THE HEAVENS

DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD

Prophecy Confirmed

Luke Chapters 1 & 2; The Magi Journey to Bethlehem

Leviticus 23; Feasts of the Lord Calendar of Events

Matthew 2; Events at Jesus’ Birth

Daniel 9:24-25;  Prophecy of Jesus’ 1^st and 2^nd Coming

Revelation 12:1-5; Scriptural Verification of Celestial Events

Daniel 1:4 & 2:48  Daniel Designated Administrator of the Wise Men (Magi)

THE STARS DECLARE HIS GLORY

Related Scripture

(See last section of this document)

Gen. 1:4

Gen. 49:8-10

Psalm 19:1-4

Psalm 110:1-4

Matthew 2:1-2

Num. 24:17-19

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STAR OF BETHLEHEM SUMMARY

By  www.FeastsOfTheLord.Net

Etymology of MAGI

When the magi asked “Where is one born King of the Jews”, these men may have been Jewish and may have known the messianic hope when they came to worship the newly-born King of the Jews according to Scripture:  “For we saw His star in the east”.  This does not mean that they saw the star that was in the east, but more probably “we saw His star at its rising”, which is the normal course of events as the earth turns.  The term ‘magi’ comes from an Indo-European root and some find it of Babylonian origin or among the Medes/Persians who were a priestly caste of magi like the Chaldeans in Babylon (Dan.1:4).  Daniel the prophet was head of such an order (Dan. 2:48).  In Matthew, the idea seems to be that the Magi are astrologers.  However, Babylon was the center of astronomy (not astrology) for the broader Arabian-Persia area.

“…young men in whom [there was] no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who [had] ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.” Dan.1:4 (NKJV)

“Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise [men] of Babylon.”  Dan.2:48 (NKJV)

The Magi observed the multiple celestial events of Jupiter’s and Venus’ double conjunctions first in Leo, then in Virgo; then the triple conjunctions between Jupiter and Regulus culminated with one of two final events.

First the alignment of multiple celestial bodies with Bethlehem. Second, Jupiter stopped moving in the sky near Regulus for 6 days on December 25 02 B.C., the time period of Jesus’ conception which occurred previously in 04 B.C. according to Luke 1 & 2 and Daniel 9:24 & 25.

See Jesus’ Birth Day website page for further details.

These events of Jupiter and Venus in the constellations of Leo and Virgo convinced the Magi of their need to travel to Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, and seek the new Messiah/King Who the star proclaimed had been born.

Note: The stars do not foretell events; but are confirming by proclamation events of Scriptural prophecy that have occurred.

Just days from Jesus’ 1^st birthday, an alignment of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, the Sun and the Moon occurred in Leo on August 27^th, 02 B.C.   This was a close grouping, or massing, of the planets and the moon at one hour seem to point to Bethlehem when viewed from Jerusalem. 

With Babylon being located due east of Jerusalem, the Magi only had to make hourly adjustments to determine when this alignment would reach Jerusalem.

The Magi having known the alignment of Jerusalem to Bethlehem was at an approximate azimuth of 200^o degrees SSW were able to replicate what they observed in Babylon.   

However this alignment occurred during the day – Scripture states “we walk by faith, not by sight”.  Nevertheless, they were visible at sunrise, and the Magi were able to determine when those celestial bodies would align with Bethlehem.

Reminded of the Scriptures speaking of Bethlehem being the place where the Messiah would be born, this must have been the final celestial event that convinced the Magi to travel some 700 miles from presumably Babylon to Jerusalem.  Given that this was a trip of approximately 700 miles, it would take some 2.5 months to arrive in Jerusalem.  They would have arrived in Jerusalem near the end of November, or beginning of December of 02 B.C.

Having arrived in Jerusalem, the Magi would then have appeared before King Herod with their inquiry as to where the new king was located.

