part Five - Greek: Aion (Age)

This is the last of five articles on the Greek words. We are going to study the Preterist's view on the Greek word "aion" which means "age (dispensation, or indefinite time), era, or a period of time." When you see the phase the "age" in the NT, ask yourself, which age? Or the end of which age? In Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the NT we read, "As the Jews distinguished the time before the Messiah, and the time after the advent of the Messiah" (p. 19). It describes human history as divided up into two ages. The NT writers considered themselves to have been living at a terminal point of these ages. This did not mean that history was to end in their generation but they were anticipating an age to come.

Some English Bible translations use the word "world" instead of "age." We need to be careful to examine how the English word is used like "world" because there are three different Greek words with one English word that are "kosmos," "oikoumene," and "aion." We ought to check the meaning of the Greek word to get a correct interpretation of the Bible. It is very significant to understand eschatology because in this area many Futurist views have stumbled.

A critical error for many Futurists is made when the Mosaic Age is considered as being consummated at the cross. They believe the Church Age will end at the parousia of Christ or the cataclysmic and final end of the world. But what age do we call the age after the Church age? Nothing. Many of the Futurist's believe we are living in the last days. I don't think so and I will show you.

In these passages in the NT, we have two ages in contrast: "This age" and the "age to come." The expression "age to come" implies that "this age" must come to end. Will the "age to come" also have an end? If not, then the expression "last days" must apply to the closing period of "this age." So, in the end of "this age" (the Old Covenant) is when God's eschatological program will be completed or consummated. In other words, time was divided by the Jews into two great periods, the Mosaic Age and the Messianic Age. The Mosaic Age is done away and we have been in the age of the Messianic administration of the new covenant since 70 AD. Hence, from from 30-70 AD (40 years = a generation), the church was in the period of transition, changing from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. It is the period of the bondwoman (Hagar is Mt. Sinai) and the free woman (Sarah is the Jerusalem above). Read Gal. 4:21-31. The bondwoman (Israel) was cast out (70 AD) and we are children of the free woman (Church).

Before we go further, I think we can look into the rabbinical writings from the early second century. It is interesting that many Rabbis believed that the period of the Messiah was to be only a transition stage between this age and the Age to Come, and opinions differed on the time of its duration. 'How long will the days of Messiah last?' R. Akiba [c. 120-140 AD] said, Forty years, as long as the Israelites were in the wilderness. ... R. Eliezer (b. Hyrcanus) [c. 80-120 AD] said, A thousand years. ... Other versions read: 'R. Eliezer [c. 80-120 AD] said, The days of the Messiah will be forty years. ...[quoted from Everyman's Talmud, by Abraham Cohen, pub. by E.P. Dutton & Co., 1949. Page 356]. They debate how long will this period would be. Many believe it would be a generation of about 40 years, like the wilderness wandering or the reigns of David and Solomon, even though others thought of it as a thousand years.

Also read in Luke 19:11-27 from the parable of Jesus Christ. Verse 11 says that some Jews supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. Jesus told them a parable of the nobleman. Notice in verse 12 that the nobleman is getting ready to leave to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. We know from the rest of the story that the nobleman is Jesus, the slaves are the servants of God, and the citizens that hate Jesus are the Jews. The nobleman returns in their lifetime. The point is, before Jesus went up into heaven He told the disciples to do their duty before He came back. Jesus went up to a far place (heaven) to receive a kingdom for Himself (Dan. 7:13-14). We know what happened to His disciples and what the Jews did to them. Finally, Jesus returned and slew His enemies in 70 AD. He brought His kingdom of which the saints took possession (Dan. 7:22-27; Matt. 21:43-45). Also read in Luke 19:41-44. I Hope this will give you a better idea.

We will look into the eschatological passages of the Bible with the Greek word "aion." I am using the NASB.

1. Matt. 12:32 - "And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or the age [about] to come." Why did the Lord say it shall not be forgiven, either this age OR the age about to come? Because these two ages will always have the sin of men.

2. Matt. 13:39, 40 - "And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age." Read Matt. 13:38-43. This is significant in light of Rev. 14. (C.f. Rev. 20) and the imminence of the harvest. Jesus said the harvest was to occur at the end of the age in His generation. This is CRITICAL because you will see the phase "end of the age" in the NT. Read Matt. 24:3 and 34 which is very helpful to understand the timeline in the eschatology study. This is a real dilemma for the Futurist's views.

