Twelve Books – Rapture, Antichrist, End Time Signs, Prophecy, News

A few years back I became aware of the tripartite nature of men. At the time I learned that we are made up of body, soul and spirit and were formed in the image of God who is also a Trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. At that time I also learned that the spirit was eternal versus the soul and body which were subject to death and carnal. I had learned also of the carnal versus the spiritual natures of men and that it was through the spirit that one came to be saved and that a war was present all of our lives between the spiritual and the carnal.

In her post Arlene gives a link to a book with an introduction and eight chapters called Salvation of the Soul, Saving of the Life by Arlen L. Chitwood.

I have just read the chapter one and was so enriched as to the depth of this work that I am posting it for all of you to have and read before I finish the other seven chapters

Thanks Arlene for your post.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2012/arlene35-1.htm

Arlene (5 March 2012)
“For John and all the Doves…“

Hi Y’all….Whew!  I’ve had a busy few hours, and I hadn’t intended to post anything else, but this couldn’t wait.  First, I’ll ask what seems like a fairly simple question to everyone.  Personally, I DID NOT know the answer, and I’m truly ashamed that I didn’t.  It’s my own fault because I didn’t research it, but, then, I didn’t even realize it was a question that needed to be asked.  Anyway…..here’s the question:

What is the difference between “spirit” and “soul” salvation?  There is a HUGE difference….and knowing what these differences are means how we will spend eternity….as a “son” or not.  I kinda think this might be important….and since I didn’t know, and I haven’t heard anyone mention this, maybe y’all need to know about this.  I sure hope you can open the link….it has study chapters which we all need to know.

http://bibleone.net/SOS.htm

Piece taken from introduction: (I kinda cut it up so it would fit)

Many Christians take Scriptures dealing with the salvation to be
revealed and seek to apply them to the salvation that we presently
possess.  And misapplying Scripture in this manner, these individuals
arrive at the erroneous conclusion that it is possible for a saved
person to be lost, which not only casts reproach upon the sufficiency
of the finished work of Christ at Calvary, but also does violence to
numerous portions of the Word of God.

Then, on the other hand, there are those Christians who recognize that
the loss of one’s eternal salvation is not possible, but still fail to
understand distinctions be! tween the salvation of the spirit and the
salvation of the soul.  Most from this group take many of these same
verses and seek to either apply them to the nation of Israel or to
unregenerate individuals, whether Jew or Gentile.  And applications of
this nature not only remove the Spirit’s exhortations and warnings to
redeemed individuals, but erroneous interpretations in one area of
Scripture will often, for the sake of consistency, lead to erroneous
interpretations in other areas.

Well, that’s it for now….maybe I’m the only one who didn’t know this, but I’m sure glad I found out now!!

YsiC,

Arlene

Nando

The fact is this; Jesus is the truth, the way and the Almighty God, Creator and sustainer of the Universe. The Bible is truth spoken by God and He keeps His family (the believers) protected and healthy. The testimony below gives validity to the Word.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/feb2012/jim221-1.htm

Jim Bramlett (21 Feb 2012)
“The Anti-faith Movement“

Dear friends:

A recent post on the Internet blasted the so-called “Faith Movement” and denigrated all who teach it, expressing great sympathy for its “victims.”

Suddenly I had a flash of revelation that there have been many more victims of the “Doubt Movement,” which pervades much of the church today.  The Doubt Movement is responsible for untold suffering, unnecessary sicknesses, and millions of premature deaths.  If God’s people just believed and acted upon James 5:13-15, many hospitals would be emptied.

This got me to thinking….

The Faith Movement has really been mislabeled.  It should more properly be called the “Faith in Jesus Movement,” or “The Bible Is Really True” movement.

The anti-faith movement should be called the “Jesus Lied” movement, or “The Bible is Not Really True” movement.

Years ago I discovered that Jesus cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and that the Bible is totally true (2 Timothy 3:16).  I made a decision to believe it.  That decision radically changed my life, gave me purpose and hope, and brought multiple blessings my way, including long life and many physical healings.

