Jesus' Birth

   I will begin by clarifying that this section will be discussing God's configuration of the heavens, and some of the messages to us which He appears to have placed there. This has nothing to do with astrology, which is Satan's corrupted copy of what God has created and instructed us to consider:

          "Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall serve as signs and for seasons, and
          for days and years...." - Genesis 1:14

          "This is what the Lord says: "Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens, Although the nations are terrified by
          them...." - Jeremiah 10:2

   Surely all Westerners have heard of the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi out of "the East" and into Israel at the time of the new King's birth. It is an integral part of the story which most of us have seen reenacted many times at Christmastime, both in our churches and, at least at one time, in our communities. Unfortunately, in recent decades many churches have increasingly watered down this miraculous message, while many community venues now ban such material, usually in proportion to the credence they give to the new demon-inspired "woke" ideology. Perhaps this sad situation will revert with the coming of an end-time revival which many are expecting. But I digress.

   There is disagreement over exactly what the Star of Bethlehem was. Was it a sign among the stars (and/or planets, etc.) in the heavens, or was it a one-of-a-kind which God placed locally on the Earth, dedicated to the unique and ultimate event of Christ's coming? We aren't given many clues in the Bible, but we are given one which, to my way of thinking, clearly favors the latter:

          "... the star ... went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found." - Mattew 2:9

I came to the conclusion and stated previously on this website (2022) that Jesus, who was the Last Adam, would have been born on the sixth day of the new year, Nisan 6, and that this would have been a Friday. I also gave reasons (on this page above and here) why I believe the best candidate for the year of His birth is 2 BC. I was certainly going against the flow in this regard since most writers presently favor 3 BC., but I have now found some prestigious allies indeed for the year of 2 BC.
As I have now learned, scholarly research (not always easily found) in fact reveals that the early church fathers, according to at least some researchers, unanimously affirmed the year of 2 BC as the birth year of the Savior:

   Other research into the writings of church patriarchs, including Irenaeus, Clement, Hippolytus, Africanus, Origen, Tertullian and Eusebius, similarly conludes:

          "Therefore, the pre-Nicene year-date of the Nativity may be declared, unanimously, to have been 2 BC, with a tradition preserved in unidentified or heretical
          [unofficial] circles that the month was April. Considering that the same or similar heretical traditions preserved a near-accurate calendar date for the Crucifixion
          (March or April in all cases), it is probable that the 2nd April [April 2, 2 BC] date is not too far off the mark." - Pre-Nicene Dating Of The Birth And Death Of Jesus

   All of these patriarchs lived within 250 years of Jesus. Six were born within 85 years of the death of the disciple John, and Clement was a contemporary of the disciples themselves. To say the least, to dismiss what they have told us seems ill-advised.

What We Know About The Timing of Jesus' Birth:

   With a proper understanding of Luke's and Matthew's telling of the story, and adding good information from historical sources, there is much we can know:

"Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth." - Luke 2:1

- Caesar Augustus had called Israel and the entire Roman world to a national citizens' registration. - Caesar Augustus
     - This was not a regularly scheduled census - a "lustrum" - which occurred 3 times under Augustus: 28 BC, 8 BC & 14 AD. - Deeds of the Divine Augustus #8
          - A lustrum included only Roman citizens, not foreigners, and would not have included non-Roman citizens of Israel. - The Odds; The Odds
     - Recognizing his 25th year in power, Augustus was honored as Father of the Country on February 5, 2 BC. - 2 BC; The Odds; Deeds...#35
          - This was a special registration to create a record of all people under Roman rule and demanding an oath of allegiance to the new Father of the Country.
               - "... all the people of the Jews gave assurance of their good-will to Caesar, and to the king's government...." - Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, c.96 AD
          - "... in the 752nd year after the founding of the City [Rome], Christ was born...." - Orosius' Seven Books of History Against the Pagans - p. 288, c.416 AD
               - Fact or legend, ancient historians placed the founding of Rome in 753 BC. - Founding of Rome The 752nd year after 753 BC is 2 BC. - 2 BC
          - "... this same year [2 BC], when God deigned to be ... man, Caesar [Augustus] ... ordered that a census be taken of each province everywhere and that all
              men be enrolled. So at that time, Christ was born and was entered on the Roman census list as soon as he was born." - Seven Books... - p. 281
          - "... the Lord Jesus Christ, came on earth and was enrolled in Caesar's census as a Roman citizen...." - Seven Books... - p. 288