3. Matt. 13:49, 50 - "So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Read Matt. 13:47-50. The same idea as previously mentioned (#2). Jesus spoke another parable about the kingdom of heaven. This is important in light of Matt. 25:31-46 (c.f. Mark 8:38 - 9:1) where Jesus was speaking of the first-century generation. Specifically, Jesus was speaking to His disciples of when He would come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels at the end of the age.

4. Matt. 24:3 - "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age." Most Bible interpreters think that the disciples wanted to know about the end of the planet. However, the disciples did not ask about the end of the "world" (Gk: kosmos or oikoumene). So, they asked about the end of the aion (age). As Jesus' disciples had just heard His prediction of "desolation" for the temple and city, they no doubt felt bewildered and wondered, "Lord, you cannot mean this temple!" Read Matt. 23:31-38. They must have been astonished when Jesus told them that the temple was going to be destroyed, with not one stone left upon another (Matt. 24:1-2). According to the eyewitness, Josephus, after the temple was destroyed, "Caesar [Titus] gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple, ...which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited" (Wars of the Jews; VII.I.1).

Compare two parallel passages in Mark 13:4, 'Tell us (disciples), when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?' and in Luke 21:7, 'And they questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are [about] to take place?" In Matt. 24, the Lord answered to the disciples' questions that all of these events will be upon "this generation" (v. 34; Mark 13:30; Luke 21:31). No argument and case closed.

I want to emphasize that anytime you see the term "the end," it does not mean the end of the physical universe or the end of our earthly life. It means the end of the Mosaic Covenant. In this context of Matt. 24, you will notice "the end" three times in verses 6, 13, 14. The question is, when would "the end" be? Clearly Jesus answered that question with the phrase, "this generation" in verse 34. It means within 40 years, which would fall sometime between 30-70 AD. Check the other passages with the term "the end" in Matt. 10:22; 13:39, 40, 49; 28:20; Mark 13:7, 13; Luke 21:9; 1 Cor. 1:8; 10:11; 15:24; Heb. 3:6, 14; 6:11; 9:26; 1 Peter 4:7; Rev. 2:26. Hopefully this will make sense to you.

5. Matt. 28:20 - "Teaching them to observe all that I command you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Read Matt. 28:18-20. Jesus told His disciples He will always be with them even to the end of the (Old Covenant) age. Our Lord did not mean to teach or imply that after the age ended, He would no longer be with them. The end of that age was a goal in eschatology or the scheme of redemption. Jesus was assuring His disciples that He would be with them without fail and of course, continue after 70 AD.

6. Mark 10:30 (Luke 18:30) - "But that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life." Read Mark 10:28-31. This one may not be clear but I think Matt. 19:28 would be helpful. It says, "Truly I say to you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." What a statement! Jesus was saying they will judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 20:4-15) during the destruction of Jerusalem in 66-70 AD. That was the end of the Jewish age and we are in the age to come, the eternal life.

7. Luke 20:34-36 - "And Jesus said to them, 'The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, not are given in marriage; for neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." Jesus knew the Sadducees were testing Him. He was talking about the age to come in the first century when the resurrection would occur and the people would not marry or die anymore. They would be like angels. This is what Paul explains in 1 Cor. 15:35-50. At death the elect shed their physical bodies, and continue living in their spiritual immortal bodies with God in heaven forever. It is not raised a physical body and then changed. Those of us who are in Christ have passed out of death and judgment into life and resurrection in the presence of God. That is why the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. But the Pharisees believed in the physical, fleshly resurrection as many Futurists do.

8. 1 Cor. 2:6-8 - "Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." Paul was saying that if the rulers of this age (those who crucified Christ) had understood, they would not have killed Jesus. But God already predestined from the ages past that that would occur. At that time of writing, THIS (Old Covenant) AGE IS PASSING AWAY!

9. 1 Cor. 10:11 - "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." Read 1 Cor. 10:1-11. Paul admonished the Corinthians church to avoid the same mistakes as Israel did while they were in the wilderness with Moses. They were written for their instruction because the ENDS OF THE AGES HAVE COME in their generation.