It has not always been easy.  Many times I have had to steadfastly reject doubt, stubbornly hold on to Scripture in the face of contrary physical evidence, or facts, and believe God, but in every case He was faithful and gave me victory.  By the way, facts may say one thing, such as you are sick, but God’s Truth trumps facts.  If God says you are healed, you are healed.  Remember: “Truth trumps facts.”

Here is a description, with photos, of when God twice healed me of cancer:  http://www.choicesforliving.com/cancerhealings.htm

I am glad I never listened to the anti-faith people, or I would be dead now.  They ought to go join some other religion.  Theirs is not biblical Christianity.

Many more testimonies of supernatural healings of mine and others can be found in Appendix 1 of my book, “The Power,” available free at http://www.choicesforliving.com/book/The-Power-1.pdf (page 111).

As a testimony of the reliability of God’s Word, I will be age 82 this year and I have not been inside a doctor’s office in almost 25 years, not even for a physical.  I have had some physical challenges, but faith in God’s Word always resolved them.

Would you like to be a part of the “Faith in Jesus Movement”?  It’s simple.  All you have to do is to make up your mind to believe Him and what He says (and act upon it), such as:

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Matthew 11:24).

Jim

The article that follows this introduction explains in pretty accurate way the current forms of Christian eschatology. As far as this writer is concerned this is the only valid way to look at the things that pertain to the future. The ability to see into the future is the whole attribute of God and to whomever he chooses to show it to, be it angel or human.

There are other humans, civilizations and religions in the world that claim to be able to do this and as an example we have Muslim eschatology, Mayan, Chinese, American Indians, Nostredamus, Seers like Madame Blavatski and many others which in the opinion of this writer originate from Satan who is the major counterfeiter of the true God of the Bible and the prophecies He has chosen to show us. Satan has lived many thousands of years and posed as many humans as well. Through them and the myriads of fallen angels, demons and wicked spirits he has a pretty well defined idea of the timing and events that will be happening in the future. Some of this events will originate from his plans to oppose God and some from the humans he has influence on.

There in a nut shell is an abstract of what eschatology is. The one of concern to the reader is the one that is true. In my opinion it is important that the reader gets involved in reading first of all the book of Revelation as well as the Bible in its entirety. I suggest that you start in Revelation because it is still mostly in the future, specially from chapter 6 to the end.

It is also my very profound and personal opinion that this part of the book of Revelation will see its beginning before the month of Tishri ends (Sept 29 to October 28 of 2011), please see the past entries of Communication with God. The article below is very long so go to the link for the rest.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/oct2011/paulw104-1.htm

Paul Wilson (4 Oct 2011)
“Is Your Eschatology Showing?”

T. A. McMahon

When I became a believer, the most popular Christian book of the day was The
Late
Great Planet Earth, written by Hal Lindsey. It stimulated a great deal of
interest
in biblical prophecy and, in particular, in the doctrine of the Rapture of
the church.
Prophecy and the Rapture were two theological concepts that were foreign to
someone
like me, who had been raised in the Roman Catholic Church. I couldn’t figure
out
what either one of them was about or what they had to do with Christianity.

As I grew in my understanding of the Scriptures, however, I began to get
very excited
about both doctrines. The idea that Jesus could be coming back at any time
to take
me to heaven to be with Him was indeed a blessed hope (Titus 2:12-13). Yet
only
a few years later I noticed that some of my evangelical friends (and just
Christians
in general) didn’t share my excitement–or at least the interest in it
seemed to
be on the wane.

Enthusiasm appeared to be fading into a blasé attitude regarding the
imminent return
of Jesus for His bride. Great expectation wilted to a posture of
semi-confusion:
“He could be returning prior to the Great Tribulation,” or “He may come back
for
us midway through the Tribulation,” or “perhaps at the end of the
Tribulation.”
To keep it from becoming a debate issue among evangelicals, some called
themselves
“pan-tribbers,” meaning pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib–whatever panned out
would
be fine with them.

A number of things contributed to that attitude. It was recognized that the
timing
of the Rapture was not a doctrine that was essential for salvation, nor was
a belief
in it critical. It would take place for those who were truly born
again–whether
or not they believed that it would, and no matter when they believed it
would take
place. Thus the feeling among many grew that it was no big deal what one
believed.