   Many researchers have felt that it is necessary to have Mary, Joseph and Jesus living in Bethlehem for an extended period of time (up to 2 years) after Jesus was born. We will bear this in mind through the remaining narrative and then assess whether this is really necessary, or even logical.

"Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to
give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:4-7

- Joseph and Mary's home was in Nazareth, a city over 90 miles (145 km) north of Bethlehem where Joseph made a living as a carpenter. - Matt 13:53-58
     - A carpenter in biblical Judea would not be expected to have any more than a very average income and a meager living. - example
     - We know the couple was very poor because, for her purification duty under Levitical law, Mary could not afford the regular sacrifice. - Lev 12; Luke 2:24
- The census forced them to make the arduous journey to Bethlehem, to be there for the date of the census.
     - The census date coincided with Mary's time to deliver, and yet they didn't travel ahead of time to make it easier for Mary. Another indication of poverty.
     - They hadn't even travelled far enough ahead of time for there to be a room available. Poverty.
- Jesus was born while they were in Bethlehem and His bed was a manger (an animal's feed trough), indicating the only space available was an animal shelter.

"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."" - Luke 2:8-12

- The angels appeared to the shepherds at night. Hebrew days begin at sunset, and this was the night; the first part of the day.
- The angel told the shepherds that it was "today" that the Savior had been born, so we know that Jesus was born in the night.
- According to my research, this was the night of Nisan 6, 2 BC, extending from sunset on April 10 until sunset on April 11, and regarded as Friday, April 11, 2 BC.

"When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let's go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." - Luke 2:15-16

- Immediately that same night of April 10, Nisan 6, 2 BC, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the Savior.

But how did the shepherds manage to find the Christ Child? Was there a Star to lead them? Would heavenly signs in the sky have shown them the way? The Bible doesn't directly give us the answers to these questions, but there is still more to the story.

   Our first astronomical view begins with the sky above Jerusalem as it appeared shortly after sunset on April 10, 2 BC. This day's sunset marked the beginning of the new Hebrew day of Nisan 6, 2 BC, which, as previously detailed, was the likely day of Messiah's birth. But does this day receive confirmation in the heavens as evidenced by configuration(s) of the heavenly bodies?

   Jerusalem is the transcendent City of God1 from where God will reign (Rev 21), and Bethlehem is known as the City of David2 (Luke 2:4) where Jesus was born. The significance of these cities at this time is obvious, and the sightline of the heavens from Jerusalem towards Bethlehem is included for reference. Although it likely wasn't a relevant consideration for the shepherds, who are simply described by Luke as being "out in the fields" in the Bethlehem "region", and likely were not along this sightline, a fuller significance of the Jerusalem to Bethlehem sightline (J-BS) will become more apparent when we encounter the story of the Magi.

   The planet Jupiter is the object in the heavens which most researchers now say, either was the Star of Bethlehem or it conjuncted with another star or planet as the Star of Bethlehem. To demonstrate that Jupiter (or any other heavenly object) never stops in the sky as the Star did for the Magi, I have added (in orange) the positions of Jupiter both one hour prior to, and one hour after Jupiter aligns along the J-BS.