Then the Magi saw the final celestial event proclaiming the king had been born.  On Dec. 25^th 02 B.C., the approximate date of Jesus’ conception.  Jupiter the king planet performs a retrograde motion, appearing to stand still in the southern sky for 6 days in the constellation of Virgo as mentioned in Matthew Chapter 2.  

Photo is a computer image by an eastern view from Jerusalem,

On 8/12/03 B.C.             PHOTO

Celestial phenomena do not foretell events alone.  Without Scripture they are not proof; they can only proclaim and confirm Scriptural prophecies.

The Apostle John’s reflection in Revelation 12:1-5 and other Scriptures (listed below) clearly describe the celestial events proclaiming the birth of the Messiah /King occurring with Jupiter and Venus in Leo and Virgo and then the alignments of the stars, planets and moon over Bethlehem.    

Daniel 9:24-25 prophesies the coming of the Messiah: “From the time the order was given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of Messiah the Prince would be 69 periods of seven”.  In other words, 173,880 days would pass until the Messiah would arrive.  In Nehemiah 2:1,8 Artexerxes, the king of Babylon gave that order to Nehemiah. 

Jesus, having fulfilled this prophecy in 30 A.D., provides us the opportunity to jointly combine Luke chapters 1 & 2 and Daniel 9:24-25 for confirmation of the proof of Scripture.

Luke chapters 1 & 2 confirm Jesus’ conception near Hanukkah (in 04 B.C.) and His birth in September (03 B.C.), 33 years prior to His crucifixion in 30 A.D.  Consequently, this also confirms the prophecy provided by Daniel the prophet.

See Jesus’ Birth Day web page for further details.

Events that the Magi Observed During a 17-Month Period

From August, 03 B.C. to December, 02 B.C.

Also, part of the difficulty is caused by disagreement among scholars about when Herod died.  The commonly quoted date for King Herod’s death is 4 B.C.   

Scholars writing in the first and second centuries A.D. declared that Jesus was born between what we now call 4 B.C. and 1 B.C.  They were living much closer to the event and had access to thousands of historical records.   

The Magi presumably described to Herod the timing of events starting in September of 3 B.C. and continuing through December of 2 B.C.

4 B.C. Events:

According to the book of Luke, chapters 1-2 and Leviticus 23 Feasts of the Lord, Jesus was conceived in the biblical month of Kislev (Nov. 21-28, 04 B.C.), the ninth month of the biblical year when Hanukkah is celebrated, during the months which we call November/December.

See greater detail in Jesus’ Birthday web page.

9 months later, Jesus’ Birthday would therefore have occurred on the biblical month of Tishri 4, 03 B.C. (Sept. 11, 03 B.C.).   The Feast of Trumpets aka Rosh Hashanah, initiates on Tishri 1 three feasts for a period of 22 days; spanning the Feasts of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement, culminated every 50 years with the Year of Jubilee, and then finally the Feast of Tabernacles.

The month of Tishri in September/October is initiated on the first day of the month with the Feast of Trumpets, which represents a call for repentance prior to the Feast of Atonement  aka Judgment ten days later on Tishri 10. 

This is followed once every 50 years by the year of Jubilee which commences immediately upon the close of the Feast of Atonement on the 11^th day of Tishri.  Then the Feast of Tabernacles follows 4 days later on the 15^th day of Tishri and celebrated for 8 days; 22 days total.

The magi, possibly having known the prophecy from Scripture combined with the celestial displays of the 17-month period from August, 03 B.C. to December, 02 B.C. took on increased symbolic meaning to them over time.

The Magi came to an increased realization

That the Heavens seemed to be

Declaring the Glory of God.

This Culminated with their Declaration to Herod that a

King - the Messiah had been Born; Born in Judea, in Bethlehem.

3 B.C. Events:  Conjunctions starting in August 03 B.C. 

First:

Jupiter, the King of the Planets and Venus the mother of planets form a conjunction (#1) on August 12, 3 B.C. at 3:30 A.M. in the constellation of Leo.