Some were also intimidated by the rise of anti-Rapture teachers, who were
quite
militant and aggressive in their attempts to prove that the doctrine wasn’t
in the
Bible or even that it was heretical. The problem with these objections is
that they
reflect the thinking of men rather than the teaching of God, something that
is always
a recipe for serious problems (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). This also raises a
question
(which for most evangelicals didn’t seem relevant 30 years ago but today
begs an
answer) that is quite significant: Is your eschatology showing?

Eschatology is the study of what the Bible teaches about the End Times. It
considers
the events that will take place related to the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ: what
will precede His return, what will happen during His return, and what takes
place
following His coming back to earth. Obviously, since He hasn’t returned yet
(though
some would dispute that), all of the related teachings make up biblical
prophecy.
So, eschatology has to do with what the Scriptures teach prophetically about
the
Last Days.

What, then, do I mean by asking, “Is your eschatology showing?”

Scripture tells us that the just (i.e., justified believers) shall live by
faith
(Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:7, Galatians 3:1, Hebrews 10:38). This means that
what
we believe must be lived out in order for our lives to be fruitful and
pleasing
to the Lord. If our understanding of what the Word of God says will take
place in
the future is not true to the Scriptures, our activities based upon that
misunderstanding
will be unfruitful and even spiritually destructive. I have given some
reasons above
why people avoid eschatological issues, to which I could add that some
regard them
as too far in the future to be of any practical concern or value in their
lifetime.
That’s never been the case, and the practical realities of eschatological
beliefs
are becoming more evident every day.

The most prevalent eschatological teachings in church history are
Premillennialism
and Amillennialism. Premillennialism is the belief that Jesus Christ will
return
to earth in an event known as the Second Coming, which will be at the
beginning
of His thousand-year reign from Jerusalem. Then there is Amillennialism.
Amillennialists
do not believe in a literal thousand-year reign of Jesus on the earth;
rather, He
is said to have taken dominion over the earth right after His resurrection
and now
rules from heaven.

A somewhat related view is that of Postmillennialism, which declares that
Christ’s
Second Coming will take place following His figurative millennial reign from
heaven.

Is the eschatological view of Amillennialism showing? Yes, and it has been
for millennia,
starting back in the fourth century. Augustine, the chief architect of the
major
dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church, is credited with introducing
Amillennialism
in his book The City of God.

To maintain some semblance of biblical veracity, Amillennialists must
spiritualize
nearly all of the prophetic scriptures related to Israel and the Millennium
because
a literal interpretation completely contradicts their eschatology.
Spiritualizing
is a process of interpretation that disregards the plain sense of the text
in order
to ascertain a “higher” meaning, especially one that reinforces one’s
doctrinal
bias. That approach to interpreting the Word of God, however, has had
terribly destructive
consequences. For example, the prophetic scriptures that refer to Israel
have been
spiritualized by Amillennialists to apply to the church. That false doctrine
is
known as replacement theology, although in replacing Israel with the church,
those
who teach such things major on the blessings and rarely if ever apply to the
church
the curses directed at Israel.

Roman Catholicism started the Amillennial ball rolling, and it was continued
by
the Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, with the difference, of
course,
being their belief that the Protestant church rather than the Church of Rome
had
replaced Israel. Among its other problems, replacement theology has been
instrumental
in sowing the seeds of anti-Semitism within Christendom. The Catholic Church
published
more than 100 anti-Semitic documents between the sixth and twentieth
centuries (see
A Woman Rides the Beast).

Luther, in particular, exemplified anti-Semitism among the reformers. The
vicious
diatribes in his writings such as On the Jews and Their Lies, although not
based
solely on his Amillennialism, were certainly dependent on it.

Calvin’s Amillennialism was the basis for his attempt to create a Christian
utopia
in the city of Geneva, which he controlled. In the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries,
Amillennialism was the breeding ground for Preterism. During the
counterreformation,
Jesuit priest Luis de Alcasar interpreted the prophecies of the Book of
Revelation
as having already been fulfilled in the first century A.D. It wasn’t until
the early
eighteenth century, however, that Preterism, the belief that most, if not
all, biblical
prophecies have been fulfilled, began to be espoused by Protestants.