The Heavens Align: Nisan 6, 2 BC

The alignments in the heavens along the J-BS on April 10, especially those in the early part of Nisan 6, 2 BC are remarkable:

     - Due to the Earth's rotation on its axis, objects in the heavens constantly appear to move across the Earth's sky from East to West. The stunning sky-parade at
        this time began 8 hours ahead of the constellation Leo and the main show, and included all of the other 8 planets (I'm old-school and still include Pluto), the Sun,
        the Moon and many notable constellations and stars, each one individually crossing the J-BS and bowing to the newborn King.
          - In the daylight, and so unseen from the Earth, at about 11 am the homage of the planets begins with Mercury, soon followed by Uranus.
          - A little past noon it is the Sun's turn, and then in the mid-afternoon come Saturn, Venus and Mars.
          - About an hour prior to sunset and the start of Nisan 6, the Moon aligns.

     - With the setting of the Sun the stage is set for the main event, and almost exactly at sunset the constellation Leo - the Lion - begins crossing the J-BS.
          - Jesus is the Lion: "... the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome...." - Rev 5:5
          - For Christians, Leo represents the Lion; the triumph of the Redeemer; Messiah the Victor.
          - Within an hour at 7:18 pm, and minutes after the sky has nicely darkened, Jupiter comes into J-BS alignment which is now piercing the heart of Leo.
               - I believe this alignment could very well mark the beginning of Mary's delivery.
               - Jupiter is the "King Planet" and in Christian circles represents the Christ, King Jesus. Jupiter is close enough to Regulus to hold his hand.
          - Regulus aligns 8 minutes after Jupiter.
               - Regulus - "Regal" or "Royal" - is known as the "King Star". It is Leo's brightest star and is also named Alpha Leonis: First or Preeminent Lion.

     - The next major J-BS alignment is with the constellation Virgo - the Virgin - which begins crossing the J-BS about 1 1/2 hours after Regulus.
          - Mary is the Virgin: "... angel Gabriel was sent from God to ... a virgin ... and the virgin's name was Mary." - Luke 1:26-27
          - For Christians, Virgo represents Mary; the virgin woman with the virgin-born Seed.
          - At 11:13 pm not one but two of Virgo's stars enter the J-BS. They are Virgo's two most significant stars:
               - Spica is Virgo's brightest star and is also named "Alpha Virginis": First or Preeminent Virgin.
               - Zeta Virginis - "the Virgin's Crown" - represents the virgin of unblemished character and is located at her birth canal.
               - The obvious inference here is that this was the moment of our Savior's birth.

     - And the last 2 planets:
          - Pluto aligns just minutes before Virgo's Spica and Zeta Virginis.
          - Neptune completes the planets' homage, aligning at close to 2 am, about 2 hours after Virgo has exited the J-BS alignment.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."" - Matthew 2:1-2

- How long after Jesus was born did the Magi arrive? We have no source for Magi-related information other than Matthew, and he doesn't tell us this.
- Magi were Zoroastrians "from the east" - Persia (Iran +) - and were highly educated and able to read God's signs in the heavens. - Wise Men; Zoroastrianism
     - They somehow knew that the "King of the Jews" had been born because they "saw His star" when they were "in the East."
     - Whether it was located in the heavens or within the Earth's own sky, the Magi could only have known that the Star was heralding Jesus if God had told them.
     - Did God communicate directly with the magi? We will have the answer shortly.

"When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"" - Matthew 2:3-6

- The magi had been following the Star, which led them to Jerusalem, and were soon summoned to Herod's palace in Jerusalem.
- The Jewish religious leaders were aware that a Jewish King was to be born in Bethlehem.
- Now we will come to see the fuller significance of the Jerusalem - Bethlehem Sightline (J-BS).

"Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."" - Matthew 2:7-8

- Many assume that Herod wanted to know when the Star first appeared in order to know how old this new "King" was, then to formulate his plan to kill Him. Then when Herod has all of Bethlehem's boys under 2 years of age killed, these people again assume that the Magi didn't visit Jesus until He was some months or years old.
     - Evil Herod could well have decided on two years in spite of what the Magi told him, "just to be sure."
     - Even if the Magi had been seeing and/or following the Star for two years, it doesn't follow that Jesus was born at its first appearance.
          - The early Israelites followed God's pillars of fire and smoke for 40 years before their Promised Land was "born" to them. - Nehemiah 9:12-24
- Matthew's reference to Jesus as a "Child" is used as support for this time-lapse, supposedly showing that He is no longer an infant. This lacks merit because:
     - The word "child" in Matthew 2, is from the Greek paidion, Strong's Word #3813 meaning: "child, little child, young child, infant".
     - Paidion is also translated as "child" in Luke, referring to John the Baptist at 8 days old (1:59); and to Jesus on the night He was born (2:15-17).

"After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." - Matthew 2:9-11

- Does any object in the heavens ever "(go) on ahead of (travellers)"?
     - This could only occur if the traveller was directly under the object's path through the sky and moving in the same direction. This rules out Jupiter as the Star
         because:
          - The Magi were in Jerusalem and their view of Jupiter placed it south of Jerusalem, while Jupiter's path was heading slightly north of west.
          - The Star moved "ahead of" the magi as they travelled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is a slightly west of south direction.
          - The path of the Star leading the Magi, being just west of South; Jupiter's path was almost perpendicular to that of the Star.
          - Jupiter's path through the sky as viewed from Jerusalem varies only slightly at any time, and it absolutely never moves in a Jerusalem to Bethlehem direction.
- Does any object in the heavens ever "stop over (a) place"?
     - No. The rotation of the Earth on its axis prevents this. Only a local object, one that is within the realm of the Earth and its sky, can be observed doing this.
- Could one's view of Jupiter (or any such heavenly body) ever be seen to be singling out one particular home among a collection of homes?
     - No. One just needs to look up into the sky to know this is impossible.
     - These facts rule out Jupiter (and all other heavenly objects) as the Star of Bethlehem.
- Matthew's reference to Jesus being in a house (not a stable) at this time, is the other argument used to support a time-lapse here of up to 2 years. But the facts are:
     - Mary and Joseph couldn't find a room because the census had caused an extreme demand, and no accommodations were available that day.
     - Having just given birth, the family would have been accommodated at the earliest opportunity.
     - Having completed their census obligations, many travellers would have departed Bethlehem the next morning, making many accommodations available.
     - The family was poor (see above), with a home, business and extended family in Nazareth (Luke 1-2). They had no reason to stay in Bethlehem, and they could
         not afford a second home in Bethlehem.

   Our second astronomical view begins with the heavens above Jerusalem as they appeared at sunset on April 11, 2 BC, that year's Gregorian date equivalent to Nisan 6. This sunset marked the end of the Hebrew day of Nisan 6, 2 BC, and began a nearly identical replay of the magnificent heavenly display of the previous evening, with one significant difference: The position of the Moon.
   Except for the Moon, all the heavenly alignments of April 11 were virtually identical to the previous evening, occurring less than 4 minutes earlier. Once again, each planet in turn establishes its J-BS alignment and pays homage to the King. Constellation Leo, with Regulus, positions itself virtually identically to the previous evening.
Constellation Virgo, with Spica and Zeta Virginis, likewise positions virtually identically to the previous evening, also aligning within 4 minutes of its time on April 10.

   The exception is the Moon, which tonight enters the J-BS alignment 1 hour earlier than the previous evening, precisely at sunset. Both the Moon itself, as well as the timing of its alignment at sunset, are very significant.
   In an age when knowing the exact time of day was only certain at sunrise and sunset, these became the ultimate markers of daily time.1 This would have been true both for Jews and the Zoroastrian Magi from the East - Persia - which had included Babylon,2 where Daniel lived during Israel's exile, as well as the "New Babylon" Seleucia, a cosmopolitan city whose population included Jews. Seleucia lies almost directly East of Jerusalem and could certainly have been the home of the Magi.

