I have often marveled at the coincidences of major events during the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) with the equinoxes and solstices. Are we missing the obvious?
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years.” Genesis 1:14
The Signs of the Restoration
Most of the major events that restored the original Church of Jesus Christ to the earth, have occurred within a few days of these astronomical moments. I have done enough research to present the following major events and their possibly corresponding astronomical events. (The S/E column indicates a solstice or equinox, and the Offset column shows the number of days the event varied from those.)
| Event | Event Date | S/E | Eqnx/Soltc Date | Days Offset | Heavenly Ministers |
| Joseph Smith born | December 23, 1905 | S | December 22, 1805 | 1 | – |
| First vision | March 26, 1820 | E | March 20, 1820 | 6 | Father & Son |
| Moroni Visit 1 | September 21, 1823 | E | September 23, 1823 | -2 | Moroni |
| Moroni Visit 2 | September 21, 1824 | E | September 22, 1824 | -1 | Moroni |
| Moroni Visit 3 | September 21, 1825 | E | September 23, 1823 | -2 | Moroni |
| Moroni Visit 4 | September 22, 1826 | E | September 23, 1823 | -1 | Moroni |
| Moroni gives plates | September 22, 1827 | E | September 23, 1827 | -1 | Moroni |
| Aaronic Priesthood | May 15, 1929 | S | June 21, 1829 | -36 | John Baptist |
| Mel. Priesthood | June, 1929 | S | June 21, 1829 | ? | Peter, James, John |
| Church Organized | April 6, 1930 | E | March 21, 1830 | 16 | – |
| Office of Apostle* | July 2, 1930 | S | June 21, 1830 | 11 | Peter, James, John |
| Passing of keys | April 3, 1836 | E | March 20, 1836 | 14 | Christ, Moses, ELias, Elijah |
| Relief Society | March 17, 1842 | E | March 21, 1842 | -4 | – |
| Joseph Martyred | June 27, 1844 | S | June 21, 1844 | 6 | – |
| Nauvoo Temple Dedication | May 1, 1846 | March 20, 1846 | 12 | Angels | |
| Totals | Events: | 15 | Offsets | 113 |
The date of Joseph Smith’s first vision is given as March 26, 1820. This comes from the research of two independent projects that both arrived at this date. The link will give you the results of their work.
The Computations
I actually am not sure what to think of all this except that it is a curious thing that so many of them fall within a few days of a solstice or equinox. There are about 92 days between these events so a completely random occurrence of historical events would exhibit an average of 23 days offset. The average here, even when I include the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, is 8.7 days. If we drop that one event (Afterall, the Melchizedek Priesthood completely comprehends the Aaronic.) then the average offset is 6.4 days.
But, if we drop the events that were not attended by particular ministrations (organization of the church and the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple), we get an average offset of 6.5 days. This seems to say that only visits by “extra-terrestials” are somehow attached to these astronomical events. And that seems consistent.
Does anyone have an approximate date for the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood? Judging from the other known major events, it must fall in late June. We could be so bold as to guess June 20th.
* Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints, Richard Lloyd Dewey, Stratford Books, 2014