That, of course, was then–but what about today? Amillennialism is the most
common
eschatological belief among professing Christians. It is the view of Roman
Catholics,
Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans,
Episcopalians,
the Church of Christ, some Independent Baptists, and most Calvinists (with
some
notable exceptions). In the last quarter-century Amillennialism has spawned
Christian
Reconstructionism/Theonomy, a latter-day attempt similar to Calvin’s failed
experiment
to set up the “City of God” in Geneva.

The goal today, however, is far more ambitious as it seeks to take dominion
over
the world. The Reconstructionists, a.k.a. Theonomists, are all about setting
up
the Kingdom of God on earth through the implementation of the Old and New
Testament
laws and principles. An offshoot of Reconstructionism is the Coalition On
Revival,
or COR. This is a movement that made some headway in the decade of the ’90s
through
the support of leading evangelicals and through the political activism of
the religious
right.

Its strategy is to make the Christian worldview dominant in all “spheres of
society”:
education, science, politics, the arts, the military, and so forth. As the
name
more than implies, the eschatology of COR, or Coalition on Revival, is
focused on
bringing about worldwide revival, something that most Christians would find
favorable.
That may be the reason that some highly visible evangelical leaders who do
not hold
to an Amillennial theology–or its offspring–signed the original COR
Manifesto.
As one might expect, the Coalition On Revival is decidedly anti-Prophecy and
anti-Rapture.
The biblical doctrines of Prophecy and the Rapture do not support the
agendas or
goals of the Amillennial-driven COR proponents.

Though Christian Reconstructionism and the Coalition On Revival seem to be
past
their heyday of influence within Christendom, they are regarded by some as
nothing
more than a passing trend. I disagree. Trends such as the Manifest Sons of
God,
the Shepherding Movement, the Word/Faith teachings, the Church Growth trend,
the
Emerging Church Movement, and so on and so forth, come in waves much like an
ocean
wave, which approaches the beach, crests, and then crashes upon the sand,
dumping
whatever debris it carries. What’s deposited by the wave sometimes sticks in
the
sand, while other flotsam disappears back out to sea. That’s the way it is
with
unbiblical teachings and trends that have attracted large numbers of
Christians
throughout church history.

The Kingdom-dominionism of the Latter-rain, Manifest Sons of God movement
that I
mentioned earlier is a classic example. It started in Canada in the
mid-1940s,
and has ebbed and flowed throughout Christendom, particularly among
Pentecostals
and Charismatics. You can see its heretical teachings reflected today in
so-called
spiritual revivals and movements such as the Toronto Blessing, the
Brownsville Revival,
the Kansas City Prophets, the International House of Prayer (IHOP), and the
New
Apostolic Reformation.

Christian Reconstructionism influences and Coalition On Revival concepts are
also
making a modest yet effective return. There is a high-quality apologetics
series
produced by Focus on the Family titled The Truth Project(see TBC 9/11) that
has
been capturing the hearts and minds of young-adult evangelicals throughout
the
country. Significant doctrinal problems arise, however, because a major
“scriptural
worldview” of the series, albeit unstated, is Amillennialism. Some of the
key teachers
are Calvinists. Reconstructionism is never mentioned; nevertheless, the
central
teachings of Reconstructionism and Theonomy are apparent.

Scripture clearly rejects Amillennialism. The Bible foretells that the
imminent
Rapture of the church, the Great Tribulation, the Second Coming, the
Millennial
Reign of Christ, the Dissolving of Our Present Heavens and Earth, and the
Creating
of a New Heaven and New Earth, will all take place, in that order. That
prophetic
biblical scenario, however, does not fit with Amillennialism (or
Postmillennialism)
or any of the other attempts to usher in the Kingdom of God (See Whatever
Happened
to Heaven? Resource Pages).

The true scriptural view is that the biblical events that I just listed will
literally
take place and need to be considered in regard to any plans or agendas of
men or
ministries. We should not expect worldwide revival or a global Christian
transformation–not,
that is, until the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ, because the Bible
declares
that the Last Days will be characterized by great spiritual deception in the
world
and apostasy in the church. Does that mean that we should bail out on the
world?
No. But there is no scriptural basis for believing that the world will be or
can
be transformed through biblical law or biblical principles.