          "And there was evening and there was morning, one day." - Genesis 1:5

   In the Bible every new day begins at sunset. The birth of the Savior was one of the most important New Days the world has ever been given, heralding mankind's only hope of salvation under the New Covenant He was soon to establish.

          "[The Moon] ... serve(s) as signs and for seasons [moedim: appointed times, holy days], and for days and years...." - Genesis 1:14

          "He made the moon for the seasons [moedim]; The sun knows the place of its setting." - Psalm 104:19

   The Moon, which regulates how earthly time is to be calculated and so directs the Bible's calendar,3 is arguably the most biblically-relevant object in our heavens, and is certainly not less than a close second to the Sun. Its appearance within the context of this repeating heavenly spectacle which heralded the birth of the King, and tonight serving as its "parade marshal" at sunset, is certainly confirmation of the validity and importance of the procession itself.

Jupiter Cannot Be The Star

   As previously noted, the planet Jupiter is the object which most researchers now regard as the Star of Bethlehem, either alone or in conjunction with another heavenly object.
   We have added to the image (in orange) the hourly positions of Jupiter as it moves across the heavens as seen from Jerusalem, and from the Middle East in general. This is to demonstrate how precisely timed one's view of the heavens must be, if the possibility of Jupiter as the Star is even to be considered.
   Jupiter's position in the night sky is transient, changing significantly in just a few minutes. The only way there could have been an "alignment of Jupiter" is if the Magi had prior knowledge of the exact time of this alignment, as well as either:
          1) the precise knowledge that it would be Jupiter marking the alignment; or
          2) the precise direction (from their position "in the East") in which the alignment would take place.
   If God had told them, or if we allow that the Magi could have possibly "worked out" that Jupiter was the Star; we also know the Magi did not have prior knowledge of either the exact time when the King would be born, or the precise direction in which to find Him. They still didn't know these things after the Star had led them to Jerusalem.
   The Magi had seen His Star while they were in the East. If they were viewing Jupiter, that wouldn't have aided them at all. As seen in the image, over a time period of just a few hours Jupiter would be "leading" them to the North East, then down to the South, then back up to the North West, and all points in between. This pattern repeats daily. They would literally have been travelling in circles. It bears repeating that the image shows the positions of Jupiter as it is always viewed from Jerusalem. There is never any significant variation of this positioning, no matter the time of year, or the year itself. The only significant variations are that the constellation of stars in which Jupiter is located in the heavens continually changes, and the position of the heavens changes somewhat North and South. Notably, Jupiter, Leo and Virgo always cross the J-BS well south of Bethlehem, and they do so once every day of every year, with each revolution the Earth makes on its axis. This unchanging pattern also refutes the notion that Jupiter could have first led the Magi almost due West to Jerusalem, and then almost due South to Bethlehem.

Spectacular But Not Unusual

   Stars are static in their positioning relative to the Earth and our solar system. It is only the various movements of our planet which cause the optical illusion of stars in motion. It is not the stars, but Earth's view of the stars that is changing. In contrast, the nature of a planet's existance is one of fine-tuned, repetitious, unending motion. These movements are so finely tuned that scientists can calculate quite precisely, the location in the heavens of each planet at any given time.
   These constant movements of the planets cause an unending reconfiguration process in our heavens.   From Earth's perspective this is a slowly evolving process, and new configurations in the heavens don't suddenly appear and then quickly disappear. They form gradually, come to a crescendo, and gradually move on, with every configuration returning eventually. It is the individual observer who decides precisely when a crescendo has been achieved, such as a certain alignment or conjuction of particular heavenly bodies.

