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THE GOSPEL IN THE STARS
Before we start this study of God's revelation to us of his soverignty from the beginning, we must "beware lest we lift up our eyes to heaven, and when we see the sun and the moon and the stars .. we are drawn away and worship them" (Deuteronomy 4:19).
God uses types throughout the Bible to depict his truth, therefore we should expect him to use types throughout creation to teach us also.
Consider some simple examples:
- The sun represents Jesus - "the sun of righteousness who rises with healing on his wings" (Malachi 4:2)
- The moon represents the Church - The Bride of Christ who becomes the "light of the world" in Jesus absence (Matthew 5:14), reflecting and showing His glory in the dark world.
- The stars represent the angels of God (Job 38:7, Revelation 1:20).
- The butterfly which changes from an ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. In its dormant phase within the pupa the animal totally disolves and becomes a biological soup. This is a type of the resurrection.
It is with this in mind that we now consider the message revealed to us every night from the heavens.
Who Named the Stars ?
While Adam gave names to all the animals (Genesis 2:20) on the earth it is evident that God gave the stars their names (Psalm 147:4, Isaiah 40:26). It is therefore no coincidence that every Zodiac around the world have the same basic figures depicted in the stars. The message of the heavens is very clearly there by God's design. "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speach and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speach nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them he has made a tabernacle for the sun" (Psalm 14: 1 - 4).
At the most prominent place in the heavens God placed the
constellation Draco, the dragon, which lies coiled about that point of
the sky they called "absolute north". This is the center of the circle
which the earth's north pole describes in the sky every 25,858 years. About
4000 BC the star Iota Draconis was the nearest visible star to the north
pole, while about 3000 BC the north pole centered exactly on the star Alpha
Draconis (also called Thuban), the brightest star in the constellation.
This portion of the Dragon is depicted as attempting to encoil the constellation
Ursa Minor which was originally called the "little flock", or "little sheepfold",
namely the faithful remnant of the people of God. We find this
exact picture written in the prose of the book of Revelation, Chapter 12, describing events yet to be enacted in human history! The pole star today is of course Polaris in Ursa Minor and will next enter the constellation Cepheus, which pictures God as the triumphant king over all the earth.
It is also notable that in primeval astronomy the dragon's head is shown
as being crushed under the foot of a hero who at the same time is using
a club to beat to death the Hydra who has stolen the fruit of immortality.
Head to head with this hero, set in mirror image across from him is a second
hero grappling with a huge snake whose gaping jaws are straining to grasp
"Corona Borealis", the Crown of the North. This second hero is also crushing
a vile enemy underfoot, this time it is the scorpion, yet even as he does
this another scorpion bites his heel. This early configuration of the constellations
around the north pole was derived from Biblical ideas.
The Zodiac
The Zodiac, the twelve constelations through which the sun appears to move also seem to have Biblical significance. It is interesting to note that when God lead the nation of Israel through the wilderness His presence was manifest in the midst of the twelve tribes. Similarly, Jesus fulfilled his earthly ministry in the midst of his twelve apostles. The sun, a type of the "sun of righteousness" (Malachi 4:2), runs its yearly witness in the midst of the twelve constelations.
Where to Begin ?
It is very interesting to note that the Sphinx in Egypt has proven
to be a very ancient structure, possibly outdating the Egyptian civilisation
by a thousand or more years. The erosion on its body appears to be caused
by running water, not by wind blown sand. The fact that it has the body
of a lion and the head of a human may be the clue to the true start and
end of the Zodiac circle.
