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Prophet of the age.
Nostradamus.
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 15 th 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 40 th 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.
Armaggeddon.
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.
Click here for Nostradamus’ greatest successes.
Nostradamus and the September 11 attacks.
The predictions of Mother Shipton.
Did Atlantis really exist? Click here for a great new site dedicated entirely
to the Atlantis Mystery.
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