Nostradamus, astrologie en de Bijbel - een onderzoek van zijn profetieën en brieven - T.W.M. van Berkel, private publication, price: € 30

In Nostradamus, astrologie en de Bijbel, Theo van Berkel describes the results of his investigation of the predictions in the quatrains of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), all around known as Nostradamus. In an early stage of his 20 years of investigation, Van Berkel concludes that astrology - especially astrological techniques which were often applied in the 16th century - is the key to the predictions of Nostradamus.

In the book, the investigation is systematically described in full detail. Van Berkel uses amongst other matters two letters by Nostradamus: one to his son Cesar and one to king Henry II (translations of both letters are included). By means of fragments of both letters, an astrological time model is reconstructed which Nostradamus, according to Van Berkel, applied to calculate the number of years of existence of the world. By means of this model, which is based on old astrological principles and data, borrowed from the Bible, he calculates a duration of the existence of the world of 8 millennia. These millennia run from April 25, 4174 BC, until April 25, 3827 AD. Van Berkel calls this model: the millennium model.
The predictions in the quatrains are supposed to deal with events which will occur from the sixth until the eighth millennium. Nostradamus might have written his predictions in order to reveal Gods decisions about what will happen in the world until the end of time, which he dates on April 25, 3827.

The investigation shows that Nostradamus used two prediction systems. This is one reason why there are many contradictions in the predictions. Van Berkel called these systems the CD100-system and the CD4-system. The CD100-system is the prediction system in which one degree of motion of the Caput Draconis equals one hundred years in the time span of the predictions. The CD4-system is the prediction system in which one degree of motion of the Caput Draconis equals four years of fulfilment in the time span of the quatrains. According to Van Berkel, this time span starts on March 1, 1555 and ends on November 9, 3797.
The CD100-systeem points to the same date for for the end of the world as the millennium model does.

Van Berkel reconstructs the reference number systems, used by Nostradamus, by interpreting the years in the quatrains as reference numbers in the time span 1555 - 3797. According to this system, every year is added to March 1, 1555, the beginning date of the time span of the quatrains. In this context, the author discusses numerous quatrains, among which the famous quatrain 10-72, interpreted by many as a reference to the Eclipse of August 11, 1999 and the recent millennium change: The year one thousand nine hundred ninety nine / From the heaven will come a great king of terror / To resuscitate the great Angoulmois king / Before and after Mars will reign by good luck. Because of his analysis, Van Berkel concludes that according to the system, applied by Nostradamus, this quatrain will be fulfilled on October 1, 3554. The year 1999 equals the 1999th year in the series of 2242 years, counting from March 1, 1554, and is converted into the year 3554.

Van Berkel also examines the value of the predictions of Nostradamus. he concludes that they will not be fulfilled. Those predictions which are expired are one by one not fulfilled, which is shown by critical analysis. Those predictions which deal with future events are in contradiction with each other, as Van Berkel shows.

The book - published privately - is a thorough, comprehensive study of the prophecies of Nostradamus, and relates it clearly with the era in which these prophecies were conceived. It should not be missed by those who are seriously interested in the writings of Nostradamus.

AstroFocus nr. 20, September 2003

Jan van der Holst

AstroFocus is the quarterly magazine of the AVN, the Astrological Professional Society in the Netherlands. Its circulation is 450 copies.
Internet: http://www.avn-astrologie.nl