The Story in the Stars
Here is the story. Consider:
The 48 Zodiacal Constellations (Left Column)
and
Their Fulfillment in the Gospel Story (Right Column)
| 1 VIRGO A young woman with a branch in her hand -Virgo's brightest star is Spica (meaning "Seed")
2. Coma, the Infant, the Branch, the Desired One (erroneously, Berenice's
Hair)
3. Centaurus, a centaur, with dart piercing a victim;
4. Bootes, or Arcturus, the great Shepherd and Harvester, holding
a rod and sickle, and walking forth before his flocks (erroneously called
Bears). |
BOOK 1--THE REDEEMER PROMISED
1. VIRGO: The virgin who will give birth to the "desired one"- Pointing to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ the Promised Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).
2. The seed (Christ) to be the Desire of nations
3· The Man of double nature in humiliation
4· Christ, to be the exalted Shepherd and Harvester... |
5.LIBRA (A set of Scales)
6. The Cross, over which Centaur is ad- vancing, called the Southern
Cross;
7.Victim of the Centaur, slain, pierced to death ;
8.The Crown, which the Serpent aims to take, called the Northern Crown. |
Book 1 CHAPTER 2 -The Price of Redemption
5. LIBRA: The purchase price of redemption - The very high price of Jesus' sacrifice.
6. The Cross endured
7. Christ, the Victim slain
8. The Crown of victory, purchased by Christ, in His intense struggles against
Satan. |
9. SCORPIO A scorpion (Note: the bright red star at the heart of this constellation is called "Antares" meaning Aries rival)
10. The Serpent, struggling with Ophiuchus;
11.Ophiucus, wrestling with the Serpent stung in one heel by the Scorpion,
and crushing it with the other;
12.Hercules, wounded in his heel, the other foot over the Dragon's
head, holding in one hand the Golden Apples and the three-headed Dog off
hell, and in the other the uplifted club. |
BOOK 1 CHAPTER 3. The Conflict
9.SCORPIO: The lawless one (The enemy) - Satan who has stung the human race bringing death to billions.
10. The Serpent's coils piercing the Savior
11. Christ struggling with the Enemy
12. Christ, the true Hercules, the toiling Vanquisher of evil, wounded in
His heel (the cross) but crushing Satan, the head of evil. |
13. SAGITTARIUS A centaur (figure of a horse with the arms and head of a man) with a drawn bow and arrow pointed at the Scorpion.
14. Lyra, an Eagle holding the Lyre, as in triumphant gladness;
15. Ara, the Altar, with consuming fires, burning downward;
16. Draco, the Dragon, the old Serpent, winding himself about the
Pole in horrid links and contortions. |
Book 1 CHAPTER FOUR - Overcomming
13. SAGITTARIUS The double-natured One triumphing as a Conqueror - Jesus who has overcome the work of the enemy and set free the captives.
14. Christ gladdens the heavens
15. Christ builds the fires of punishment, and endures them Himself in winning
our salvation.
16. Jesus casts down the Dragon |
17. CAPRICORNUS A goat sinking down in death.
18. Sagita, the Arrow, or killing dart sent forth, the naked shaft
of death;
19. Aquila, the Eagle, pierced and falling;
20. Delphinus, the Dolphin, springing up, raised out of the sea. |
BOOK 2 -THE REDEEMER'S PEOPLE
17. CAPRICORNUS: Life out of Death
18. The Arrow of God, the piercing truth; The arrow that finally pierced
Christ
19. He was pierced and falling ...
20. But then springing up again in abundant life |
21.AQUARIUS Figure of a man pouring water out of heaven.