It should be apparent that one’s Amillennial beliefs have practical
consequences
for anyone who lives those doctrines out in his life. However, the same is
true
for those who claim to be Premillennialists, who believe that Jesus must
return
in order to begin His literal one-thousand-year reign on this earth.

What does the Bible say regarding the living out of a Premillennial
eschatology?
First of all, the doctrine is characterized primarily as a believer’s
“blessed
hope”: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13). Verse 12 indicates what our
lives
should be like as we are “looking for that blessed hope”: “Teaching us that,
denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in
this present world;” John, the beloved, and likely the last of the apostles
to go
to be with Jesus, gives us this exhortation, which no doubt he himself lived
out:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be:
but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall
see him
as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even
as he
is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). And in
Luke
6:46, Jesus posed this question: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not
the
things which I say?” We need to examine ourselves to see if we are in the
faith,
once and for all delivered unto the saints.

Paul wasn’t simply passing on some platitudes or a take-it-or-leave-it
suggestion
to young Timothy when he wrote, “But thou, O man of God, flee [sinful]
things; and
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the
good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also
called, and
hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge
in the
sight of God…that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable,
until
the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 6:11-14).

Our lives need to reflect what Paul wrote as we look forward to Christ’s
appearing.
To that John adds, “…abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have
confidence,
and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). Peter not only
wraps
it up for us, he mentions the difficulties involved and then underscores
where
our hearts need to be as we look forward to an event that will be more
exciting
than anyone of us can imagine. He declares, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though
now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and
glory at
the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom,
though now
ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter
1:6-9).

I hope and pray that our true biblical eschatology is showing. Maranatha!
tbc

Nando

The article referred here by Jimmy Lishman is by J.R. Church (deceased March 2011) and was published in the magazine Prophecy in the News and I think also at their web site. I thought is was an excellent article and here it is for you the reader.

Nando

Jimmy Lishman (5 Sep 2011)
“The Gospel in the stars – The Mazzaroth by JR Church“

The Gospel in the Stars: Part 1

By J.R. Church on July 17, 2011

Long before men perverted the message of the constellations and established ancient idolatry, God named the stars and set them in the heavens for signs:

“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 years” (Genesis 1:14).

The book of Job predates the writing of Genesis. Though it is part of the Bible, it was written about a man who lived before Moses. Job had no written Bible. The Bible this ancient pilgrim read consisted of a series of constellations that appeared in the night skies high above the earth.

There are references to these constellations in the book of Job, along with an explanation of why they appear as they do in the heavens. Job 26 tells us that the “crooked serpent” is one of God’s leading characters in this drama of the ages and that these constellations — these “pillars of heaven” — make up the “parts” of God’s “ways”:

“The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

“By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

“Lo, these are parts of his ways … (Job 26:11,13-14).

These verses explain that the constellations were devised to teach early man about God’s plan for redemption. In the writings of his five famous books, Moses noted that the sun, moon, planets and stars were given for “signs” (Genesis 1:14).

In The Gospel in the Stars, Joseph Seiss wrote: “For ages this whole field has been almost entirely left to a superstitious and idolatrous astrology, which has befouled a noble and divine science and done immeasurable damage to the souls of men. But we here find it claimed to be a sacred domain laid out of God in the original intent of Creation itself.”

Cicero, in translating the account of the constellations by Aratus, says, “The signs are measured out, that in so many descriptions divine wisdom might appear.”

Dr. Adam Clarke says of the ancient Egyptians, “They held the stars to be symbols of sacred things.” It is well known that “astronomy was the soul of the Egyptian religious system. The same is equally true of the Chaldeans and Assyrians.”

Albert Barnes once wrote: “There can be no doubt that Job refers here to the constellations,” and that “the sense in the passage is, that the greatness and glory of God are seen by forming the beautiful and glorious constellations that adorn the sky.”