Jupiter circles the Sun far beyond Earth, in an orbit of about twelve years’ duration.  In ancient times, planets like Jupiter were considered "wandering stars."  

Jupiter, the king of the planets and Venus, symbol for the mother of the planets formed a conjunction in the constellation of Leo the lion (symbol for Judah).  Their combined brilliant light drew the attention of the Magi.

Second:

Jupiter's conjunction with Regulus (#1 of 3) occurred between the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Atonement on September 11, 03 B.C.  Regulus, the chief star in Leo, lay practically in the path of the Sun, and was therefore afforded the additional epithet of “Royal Star”. Here was the “King planet” now coming into contact with the “King Star” - AND in the Royal Constellation. In the constellation of Leo, Jupiter, the king of the planets circles around Regulus king of the stars, as if crowning a king.

Jupiter first conjunction with Regulus, the star of kingship, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, the Lion, the constellation of kings, was associated with the Lion of Judah.  The magi searched for further signs, and found them, in the triple conjunction of Jupiter with Regulus, plus the double conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, between August 03 B.C. and May 02 B.C., and more.

Third:

In the meantime, Venus migrates from the constellation of Leo to the constellation of Virgo. 

That year, the sun was in the sign of Virgo for 20 days between

August 27th and September 11^th 03 B.C. 

Venus then appears to arise clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet on September 11^th of 03 B.C.  But only for about an hour and a half at sunrise, during that time was the moon under the feet of Virgo.

The last book of the New Testament is, in part, a prophetic enigma.  A portion of the Book of Revelation Chapter 12 provides clear and compelling guidance for our astronomical investigation.  The apostle John wrote the book Revelation full of star imagery.  In Chapter 12, John describes a life and death drama played out in the sky: the birth of a king; as Jesus was born on or near mid to late September 11-18, 03 B.C. per Luke 1 and 2. 

Rev. 12: 1-5

   1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

  2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

  3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.

  4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.

  5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre...

A woman in labor, a dragon bent on infanticide and a ruler of the nations. We have already seen this ruler in the Book of Genesis, above. This would be the Messiah, in his role as King of Kings. If that interpretation is correct, then according to the gospel story the woman would be Mary, the mother of Jesus. The dragon which waits to kill the child at birth would be Herod, who did that very thing. John says the woman he saw was clothed in the Sun. She had the moon at her feet. What can he be describing?

September 11, of 3 B.C., the mystery of John's vision is unlocked.  He is describing more of the starry dance which began with the Jewish New Year on September 11^th 03 B.C.  The Jewish New Year starts on the Feast of Trumpets at the first sighting of a new moon, in the 7^th  biblical month called Tishri; our September.

As Jupiter was beginning the (the first of three conjunctions) coronation of Regulus in September 11, 03 B.C. to May 8, 02 B.C., another startling symbol rose in the sky:  The constellation which rises in the east behind Leo is Virgo, the Virgin.

When Jupiter and Venus first met in Leo on August 12, 03 B.C., Venus then migrated to Virgo and rose on 9-11-03 B.C., clothed in the Sun.  And as John said, the moon was at her feet.  It was a new moon, symbolically birthed at the feet of The Virgin (the constellation Virgo).

    The Feast of Trumpets on a new moon

    Jupiter and Regulus conjoin to formulate a rare brilliant star.

    Venus rises clothed in the sun with moon at her feet on the

    new moon in Virgo.

    Jesus’ Birthday !

The sheer concentration of symbolism in the stars at this moment is remarkable. These things could certainly lead our magi to conclude that a Jewish king had been born. But even this is not the whole story.  These symbols could indicate a birth. 

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The attached photo shows computer images of Revelation 12:1-5 as described by the apostle John. 

Following the 8/12/03 B.C. conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Leo, the photo below, is a view of Venus after it had migrated to Virgo. 