   As spectacular as the Nativity Parade in the heavens was, it was not unusual. In fact, it is a regular occurrance which takes place annually in a form very similar to Nisan 6 - 7, 2 BC, and daily while rotating the many star constellations in the background. Imagine: God has placed the message of the Redeemer - the Gospel - in the heavens for all of mankind to see, and the world has now witnessed it every day for nearly 6,000 years! This is the first miracle. The second miracle is the unique timing of the parade in 2 BC, including the perfect background of star Constellations, and of the planets all marshalled by the Moon, and exactly at sunset on the 7th.

   In 3 - 2 BC Jupiter conjuncted Regulus three times due to its retrograde orbit. Some believe this demonstrates that Jupiter-Regulus was the Star of Bethlehem seen by the Magi. But Jupiter conjuncts Regulus fairly often, and their triple conjuction in 3 - 2 BC is also not unique, occurring regularly and predictably three to four times each century, including in 15 - 14 BC, just 12 years earlier. This begs the question: "Why didn't the Magi identify the Star of Bethlehem in 15 - 14 BC?" The answer is that God needed to reveal these things to the Magi. As we have seen, God communicated directly with the Magi and it was "His Star" - His Shekinah Presense - which led them. Does the following not seem more than similar to Matthew's description of the Star:

          "Now in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle of the testimony; and the sons
          of Israel set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the wilderness of Paran." - Numbers 10:11-12

   The only way that Jupiter can stop in the sky is when it retrogrades and stops moving relative to the stars behind it. Jupiter never stops moving as viewed from the Earth and it can never settle. The Magi simply could not have seen Jupiter (or Regulus) stop over Bethlehem as Matthew said they saw the Star do.
   The Star was the presence of God, who made Himself known to the Magi at the unprecedented occasion of the birth of the Redeemer - God in the form of a man. God needed to do this in order to create a way for us to be justified in receiving His gift of eternal life. This is His plan of Salvation.

What About Mary's Visitation

   After finding these eminent signs in the heavens at the birth of Jesus, I began to wonder about His mother Mary's visitation from the angel Gabriel. Might the inception of God as a human being within the womb of a woman, also be a mighty occasion worthy of receiving signs in the heavens? So my search began.

          "The gestation period is how long a woman is pregnant. Most babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation. Babies born before 37 weeks are
          considered premature. Babies born after 42 weeks are called postmature." - healthline.com

Therefore, in a normal human pregnancy the baby remains in the womb for a period of from 266 days up to 294 days - a 28-day period of time.

   Going back in time from Jesus' birth on April 11, Nisan 6, 2 BC, this range of days equates to from June 21, Tammuz 8, until July 19, Av 7, 3 BC. Searching the heavens in that time period very quickly revealed a heart-stopping conjuction. This time though, my amazement had as much to do with the conjuction itself, as it had to do with its magnificent timing.
   This was a three-body conjuction of the Sun, the Moon and planet Jupiter; the three most important heavenly bodies relevant to the Bible and the Christian. They are also the three heavenly bodies which symbolize all that was integral to the birth of our Redeemer:

The Sun - Symbol of God's Power, Majesty and Justice, particularly as evidenced in Creation. Jesus Creator.
          "In the Bible, the sun is portrayed as a powerful and majestic symbol of God's strength and sovereignty. In Psalm 19:1, King David writes, "The heavens
          declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." This passage highlights the connection between the sky, the sun, and God's glory.
          The sun is often associated with God's power and might, and its magnificence reflects the splendor of God's creation." - whatdoesbible.com

The Moon - Symbol of God's Love, Nurture and Mercy, particularly as evidenced in God's Plan of Salvation. Jesus Savior.
          "According to biblical interpretation, the moon is a symbol of spiritual enlightenment, renewal, and rebirth. It also represents the cyclical nature of life - the
          continuous process of birth, death, and rebirth. The moon's phases, in particular, symbolize the journey of spiritual growth and awakening.
                    "The moon is a symbol of the divine feminine energy of the universe. It represents the nurturing and compassionate qualities of God, and the
                    nourishing and creative forces of life." " - whatdoesbible.com