The constellations were known and studied as far back as the earliest civilizations known to exist. The Sphinx that guards the Great Pyramid of Giza, with its woman’s head and lion’s body, testifies to the ancient existence of the constellations. The Zodiac is part of every ancient culture – the Romans, Greeks, Babylonians and Egyptians. Yet, before them all, Job confirmed that God had garnished the heavens with “pillars” — including the “crooked serpent” — and that they represent the “parts of his ways.”

The Characters in the Drama

The “serpent” mentioned in Job 26:13 is one of the leading characters noted in Job’s Mazzaroth (Zodiac). The various constellations that refer to the serpent are:

Draco – a dragon curled around the northern polar star and whose tail covers a third of the circle of the heavens.

Cetus – the Leviathan or sea dragon.

Scorpio – the seed of the serpent.

Hydra – the many-headed dragon, whose tail also covers a third of the ecliptic path of the sun.

The Hebrew term used for “crooked” actually refers to a “fleeing” serpent. Among the various serpent figures in the Zodiac, Hydra is the only one seen trying to get away from the lion, who pounces on his head; the bird, who eats his flesh; and the bowl of wrath being poured out upon him. Therefore, Hydra appears to be the “fleeing serpent” referred to in this most ancient of Old Testament books.

Job knew about the story God had placed in the stars. It is the story of the conflict between the Seed of the woman (Virgo) and Scorpio, the seed of the serpent. The son of Virgo is none other than the Son of God, while Scorpio points to the Antichrist.

Christ is depicted in the constellations in various ways. The first and last constellations tell the story of the Savior. They are Virgo – who bears the Son of God and Leo – the Conquering Lion who comes to destroy Hydra, the many-headed Dragon. The story begins in Bethlehem and ends with the King of kings returning to conquer the old serpent who brought such ruin to the human race.

Job does not give a detailed account of the Zodiac, but refers briefly to those constellations that deal with the final judgment. He is asked about certain objects in the constellation of Taurus. It is quite remarkable that the conversation lands on this particular series of stars and sidereal sidepieces in Taurus because this is the constellation that deals with the “Day of the Lord.” Note that God refers to a group of stars called the Pleiades and the constellation of Orion, both found in and around Taurus. Then Job refers to Arcturus (KJV), whose name in Hebrew is Ash ahg “bear,” a clear reference to Ursa Major; and finally to the “chambers of the south”:

“Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

“Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

“Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number” (Job 9:8-10).

Before we look at these, let us note one other passage that deals with these same constellations. Note that the ancient star chart is called by its Hebrew term, “Mazzaroth,” rather than the modern term, Zodiac:

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

“Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

“Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? (Job 38:31-33)

This is a powerful statement that connects the last four constellations with a future designated time in which the mighty Orion returns to judge the world — as seen in the four concluding constellations of Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo. These are the “ordinances of heaven” that, evidently, Job did not understand.

The seven stars of Pleiades may be a reference to the seven churches of Asia. In ancient Greek mythology, Pleiades were seven sisters loved by Orion. Their astronomical positions in relation to each other are similar to the various locations of the seven cities of ancient Asia. The “sweet influences” may be a reference to the impact Christianity has had upon the world over the past two millennia.

The “bands of Orion” refers to the mighty belt of which he is invincibly girded, whose bands no one can loose. In the corrupted mythology of the Greeks, Orion walked on water; was stung in the heal by Scorpio; prepared a lake of fire for the god of fire; and out of love for the Pleiadic maiden, ridded the earth of all noxious beasts. Though corrupted, the original message is obvious. Christ displayed all of the attributes of Orion.

Taurus, depicted in the heavens as a raging bull, means “the Coming Judge.” Over a century ago, Joseph Seiss titled his chapter on Taurus as “The Day of the Lord.” The twelve major constellations, beginning with Virgo and ending with Leo, are divided into three groups of four constellations each. The first four, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, present the First Advent of Christ. The next four, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, and Aries, tell the story of the Church Age. The final four, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo, tell of the Second Advent of Christ.

Like Job, however, we must admit ignorance when it comes to the question that God put to the ancient pilgrim: “Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?” (Job 38:33). We can only speculate. We know very little about these “ordinances of heaven.”

The Biblical View of the Constellations

David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God … Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.” Obviously, there is a message in the heavens that we need to understand.

