Gospel in the Stars IV

Topics and Points to Remember

1. The Proto-evangelium is the first annunciation of the gospel
2. On the Star of Bethlehem and the Magi (see notes for additional materials)
3. The Gospel before Abraham (Hebrew alphabet, days of the week, patriarch names)
4. The Gospel before Moses (names of Jacob's sons, temple design)
5. The ancient myths borrowed from the original revelation, and not vice versa
6. Astrology represents a corruption of the original message and design
7. The stars were all named by God and their courses fixed by his decree
8. The star and constellation names contain prophecy concerning Christ
9. Mazzaroth (Zodiac) and the constellations it contains is of God
10. Other ancient witnesses to the gospel/theology (numbers, Giza pyramid, NJ gems)
11. Not all inspired records have been preserved (lost books of the Bible)
12. Primeval man was superior and lived in the "Golden Age"
13. The message of the Bible regarding the stars and planets
14. First great prophets were Adam, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Melchisedec, Noah, Abraham

Interpreting the Stars

"And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (Gen. 15: 5)

By "telling" the stars is more than simply numbering them. "So shall you seed be" means more than the number of Abraham's seed. First, this "seed" is Christ, as Paul taught in Galatians 3: 16.

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

The Lord is desiring that Abraham "tell," that is, that he "interpret" and "annunciate" the gospel story as told in Mazzaroth. The Hebrew word for "tell" is "caphar" and means - "to count, recount, relate" (Strong).

"...that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD." (Exodus 10: 1, 2)

"I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me." (Psa. 22: 17)

"Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal." (Jer. 23: 27)

"Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation." (Joel 1: 3)

Misc. Scriptures for inspired Mazzaroth (?)

"Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high." (Jon 16: 19)

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psa. 8: 3, 4)

"His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah." (Psa. 89: 36, 37)

"The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods." (Psa. 97: 6, 7)

"And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren." (Deut. 33: 13-16)

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield." (Psa. 84: 11)

"His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me." (Psa. 89: 36)

"Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light." (Psa. 148: 3)

The "rising" of the "sun" speaks of the coming or rising of the "seed of the woman," of Christ. The "setting" or "going down" of the "sun" typifies of the "going down" of Christ into death and Hell. The reappearance of the sun testifies of the resurrection and coming again of Christ.

"...the sun shall go down over the prophets..." (Micah 3: 6)

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." (Mal. 4: 2)

The Corruptions

"Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain..." (Jer. 10: 1-3)

"And he (Manasseh) built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD." (II Kings 21: 5)

"And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven." (II Kings 23: 5)

"And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods." (Jer. 19: 13)

"I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham..." (Zeph. 1: 4, 5)

The Sign Of Virgo

Seiss wrote:

"I begin with Virgo, which I take to be the first sign in the Zodiac, according to its original intent and reading. The Zodiac of Esne begins with this sign. The story has no right starting-point, continuity, or end except as we commence with this constellation. I also have the statement from the best authorities that the custom was universal among the ancients to reckon from Virgo round to Leo. And in this sign of Virgo, if anywhere among the starry groups, we find the primary idea in the evangelic presentations."

"The initiative sign of the Zodiac is called Virgo, The Virgin. All the traditions, names, and mytholgies connected with it recognize and emphasize the virginity of this woman. Astrea and Athene of Greek story identify with her. In Hebrew and Syriac she is Bethulah, the maiden. In Arabic she is Adarah, the pure virgin. In Greek she is Parthenos, the maid of virgin pureness. Nor is there any authority in the world for regarding her as anything but a virgin."

"But the greater wonder is, that motherhood attends this virginity, in the sign the same as in the text..."

"And this maiden in the sign is the holder and bringer of an illustrious Seed; In her hand is the spica, the ear of wheat, the best of seed, and that spica indicated by the brightest star in the whole constellation. He who was to bruise the Serpent's head was to be peculiarly "the Seed of the woman," involving virgin-motherhood, and hence one born of miracle, one begotten of divine power, the Son of God. And such is the exhibit in this first sign of the Zodiac. She is a virgin, and yet she produces and holds forth a Seed contemplated as far greater than herself. That seed of wheat Christ appropriates as a symbol of himself. When certain Greeks came to Philip wishing to see Jesus, He referred to himself as the corn, or seed, of wheat, which needed to fall and die in order to its proper fruitfulness (John 12: 21—24).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

"Thus, according to the starry sign, as according to the Gospel, out of the seed of wheat, the good seed of the Virgin, the blessed harvest of salvation comes."

