I’m just saying that for the fixing of dates such as the Passover the Hebrews used a lunar calendar. The issues with the heavenlies being out of sync with a 360 day calendar were well known even in Moses’ day. So they noted the positions of the sun and moon in relation to other bodies and they used that to fix their Passover and other festivals and made adjustments to their 360 day calendar when things got too out of whack. I’m sure you know that they don’t have their festivals at the exact same dates each year but they have them around the same times...based on a lunar system.
So I understand what God gave the lights of the day and night for, so that we could plan our lives around regular scheduals and live orderly lives. He also by means of the heavenlies, declares His glory!(which is the most important reason of all)
My biggest issue is that Revelation 12 is describing the final 3.5 years of the tribulation, not the beginning. If the notion that September 23 2017 marks the sign of the Woman as per Revelation 12, the we should have already been in the middle of the tribulation period already with 3.5 years to go, watching the effects of Michael throwing Satan onto the Earth and locking him down here! Where is the Beast? Have the Northern powers attacked Israel yet per Ezekiel 38?
You offered, “My biggest issue is that Revelation 12 is describing the final 3.5 years of the tribulation, not the beginning.” The woman is Israel, the child is Jesus. That event happened a couple of thousand years ago so at least that portion 12 IS NOT about the last three point five years of the Tribulation. The timeline of the Revelation is not a smooth line.
>> If the notion that September 23 2017 marks the sign of the Woman as per Revelation 12, the we should have already been in the middle of the tribulation period already with 3.5 years to go.<<
Simply because the sign occurs in the middle of the Book of Revelation does not necessitate that it is the middle of the Tribulation.
Also, if your thesis is that the Chid being Christ rather than the body of Christ, the Church, your timeline would put Rev 12 two thousand years ago.
Harpazo would indicate that the Acts 1 ascension of Christ from the Mt. of Olives was something of a rescue, quickly and done with outside force.
Phonetic Spelling har-pad’-zo Parts of Speech Verb
Definition
to seize, carry off by force
to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly
to snatch out or away
King James Word Usage - Total: 13
catch up 4, take by force 3, catch away 2, pluck 2, catch 1, pull 1
The word used is Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
har-pad’-zo Verb
Definition
to seize, carry off by force
to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly
to snatch out or away
King James Word Usage - Total: 13
catch up 4, take by force 3, catch away 2, pluck 2, catch 1, pull 1
In Acts 1 Christ is not in need of rescue and is patiently giving instructions to the disciples. They, in turn, have to finally be told to leave.
Since this thread is about exhausted on this topic, I would recommend visiting the ERF site for a more thorough briefing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvbZ-eZ_glg