For centuries, astrologers have been prognosticating the future, using the zodiac and its series of planets, stars and constellations. Where did they get the idea for such a thing? What is Astrology? And, what possible connection does it have with the Bible?

We are reminded that astrology is a wicked and perverted religion. It was the idolatry of the Old Testament, and should rightly be regarded as satanic. Long before astrology was developed, however, there was an ancient astronomy that dealt with an altogether different message. Students of Eschatology need to understand that message. It is the original prophecy of the First and Second Advents of the Messiah.

If Christians could only understand the original prophetic message given in the ancient names of the stars and constellations, no one would become ignorantly involved with astrology. The truth would indeed set men free from that ancient idolatry.

According to Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century, Seth, the son of Adam, invented “that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies and their order” (“Antiquities,” Book I, Chapter 2, Paragraph 3).

Long before the development of astrology, God placed His intriguing message in the constellations. Every pagan religion throughout history is nothing more than a perversion of that original story. During the days of the Tower of Babel, wicked men perverted God’s original message and made the constellations to mean something quite different from that which God intended.

According to Genesis 1:14, God created the sun, moon, planets, and stars for four basic reasons — three of which, were to give the human race a method by which to measure time. For example, the days of our week are named after the sun, moon, and five planets.

Though the stars were basically stationary, these seven ancient wanderers were not. They moved through the heavens with precision. Sunday was named for the sun; Monday was named for the moon; Tuesday derived its name from an ancient Anglo-Saxon word for Mars; Wednesday, or Woden’s day, was named for the planet Mercury; Thursday, or Thor’s day, was named for Jupiter; Friday derived its name from an Anglo-Saxon word for Venus; And Saturday was named for Saturn.

There are twelve major constellations from which are derived the months in a year. The sun enters a different constellation each month. The moon was made to revolve for the counting of those months. In fact, the word “month” is a derivative from the term “moon.”

The stars were originally divided into 48 constellations — 12 major constellations, with 36 decans or sidereal sidepieces.

Furthermore, the stars were given certain names, many of which have survived throughout the course of history. In Psalm 147:4, we are told that God named the stars: “He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.”

And again in Isaiah 40:26, the prophet wrote: “Lift up your eyes on high and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth.”

When David wrote, “night unto night sheweth knowledge” (Psalm 19:2), he must have been referring to meanings of the names of the stars. Though most people in our generation are not aware of those ancient names, David and his contemporaries were. In his native language of Hebrew, the names of the stars were commonly used in messianic prophecies.

Kenneth C. Flemming, in his book “God’s Voice in the Stars,” wrote, “God Himself is responsible for the names of the stars. He did not entrust this task to Adam, as He did in the giving of names to animals.

“During the first 2,500 years of human history, before writing became widespread, these signs in the night sky were of particular importance. They declared the glory of God as seen in the coming of the Savior” (page 23).

Where to Begin?

Since the great constellations tell the Gospel story, we must determine where our study should begin. In the idolatrous religion of astrology, the first constellation is considered to be Aries. Idolatry, however, is diametrically opposite to God’s great message of salvation. Therefore, the beginning constellation should be 180 degrees opposite from Aries. The Gospel in the stars begins with Virgo, the virgin and ends with Leo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

The ancient Egyptians designated the beginning of the heavenly series with Virgo when they constructed the sphinx, which stands to the east of the great pyramid of Giza. It shows a woman’s head on the body of a lion — indicating that the ancient star chart began with the virgin and ended with the lion. Prophetically, Virgo represents the First Coming of Christ, and Leo points to the Second Coming. The message begins at Bethlehem, and concludes with the return of Christ!

Act One of Three Acts

The story is divided into a three-act play. The first four major constellations and their sidepieces constitute Act One, and ends with Draco losing his lofty position in the northern polar region. Act Two covers the story found in Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and Aries, and ends with Cetus (the sea monster) rising out of the sea. Act Three tells the story of Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo, and concludes with Hydra (the many headed serpent) being destroyed.