"A very significant figure of Christ, much employed by the prophets, was the branch, bough, or sprout of a plant or root. Hence He is described as the Rod from the stem of Jesse and the Branch out of his roots (Isa. 11 : i), the Branch of Righteousness, the Branch 'of the Lord, God's servant The Branch (Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23 : 5 ; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). And so this sign holds forth the Virgin's Seed as The Branch. In addition to the spica in one hand, she bears a branch in the other. The ancient names of the stars in this constellation emphasize this showing, along with that of the Seed. Al Zimach, Al Azal, and Subilon mean the shoot, the branch, the ear of wheat. The language of the prophecies is thus identical with the symbols in this sign."

"It is a doctrine of our religion that without Christ, and the redemption wrought by Him, all humanity is fallen and helpless in sin. There is none other name given among men whereby we can be saved.

Even Mary herself needed the mediatorial achievements of her more glorious Son to lift her up to hope and standing before God. And this, too, is here signified. This woman of the Zodiac lies prostrate. She is fallen, and cannot of herself stand upright. Christ alone can lift up to spiritual life and standing. This woman accordingly holds forth the goodly Seed, the illustrious Branch, as the great embodiment of her hope and trust, the only adequate hope and trust of prostrate and fallen humanity.

And what is thus vividly signified in this constellation is still further expressed and defined by the Decans, or side-pieces, which go along with it."

Bullinger wrote:

"The name of this sign in the Hebrew is Bethulah, which means a virgin, and in the Arabic a branch. The two words are connected, as in Latin--Virgo, which means a virgin; and virga, which means a branch (Vulg. Isa 11:1). Another name is Sunbul, Arabic, an ear of corn.

In Genesis 3: 15 she is presented only as a woman; but in later prophecies her nationality is defined as being of the stock of Israel, the seed of Abraham, the line of David; and, further, she is to be a virgin. There are two prominent prophecies of her and her seed..."

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
And shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa. 7: 14)

"For unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given; And the government shall be upon His shoulder; And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, To order it, and to establish it With judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isa. 9: 60)

"...the brightest star in VIRGO (a) has an ancient name, handed down to us in all the star-maps, in which the Hebrew word Tsemech is preserved. It is called in Arabic - Al Zimach, which means the branch. This star is in the ear of corn which she holds in her left hand. Hence the star has a modern Latin name, which has almost superseded the ancient one, Spica, which means, an ear of corn. But this hides the great truth revealed by its name Al Zimach. It foretold the coming of Him who should bear this name. The same Divine inspiration has, in the written Word, four times connected it with Him. There are twenty Hebrew words translated "Branch," but only one of them (Tsemech) is used exclusively of the Messiah, and this word only four times (Jer 33:15 being only a repetition of Jer 23:5). Each of these further connects Him with one special account of Him, given in the Gospels."

"The star b is called Zavijaveh, which means the gloriously beautiful, as in Isaiah 4: 2. The star e, in the arm bearing the branch, is called Al Mureddin, which means who shall come down (as in Psa 72:8), or who shall have dominion. It is also known as Vindemiatrix, a Chaldee word which means the son, or branch, who cometh."

"The Hebrew word ‘Zerah’ (the alpha star) is the word used to describe Messiah to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 and to Abraham in Genesis 15:5...the seed, “zerah” was a direct reference to the coming Messiah."

