2019 Sky Event #7

Supermoon 2 of 3 Tonight!

Tonight's supermoon is the second of three supermoons (the final one will be next month) which started with the amazing blood moon - supermoon on January 20, 2019. For more information on this past sky event, see my blogs from January 19 and January 20.

I explained in the January 19 blog, supermoons are about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a normal full moon. The following image shows the visual difference between a supermoon and normal full moon. 

As I explained in my January 18 blog, the moon was anciently called Lavanah, which is Hebrew for "clothed in white". It is one of seven parts of the ancient solar system, which orbit the sun and were recognized by the ancient world. These seven parts of the solar system are one of several emblems signified in the menorah (of which the sun, Chammah is the center stalk - Chamash).

As I mentioned, we’ll have a series of 3 full supermoons before they're finished. The first was on January 20, the second is tonight's - February 19 - and the third will be on March 21, 2019. Of these, the February 19 full moon will be the closest and largest full supermoon of the three.

In order to be called a "supermoon", the full moon (or new moon) has to come within 90 percent of its closest approach to Earth. In actual distance, this means that the moon must come within 224,775 miles or 361,740 km (or less) of Earth (measured from the center of the Earth and moon).

This year, the closest the moon will come to Earth is 221,681 miles (356,761 km) away, which is said to be 100 percent of its closest approach for this year. 

Contrastingly, the farthest the moon will be from Earth in its orbit this year is 252,622 miles (406,555 km). By doing the math, we find that at its closest point, the moon is approximately 30,000 miles (or 50,000 km) closer than when it is at its most distant point.

Now let's compare the distance of the moon in our three supermoons over January, February, and March:

January 20 - 222,274 miles (357,715 km)

February 19 - 221,734 miles (356,846 km)

March 21 - 224,173 miles (360,772 km)

As you can see from the distance comparison listing above, tonight's supermoon is the closest of the three supermoons, making it the largest of all.

There are still more supermoons to come this year, but they will be New Moon supermoons. There will be a series of New Moon supermoons in August 1, August 30, and September 28. 

So, by quick comparison, tonight's supermoon will be the second of three Full Moon supermoons. And then, in August and September we will have three New Moon supermoons.

Having looked at the scientific aspects of tonight's supermoon, let's look at the moon from a spiritual viewpoint. 

Scripture is full of symbols. For example, Yahshua is represented as the "Vine" (John 15:1-2), the "Bread of Life" (John 6:35), the "Door" (John 10:7), the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), and the "Good Shepherd" (John 10:11) - to name a few of the Biblical symbols which represent Christ. 

The saved people of God are also represented in symbolic form in Scripture. And just as there are multiple symbols which represent Messiah, there are many symbols for the people who are saved as well. 

The saved people of God are represented as a "lovely and delicate woman" (Jeremiah 6:2), who is to be the Bride of Christ" (Revelation 19:7-8). Because the people of God are clothed in Yahshua's Righteousness, her garments are "white" and "clean and bright" (Job 29:14, Isaiah 61:10). 

Another symbol which is found in Scripture that represents the saved people of God is the moon. The moon was a well-known symbol of a woman, in Bible times, which is clear from the story of Joseph. As a young teenager, Joseph saw a vision of the future, in which the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. 

His father, Jacob, immediately connected the dream/vision symbols to their proper interpretations (Genesis 37:9-11). The sun represents the father (which is ultimately Yahweh, but in this case he knew it was himself, the father of the family). Jacob interpreted the moon in Joseph's dream as the woman - or his mother. And the eleven stars were Joseph's eleven brothers.

Jacob's interpretation of the symbols in Joseph's dream were "spot-on". The Bible tells us that the sun represents the Father, which is ultimately God Himself (Malachi 4:2, Luke 1:78). The sun is the source of light. And light, in Scripture, is a symbol of truth (Psalm 119:105, Psalm 43:3).

Unless God's Light of Truth is shining upon us, fallen mankind naturally "walks in darkness" (John 8:12). People do not naturally possess light. But we may walk in the light and be filled with light, when the Light of Yahweh shines upon us (1 John 1:5-7).

In Revelation 12, two symbols for God's people are portrayed. The woman - God's church - is seen standing upon the Moon. The moon also represents His Bride, as we see in its Hebrew name, Lavanah, meaning one who is "clothed in white".

One of the reasons there is more than one symbol to represent the same entity in Scripture is that each symbol adds important detail to the whole message. In the symbols for God's saved people, we find a couple of nuances of meaning, some of which overlap.

1) The Woman - in the symbol of the woman representing the saved people of God, we find the concepts of being clothed in Yahshua's Righteousness. We see the role of God's people as the final Bride of Yahshua.

2) The Moon - in the symbol of the moon representing the saved people of God, we find the concepts of being "clothed in white" (Lavanah) and of embracing the Light of Yahweh from His Word (epicenter=Law) and reflecting His enlightened Character. 

Let's look at the symbol of the moon a bit more. The light of the sun shines upon the moon and the moon reflects the light of the sun. The moon does not have light in and of itself. Similarly, the Light of God's Truth shines upon His people, they we (who have no natural enlightenment of our own) reflect (live by) the Light of His Word.

Being the written depiction of God's Character, it is no surprise that the Law of God is the epicenter of Light in His Word.

Proverbs 6:23 "For the Commandment is a lamp; and the Law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of Life."

It is because the Law of God is the heart - or origin point - of Light in the Bible that all Scripture must be interpreted and understood by the Law.

Isaiah 8:20 "To the Law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

In our world today, there is a tremendous attack on the Law of God. It is seen as a "bondage" and a "burden" which had to be taken away by Christ. Even the symbol is misinterpreted of the woman in Revelation 12:1, who stands upon the moon. 

Many believe that standing upon the moon shows God's people spurning, defeating, and conquering the moon. But actually, the woman stands upon the moon because it is her foundation and the evidence of her character transformation.

The moon shows the enlightened character of God's people, who reflect (by His power) the lovely Character of Yahweh. And the written transcript of His Character is the Law of God.

In the End, it is only with the moon as the woman's foundation, that the woman is fitted to be the Bride.

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