|
|
|
|
||||||
|
Quick Links |
||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
(Also
see the article by John Hogue on Nostradamus and the Asian
Tsunami ) This age has the incredible distinction of finding itself the focus of
literally scores of separate prophecies, dating back thousands of years.
Biblical prophets like Daniel and Zechariah, as well as Jesus, and the
visions of St John have all expanded our perception of these times. Then we
have the collective insight of innumerable Egyptian and Mayan sages, together
with scores of cultural scribes whose writings stand out in this age as at no
other time. Gifted Visionaries. More recently there is
the testimony of equally gifted visionaries who all foresaw turbulent times
for this present period. Among these names St Malachy, and the English seer
Mother Shipton stand out. And who could possibly forget the American
visionary Edgar Cayce, whose nightmare scenario for the future includes a
massive inundation of North America, coupled with devastating earthquakes and
shakings of the Earth. Disturbing Precision. Throughout this book
the collective inspiration of these great minds hone in on this age with a
precision that is profoundly disturbing. However in this ability to shock and
disturb, there is one name deserving of a mention all on his own. And the
name? Michel de Nostradame, or simply Nostradamus, as we have come to know
him. Jewish Origin. Nostradamus was born in
the French town of St Remy in Provence in the year 1503. He was of Jewish
origin, his family having converted to Christianity several years earlier.
From an early age Nostradamus showed great scholastic promise and was soon
accepted as a medical student at the University of Montpellier. As well as
the more traditional methods of treatment, Nostradamus developed an
instinctive understanding of pathology that often found itself at variance
with the wisdom of the time. He especially abhorred the practice of
"bleeding" patients and discovered numerous herbal cures that he
used to great success in treating victims of the plague. Unfortunately his
skills were unable to save his own family. Both his wife and two children
quickly succumbed to the plague, and heartbroken by this loss Nostradamus
spent the next eight years travelling through France and Italy. It was during
this time that the seeds were sewn for his great work as a visionary. Perfected Gifts. No doubt Nostradamus
always recognised his ability for strange gifts and visions, but they still
needed to be controlled and perfected. Researchers believe it was during his
travels that he met and consulted noted practitioners of the secret arts who
provided the necessary direction. Although Nostradamus invariably has his
critics, his prophecies still have the ability to astonish. He predicted the
coming of air travel, and unerringly focuses on all the leading political
figures of each era since the 15th century. Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini and
even the Ayatollah Khoumeini, are all easily discernible. Spain's General
Franco, and the dictator Primo de Rivera, are mentioned by name, as is Louis
Pasteur, the acclaimed microbiologist of the middle 1800's. The Tribulation. Yet exceptional though
these prophecies are, it is events concerning the coming tribulation that
concern us the most - the "time of the end" as the Bible otherwise
calls it. Peace and security. Prior to the
devastating events of the tribulation Nostradamus foresaw a period of
relative peace and security. That this refers to the present age is obvious.
He calls it a time when "the world becomes smaller, for a long time the
lands will be inhabited peacefully. People will travel safely through the
sky, lands, and seas."
Unfortunately this idyllic scene is not set to last, because according
to Nostradamus: " wars will then start again." Famine. This prophecy seems to run concurrently with
one that is an undeniable reference to the failure of peace talks in Geneva
in Switzerland. He warns: "The speeches of Lake Leman (Geneva) will
become fascinating. Days will drag into weeks, then months, then years - then
all will fail." Around this time there is a crippling famine. At first
this only affects localised areas, but soon bursts out to become a world-wide
dilemma. Nostradamus foretells this famine will be so great that people will
be reduced to "taking roots from trees, and children from the
breast." This last reference evokes terrible memories of the Roman siege
of Jerusalem in 66 AD. At that time the besieged population were driven so
wild with hunger that some took to slaughtering and eating new born infants.
Nostradamus implies these times will once more return to haunt us. Important Time Marker. An important
time marker quatrain, that heralds the commencement of this period is 1:51.