Other names of stars in the sign, are--

Subilah, who carries. (Isa 46:4)
Al Azal, the Branch. (As in Isa 18:5)
Subilon, a spike of corn. (As in Isa 17:5)

This maiden woman is foremost a picture of Mary. But, she also may be viewed as a type of the church, which is both bride and mother in scripture, or of Eve, who is called "the mother of all living." In the picture, she is also representing all who are, like her, "fallen" and "prostrate" because of sin. Rev. chpt. 12 - the "woman" who was "clothed with the sun," having a golden crown with 12 jewels, called "stars," and "the moon under her feet," and who becomes a mother, as the text says - "And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered," and that "she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne." In the parable of the "ten virgins," virginity is used in a moral or spiritual sense, as the Apocalyptic 144,000 sealed from among the 12 tribes of Israel, - "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb." Virgins in character, pure in heart.

Coma the First Decan

Wrote Seiss:

"Albumazer, who was not a Christian, says - "There arises in the first Decan, as the Persians, Chaldeans, and Egyptians, and the two Hermes and Ascalius, teach, a young woman, whose Persian name denotes a pure virgin, sitting on a throne, nourishing an infant boy, said boy having a Hebrew name, by some nations call Ihesu, with the signification leza, which in Greek is called Christ" The celebrated Zodiac of Dendera, brought by the French savants to Paris under the older Napoleon, contains a Decan of Virgo, which also gives the picture of a woman holding an infant, which she is contemplating and admiring. The woman in Virgo and the woman in this first Decan of Virgo are one and the same; and the infant here is everywhere identified with the Seed and the Branch there.

It is said of the infant Christ that "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him" (Luke 2 : 40); so here He is pictured as supported and nourished by what the Greeks made the virgin-goddess of wisdom, righteousness, and all good arts and human thrift.

The prophets are also very emphatic in describing the promised Saviour as the Desired One, "the Desire of women," "the Desire of all nations." So the name of this first Decan of Virgo is Coma, which in Hebrew and Oriental dialects means the desired, the longed-for-the very word which Haggai uses where he speaks of Christ as "the Desire of all nations." The ancient Egyptians called it Shes-nu, the desired son. The Greeks knew not how to translate it, and hence took Coma in the sense of their own language, and called it hair— Berenice's Hair. The story is, that that princess gave her hair, the color of gold, as a votive offering for the safety of her brother; which hair disappeared. The matter was explained by the assurance that it was taken to heaven to shine in the constellation of Coma. Hence we have a bundle of woman's hair in the place of "the Desire of all nations."

Shakespeare understood the matter better, for he speaks of the shooting of an arrow up "to the good boy in Virgo's lap." Isis and other Egyptian goddesses figured holding the divine Infant, the Coming One, refer to this constellation of Coma, and hence unwittingly to Christ, born of a woman and nurtured on a virgin-mother's breast."

Abram knew the star names and where to begin naming them. Beginning at Virgo he would have recited words such as: “VIRGO, SUBILAH, ZAVIJAVA, SPICA/TSEMECH, VINDEMIATRIX, COMA, IHESU, CHRISTOS, BOOTES, ARCTURUS, NEKKAR, AGENA, TOLIMAN,” which translates: “The virgin who carries the gloriously beautiful Seed, the Branch (Messiah), the Son who comes down to rule, the desired Son, Jesus, the Christ, the coming Shepherd, the Pierced, the despised Sin Offering, the Beginning and the End.”

Bullinger wrote:

"It was in all probability the constellation of Coma in which "the Star of Bethlehem" appeared. There was a traditional prophecy, well-known in the East, carefully preserved and handed down, that a new star would appear in this sign when He whom it foretold should be born.

This was, doubtless, referred to in the prophecy of Balaam, which would thus receive a double fulfilment, first of the literal "Star," and also of the person to whom it referred. The Lord said by Balaam (Num 24:17),

"There shall come a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel."

Thomas Hyde, an eminent Orientalist (1636-1703), writing on the ancient religion of the Persians, quotes from ABULFARAGIUS (an Arab Christian Historian, 1126-1286), who says that ZOROASTER, or ZERDUSHT, the Persian, was a pupil of Daniel the Prophet, and that he predicted to the Magians (who were the astronomers of Persia), that when they should see a new star appear it would notify the birth of a mysterious child, whom they were to adore. It is further stated in the Zend Avesta that this new star was to appear in the sign of the Virgin.

Centaurus

The Double Natured One, he who will be both God and man. Seed of God and seed of woman.

