Contents

1. Heavens Were Created

2. Heavens Testify of Christ
3. Evening & Morning Star
4. Constellations Inspired
. Solar Syste! Ti!epie"e
#. He$re% Calendar
&. 'lanet Ti!e (e")oning
*. Signs of Se"ond Co!ing
+otes
What Every Mormon Should Know About
Astronomy
$y ,ohn '. 'ratt
(eprinted fro! Meridian Magazine -12 May 2.../.
02... $y ,ohn '. 'ratt. 1ll rights (eserved.
Index, Home
Enoch, Abraham, and Moses all had revelations on astronomy, and
Joseph Smith called the first newspaper of the Church The Evening
and the Morning Star Why this preoccupation with the heavens?
When 1$raha! ga2ed into the 3ri! and Th4!!i!5 he %as s%ept a%ay
in a vision of the heavens. 6eyond the violent h4rri"anes of ,4piter and
the t%isted rings of Sat4rn5 past s%irling $la") holes and the $linding
e7plosions of living stars he traveled 4ntil he approa"hed the throne of
8od. Then5 9fa"e to fa"e5 as one !an tal)eth %ith another59 he spo)e
%ith the :ord5 and li)e Eno"h $efore hi! and Moses after hi!5 he %as
sho%n 9those things %hi"h ;8od<s= hands had !ade5 %hi"h %ere !any>
and they !4ltiplied $efore !ine eyes5 and I "o4ld not see the end
thereof9 -1$raha! 3?11@12/.
Clearly5 the p4rpose of this re!ar)a$le revelation to 1$raha! %as not si!ply to i!press hi!.
1$raha! %as ta4ght astrono!y@and not A4st the $asi"s. He learned5 fro! the 6eing %ho organi2ed it
all5 9the ti!es and seasons in the revol4tions thereof9of stars and planets5 the earth and the s4n
-1$raha! 3?4/. He then %as dire"ted to pass it on to the rest of the %orld thro4gh the r4ling "4lt4re of
Egypt -see 1$raha! 3?1/.
Bther prophets appear to have had a )no%ledge of astrono!y as %ell. 1l!a ref4ted Corihor<s
agnosti" tea"hings $y de"laring that 9all the planets %hi"h !ove in their reg4lar for! do %itness that
there is a S4pre!e Creator9 -1l!a 3.?44/. Mor!on5 %hile des"ri$ing the 4selessness of defying the
po%er of a 8od %ho "an halt the earth so the s4n appears to stand still5 e7plained that 9s4rely it is the
earth that !oveth and not the s4n9 -Hela!an 12?1/. The priests and !agi"ians of vario4s an"ient
religions5 in"l4ding the 9%ise !en fro! the east9 %ho %ere g4ided $y the star of 6ethlehe! -Matthe%
2?2/5 also st4died signs and o!ens fro! the night s)y. Why %as the an"ient %orld so preo""4pied
%ith the heavensD Why %as astrono!y so i!portant that "ertain )ey prophets had to learn it
firsthandD
! The "ord Created the Heavens With #s in Mind
The :ord literally "reated o4r heaven and earth. Tho4gh :atter@day Saints f4lly $elieve this state!ent5
%e !ay not f4lly "apt4re the signifi"an"e of it. Consider the prophe"y that a ne% star %o4ld appear to
herald the Savior<s $irth -+4!$ers 24?1&/. The sa!e 8od %ho revealed the prophe"y also planned and
!ade possi$le the astrono!i"al event. 6eyond predi"ting a forth"o!ing o""4rren"e in a vast and
"o!ple7 4niverse5 He had to arrange pri!ordial "ir"4!stan"es so that that parti"4lar star %o4ld
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appear in that part of the earth<s s)y on that i!portant night@all in "ooperation %ith an overar"hing
"elestial order that %o4ld re!ain inta"t for the earth<s entire e7isten"e.