Here a period of great change is prophesied for when Saturn and Jupiter find
themselves at the Head of Aries. The unravelling of this quatrain depends on
two factors hinging on whether we are meant to calculate the planetary
positions according to the astronomical boundaries of the constellations, or
their astrological counterparts. Astrological Clues. A clue over which
system to use can be found in quatrain 6:100. Amazingly Nostradamus warns
those who read the verse to "think upon it deeply." He continues:
" Let all astrologers... keep far off." In other words it indicates
that such quatrains were not to be unravelled by traditional astrology.
However by using the actual astronomical positions of the planets as they are
today we find that both Jupiter and Saturn were conjunct in Aries in July
1999. This also fits in with quatrain 6:35. This too refers to a verifiable
astronomical alignment that can be traced to July of that same year.
Nostradamus warned the conjunction would produce a long period of heat wave
that would burn "the great plain, woods and cities." Remarkably
July of 1999 coincided with a particularly severe heat wave in the American
Mid West. Crops and farmland were transformed into a dry dust bowl as farmers
struggled to cope with the unusual conditions. A year later brought
devastating forest fires that devoured vast acres of forest and woodland. Vast Global Changes. Nostradamus saw this
period as the beginning of a long drought that would plunge the world into
famine. He exclaims: "Eternal God, what changes!" He goes on to
foretell that exceptionally bad times will return after a long century.
Tensions throughout the world will continue to rise, and quatrain 9:55 warns
there will be a "dreadful war planned in the West." A year later
this is followed by a terrible pestilence, leaving few survivors. As
Nostradamus puts it "so very horrible that neither young nor old, nor
beast will survive the fire of blood...." It is interesting to note the
similarity to Jesus' vision of famine, pestilence, and earthquakes that
precede the tribulation, as well as rumours of war, and a general state of uneasiness.
He warned the dreadful culmination of this period would occur when least
expected. Sects and Schisms. Around that time the
western world will be at the height of its power and prosperity, and
Nostradamus mentions that the world will also be confused by sects that will
cause schisms within traditional religion. This too is another prophecy that
could quite accurately be applied to this point in history. Across the world
new sects and religious groups spring up on a daily basis. From China to
Japan, through to Europe and the USA, the era of the sect is a firm reality.
Some sect leaders even claim to be Christ himself. This too was a warning
Jesus was anxious to drive home - that in the "latter days", many
would come saying they were Christ. Nostradamus insists the schism within
recognised religion will lead to the point where the holy laws are in total
ruin, and that all Christianity will be regulated by a different set of laws.
Three brothers. It is to a background
of these events and happenings that the quatrains speak of three brothers who
put the "world into trouble." The exact understanding of the word
brothers is interesting. It is unlikely to refer to members of the same
family, and more probably points to three major world statesmen. Nostradamus
warns the result of their actions, is a combination of famine, fire, blood
and plague. In fact "all evils doubled", as he writes. World Order. While it is not easy to
identify precisely who is meant by the three brothers, princes, or kings, it
is certain they represent the three most powerful nations, or blocks of
nations on Earth. Some equate them with The European Union, the United
States, and Russia. Nostradamus gives no specific clues except to mention
their combined power. This extends far and wide, and is influential enough to
persuade the Papacy in Rome "the sacred seat", to be "put in
another place." Although this is apparently for the best of reasons,
other quatrains see a less than harmonious relationship. At best, the peace between
them is shaky, and soon gives way to open hostility, and finally war. Bearded Star. The occasion for this
rift is the appearance of a comet or "bearded star." In quatrain
2:43 we read: "During the appearance of the bearded star the three great
princes will be made enemies." The exact reasons for this enmity are a
matter of conjecture. This "star" (comet or an asteroid) is
undoubtedly on a collision course with Earth, and perhaps this causes
tensions as to how best to deal with it. Current thinking embraces a wide
variety of options. These include the detonation of a nuclear device close to
the offending comet, or in the case of an asteroid to nudge it into a less
threatening orbit. According to Nostradamus none of these remedies work, or
through lack of a clear decision remain untried. The result is that the comet
or asteroid strikes the Earth in the region of Artois in North West France.
