UFOs in the Bible

Baptism of Christ by Aert de Gelder

The Holy Bible contains some of the oldest UFO sightings on record. Including, perhaps the most famous of all, the Star of Bethlehem.

It is extraordinary how many UFO accounts there are in ancient records and religions – from totally different places, periods of history, cultures and belief systems. Whatever your views on the UFO phenomenon – it is certainly not new.

The terminology of some of these archaic UFO accounts may be unfamiliar to us, but, when viewed objectively, the words used are in fact no less primitive than those used in modern times. What, we might wonder, will future generations make of a culture which described extraterrestrial spacecraft as “flying saucers”, or “cigar-shaped objects”?

UFO references in the Bible can be looked at in the context of who the Master Jesus really was – a Cosmic Master. The Bible even refers to his other worldly origins. When speaking about his disciples, he says, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world,” in John, chapter 17, verse 16. Later, he more explicitly describes himself as being from “the bright and morning star” (the planet Venus), in Revelations, chapter 22, verse 16.

Below are two extracts from the book Contacts with the Gods from Space, by Dr. George King with Richard Lawrence, which look at so-called “UFOs” in the Bible, preceded by a short video featuring both authors speaking on the subject.

This is just the tip of the ufological iceberg in terms of how much material there is on this subject in pre-modern literature. There are even mysterious depictions of UFOs in art, in a diverse array of paintings such as the 18th-century ‘Baptism of Christ’ by Aert de Gelder.

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The Annunciation with Emidius, by Carlo Crivelli

The Bible is not completely accurate as an historical document. Numerous scholarly researchers have shown that not only has it been through different translations, but several different scribes have worked on it, some with political motivations of varying kinds, thereby introducing considerable potential for inconsistency. This does not make it worthless – far from it. It is a very valuable document but it cannot be regarded as completely accurate. Everything which follows in this section should be read in the light of this.

The most often quoted account of a biblical UFO occurs in the Book of Ezekiel. This description, which is dated by scholars as occurring in approximately 600 BC, took place when Ezekiel was among the captives in Chaldea by the Chebar River. Ezekiel, Chapter 1, Verse 4, reads as follows:

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

This beautiful description of a UFO continues with what is commonly described as “a close encounter of the third kind”. A close encounter of the first kind is a UFO sighting. This type of close encounter has been reported by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. A close encounter of the second kind includes some kind of physical evidence of a UFO sighting, such as a photograph or some physical substance from the craft. This type of close encounter is much rarer than the first, but there have been photographs taken of extraterrestrial spacecraft. A close encounter of the third kind is a meeting with one or more occupants of UFOs who are visitors from other planets. After studying the abundance of evidence for UFOs there is no doubt in my mind that UFOs do exist and have been seen through the ages in a multitude of different countries and cultures (Note 1). What many people do not realise is that, according to opinion polls, believers in UFOs are in a majority, not a minority, as the media often like to imply.

The important thing about UFOs is not so much the craft itself but the people who man and control these craft. Ezekiel’s account is therefore very revealing. He witnessed four Interplanetary Beings stepping out of this UFO and received information and instructions from them. He referred to them as “living creatures”. Later in the same chapter there is a more detailed description of the spacecraft, which is described as “a wheel in the middle of a wheel” and having “eyes round about them four”. This last description is taken to refer to portholes which have often been seen in UFO sightings. A wheel within a wheel could be an inner superstructure revolving whilst an outer one remains stationary. This type of phenomenon has also been witnessed.

After the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, led by Moses, there are numerous descriptions of UFOs which seem to have often accompanied them. Of course, the scribes writing the Bible did not use the kind of terminology that we use. They would refer to clouds and stars with the properties of high speed movement and flight control, as well as fiery chariots and so on. The following extract from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 13, Verses 21-22 is a typical example:

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them along the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

This description of pillars of cloud and fire is very close to the cigar-shaped description of a UFO. In fact I much prefer the Biblical description of a pillar to the far less evocative one of a cigar! In the 20th century we have become more mundane in our descriptive terminology. Compare, for example, “wheel in the middle of a wheel”, with the rather facile term, “flying saucer”.

The Prophet Elijah was taken to heaven in a space vehicle; his follower Elisha was with him at the time and witnessed this, and II Kings, Chapter 2, Verse 11, reads as follows:

And it came to pass, as they (Elijah and Elisha) still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Obviously the chariot and horses represent a vehicle to the Biblical scribes and the whirlwind suggests an apparent vortex of energy which is often described in UFO sightings.

The Prophet Zechariah gave a very precise description of a UFO, in Chapter 5,

Verses 1-2:

Then I turned and lifted up mine eyes and looked, and behold, a flying scroll. And he said unto me, “What seest thou?” I answered, I see a flying scroll, the length thereof is 20 cubits, and the breadth thereof 10 cubits.

A scroll, of course, would be a similar shape to the cigar-shaped type of object.

[…]

However, before leaving the Judaic-Christian UFO legacy, I must refer to possibly the most significant and famous biblical sighting of them all, namely, the Star of Bethlehem.

An excerpt from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 2, Verses 9-11, reads as follows:

And, lo, the Star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the Star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him.

It is staggering to think that for centuries it was believed that a star had led the three wise men to a stable in Bethlehem. If a star were to come near enough to this planet, assuming that gravity allowed it to do so in the first place, and then pinpointed a country, never mind a city, never mind a young child in a stable in an inn, there would be a dire cosmic catastrophe. All the laws of science prove that stars cannot possibly do that. No, this was a classic example of a UFO leading three advanced men to a great Interplanetary Master who had been born on this Planet to perform a specific mission.

[…]

Another ancient religious text, the Hindu Vedas also refer to UFOs. Find out more about UFOs, aliens and their spiritual message.

List of references to UFOs in the Bible

Below is a list of some of the books, chapters and verses from the King James Version of the Bible that appear to contain references to UFOs.

A UFO described as a flying scroll

Zechariah 5:1
I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll.

Zechariah 5:2
He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll, twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”

UFOs described as a cloud, a pillar of cloud, or a pillar of fire

Exodus 13:21
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Exodus 13:22
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Exodus 14:19
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

Exodus 14:24
And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

Exodus 33:9
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.

Exodus 34:5
And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

Numbers 12:5
And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

Numbers 14:14
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

Deuteronomy 31:15
And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

Nehemiah 9:12
Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

Nehemiah 9:19
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 26:64
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 9:7
And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Mark 13:26
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 14:62
And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Acts 1:9
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Revelation 10:1
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

Probably the most famous UFO of all, the Star of Bethlehem

Matthew 2:2
Saying, 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 2:7
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Matthew 2:9
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

A UFO described as a wheel in the middle of a wheel

Ezekiel 1:16
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

UFOs described as a whirlwind

2 Kings 2:1
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Job 38:1
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Job 40:6
Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Ezekiel 1:4
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.