We often overloo) the fa"t that part of "reating the earth %as designing a spa"e governed $y ti!e
instead of eternity@syste!s of planets and stars that %o4ld rotate and revolve aro4nd one another in
s4"h a %ay that e7a"tly the right "onditions for life %o4ld e7ist?
He hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons;
And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which
comprehendeth the earth and all the planets.
And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in
their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years...-F&C **?42@44/
Th4s5 the lengths of o4r days5 !onths5 and years are not rando!5 $4t are "aref4lly planned.
Get5 a""ording to s"ript4re5 the !ove!ents of the planets a!ong the stars do !ore than !ar) ti!e and
give light. They also serve as signs?
And , !od, said" #et there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day
from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years.
-Moses 2?145 e!phasis added/
He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth,
who hath delivered $aniel from the power of the lions. -Faniel #?2&5 e!phasis added/
These signs or sy!$ols in the heavens serve as %itnesses of 8od<s %or) and plan5 and %ere designed
to $e read fro! o4r perspe"tive on earth. So!eti!es5 tho4gh5 o4r grade s"hool i!age of the solar
syste!@altho4gh a""4rate@hinders 4s fro! seeing the heavens the %ay the :ord intended. Hor
e7a!ple5 the planet Ien4s s%ings aro4nd the s4n in a nearly "ir"4lar or$it that ta)es 22 of o4r days.
64t %hen o$served fro! o4r !oving earth5 Ien4s $e"o!es a $ea4tif4l and sy!$oli" evening and
!orning star5 %ith a "y"le that reJ4ires !ore than t%i"e that long. So even tho4gh the earth "ir"les the
s4n5 the heavens %ere intended to $e vie%ed as if the earth %ere at rest5 !a)ing it possi$le for !en
thro4gho4t history to o$serve the sa!e patterns in the planets< !otions. It<s as if the pla"e yo4<re
standing on earth5 %herever that is5 is the "enter of the 4niverse@or at least the "enter of an i!!ense
theater displaying the story of the Son of 8od.
$ The Heavens Testi%y o% &esus Christ
8od often spea)s in the lang4age of n4!$ers5 dates5 signs5 and sy!$ols -Mar) *?1K@21/. Hor e7a!ple5
seven angels head earth<s seven 15...@year periods5 and the seventh angel presides over the! all5 even
as seven presidents head the L4or4! of the Seventy5 and the seventh president presides -F&C
**?1.*@112> 1.&?K3@K4/. Si!ilarly5 there are seven stars in the sign or "onstellation of the 6ig Fipper
on the Salt :a)e Te!ple5 %hi"h %as e7plained $y 'resident Harold 6. :ee 9to represent the great
tr4th that thro4gh the priesthood of 8od the lost !ay find their %ay.9
;1=
Moreover5 the :ord has
p4rposely designated t%elve !e!$ers in a J4or4! of apostles or of dea"ons and t%elve tri$es of
Israel5 as %ell as t%elve ho4rs in a day5
;2=
t%elve !onths in a year5 and t%elve "onstellations in the
2odia". With that in !ind5 %hen %e learn that t%elve "y"les are "o!pleted $y Ien4s in seven periods
of 15..1 days ea"h5 %e "an re"ogni2e fro! the n4!$ers alone that its or$it is not the res4lt of "han"e.
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The :ord has said5 9I %ill give 4nto yo4 a pattern in all things that ye !ay not $e de"eived9 -F&C
2?14/.
' &esus Christ is the Evening and Morning Star
The Savior said5 9I ,es4s...a! the root and the offspring of Favid5 and the $right and !orning
star9 -(ev. 22?1#/. 6y this He %as al!ost "ertainly a")no%ledging the sign or sy!$ol of the planet
Ien4s. 6e"a4se it is $et%een the earth and the s4n5 it al%ays appears near the s4n in o4r s)y and is
only visi$le near d4s) or da%n. Th4s5 to 4s it is an evening and !orning star.