The consequences are devastating. Hundreds, possibly thousands are killed
outright, and great clouds mushroom skywards. Nostradamus compares the impact
to a fiery dart from the skies, adding it will come so suddenly that people
will be struck dead in mid sentence. Because of the devastation a "proud
nation shall be brought down." This undoubtedly refers to France. It
seems France will bear the brunt of the disaster, and Nostradamus warns that
at 48 degrees of latitude the devastation will be especially severe. This
latitude runs just south of Paris and it is here we are told that fish in
either the sea, rivers, or lakes, will be boiled by intense heat. Not
surprisingly, Paris is rendered completely uninhabitable, with the suggestion
it will remain so for many years. Devastating war. A remarkable element of
the ensuing confusion is that the impact sets off an equally devastating war.
As Nostradamus tells us: " Many will die through war started on that day
when a bearded star falls in Artois." Just why this should be is hard to
imagine. Perhaps the fall of the comet is mistaken for a nuclear attack?
Since however the impact was presumably foreseen, this is difficult to
understand. Perhaps the truth is that simmering animosities over the
approaching comet finally boil over. Sensing an opportunity to gain the upper
hand, one side attacks the other. Whatever the explanation, there follows
"dreadful destruction of men and animals." Quatrain 6:97 implies
the devastation will cross the Atlantic. It warns: "At forty five
degrees the sky will burn, fire approaches the New City." Many have
interpreted this New City as New York. Situated close to the 40th parallel,
it is difficult to imagine what other city it could refer to. It seems the
initial impact of the comet with Earth's atmosphere will cause the object to
disintegrate. The main part falls in France, with other portions fragmenting
over the eastern coast of the USA. Quatrain 8:81 gives a further link with
the United States. It warns: "The New Empire in desolation, will be
changed from the Northern Pole." The New Empire. Opinions differ over
what this "New Empire" really means. Certainly to the people of
Nostradamus' day the existence of the United States was still over two
hundred years in the future. In this respect it more than qualifies as a
"New Empire." Other possibilities include post revolutionary France
or Britain. The British Empire once stretched far and wide, and at the time
of Nostradamus' prophecy had yet to achieve its full glory. Today however
that empire has vanished, and the USA makes a far more convincing candidate.
It's financial and political influence extend throughout the world, and even
if the old definition of "empire" is not in this case applicable,
many see present day United States as a global leader in so many fields. Massive flame. Nostradamus predicts
this "New Empire", will be changed from the North, with a massive
wall of flame that will burn for at least seven days, making the sun appear
double. This effect of a double sun can arise when the disc of the sun is
reflected off dense clouds to look more than twice its original size. So
thick are these clouds that the moon "is obscured in deep gloom, and his
brother (the sun) becomes bright red in colour." Nostradamus believes
the comet will continue to exert a destructive influence for nearly a week.
This relatively long time period is proof positive that Nostradamus' bearded
star is definitely a comet. An asteroid would merely plunge to the ground in
one massive impact. However a comet grazing the Earth at an angle could
conceivably become captured within the atmosphere, so that drawn ever closer
by gravity, it would continue to wreak havoc, until finally crashing to the
surface. Absolute Devastation. Nostradamus
insists the fire from this upheaval will be visible from a great distance.