The photo is from the vantage of the eastern horizon from Jerusalem, on 9/11/03 BC at the approximate date of Jesus’ birth.

See Rev. 12:1-5                                                   PHOTO

                                                                          9/11/03 B.C.

The Jewish nation is composed of twelve ancient tribes. Jewish prophecy states that a particular tribe will bring forth the Messiah: the tribe of Judah. 

The symbol of Judah's tribe is the lion.  You can see these connections in an ancient prediction of Messiah's coming found in the first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, Chapter 49:9-10.

9 You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness-- who dares to rouse him?

10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is his.

This association of Messiah with the tribe of Judah and with the lion is a productive clue.  It clarifies the connection between Jupiter's behavior and the Jewish nation, because the starry coronation—the triple conjunction—occurred within the constellation of Leo, The Lion.  Ancient stargazers, particularly if they were interested in things Jewish, may well have concluded they were seeing signs of a Jewish king. But there is more.

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Fourth:

Then Jupiter in Leo, with Venus in Virgo, and a new moon align on September 25^th 03 B.C.

Fifth:

On December 1, 3 B.C., Jupiter stopped its motion through the fixed stars and began its annual “retrograde” motion. In doing so, it once again headed toward Regulus.

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2 B.C. Events Conjunctions

Sixth:

Jupiter’s and Regulus’ (#2 of 3) conjunction occurred in Leo on February 17, 2 B.C. (3:40 a.m.),

Seventh:

Jupiter’s and Regulus’ (#3 of 3) conjunction occurred again in Leo on May 8^th 2 B.C. at (7:10 a.m.)

It appeared as though the King Planet was circling over and around Regulus, the King Star, “homing in” on it with a tighter circle, as if pointing out the significance of the King Star, as it related to the King Planet. This circular movement of Jupiter over Regulus would, in all probability, have signaled that a great king was then destined to appear.

Matthew in the King James Version has the Magi saying “we have seen his star in the East”.  A more accurate translation is “we have seen his star at its rising”.

 “… Where is He that is born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.”  Matthew 2:2

Eighth:

The constellation which rises in the East behind Leo is Virgo, the Virgin.

Since their first conjunction in August 12, 03 B.C.,  Jupiter and Venus form their 2^nd conjunction (#2 of 3) in Virgo on June 17, 2 B.C.   Venus then seems to travel further into the constellation of Virgo.  Venus again appears to arise clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet in the constellation of Virgo, the virgin, just as was revealed to the apostle John (Rev.12:1-5).

Finally, On June 17, 2 B.C. Venus and Jupiter joined again; this time in the constellation Virgo.   The two planets were at best 6” (arc seconds) apart.  In fact, some calculations indicate that they actually overlapped each other.  This conjunction occurred during the evening and would have appeared as one very bright star.  Even if they were 6” apart, it would have required the sharpest of eyes to distinguish each of the two, because of their brightness. This exceptionally rare event could not have been missed by the magi.

The conjunction would have only been visible for a short time (1.5 hours) at sunrise.  It is quite possible that this conjunction was what brought the Magi to Jerusalem.  This conjunction then seemed to travel west and to set in the rays of the sun, in the direction of Judea.

By June 17, 2 B.C., Jupiter had finished crowning Regulus (May 8, 02 BC).  The Planet of Kings traveled on through the star field toward another spectacular rendezvous, this time with Venus, the Mother Planet in Virgo.  This conjunction was so close and so bright that it is today displayed in hundreds of planetaria around the world by scientists who may know nothing of Messiah.  They do it because what Jupiter did makes such a great planetarium show.  Jupiter actually appeared to join Venus.  The planets could not be distinguished with the naked eye.  If our magus had had a telescope, he could have seen that the planets sat one atop the other, like a figure eight. Each contributed its full brightness to what became the most brilliant star these men had ever seen.  Jupiter completed this step of the starry dance as it was setting in the west. That evening, our Babylonian magi would have seen the spectacle of his career while facing toward Judea.