1""ording to +ative 1!eri"an tradition5 the "y"le of Ien4s is li)e the life of the %hite5 $earded god
%ho visited the! in the first "ent4ry 1F. Their legends are so si!ilar to the a""o4nt of the Savior
visiting the +ephites5 that there see!s little do4$t that they refer to ,es4s Christ.
;3=
Ien4s is $orn as an
evening star rising in the %est5 di! $4t gro%ing $righter every day. Several !onths later5 A4st %hen it
nears its $rightest point5 it dies5 pl4nging J4i")ly into the earth and disappearing as an evening star.
Hor several days it re!ains 4ndergro4nd5 fighting evil for"es5 4ntil it "onJ4ers death and res4rre"ts in
the east as a radiant !orning star. The parallels %ith the life5 death5 and res4rre"tion of the Savior are
o$vio4s.
1 se"ond %itness for this sign is provided in another 9evening and !orning star59 the planet Mer"4ry.
Sin"e Mer"4ry is the nearest planet to the s4n5 it is J4ite diffi"4lt to see> ho%ever5 it repeats a $irth5
death5 and res4rre"tion "y"le si!ilar to that of Ien4s. Its or$it is so short5 it "o!pletes !ore than
three of these "y"les ea"h year. 1!a2ingly5 on three )ey dates in the Savior<s life5 all of %hi"h involve
$irth or re$irth sy!$olis!5 Mer"4ry %as e7a"tly at the $eginning point of its "y"le. Those three dates@
deter!ined $y the He$re% "alendar5 %ith the help of !odern revelation@are the Savior<s $irth d4ring
the night pre"eding # 1pril 1 6C5
;4=
his $aptis! -a re$irth/ on Sat4rday5 # B"t 1F 2K5
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and his
res4rre"tion -another re$irth/ on S4nday5 3 1pril 1F 33. The "han"es of all three of these dates
o""4rring %hen Mer"4ry is at pre"isely the sa!e point of its or$it is so sli! that the pheno!enon
itself "onstit4tes strong eviden"e for the a""4ra"y of these dates.
Ho%ever5 sin"e the a$ove dates are still de$ated $y s"holars5 let<s "onsider t%o !ore e7a!ples 4sing
!odern dates fro! the (estoration %hi"h are not in J4estion at all. The offi"ial 9res4rre"tion9 date of
the 6oo) of Mor!on5 as "al"4lated on the He$re% "alendar5 appears to have $een Th4rsday5 2
Mar"h 1*3. -the He$re% "alendar<s spring +e% Gear<s Fay/5 %hen it %as finally "o!pleted and ready
to $e sold.
;#=
The offi"ial 9res4rre"tion9 date of the te!ple %as S4nday5 3 1pril 1*3# %hen the )eys of
te!ple %or) %ere restored.
;&=
1gain5 Mer"4ry %as right at the $eginning of its "y"le. Th4s5 five $irth@sy!$olis! events on the
He$re% "alendar5 three fro! the Savior<s life and t%o fro! !odern Ch4r"h history5 all align %ith this
sy!$oli" point in Mer"4ry<s "y"le. The heavens do indeed $ear re"ord of ,es4s Christ.
( The Constellations Tell the Savior)s Story
64t the "elestial testi!ony of the Savior does not end there. The very
position of the stars in the s)y tell 4s that ,es4s is the Christ. Tho4gh
so!e resear"hers have ass4!ed that star "onstellation fig4res
evolved fro! pri!itiv e i!aginations5 eviden"e no% indi"ates that
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Water *earer +Christ, -ours
living water +blessings, onto
head o% .ish +Chur/h,
+/om-are 01C !!23!2,
!$!3'',
they for! a pi"torial s"ientifi" 9star !ap9 that originated a$o4t 2K..
6.C at a$o4t 3# north latit4de.
;*=
That "orresponds %ell to the He$re% tradition that the signs of the
"onstellations date $a") to Eno"h.
