Signs in the sky (COVID, Solstice and the Great Conjunction) and what's normal?

Signs

It would be nice to be normal today, but it's not. 

Solstice: Today is 21 December, the summer solstice here in Australia. It's the longest day of the year. That is, there are more hours of sunshine and daylight than any other day of the year. It should be warm and wonderful. But it is raining here in Sydney and the temperature is ranging from 19-22 degrees. For those reading this in the US, that's a moderate temperature. I'm hopeful that the rain clouds dissipate so that at 11 pm I along with all the sky-watching community can see the almost juxtaposition of Jupiter and Saturn. We are, after all, 9.6 x 10 to the negative 5 light years away just now from Jupiter.

Great Conjunction: The two planets of Jupiter and Saturn move into proximity every 20 years or so, they say creating this Great Conjunction, but tonight they will be closer than they have been since 1623. From what I read, the two planets will be separated in the sky by a minimum of 6 arcminutes. And I guess that's pretty close. I've read many websites of late with people pointing to the sky and conspiracists talking about 'signs of the times.' After all, they cite Yeshua, the Jewish messiah, whose final 'sermon' in Matthew 24 has mention of signs at least three times. (See below for references) Astronomers title this conjunction the "Christmas Star." Nothing normal about this conjunction. 

The Canberra Times reported on this phenomenon yesterday: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7062721/could-the-great-conjunction-be-the-christmas-star/ 

COVID: But as far as distancing diminishing, that's not going to happen anytime soon with Sydney residents. Due to the COVID outbreak at the Avalon Club and the entire Norther Beaches peninsula, some are in lockdown again. Today NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced "15 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases were recorded in the state, all linked to the Avalon cluster on the Northern Beaches which now totals 83 cases. Over the weekend, the Northern Beaches area was placed under lockdown and restrictions increased in Greater Sydney until midnight on Wednesday. Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory also confirmed border closures for residents from the Greater Sydney area. Even Canberra and WA said 'no' to Sydney residents.

I guess we Sydney folks will be only sitting amongst ourselves, again, and separated from many others and many events we would have otherwise enjoyed. No Carols in the Domain. No dancing at weddings. No Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race (First time cancelled in 75 years!) and maybe no Test Cricket against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting early in 2021.  Nothing normal about all this!

My friend Darren wrote this to his church family today on the Lower North Shore: "2020 has seen many people experience a declining number of relationships and increasing isolation. All of society recognises both the sadness and the serious health implications of this phenomenon. Without being alarmist or fundamentalist, eternal isolation is an apt description of hell and the only cure for this is trust in the saving work of Jesus."

We have to be distant from one another at this time, but that's only in the physical. Please, let's draw close to each other on the phone, on Zoom, and any clever ways we can.

We have to have Christmas without many normal services. But that first Christmas Star, the one over Bethlehem, the one the magi followed, led those kings of the Orient to a place where a little Jewish baby was cradled. Nothing was normal about that era. Kings from the East coming to find him "who is the King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2.1) After the Messiah was born, an edict went forth from the king of the area (Herod) demanding that all Jewish baby boys had to be killed.  Nothing normal about that. Shepherds in the fields watching over their flocks; an angel appeared and led a chorus of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest." Nothing about that scene was normal. 

Is this a sign of the last days? Not really. But it is a moment in history, here in Australia and around the globe for people to consider how to be close, even with presents under trees, and mad final dashes to the shops for that must-have gift, I want you to know that no matter what day or days this turns out to be, that God is on the throne; He knows the end from the beginning. 

He's not startled by COVID nor by border closures. He's not frustrated nor wishing for us to be distant from him. 

He longs for us to draw near to him. 

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, "God is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Yeshua (Hebrew for "Jesus"), since Yeshua always lives to make intercession for them." (7.25)

The Messiah's half-brother said, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4.8)

Do you feel distant from God? Just turn back and call upon him, even now. He is listening. You can have Christmas without singing and without carols on television, even without prawns, and without your relatives from interstate, but you can't have Christmas without Yeshua. Without him, there's nothing normal about that!

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Citations about the Last Days:

Matt. 24:3   As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Yeshua privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Matt. 24:24  Yeshua said, “For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."

Matt. 24:30 Yeshua said,  “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.