Ninth:

An alignment of Jupiter, Mars, Venus , Mercury, the Sun and the Moon occurred in Leo on August 27^th, 2 B.C.  This was a close grouping, or massing, of the planets and the moon at one hour seem to point to Bethlehem when viewed from Jerusalem. 

Alignment view is due to the coincidence that both Jerusalem and Bethlehem are at the same azimuth of degrees SSW; as are the planets from true north. It is fascinating that this also occurred in the constellation Leo.

Photo is a computer image by an eastern view

from Jerusalem, On 8/27/02 B.C.:

During this time, the alignment of Jupiter, Mars, Venus , Mercury, the Sun and the Moon occurred in Leo on August 27^th, 02 B.C.  as they pointed toward BETHLEHEM, just days from Jesus’ 1^st birthday!

However this occurred during the day.  Nevertheless, they were visible at sunrise, and the Magi were able to determine when they would align with Bethlehem, just as the Scriptures had foretold !

                                                                                  PHOTO

Tenth:

The “star” they followed was the planet Jupiter, the King Planet.  It had gone through its retrograde motion and appeared to stand still on precisely December 25, 2 B.C. in the southern sky.   This occurred exactly two years after Jesus’ conception; according to the book of Luke chapters 1 and 2, and Leviticus “Feasts of the Lord”.

See greater detail in Jesus’ Birthday and Hanukkah web pages.

From Jerusalem it would appear that Jupiter had come to rest directly over Bethlehem, just 5 miles SSE of Jerusalem.   It remained there for nearly six days.  Furthermore, being near the Winter Solstice, the sun was also “standing still” and to add to the symbolic significance, it was stationary in the center, or perhaps “womb”, of the constellation Virgo.

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Jupiter comes to Leo's star Regulus every 12 years.  During the final 2-year period of each 12-year cycle, Jupiter circles Regulus. 

Jupiter does two conjunctions with Regulus in 83 years.  Each 83-year period is divided into 7 cycles of 12 years. 

Therefore, a complete 581-year series of cycles is comprised of seven 83-year cycles, each of which comprise seven 12-year cycles, i.e. 7x (7x12) = 581.

Jesus was born during the seventh 83-year cycle and on the seventh cycle of Jupiter’s seven 83-year cycles.  This also happened to be on the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, near the Seventh Feast of the Lord per Lev. 23 and Luke 1-2. 

See greater detail in Jesus’ Birth Day web page.

Furthermore, it is very possible that Jesus may have been circumcised near the Feast of Tabernacles when Jesus, 33 years later, would proclaim Himself to be the Light of the World Who would provide “Living Water” to all those who would believe in Him.

See ‘Elohim’ website page.

The planets move against the field of fixed stars.  From Earth, they appear to be "active."  For example, were you to watch Jupiter each night for several weeks, you would see that it moves eastward through the starry field.  Each night Jupiter rises in the east (satisfying a second Star qualification).  Each night it appears to be slightly farther east in the field of fixed stars.  All of the planets move like this.

But the wandering stars exhibit another, stranger motion.  Periodically, they appear to reverse course and move backward through the other stars (retrograde motion).  This may seem odd, but the reason is simple enough: we watch the planets from a moving platform—Earth—hurtling around the Sun in its own orbit.  To illustrate this, when you pass a car on the freeway, it appears to go backward as it drops behind.  For similar reasons, when the Earth in its orbit swings past another planet, that planet appears to move backward against the starry field.  Astronomers call this optical effect retrograde motion.

In 03 and 02 B.C., Jupiter's retrograde wandering (reversed direction of movement) would have called for our magus' full attention.  After Jupiter and Regulus had their kingly encounter, Jupiter continued on its path through the star field; but then it entered retrograde.  It "changed its mind" and headed back to Regulus for a second conjunction.  After this second pass, it reversed course again for yet a third rendezvous with Regulus, a triple conjunction.  A triple pass like this is even rarer.  Over a period of months, our watching magus would have seen the Planet of Kings dance out a halo above the Star of Kings - a coronation.