The 6oo) of Eno"h5
;K=
%hi"h %as on"e in the 6i$le and %as a""epted
$y the Savior<s apostles as %ritten $y Eno"h hi!self -,4de 1?14/5
de"lares5 9Hor the signs5 the seasons5 the years5 and the days5 3riel
sho%ed !e ;Eno"h=9 -Eno"h &4?4@&/. Here as else%here in the
s"ript4res5 the "onstellations are "alled 9signs9 -8en. 1?14> (ev.
12?1545 ,ST/. 1 detailed st4dy of the an"ient sy!$olis! of these
fig4res5 "o!$ined %ith s"ript4ral referen"es and a )no%ledge of
their star na!es5 i!plies that the :ord !eant for the "onstellations to
graphi"ally display the entire !ission of the Savior.
;1.=
Hor e7a!ple5 the Serpent 6earer %restles %ith a serpent %hi"h is
rea"hing for a "ro%n5 even as Christ over"a!e Satan5 %ho so4ght for 8od<s glory. The Serpent 6earer
is also "r4shing the head of a s"orpion5 %hi"h in t4rn is stinging hi! in the foot5 re!inis"ent of the
great pro!ise given to 1da! and Eve that the Savior5 %ho %o4ld $e the seed of the %o!an5 %o4ld
$r4ise the serpent<s head5 even tho4gh the serpent %o4ld %o4nd his heel -8en. 3?1/.
There %ere apparently a total of 4* original fig4res5 3 a""o!panying ea"h of the 12 "onstellations in
the 2odia". While so!e of these have $een !odified over ti!e or have 4n"lear !eanings5 others are
4n!ista)a$le. 1 ra! $rea)s the $ands of death -Mosiah 1?2.523/5 the lion -asso"iated %ith the tri$e
of ,4dah5 Christ<s lineage/ tra!ples a fleeing serpent -(evelations ?/5 and a dragon at the top of the
s)y enfolds one third of the stars of heaven in his "oils -Isaiah 14?13> (evelations 12?45 ,ST/. Th4s5
the 'sal! that pro"lai!s5 9the heavens de"lare the glory of 8od> and the fir!a!ent she%eth his
handi%or)9 -'sal!s 1K?1/ "an $e ta)en literally. The heavens are silently $earing %itness of the
glorio4s gospel plan5 and on"e a Christian learns this sa"red !eaning of the "onstellations5 it "an
forever "hange ho% he loo)s at the s)y.
4 5ur Solar System is a 6re/ision Time-ie/e
The origin of a "lo") %ith 12 ho4rs and #. !in4tes is so an"ient it has $een lost in antiJ4ity. 64t the
pattern fro! %hi"h it e!erged is right over o4r heads. While o4r s4n serves as an ho4r hand that
travels thro4gh 12 !onth@long periods -li)e 9ho4rs9/ to "o!plete one f4ll "y"le of one year5 o4r !oon
!ar)s #. half days d4ring an average !onth. S4"h patterns fro! the heavens have al%ays infl4en"ed
"lo")s and "alendars5 %hi"h %ere )ept to deter!ine %hen religio4s feasts5 festivals5 and other rit4als
too) pla"e. In fa"t5 that is one pra"ti"al reason that an"ient priests %ere often astrono!ers.
Ho%ever5 )eeping ti!e !ay have originally had a deeper p4rpose. 1s indi"ated earlier5 the "y"les of
Mer"4ry !ay have ti!ed@or prophesied@"ertain events in the Savior<s life. Certainly the !ove!ents of
other planets a!ong the stars have sy!$oli2ed other !aAor events of the earth<s history5 as %ell5 fro!
the Hall to the Hlood to the (estoration. It appears that the :ord<s 9signs and %onders9 %ere designed
in detail to display in the heavens %hat !en %o4ld "hroni"le on earth.
