The Apocalypse of John

The Revelation to John

An astronomic historical Investigation is the title of the German edition of the 1905 book by the Russian astronomer Nikolai Alexandrovich Morozov.

  1. The weekday of the event is named explicitly : Rev. 1,10: I was in the Spirit on Sunday.
  2. The description of the skies starts quite systematically at the pole with a constellation named Throne (today: Ursa Minor) : Rev. 4,2: And a throne was set in heaven.
  3. The text continues mentioning the Milky Way and the signs of the zodiac denoting the four seasons: Lion, Taurus, Sagittarius and Eagle (today: Aquarius): Rev. 4,6-7: And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
  4. The four horses were interpreted by Morozov as traditional metaphors for the planets Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and Saturn. The constellations Sagittarius, Perseus, Libra and Scorpion were sitting on them : Rev. 6,2: And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow. Rev. 6,4: And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Rev. 6,5: And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. Rev. 6,8: And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
  5. Sun and Moon were named explicitly. The only female character within the zodiac is Virgo : Rev. 12,1: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
  6. As a Harlot, the planet Venus will be blamed, eventually. Venus, the symbol of female eroticism, united with the red star Antares (Anti-Mars) within the constellation Scorpion: Rev. 17,3-4: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

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