The problem with a planet stopping is not what you might think.  It isn’t that planets can't stop; just the opposite.  The problem is that all planets are always stopped to the eye of a human observer.  The sky moves above Earth at half the speed of the hour hand on a common clock.  Its movement is imperceptible to the naked eye.  So, if all stars are always stopped, what could Matthew have meant?

To qualify as the Star, Jupiter would have to have been ahead of the Magi as they trekked west from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Sure enough, in December of 22 B.C. if the Magi looked south in the wee hours, there hung the Planet of Kings over the city of Messiah's birth.

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On December 25 of 2 B.C. Jupiter did stop in the constellation of Virgo

as it entered retrograde, Jupiter reached full stop in its travel through the fixed stars. Magi viewing from Jerusalem would have seen it stopped in the sky for 6 days above the little town of Bethlehem.  But this is only the beginning.

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JUPITER – CYCLES VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaKqpopQXOQ&feature=related

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Regulus

Shining brightly in the constellation Leo is a fast-spinning star that shoots through the cosmos like an extra-wide bullet, perplexing astronomers as it moves through space in the same direction as its polar axis.

Researchers have long known that Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, spins much faster than the Sun, but new observations with an array of telescopes pinned down the star's odd motion and a host of other characteristics.

"We don't have any idea why it's really doing that," said Georgia State University astronomer Hal McAlister, who led the study of the star at the university's Center for High Angular Resolution (CHARA). "The picture makes me wonder what it would be like to be in a solar system with this type of star."

Regulus' axis is tilted about 86 degrees, presenting astronomers on Earth with an askew view of the star.

Using the CHARA array of telescopes atop California's Mount Wilson, McAlister and his team were able to make the first observations of how Regulus is shaped by its high-speed rotation: 700,000 miles (1.1 million kilometers) an hour spin at its equator. 

With such a high rate of rotation -- the Sun, for comparison, has an equatorial spin of about 4,500 miles (7,242 kilometers) an hour -- Regulus bulges out at the center to a diameter about 4.2 times that of Earth's home star. If Regulus spun just 10 percent faster it would rip itself apart, but that's not likely, researchers said.

"There's nothing that we know of that can speed this star up," McAlister told SPACE.com.

Although Regulus shines about 350 times brighter than the Sun, it burns hotter at its poles (15,100 degrees Celsius) than at the equator (10,000 degrees Celsius), where the pull of gravity is diminished by the star's distorted shape which in turn lowers the temperature, researchers said, adding that the poles shine five times brighter than the equator.

This article is part of SPACE.com's weekly Mystery Monday series.

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“The Heavens Declare the Glory of God”

Prophecy Confirmed

Ps. 19:1

According to the book of Luke chapters 1 & 2 and Leviticus chapter 23, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the 6^th month (December) of Elizabeth’s pregnancy (Luke 1:36), during which period the Feast of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights is held.  This feast is also celebrated on the 25^th day of Kislev.  Jesus’ birthday, therefore, would have been 9 months later in September, during the 7^th biblical month called Tishri (September), during which the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles are celebrated.

However, according to Daniel 9:24-25, who prophesied that from the order to restore and rebuilt Jerusalem until the coming of Messiah the Prince would be 69 periods of seven or 483 prophetic years (360 days per year).

This order was given to Nehemiah by King Artexerxes in 445 B.C. in the first biblical month called Nissan (March/April).  483 prophetic years translates to 173,883 days at 360 days per year according to Daniel 7:25, 12:7 and Revelation 11:2.  Applying 173,883 days to a biblical lunar year of 354 days per year, according to the Feasts of the Lord, equates to an endpoint of the 6^th day of the third month in 30 A.D.  Coincidentally, the 6^th day of the 3^rd month is Pentecost.