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7 The Hebrew Calendar Testi%ies o% "atter8day Events
When the :ord revealed to Moses the la% designed to prepare Israel to re"eive the Savior5 He also
pres"ri$ed in detail "ertain holidays and rit4als@ordinan"es %hi"h Christians )no% sy!$oli2ed the
life5 !ission5 and tea"hings of ,es4s Christ. Those ordinan"es %ere to $e perfor!ed on very spe"ifi"
days on a l4nisolar -!eaning !onths aligned %ith the !oon5 years aligned %ith the s4n/ "alendar
si!ilar to today<s He$re% "alendar.
;11=
Hor e7a!ple5 every year at the f4ll !oon of spring5 the
'assover la!$ %o4ld $e sa"rifi"ed. Cent4ries after Moses5 ,es4s Christ5 the :a!$ of 8od5 %as
sa"rifi"ed along %ith the 'assover la!$s -,ohn1K?14/. Th4s5 the "alendar in"l4ded !ore than
sy!$oli" representations. It also predi"ted the pre"ise ti!ing of the events sy!$oli2ed.
It !ight $e easy to ass4!e that the He$re% "alendar is no longer i!portant for 4s sin"e it )ept tra") of
rites and events long past. 1fter all5 the Savior "a!e and f4lfilled the :a% of Moses. Ho%ever5 the
Savior<s !ission is not yet finished and His gospel and "h4r"h are still rolling forth. There is eviden"e
that the He$re% "alendar is still tra")ing dates signifi"ant to the gospel plan. Hor instan"e5 there are
t%o great festival seasons on the He$re% "alendar. While the spring festival at the !eridian5 or
!idpoint5 of the year sy!$oli2es the first "o!ing of Christ at the !eridian of ti!e5 the larger
"ele$ration in the fall apparently sy!$oli2es events pertaining to His se"ond "o!ing. It %as opened
$y the Heast of Tr4!pets5 %hen & priests $le% & tr4!pets on the 1
st
day of the &
th
!onth -:ev. 23?24/5
apparently sy!$oli" of the & angels %ho %ill so4nd the tr4!p at the $eginning of the &
th
!illenni4!
-F&C **?K4@1.#/. Interestingly5 the angel Moroni %ho no% so4nds the tr4!p atop o4r te!ples the
%orld over5 delivered the sa"red plates to the 'rophet ,oseph S!ith on Sat4rday5 22 Septe!$er 1*2&@
the very day of the He$re% Heast of Tr4!pets that year.
,4st as the Savior %as $orn and sa"rifi"ed on spe"ial He$re% "alendar days5 so %as the 'rophet
,oseph S!ith. His $irth on Monday5 23 Fe"e!$er 1*. "oin"ided %ith the He$re% day !ar)ing the
%inter solsti"e5 leading to the s4ggestion that it sy!$oli2ed the ret4rn of the light of the gospel to a
dar) %orld.
;12=
Moreover5 Th4rsday5 2& ,4ne 1*445 the day on %hi"h the 'rophet %ent 9li)e a la!$ to
the sla4ghter9 -F&C 13?4/5 %as one of fo4r He$re% 9days of atone!ent.9
;13=
The :a% of Moses
a"t4ally reJ4ired priests to sa"rifi"e t%o la!$s every day? one in the !orning and one in the afternoon
-+4!. 2*?3@*/. 6e"a4se the He$re% day $egins a$o4t s4nset5 the !orning sa"rifi"e %as near the
!eridian of the 24@ho4r He$re% day5 and the afternoon sa"rifi"e %as near the end of the day. The
!orning sa"rifi"e appears to have represented ,es4s Christ5 %ho %o4ld "o!e in the !eridian of ti!e5
and the afternoon la!$ !ight %ell have sy!$oli2ed the 'rophet ,oseph S!ith5 %ho "a!e in the latter
days and did 9!ore5 save ,es4s only5 for the salvation of !en in this %orld5 than any other !an that
ever lived in it9 -F&C 13?3/.
