The Full Moons is an exploration of the Sun the Moon, the Truth and their interrelation, and it is the culmination of over ten years of letters the author has written on esoteric astrology. That is still the most urgent question - who is this Jesus? You will find the answer powerfully and convincingly provided in this outstanding book.” John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA and President of The Master’s College Jesus once asked His disciples, ”Who do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27). “In this book, Will Varner has opened the Scripture to provide a readable, clarifying look at Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. This book explains how and why that happened.
The Messiah was successively revealed, rejected and received. While these chapters have been written from a Christian perspective, adequate attention has also been given to Jewish concerns. There are also some studies on fascinating related subjects like the location of the Temple and the ashes of the Red Heifer. The book also examines how Jews and Christians have continued to debate this subject down until today.
In this book that Messianic theme is traced from its announcement in the Old Testament through its development between the Testaments to its fulfillment in the New Testament. In all of these fields, theory and application are explored, as are leading individuals and schools of thought, centers of intellectual activity, and notable accomplishments and inventions.Ī mysterious figure called the “Messiah” is the central theme of the entire Bible. Focusing on the history of the science that blossomed in the above regions, scientific disciplines covered include alchemy, astronomy, astrology, agriculture, architecture, biology, botany, chemistry, engineering, exploration, geography, hydraulics, institutions of science, marine science, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, military science, myth and religion, philosophy, philosophy of science, psychology, physics, and social sciences. Highlights of this period include the onset of civilization and science in Mesopotamia and Egypt, the accomplishments of the ancient Greeks between 700 BCE and 100 CE, the adaptation of Greek science by the Romans, the spread of Greek science during the Hellenistic Age, the expansion of Islamic power and commensurate scientific knowledge, and the development of science and philosophy in ancient China and India. This work spans prehistory to 1500 CE, examining thousands of years of history in four world regions: Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The "star" that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment-confirmed by computer models-that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod.In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world.The evidence is clear and compelling. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy?In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Matthew's gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche.For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously.
Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the "wise men from the East" as pious legend.