On Halloween, October 31, a 2000 foot wide near Earth object, believed to be a dead comet, passed within 300,000 miles of Earth.
The object surprised astronomers in many ways. First, it was only discovered three week previously, an uncomfortable lead time for a near Earth object of its size. Then they underestimated its size by 50%. Finally, the object was at first thought to be an asteroid, but its surface darkness convinced them it was a dead comet which had shed all of its water and gaseous materials.
The most recent close near Earth object came on February 15, 2013 when an asteroid the size of a small church building came with 18,000 miles of Earth (See our Blog of 2/13/13 “A Celestial Warning Shot”) Though a relatively small object, its speed give it great force. In fact, an asteroid of similar size was believed to have been the cause of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The asteroid was a warning to a world sinking deeper into the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, but also a message that the door to repentance and salvation was still open.
On that same day, February 15, 2013, the largest meteor strike in a century hit Russia (See our Blog of 3/26/14, “Revisiting the Russian Meteors”) The object, smaller than the asteroid flying by, exploded with the force of a nuclear bomb, causing great damage but thankfully no loss of life. The largest meteor strike in the preceding century also hit Russia in 1908, at the time the Russians took a fateful step which ultimately led to their involvement in the First World War. The meteor strike of 2013 appeared to have been a warning to Russia, similar to the 1908 strike, about the dangerous path it had taken, first by aiding Iranian nuclear ambitions against Israel and secondly by beginning an imperial expansion policy.
As the Halloween Comet passed by, many people joked about the “Zombie” dead comet and its skull like appearance in radar images. However, like the pagan holiday of Halloween itself, the object was a true killer. At 2000 times the size of the February 15, 2013 asteroid, it could destroy whole nations if it hit the Earth. Like the 2013 asteroid, it is a warning, perhaps more urgent, to seek the Lord while He may be found.
The path of the comet on its October 31 close encounter with Earth also conveys a message. It first passed through the constellation Taurus (The Bull), representing the judgment to come on the wicked. However, it quickly moved into Auriga (The Shepherd), which tells of God’s ability to protect his people in the midst of judgment. Then the comet moved into Ursa Major (The Assembly), which represents the Church. At its closest to Earth the comet passed within half of a degree of the bright Ursa Major star Phaeda, which means “Guarded.” The message is one of judgment to the wicked and protection to the righteous who will be “Guarded” from harm.
Tonight at about 10:00 look to the East and you will see Taurus (The Bull) and Auriga (The Shepherd) rising. On the Northern Horizon you will see the stars of Ursa Major (The Assembly).
The little dead comet will be long gone, but there will be another comet passing through Ursa Major in January.
In the meanwhile, remember the Halloween Comet and also remember to tell someone that God “guards” the righteous while He punishes the wicked.