9 The 6lanets Also :e/;on Time
The an"ients tra")ed the paths of seven heavenly 9%anderers9 %ho !ade their %ay aro4nd o4r s)y@the
s4n5 the !oon5 and the five visi$le planets -for %hi"h o4r days of the %ee) are na!ed/. 1$raha!5 in
his !agnifi"ent vision5 learned that these heavenly $odies for! a sophisti"ated ti!epie"e that )eeps
ti!e in a""ordan"e %ith spe"ified governing stars. He %as given %hat "o4ld $e "alled 1$raha!<s
:a%? the periods of the moon, sun, and planets form an orderly se%uence of increasing values,
designed to keep time -1$raha! 3?@K/. 1$raha! also learned that the pre"ise length of a year on
earth is not a rando! n4!$er5 $4t %as "aref4lly "hosen to $e e7a"tly 1E15...th of the revol4tions of
Colo$5 or one day to the :ord.
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,4st as the s4n and !oon !ove thro4gh the "onstellations as if part of a h4ge "lo")5 so do the planets
seen fro! earth %ith the na)ed eye. They are so "lose to $eing in a plane that they appear to Ao4rney
thro4gh the sa!e gro4ps of $a")gro4nd stars. Those stars are the t%elve "onstellations of the 2odia"5
and they serve as the t%elve 9n4!$ers9 on the "lo") fa"e. In fa"t5 they in"l4de fo4r $right stars5
)no%n an"iently as the royal stars5 that are a$o4t a J4arter of a "ir"le aro4nd fro! ea"h other li)e the
n4!$ers 35 #5 K5 and 12. Ea"h of the t%elve tri$es of Israel %ere identified %ith one of these 2odia"
"onstellations -8en. 3&?K/.
The visi$le planets -in"l4ding 3ran4s5 %hi"h is $arely visi$le to the trained eye/ "ir"le "lo")%ise
aro4nd these t%elve n4!$ers at parti"4lar ti!e intervals5 as if they are the 9hands9 of the "lo").
,4piter "rosses one "onstellation per year5 so it f4n"tions li)e an ho4r hand that "o4nts years.
Interestingly5 the :ord told Moses to "o4nt years $y sevens and to let the land rest every seventh year
-:eviti"4s 2?3@4/. 3ran4s spends al!ost e7a"tly one 9%ee)9 of & years in ea"h 2odia" "onstellation5
so that it a""4rately )eeps ti!e in the !anner the :ord "o!!anded.
Sat4rn is espe"ially interesting. The :ord e7plains that he "o4nts one year to a day5 as %hen Israel
%andered 4. years in the %ilderness5 one year for ea"h of the 4. days they sear"hed o4t the pro!ised
land -+4!$ers 14?33@34> "o!pare E2e)iel 4?#/. Sat4rn revolves aro4nd the s4n in a$o4t 3. years
even as the period of the !oon<s phases is a$o4t 3. days5 so Sat4rn "o4nts years as the !oon "o4nts
days. Th4s5 the !oon is li)e a se"ond hand5 and Sat4rn li)e a !in4te hand> that is5 even as the !oon
"o4nts #. alternating periods of the dar) and light periods of a day5 Sat4rn "o4nts #. alternating dar)
and light halves of the year.
1""ording to 1$raha!<s great vision5 the stars are organi2ed in an order of 9governing.9 B4r s4n is
apparently in a seJ4en"e of stars %hi"h in"rease in po%er and a4thority 4ntil one "o!es 9nigh 4nto
Colo$9 -1$raha! 3?K/. 1$raha! tells 4s that the ne7t in "o!!and a$ove the s4n is a star %hi"h
governs fifteen stars -1$r. Ha". 25 Hig. /. 'erhaps it %as after 1$raha! ta4ght the Egyptians %hat he
had learned -1$r. 3?1/ that Egypt $egan to )eep one "alendar %hi"h %as pe"4liar in "o!parison to
other an"ient "alendars. The first day of their year %as deter!ined $y the s4n rising together %ith the
$rightest star in the s)y5 %hi"h %e "all Siri4s -the 9Fog Star9 in o4r %inter so4thern s)y/. Even today
there is a native 1fri"an tri$e that has so!eho% long )no%n things a$o4t Siri4s %hi"h have only $een
dis"overed in !odern ti!es5 s4"h as the e7isten"e of its invisi$le5 heavy "o!panion star %ith a fifty@
year or$ital period.