10. 2 Cor. 4:4 - "In whose case the god of this world [age] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." This seems to me that Satan had blinded many unbelievers in that age (before 70 AD). In Rom. 16:20 Paul says that shortly Satan would be crushed (Gen. 3:15). His power to oppose the consummation of redemption is over.

11. Eph. 1:21 - "Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one [age] to come." Notice how Paul's anticipation can seen in his recognition of the supremacy of Jesus Christ - far above all things, every name that is named, not only in THIS AGE, BUT ALSO THE ONE (AGE) TO COME. Every name that is named in all generations, ages without end. Phil. 2:9-11 says, 'Therefore also God highly exalted (past tense) Him, and bestowed (past tense) on Him, the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (emphasis mine - DWH).

12. Eph 2:7 - "In order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Paul was saying after the consummation of all things (the scheme of redemption, not of the creation) Jesus Christ would show the surpassing riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness toward us. In other words, we can see in the Bible from the Fall of Man, God clothed Adam and Eve with the garments of skin, a type of Christ and He made a promise. We can see that the meaning of the sacrifice and the atonement was progressively given by OT revelation. Then, finally at the end of the age God delivered us from sin, death, Hades, and Satan through His Son. We can see the grace of God throughout history. The scheme of redemption is completed. So is the Bible.

13. Heb. 1:1-2 - "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world [ages]." Since God spoke in the OT in many parts and in many ways, finally in the LAST DAYS He had spoken in the first century generation through His Son. Jesus was in the last days of the Old Covenant period. The New Covenant age is "the eternal covenant" (Heb. 13:20) and an everlasting age has no "last days." So, the Old Covenant age has become obsolete and it passed away in the 70 AD judgment and destruction of Jerusalem (Heb. 8:13). The "world" is not the correct term in the English translation and it might cause some confusion or misunderstanding. The word should be "ages." God made two "ages," the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

14. Heb. 6:5 - "And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age [about] to come." Clearly, the writer knew that the age was about to come when Jesus returns.

15. Heb. 9:26 - "Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Read carefully because it is CRITICAL. Notice it says, "But now once at the consummation of the ages He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Obviously Jesus was in the last days of the Old Covenant or Mosaic Age when He died on the cross.

16. Heb. 11:3 - "By faith we understand that the worlds [age] were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." Again, the word "worlds" is not the correct term in Greek and it should be "ages" that were prepared by the Word of God.

In conclusion, we have studied five articles with the Greek words with some historical background, and let the Scripture interpret the Scripture. In my opinion, the Preterist view is the most simple and straightforward of all the eschatology views, if we let the Scripture speak for itself. Otherwise we will face out the hermeneutic gymnastics or dividing the Word of God that can confuse us.

The Preterist's perspective only seems strange to many Christians today because they have not done any serious study or "homework" on their own. Most of time they receive their instruction from "Christian" preachers, books, or television. Many people in the churches, and the pastors alike, would rather read the footnotes from the Bible (like Ryrie or Scofield or any "Study Bible") than study the scriptures for themselves. Some of them are very ignorant in the history of the Church, the Greek words, or the sound biblical interpretation. That is a shame!

I urge you in the presence of God, study to show yourself approved to God by handling accurately the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15) as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). Examine everything carefully; hold fast what is good (1 Thes. 5:21). If you do that, be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15). If some of you are teachers or want to become a teacher, we shall incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1). We are accountable before our Lord. This is our duty.

The Bible is concerned with redemption history, not world history or the destruction of the creation world. I like the way Ed Stevens wrote, "Bible prophecy can be understood, but Futurist views have fallen far short for many reasons: their extreme physical/literalizing approach, their seeming inability to distinguish between figurative and literal language, and their failure to properly take into account the historical-grammatical-cultural context of the prophecies (specifically what they meant to their original audience). Even the most difficult prophetic passage comes alive when approached properly. It is time to look at some alternatives, and the Preterist view is a great place to start."

I pray that these five articles I wrote will help you to understand the Scripture better and cause you to reexamine your eschatology view.

In the Beloved (Christ), we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, Amen (Eph. 1:7).

Donald Hochner

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