The "noise and the light will extend to the north", with debris and
fragments continuing to rain down from the sky. Approaching ground zero the
devastation will be absolute, and away from the epicentre survivors will form
a solid stream of refugees desperate to escape. However Nostradamus warns
that many of those fleeing will die from a continued fall of "fire from
the skies." He adds "the next conflict will be that of the
crows", as they pick their way through the bodies of the dead. Europe Devastated. After days of continued
conflagration many "populated lands will become uninhabitable", and
there will be "great division in order to obtain land." We must
remember that the fall of the comet sparks off war, and the conflict now
focuses on the urgent need for living space. As Nostradamus says: "all
evils doubled!" In this case the situation is made worse because large
areas of northern Europe are left completely uninhabitable. In addition there
is also widespread flooding. Massive heat inevitably causes condensation,
condensation produces clouds, and clouds produce rain. The result is a catastrophic
cloud burst and a flood that Nostradamus compares to the flood of Deucalion -
Noah as we more commonly know him. Rivers Flooded Throughout Europe major
rivers such as the Ebro, the Po, the Tagus, the Tiber, and the Rhone burst
their banks. In Switzerland Lake Geneva floods over, coloured bright red from
blood washed down from Germany. This may sound like hyperbole but during the
bitter civil war in Rwanda, Central Africa, blood and rotting corpses were
carried downstream by rivers and streams and finished washed up in Lake
Victoria, over a hundred miles away. In Switzerland and surrounding areas there will be great public
concern over huge clouds of toxic gases that swirl overhead. Meanwhile
England will fare especially badly with deep floods covering the whole
British Isles. In Rome great fires blaze from its seven hills, and a
"great mountain" will dislodge a torrent of mud "drowning
great countries, even antiquities and their mighty foundations." Fish Boiled. Towards the east of
Europe, Greece will be especially afflicted. Off the Aegean island of Euboea
a great "heat like that of the sun", will literally boil the fish
in the sea, so they become half cooked and immediately edible. Whereas
fortunate locals feast off this impromptu meal, inhabitants of the nearby
Cyclades islands, are in the grips of a bitter famine. The extent of this
food shortage is widespread, stretching to Rhodes in the neighbouring
Dodecanese, and also to the Greek mainland where the cities of Larissa in
Thessaly, and Sparta in the Peloponnese are worst affected. The Peloponnese
is further afflicted by a "false dust", which causes a devastating
plague lasting nine months. Opinions over what this "false dust"
might be, range from nuclear fallout, to toxic debris from the cometary strike.
Another possibility is that people fall ill using powerful fertilisers used
to stimulate a tired Earth into producing overdue crops. Either way this
plague will be severe, laying waste large areas of the country with a focus
on Thessaly in central Greece. Second Catastrophe. Back in France
meanwhile the country is rocked by "trembling of the sea and land."
This undoubtedly signals the imminent arrival of a fresh catastrophe. In
quatrain 2:46 Nostradamus cautions there is still worse to come. "After great
misery for Mankind an even greater approaches when the great cycle of the
centuries is renewed. It will rain blood, milk, famine, war, and disease. In
the sky will be seen a fire, dragging a trail of sparks." This
exceptional quatrain seems linked to the first portion of 3:79. Here
Nostradamus warns: "The fatal and eternal order of the cycle will turn
in due order." Polar reversal. Both quatrains appear
to be describing the same event - a magnetic polar reversal, possibly even a
tilting of the Earth on its axis. In quatrain 2:46, the time of the disaster
is linked with a change of century described as the renewal of the
"great cycle of centuries." This however, suggests something a good
deal more dramatic than a mere change of centuries, or even a millennium. It
appears to indicate the end of the Great Year, an astrological cycle of ages
linked to the precession of the equinoxes, which is a slow turning of the
poles that takes around 27,500 years to complete. One consequence of this is
a series of changing pole stars according to the direction of the Earth's
orbit. Head of Aries. The start of the Great
Year is a point described in astrology as the Head of Aries, when devastating
changes are thought to take place to the planet's rotational mechanism. This
can be compared this to a lorry straining to put on the brakes when coming to
a particularly sharp bend. The vehicle struggles and shakes, straining to