;14=
It !ay $e that Siri4s5 not only the $rightest star in o4r s)y $4t also one of the nearest5 is the star %hi"h
1$raha! des"ri$ed as governing o4r lo"al 9neigh$orhood9 of stars.
< Signs in the Heavens Will 6re/ede the Se/ond Coming
The :ord<s !essage in the heavens is as relevant to 4s today as it %as for o4r for$earers. 1""ording to
the prophets5 several %ell@)no%n heavenly signs %ill herald the se"ond "o!ing of ,es4s Christ. 964t
$efore that great day shall "o!e5 the s4n shall $e dar)ened5 and the !oon $e t4rned into $lood> and
the stars shall ref4se their shining5 and so!e shall fall9 -F&C 34?K/. The astrono!i"al interpretations
of these signs are not "o!pletely "lear.
When the s4n %as dar)ened at the death of the Savior5 it lasted three ho4rs -Mat. 2&?4/5 r4ling o4t a
three@!in4te total solar e"lipse. (eports fro! as far a%ay as T4r)ey indi"ate that several ho4rs of
dar)ness $egan at noon so that the stars $e"a!e visi$le.
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1strono!ers have no ready e7planation for this event. Ho%ever5 the 9!oon t4rning to $lood9 is the
an"ient %ay of des"ri$ing a l4nar e"lipse %hen the !oon loo)s reddish $e"a4se it enters the earth<s
shado%. 1 l4nar e"lipse also pro$a$ly o""4rred at the death of the Savior -1"ts 2?2./.
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Stars falling see!s to refer to a !eteor stor!5 %hen 9falling stars9 "an $e seen at several per se"ond5
as %as %itnessed $y the saints $eing driven o4t of ,a")son Co4nty on 13 +ov. 1*33. It o""4rs %hen
the earth travels thro4gh the de$ris of a disintegrated "o!et5 "a4sing tiny parti"les to ra"e thro4gh o4r
at!osphere and $4rn 4p fro! air fri"tion. Meteor stor!s "an so!eti!es $e predi"ted5 $4t not very
%ell5 so astrono!ers %at"h the heavens on given nights and hope for the $est.
The 'rophet ,oseph S!ith des"ri$ed another sign? 9;T=hen %ill appear one grand sign of the Son of
Man in heaven. 64t %hat %ill the %orld doD They %ill say it is a planet5 a "o!et5 et".9 -&eachings5 pp.
2*#@2*&/. Th4s5 %e sho4ld $e a%are that e"lipses and "o!ets are not A4st rando! events5 $4t are
so!eti!es given as signs of the ti!es.
1""ording to F&C 121?315 the 9glories5 la%s5 and set ti!es9 of the s4n5 !oon5 and stars %ill $e
revealed 9in the days of the dispensation of the f4lness of ti!es.9 In other %ords5 %e live in a ti!e
%hen the !ove!ents of 8od<s signs and %onders in the heavens %ill $e 4nderstood. It<s ti!e that the
spirit4al !eaning $ehind their "reation %as 4nderstood as %ell. 1ll that astrono!y en"o!passes $ears
re"ord of a 8od %ho tr4ly 9stret"heth o4t the heavens as a...tent to d%ell in9 and 9!eas4red the %aters
in the hollo% of his hand5 and !eted o4t the heavens %ith the span5 and "o!prehended the d4st of the
earth in a !eas4re5 and %eighed the !o4ntains in s"ales5 and the hills in a $alan"e9 -Isaiah 4.?225 12/.
Whenever %e loo) at o4r heavens5 %e see a %itness of ,es4s Christ and the entire gospel plan -Moses
#?#3/. 1s Eno"h e7"lai!ed?
blessed the #ord of glory, who had made those great and splendid signs, that they might
display the magnificence of his works to angels and to the souls of men; and that these
might glorify all his works and operations; might see the effect of his power; might
glorify the great labor of his hands; and bless him forever.