22. The Southern Fish, drinking in the stream;
23. Pegasus, a white horse, winged and speed- ing, as with good tidings;
24. Cygnus, the Swan on the wing, going and returning, bearing the
sign of the cross. |
BOOK 2, CHAPTER TWO The Holy Spirit Given
21. AQUARIUS. Life-waters from on high; the Spirit poured out...
22. The Church drinks in the heavenly flood
23. They carry and speed the Good News
24. They bear aloft the Cross over all the earth |
25. PISCES The fish
26.The Band, holding up the Fishes, and held by the Lamb, its doubled
end fast to the neck of Cetus, the Sea-Monster;
27. Cepheus, a crowned king, holding a band and scepter, with his
foot planted on the polestar as the great Victor and Lord;
28.Andromeda, a woman in chains, and threatened by the serpents of
Medusa's head. |
BOOK 2, CHAPTER THREE - The Church
25. Pisces-- Swimming in the heavenly waters
26. The church is upheld and governed by the Lamb
27. Who is Head over all things to the Church
28. But the intended Bride is bound and exposed on earth, subject to a fallen
nature in a fallen world. |
29. ARIES A Ram (or male lamb)
30.Cassiopeia, the woman enthroned;
31. Cetus, the Sea-Monster, closely and strongly bound by the Lamb;
32. Perseus, an armed and mighty man with winged feet, who is carrying
away in triumph the cut off head of a monster full of writhing serpents,
and holding aloft a great sword in his right hand. |
BOOK 2, CHAPTER FOUR - The Lamb and His Bride Enter Glory
29. ARIES "The Lamb of God" who takes away the sin of the world entered into dominion .
30. The Bride released through the Mighty Sacrifice and making ready
31. Satan bound by Christ's sacrifice.
32. Christ the mighty man triumphing over the enemy |
33.TAURUS A figure of a bull.
34. Orion, a glorious Prince, with a sword girded on his side, and
his foot on the head of the Hare or Serpent;
35. Eridanus, the tortuous River, accounted as belonging to Orion;
36. Auriga, the Wagoner, rather the Shepherd- herd, carrying) a she-goat
and two little goats on his left arm, and holding cords or bands in his right
hand. |
BOOK 3 -- REDEMPTION COMPLETE
33.TAURUS The invincible Ruler come, the red heifer; also symbolizes the
power of the false church-state union at the end ...
34. The sublime Vanquisher, Christ returning in righteousness
35. The River of Judgment
36. The all-ruling Shepherd protects His people during the tribulation. |
37. GEMINI Two human figures closely united (Some old charts show a man and a woman hand in hand)
38.Lepus, the Hare, in some nations a serpent, the mad enemy under
Orion's feet;
39. Canis Major, Sirius, the Great Dog, the Prince coming;
40.Canis Minor. Procyon, the Second Dog, following after Sirius and
Orion. |
BOOK 3, CHAPTER 2 - The Marriage
37. GEMINI. The Marriage of the Lamb and His Church
38. The Enemy trodden down
39. The Prince coming in glory
40. His princely following, the mighty angels |
41. CANCER Figure of a crab taking and holding something in its claws.
42. Ursa Minor Most ancient star charts show this as the Lesser Sheep- fold, close to and including the Pole;
43. Ursa Major, Most ancient star charts show this as the Greater Sheep- fold, in connection with Arcturus, the guardian and keeper of the Beck;
44. Argo, the Ship, the company of travellers under the bright Canopus,
their Prince, the Argonauts returned with the Golden Fleece. |
BOOK 3, CHAPTER THIRD - God's Strongholds
41. CANCER. The stronghold of God.
42. Lesser Fold, the first-born, the rulers, the 144,000
43. The Greater Fold, the company of all the Redeemed
44. The Heroes landed from their expedition, their toils and trials over;
they have obtained heaven because of Christ's Golden Fleece, His sacrifice |
45. LEO The Lion...
46. Hydra, the fleeing Serpent, trodden under foot by the Crab and
Lion;
47. Crater, the Cup or Bowl of Wrath on the Serpent;
48. Corvus, the Raven or Crow, the bird of doom, tearing the Serpent. |
BOOK 3 CHAPTER 4 - The Kingdom of God
45. LEO The King , the lion of the tribe of Judah, aroused for the rending
of Satan by Him and His Church;
46. The Serpent fleeing; the Church is no longer deceived...
47. The Bowl of Wrath poured out upon the Devil and his works
48. His carcass devoured, Peace shall reign forever and ever... AMEN! |
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