keep on track, and it is possible to imagine the Earth experiences similar
points in its precessional cycle, periods of strain, which although entirely
routine, result in widespread disaster for those on the surface. It seems
this is just what Nostradamus implies by his "Fatal and eternal order of
the cycle", which "will turn in due order." The fact this is
attributable to a magnetic polar reversal is evident from the line where
"a fire dragging a trail of sparks is seen in the sky." In a
magnetic reversal this is exactly the sort of phenomena one would expect to
occur. In other words a massive electrical disturbance with great flashes and
sparks hurtling around the Earth in all directions. Two Great Disasters. Nostradamus predicts
the Earth will be violently shaken and there will be "great slaughter of
humanity." This will reach a peak in the spring with "two great
efforts in succession." These latest happenings have a special focus on
Switzerland, because the order is now given for Geneva to be evacuated. The
proximity of high mountains no doubt produces extreme Earth tremors and
Nostradamus reveals that before the rush to leave, "the sky will show
signs." After days of rumbling things come to a head with a mighty shake
of the planet, pushing the whole world on its axis before regaining its
equilibrium. Dreadful horrors. Once again these
circumstances tally perfectly with the description of a full reversal of the
geographical poles, which invariably follows the reversal of their magnetic
equivalent. Quatrain 1:56 talks of great changes and dreadful horrors, and of
a time when the sky approaches a certain inclination. But of course
inclination means a slope, or a gradient, and this again seems to indicate a
tilt of the Earth's axis; a fact confirmed in quatrain 4:25. Here the vision
is of "sublime bodies ( stars and planets) endlessly visible to the eyes,
which will come to cloud (judgement) for this reason." This quatrain
also appears linked to 4:30, which says that the sun and moon "will both
be raised and lowered in degree." Proof Positive. In many ways this is
proof positive Nostradamus is referring to a tilt of the Earth's axis. The
give-away phrase is when he talks of the stars that become endlessly visible.
The only circumstances in which this could occur is if there was permanent
darkness. Not the darkness of dark swirling clouds, but the darkness of no
direct sunlight. Here the only explanation is that the Earth becomes tilted
to such an extent that from most latitudes the sun would never rise above the
horizon, and the stars would be permanently visible. In that case permanent
darkness would be the certain result. Clouding of judgement. Nostradamus
discloses that a consequence of this is a clouding of ones personal
judgement. This has a plausible scientific explanation. Lack of sunlight is a
well known cause of depression. Long hours of winter darkness, coupled with
sedentary indoor work invariably produce symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Particularly in high latitudes, Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD) as it is
known, is an increasing phenomenon.. One can only imagine then, what stresses
and strains 24 hours of darkness, 365 days a year would produce. It would
certainly have a huge impact on the way we live our lives, and this is
exactly what Nostradamus is telling us. Photosynthesis. Another crucial
consequence are the implications for agriculture and food production.
Sunlight is vital for photo synthesis. This is the process by which plants
absorb light and transform it into chemical energy necessary for growth.
Without light there is no photosynthesis, and without photosynthesis there
are no plants, crops or trees. In the event of a world seriously tilted on
it's axis, this would constitute a major stumbling block. It would also mean
that those few areas of the world that received almost perpetual sunlight
would become the most important territories on Earth. Great devastation. The reality is that in
the aftermath of a polar reversal it is impossible to predict just what the
consequences might be. Certainly the death toll would be appalling. Figures
of up to 90% of the worlds population are no exaggeration. Coupled with
ensuing disease and famine, this figure would be increased even further. In
effect it is a compound catastrophe. First the comet, then a magnetic polar
reversal, followed by a tilt on the axis. In addition there are devastating
earthquakes, floods, and famine, and through most of it an incredibly
destructive war. The Anti-Christ. It is somewhere to the
background of this immense upheaval that Nostradamus places the arrival of
the Anti-Christ. Intriguingly he is linked to an extraterrestrial visitation.
Quatrain 6:6 (note the close similarity to 666) offers little doubt: "He
will appear towards the North, not far from the bearded star in Cancer."