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=otes
1. :ee5 Harold 6.5 'tand (e in Holy )laces5 p. 21.
2. There are also 12 ho4rs in the night. See ,ohn 11?K5 Matthe% 2.?K5 and F&C 33?3.
3. See H4nter5 Milton (.5 *hrist in Ancient America5 Salt :a)e City? Feseret 6oo) Co!pany5 1K&2.
4. The date of the Savior<s $irth has $een de$ated for "ent4ries sin"e historians "annot a""4rately identify all of the
events !entioned in the nativity a""o4nts. When the Ch4r"h %as restored on #1pril 1*3.5 it %as 4nderstood to
have $een 15*3. years sin"e his $irth -F&C 2.?1/5 and living prophets have interpreted that to $e literal to the very
day.
. This date is indi"ated $y the He$re% Calendar $e"a4se it %as the day of atone!ent5 %hi"h is the proper day for
re"on"iliation and "ovenant@!a)ing %ith 8od. It also e7plains %hy a !4ltit4de %o4ld $e gathered to hear ,ohn the
6aptist and $e $apti2ed.
#. The ne7t day5 the %ee)ly ne%spaper anno4n"ed that the 6oo) of Mor!on 9is no% availa$le for p4r"hase.9
&. 'ratt5 ,.'. 9The (estoration of 'riesthood Ceys on Easter 1*3#59 +nsign -,4ne5 1K*/5 pp. @#4.
*. Th4rston5 H4gh5 +arly Astronomy5 -+e% Gor)? Springer@Ierlag5 1KK4/5 p. 13@13&.
K. :a4ren"e5 (i"hard5 &he ,ook of +noch &he )rophet5 reprinted $y Wi2ards 6oo)shelf5 San Fiego5 1KK. It is also
"alled 1 Eno"h. Bther versions have entirely !istranslated !any astrono!i"al referen"es.
1.. Hor e7a!ple5 Seiss5 ,oseph5 &he !ospel in the 'tars5 8rand (apids5 Mi"higan? Cregel5 1K&25 or 64llinger5 E.W.5
&he -itness of the 'tars5 8rand (apids5 Mi"higan? Cregel5 1K#&. Translations of star na!es sho4ld $e ta)en fro!
C4nit2"h5 'a4l and S!art5 Ti!5 Modern 'tar .ames and &heir $erivation5 Wies$aden? Btto Harrosso%it25 1K*#.
11. Today<s He$re% "alendar reJ4ires a fe% !inor "orre"tions5 %hi"h have $een !ade in the dates in"l4ded in this
arti"le.
12. 'ro"tor5 S"ot Ha"er5 -itness of the #ight5 Feseret 6oo) Co!pany5 Salt :a)e City5 3tah5 p. 22.
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13. The day 1. Tishri is the day of atone!ent5 1. +isan is the day for "hoosing the 'assover la!$5 and 1. Te$eth is a
fast of the siege of +e$4"hadne22ar. The fo4rth s4"h day5 spa"ed eJ4ally aro4nd the year5 is 1. Ta!!425 on %hi"h
the prophet %as !artyred.
14. Te!ple5 (o$ert5 &he 'irius Mystery -+e% Gor)? St. Martin<s 'ress5 1K&#/.
1. It o""4rred in 1F 33. 'hlegon5 /lympiades he *hronika5 1?1.15 trans. $y 'a4l :. Maier5 in *hronos, 0airos, and
*hristos -Winona :a)e? Eisen$ra4n<s5 1K*K/5 p. 12.
1#. H4!phreys5 C.,. & Waddington5 W.8.5 9Fating the Cr4"ifi7ion59.ature5 3.# -Fe". 22E2K5 1K*3/5 pp. &43@#.
1&. Eno"h 3?3. See footnote K.
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