Is this direct enough for you?

The perplexing thing about prophecy is that it doles out its revelations in visions, dreams and symbols that not everyone perceives the same way. So much is either lost in translation, or embellished upon by over-thinking, that the actual significance of the message is glossed over.

One such case was the hoopla over September 23, 2017 — the date many believe that the Revelation 12 prophecy was fulfilled. To paraphrase Rev. 12: 1-2: A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon at her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head, was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 

Some believe that an astronomical alignment involving the constellations Virgo and Leo, the sun, moon, and planets Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter occurring in September 2017 fulfilled this prophecy literally.

And in all honesty, who’s to prove it didn’t.

Fellow escatologist and self-titled “watchman” Scottie Clarke added yet another interpretation of the sign by utilizing the very next verses: 4 And the dragon [Satan] stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

Clarke interpreted the term ‘caught up to God’ as code for the Rapture of the Church — and concluded that September 23, 2017 was possibly the date of the event. He released videos explaining his theory with studious aplomb. 

Prophets are entitled to prophecy.

I myself considered Clarke’s interpretation with a degree of fascination and expectation, with a “let’s see what happens” attitude. Many other so-called “watchmen” on Youtube and other sources suddenly became puffy-chested and self-righteous, like the sissy kids on a playground who knew that the Principal was on the way.

Confession: I made a point to stay outside as much as possible that day — to be ready for anything. When the Rapture occurs, I don’t want to be caught channel surfing.

September 23 came and went. No Rapture. Atheists and even religious skeptics had a belly laugh at Clarke’s expense; his misinterpretation, and some would say, his folly. 

But just because it wasn’t the date of the Rapture, does not rob September 23, 2017 of its significance.

In Revelation, Christ led St. John of Patmos through a series of future visions, involving both the Church and His chosen people, the Jews, regarding the concluding chapter of humanity’s story upon the Earth, regarding His return.

He placed John, in his words, upon a mountain (a heavenly pedestal) from which to view these future events, and expressly, the ‘times of the end.’

One of the things John saw… was the celestial events of September 23, 2017. We can use this date — according to the scientific alignments of the very stars above us — to set our watch. We are in the times of the end.

The countdown is officially underway. It’s in the stars.

THAT is the significance of September 23, 2017.