Seiss says:

"It is part of the faith, and a very vital part, that the Seed of the woman is the true and only-begotten Son of God, true God and true man in one and the same person...It is a great mystery, but so the Scriptures teach, and so the whole orthodox Church believes. In other words, we teach and hold that Christ, our Saviour, possessed a double nature, "not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhood into God," in the unity of one Person, who accordingly is Immanuel, God with us, the Christ, who suffered for our salvation. And all this is signified in the constellation of Centaurus.

Very curious are the pagan myths concerning the centaurs. Fable represents them as the great bull-killers. They are said to have been heaven-begotten, born of the clouds, sons of God, but hated and abhorred by both gods and men, combated, driven to the mountains, and finally exterminated. Their form in the most ancient art is a composite of man and horse—man from the head down to the front feet, and the rest horse. There was no beauty or comeliness, that any should desire them (as was said of Christ in Isaiah 53)."

"The most noted of the centaurs of classic fable is Cheiron. To him are ascribed great wisdom and righteousness. "He was renowned for his skill in hunting, medicine, music, gymnastics, and the art of prophecy. All the most distinguished heroes in Grecian story are, like Achilles, described as his pupils in these arts." He was the friend of the Argonauts on their voyage, and the friend of Hercules, though he died from one of the poisoned arrows of this divine hero whilst engaged in a struggle with the Erymanthean boar. He was immortal, but he voluntarily agreed to die, and transferred his immortality to Prometheus; whereupon the great God took him up and placed him among the stars.

It is easy to see how this whole idea of the centaurs, particularly of Cheiron, connects with the primeval astronomy and related traditions. Strikingly also does it set forth the nature and earthly career of the divine Seed of the woman, as narrated in the Scriptures. Christ had two natures in one person; and such was the figure of the centaur. Christ was a wise, just, good, and powerful Healer, Instructor, and Prophet; and such is the character everywhere ascribed to the chief centaur. Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil, and spent His energies in relieving men's ills, combating the powers of evil, teaching the ways of truth and righteousness, and driving away afflictions, as the centaurs hunted and destroyed the wild bulls and the wild boars, and as Cheiron helped and taught the Grecian heroes, minstrels, and sages. Nevertheless, He was despised and rejected of men, hated, persecuted, and deemed unfit to live, just as fabled of the centaurs. Cheiron was fatally wounded whilst engaged in his good work—wounded by a poisoned arrow from heaven not intended for him. And, though immortal in himself, he chose to die from that wound, that another might live. And so it was with Christ in His conflict with the Destroyer. And a vivid picture of the same appears in the figure of this constellation, which is also one of the very lowest and farthest down of all the signs belonging to the ancient astronomy."

Bulls are types of evil men in scripture and are connected with Christ's conflict on the cross.

"Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round." (Psalm 22: 12)

"Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks." (Amos 4: 1, 2)

"Here is a double-natured being, to men repulsive and hateful, yet really great, powerful, and beneficent, pushing with his lance at the heart of some victim, and moving the while right over the constellation of the Cross.

The name of this Decan in Arabic and Hebrew means the despised. The brightest star in it the Greeks called Cheiron, a word which has a Hebrew root signifying the pierced; also Pholas, likewise from a Hebrew root signifying the making of prayer, the mediation. Sir John Herschel has observed that this star is growing brighter, and so belongs to the class of changeable stars. Ulugh Beigh gives its name as Toliman, which means the heretofore and the hereafter—brighter once, and to be brighter again, as the divine glory of Christ was much hidden during His earthly life, in which He made himself of no reputation, even lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, but was again glorified with the glory which He had with the Father before the world was. Thus, this sign, and the traditions and names connected with it, strikingly accord with the facts of Christ's earthly life and fate, and set forth some of the highest mysteries of His Person, character, and mediatorial work."

Bullinger said:

"Another name for the constellation was in Hebrew, Asmeath, which means a sin-offering (as in Isaiah 53:10)."

"It is one of the lowest of the constellations, i.e. the farthest south from the northern centre. It is situated immediately over the CROSS, which bespeaks His own death; He is seen in the act of destroying the enemy.