Fast approaching comet. This connection
with the approaching comet is extremely significant. The quatrain also
appears linked with 3:34. Here the vision is of an eclipse seen in broad
daylight. Nostradamus describes a monster seen by onlookers, that is
interpreted differently. This could well be a reference to the
"beast" of Revelation, which in this case is associated with an
eclipse, and a "bearded star." One daring explanation is that the
Anti-Christ arrives from the skies under the cover of the fast approaching
comet. The extremely famous quatrain 10:73 tells of a terrifying king who
comes from the sky. Quatrain 5:65 takes this further saying: "Suddenly
arrived, the terror will be great." World Domination. If true, it seems the
Anti-Christ exploits the vulnerability of the Earth, already smitten by war,
and cometary catastrophe, to initiate his own plan of world domination.
Another alternative, but also interrelated, is that these verses refer to the
casting down of Satan to Earth. Nostradamus like the Book of Revelation
invites a dual interpretation of the Anti-Christ's identity. In this respect
it is not immediately clear whether Satan, who is unmistakably cast in the
role of an extraterrestrial entity, imparts his authority to his terrestrial
consort, the Anti-Christ, or whether both are to be considered as
extraterrestrials. Annihilates the three. What is certain
is that when the Anti-Christ does arrive, he finds the way already prepared,
and once empowered loses no time setting about his purpose. His ruthlessness
is exemplified in quatrain 8:77. In one of Nostradamus' most amazing prophecies
he foretells how the Anti-Christ will immediately annihilate the three world
leaders mentioned earlier. There is even a hint that the Pope himself will
fall victim to this purge. By so doing, the Anti-Christ unmistakably signals
his ambition for world domination. Extreme Crisis. We must remember that
the arrival of the Anti-Christ comes at a time of extreme crisis. In the
aftermath of the cometary strike much of western Europe is in complete
turmoil. Added to this there is the added nightmare of the war started by the
world's three main rulers. After their assassination the Anti-Christ will no
doubt assume the image of a great saviour, and revel in self invested
Messianic glory. In every respect he will be a parody of Christ. He will
mimic his miracles and wonders, and according to Nostradamus, will fill
"ears with ornate speeches." His darker side will be fully evident
in his persecution of the established Church. Church Persecution. Nostradamus talks of temples
profaned and pillaged, its priests and clergy tortured and killed. Quatrain
8:89 is especially explicit. It warns: "Of the church people, blood will
be shed as abundantly as water. For a long time this slaughter will have no
restraint. Alas, alas, to the clergy ruin and grief." The Anti-Christ will no doubt justify these actions as punishment for
the great apostasy into which he claims the Church to have fallen. He will
insist that far from persecuting the Church he is simply removing a few bad apples,
and restoring it to a more exalted condition. Eastern Anti-Christ? Nostradamus offers
clues that some interpret as an Anti-Christ of eastern origin. Quatrain 10:75
has it that a long awaited one will "never return in Europe", but
"will appear in Asia." This can be linked with other quatrains
speaking of a massive army of a million men that sweeps across Persia into
Egypt, and then the Balkans - Byzantium, as Nostradamus calls it. This the
prophet describes as the work of the "true serpent", which the
Bible repeatedly identifies as Satan. Asiatic threat. The threat of an
Asiatic challenge to the West is obvious. In quatrain 8:59 this danger is
clear: "Twice exalted, and twice cast down, the East will also weaken
the West." Ostensibly this Asian invasion has limited territorial
ambitions content to spread no further than the Balkans. However this all
conquering leader resorts to a disarming ruse. Quatrain 5:54 tells of a great
king "the Great Tartary", who crosses Alania and Armenia, in Asia.
His intention, as Nostradamus puts it, is to " to see France."