Jupiter - Symbol of Jesus Redeemer: the Way to Salvation Through the Satisfying of Justice, Thus Enabling the Grace of Mercy.
          "Jupiter, with its red spot in its side, is a symbol of the Messiah: wounded for our transgressions. It is composed of gas, like the Sun, but orbits around the
          Sun. In the same way, God who is spirit (gas giant) incarnated as a child and grew up as a man under the law of God (under the law of gravity). Jesus put
          away his divine privileges and power (nuclear reactions in the Sun) and humbled himself to become a man (Jupiter has no nuclear reactions within itself).
          Jesus fulfilled all the just requirements of the law [Justice Satisfied] that he might offer his life as a sinless sacrifice of atonement [Mercy Enabled]. The
          sheer mass of Jupiter, which is over two times the mass of all the other planets, tells us it is a symbol of something (in this case, someone) that is hugely
          important to God's spiritual program in the Universe." - biblenumbersforlife.com

The fact that specifically these three are found to be in conjunction during the required time period is monumental. Unlike the very frequent Nativity Parade, this is a rare event. So rare that when I asked the vaunted artificial intelligence assistant, ChatGPT to find these conjunctions it couldn't do so, repeatedly referencing the rarity of this event. Here is the conversation:

Me: Please find all the three-body conjunctions of the Sun, the Moon and planet Jupiter for the last 6,000 years.

ChatGPT: A three-body conjunction involving the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter occurs when all three celestial bodies align in the sky. Such events are relatively rare due to the differing orbital periods and inclinations of the Moon and Jupiter. While comprehensive records of all such conjunctions over the past 6,000 years are not readily available, we can provide some context and resources to understand these events.

Understanding Conjunctions:
Conjunction Definition: A conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies appear close together in the sky from Earth's perspective. A three-body conjunction would involve the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter aligning in this manner.

Orbital Periods:
Moon: Completes an orbit around Earth approximately every 27.3 days. ["Orbit" is different than "New Moon".]
Jupiter: Completes an orbit around the Sun approximately every 11.86 Earth years.
Given these orbital periods, the Moon and Jupiter do not align frequently. Additionally, the Moon's orbital inclination and the ecliptic plane (the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun) are not perfectly aligned, making such conjunctions even rarer.
. . .

Conclusion:
While specific records of all three-body conjunctions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter over the past 6,000 years are not readily accessible, understanding the rarity of such events is important.

Me: Please estimate the number of times per 1,000 years that a three-body conjunction of the Sun, the Moon and planet Jupiter would occur.

ChatGPT: [A lengthy answer ending with this conclusion.]
Considering the approximate rare conjunctions of the three bodies (a few times every 100 years), we might estimate 3-4 times per century.
So, over 1,000 years, there would be an estimated 30-40 such conjunctions.

The fact that this very rare three-body conjunction is found within the very narrow timeframe of Mary's visitation - just 28 days - again speaks loudly as to its Divine origin. And yet there is more. Not only does this conjunction take place while the three bodies are at their closest proximity to Israel:

it takes place exactly upon the Astronomical New Moon;
it takes place directly along the Jerusalem-Bethlehem Sightline; and
it takes place precisely as the Head of Constellation Leo the Lion - representing Jesus the Lion of Judah - begins overtaking Jerusalem and Bethlehem. First the Head of Leo at the Messiah's inception, and then the Heart of Leo (see above) 9 months later at the Messiah's birth.

It is difficult to imagine a more obvious Sign in the Heavens than this. Morover, with Jesus' birth date of Friday, April 11, 2 BC, and this conjunction/alignment taking place on Friday, July 12, 3 BC, this calculates to a gestation period of exactly 39 weeks; and exactly nine months!

As I reread this prior to publishing, all I could do was shake my head and say, "More amazingness!" We truly do have an amazing God who has shown us more than we should have to see in order to know Him. All we need to do is to want to know these things, and to search for what He has given us.