However this appears no more than a ploy, perhaps disguised under the
umbrella of an offer to negotiate some sort of settlement. This is more than
evident in the last verse of the quatrain: "And from Byzantium he leaves
France bloody." Quatrain 2:29 is even more revealing, and talks of an
all out invasion. "The man from the Orient, upon leaving his seat, will
cross the Apennine mountains (in Italy) to see France. He will cross through
the skies, the water and the snow, and strike everyone with his rod." Living Space. France is by no means
the only point of conflict. In a world already severely devastated by a
combination of famine, disease, war, and natural disaster, national borders
and boundaries find themselves under threat as never before. The main
preoccupation is adequate living space. Northern Europe is by this time
almost completely uninhabitable. Meanwhile large groups of refugees driven
southwards into southern Europe cause considerable tension. Nostradamus
appears to foresee a time when these tensions erupt into a Moorish invasion
of southern Spain, as well as vulnerable areas of the north Mediterranean
coastline. Moorish Invasion. On the Spanish
mainland, the city of Cordoba falls back into Moorish hands and further
eastwards the island of Malta is similarly captured. This is a war waged on
two fronts. The first in eastern Europe, the second in the far south, where
the Moors seem intent on reclaiming territory lost centuries earlier. Quatrain
6:80 is unmistakable. "From Fez (in Morocco) the kingdom will stretch
out to those of Europe. The city ( Paris?) blazes, the sword will
slash." In the second portion of the quatrain Nostradamus switches scene
to the East, writing: "the great one of Asia, by sea and land will lead
a great troop, and drive out the cross to death." Persecution. Severely weakened by
disaster, Europe is in no condition to repel this invasion. As the quatrain
suggests, Christianity will bear the brunt of the ensuing persecution. Events
are now balanced on a knife edge. To a background of fast moving political
happenings, and the threat of further natural disaster, the seal of the
Anti-Christ seems absolute. If this were Revelation the road to Armageddon
would be almost complete. As it is, Nostradamus' trail of continued events
becomes harder to discern. In fact it is difficult to find specific quatrains
with an unmistakable reference either to Armageddon, or indeed the Second
Coming. Armageddon. For Armageddon the
closest approximations are Quatrains 6:96, 2:91 and 2:56. The first of these
warns: "A great city (Jerusalem?) abandoned to the soldiers. Never was
there a mortal tumult so close. Oh, what hideous calamity approaches."
In 2:91 the vision is of a fast expanding fire: "Within the globe, death
and cries are heard. By the sword, fire, and famine, death awaits."
Quatrain 2:56, with its claim that "One whom neither pestilence nor
sword could finish, will die on the summit, struck from the sky", may be
a possible reference to the demise of the Anti-Christ. Armageddon is after
all a hill top in northern Israel, and it seems that here is someone almost
invulnerable to Earthly threats of danger, who is finally vanquished by
celestial power. The Second Coming. Regarding the Second Coming,
quatrain 5:79 is perhaps the closest approximation. "The sacred pomp
comes to lower its wings, upon the coming of the great law giver. The humble
are exalted, the rebels confused. Never will there be his like born in the
land." Messianic overtones are also present in quatrain 3:2. Here the
prophesy is of one who in "Body, soul, and spirit is all powerful. As
much (power) beneath his feet, as on the heavenly seat." Another
quatrain with links to the Second Coming is 4:77. Here Nostradamus writes:
"Italy peaceful, Kingdoms united, under the Christian king of the
world." Whether this refers directly to Christ, is hard to say. Oddly
Nostradamus is extremely sparing in his mention of Christ. In fact throughout
his entire book of Centuries, containing 942 quatrains, Nostradamus never
once mentions Christ by name. The only reference is to Christianity, and then
only on a bare handful of occasions. Nostradamus is also sparing in his
mention of God. When he does so it is usually in the form of some kind of imprecation,
or on a few occasions when he refers to "Dieu immmortel", the
Immortal God. This noticeable lack of reference to either God or Christ is
obviously intentional. This was no doubt for the prophets own safety. Writing
at a time when the dreaded Inquisition was at the height of its powers
Nostradamus was careful to avoid any clash of interpretation. The official
view had to prevail, and the result is a peculiar void between the rise of
the Anti-Christ and his eventual demise at Armageddon. Judgement Day. The next definite link
that compares to the chain of Biblical prophecy is Judgement Day, and the
resurrection of the dead. Yet here again there is a curious difference
between the Biblical narrative and Nostradamus' own vision. For whereas the
Gospels and Revelation clearly depict God as the judge of humanity,
Nostradamus does otherwise. In fact he attributes this role to the
"Grand Jovialiste!" In her book The Prophecies of Nostradamus,
Erika Cheetham, translates this as "the great man of Jupiter!" Of course
Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Zeus; a fascinating connection
that in this context is hard to understand. The Resurrection. Nostradamus plainly
mentions the resurrection in quatrain 10:74. He believes this will happen
when "The year of the great seventh number returns." This as he
says will "not be far from the age of the great millennium." Here
it would be entirely wrong to equate this "age of the great
millennium", with our own millennium date. While the two may not be far
apart it would be unlikely for them to coincide so perfectly. Once more this
heightens the difficulties of attributing scriptural verses or indeed any
other prophetical texts to our own calendar dates. As it is Nostradamus
mentions the fulfilment date of the resurrection as being the time when the
great seventh number returns. This immediately suggests the seventh day
Adventist theory. As stated elsewhere, the date from the present age of man
to this time, is calculated by some to be around six thousand years. On the
year/day method of dating, a thousand years becomes a day. Hence we are about
to enter the 7th day, or the great 7th number as Nostradamus calls it. Dating Methods. Exactly when the great
7th number will occur is hard to judge. Not least of all because translating
Nostradamus' cryptic verses into conventional dates is further complicated by
his employment of two separate dating methods. One is the normal calendar
dating of years, and the other is what he terms dates according to the
"liturgy." Quite what is meant by this "liturgy", is
difficult to see. Some have interpreted it as the important Council of
Nicaea, held by members of the early church in 325 AD. Others, including
author Peter Lemesurier believe it to mean the date in 392 AD when the Roman
Church became truly universal. Great King of Terror. Difficulties of
this sort help explain why the famous quatrain 10:72 regarding "The
great king of terror", foretold to come from the sky, failed to
materialise as expected in July of 1999. Newspapers in many parts of the
world saw this as evidence of Nostradamus' fallibility and criticised him
accordingly. In Britain there was widespread ridicule. It illustrates that by
far the best method of interpretation is to rely on prophecies that can be
dated retrospectively, or by contemporary events unfolding around us. Stepping stone technique. This stepping
stone technique allows key prophecies to be identified one by one, thus
giving us a far better idea which target field we now find ourselves in. It
is precisely because of this that Nostradamus' predictions become so
worrying. As we heard, he places the events of the tribulation immediately
following a period of relative peace and security. A time "when people
travel safely through the sky, land, and seas..." Added to this we have
easily verifiable time marker incidents like the coming of Hitler, General
Franco, and the Ayatollah Khoumeini. Of even greater significance are
prophecies that link us to specific weather changes such as the Mid West heat
wave of 1999, and a world that grows steadily warmer and warmer. Time Marker Periods. These crucial time
marker episodes are important because they serve the function of paving the
way towards far more devastating prophecies, that if Nostradamus is to be
trusted, cannot lie far in the future - that is within the next fifty years,
and perhaps even sooner. The question is: Should we feel worried? In other
words just how accurate are Nostradamus' prophecies? Are they really a vision
of the future, or are they just a jumble of rhyming verses with no special
meaning? The reality is that up to now a surprisingly large number of
Nostardamus' quatrains have come true in a way that immediately eliminates
all suspicion of coincidence. On this record it means that even if a far smaller
percentage of predictions associated with the tribulation do come to pass,
then the world is in very big trouble. |
|
|||||
|
|
|
||||||