The ancient star chart revolves around the story of the dispensation of Grace. There is nothing in the Zodiac about the Creation, Flood, Law, tabernacle, or temple. There is nothing in the stars to represent the great dispensations that preceded Bethlehem. The whole message woven throughout the ancient constellations gives us the dispensation of Grace. Act One tells about the Savior’s First Advent; Act Two covers the Church Age; and Act Three gives us His Second Coming.

Virgo

The constellation, Virgo, was given to represent God’s promise in Genesis 3:15. It was in Eden that God spoke to the beguiling serpent: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel.”

The fact that the constellation is called a virgin reminds us of Isaiah 7:14: “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name, Immanuel.”

The picture of Virgo is that of a woman with a shock of wheat in her left hand and a branch in her right hand. The brightest star in the constellation is located in the seed of the wheat. The star is called Spica, a Latin word meaning “the branch.” Along with the branch in her right hand, we are reminded of Isaiah 4:2: “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious.”

In the Old Testament, our Savior is called “a rod of the stem of Jesse … a root out of dry ground.” And Zechariah called Him the “Branch.”

There are three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of Virgo, making a total of four constellations. There is Coma — the Virgin with her newborn son; Boötes — the great harvestman; and Centaurus — the archer.

Coma

The word Coma means “the desired,” for the child in the lap of his mother represents the desired one, the desire of women, the desire of all nations — the long awaited Messiah.

Isaiah offers another scripture that identifies this child. He wrote:

“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, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Yes, the virgin of Isaiah 7:14 bears a son, Immanuel — “God with us!”

Boötes

Boötes is pictured as a shepherd — bearing his rod, and as a harvestman — bearing his sickle. It is the Seed of the woman who will come to reap the great harvest. The word Boötes means, “the Coming One.” Another name for the Constellation was taken from a star in the left knee of the Shepherd. It was called Arcturus, which also means, “He cometh.”

Centaurus

In the ancient star chart, the Centaur is pictured as being half human and half horse. That, however, is not the original concept of the constellation. The name Centaurus simply means, “two natures.” Obviously, it referred to the fact that since the Seed of the woman was “virgin born,” he was not the seed of man. His two natures, then, represent a combination of humanity and deity. He is God clothed in human flesh and, therefore, can rightly be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.”

In Genesis 15, the story is given of Abraham and the covenant made by God with him. Genesis 15:5: “And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward the heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be.”

The message written in the stars refers to the “seed” of Abraham. The telling of the stars and the numbering of the stars presents a prophetic message of the coming Savior of the world. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of that great message. Virgo and her attending sidereal sidepieces represent the beginning of an adventure to destroy the seed of the serpent and to rescue the human race.

In the 12th chapter of Revelation she is seen clothed in the sun with the moon under her feet, giving birth to the Messiah. This tells us that His birth was on Rosh Hashanah, a time when the constellation Virgo is hidden by the sun and the new moon appears beneath her feet! Virgo represents both the house of Israel and Mary.

Libra

The next major constellation is Libra. There are two ancient stories that emerge from this constellation. The first rendering of Libra was that of a lamp — indicative of the servant lamp in the menorah. Scorpio is shown in some ancient drawings as trying to seize the lamp. The lamp denotes the nature of the “seed of the woman,” being positioned just beneath the feet of Virgo. Scorpio wants the lamp for himself. Scorpio, as we shall see, represents the “seed of the serpent.” It is the first representation of the conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.

In other cultures, Libra was depicted as a set of scales. Libra represented the condition of the human race after the fall of Adam. “Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting” (Dan. 5:27). The sign of Libra has been associated with justice and order throughout the centuries. For that reason, the symbol has often been used on buildings housing courts of law and justice.

This was the message given to Belshazzar, king of Babylon. In Daniel 5:27, Belshazzar failed to satisfy the righteous demands of God: “Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting.” Is that not also descriptive of the human race? We are all guilty before the great Judge.

There are two main stars in the sign of Libra, which tell the story of the prophecy. In one side of the scales, there is a star called Zuben Al Genubi. It means “the price which is deficient.” Undoubtedly, it points to the price which man might attempt to pay for redemption. There is no way one can obtain salvation through good works for the price is deficient.

On the other side of the scales, however, there is a star called Zuben Al Chemali, meaning “the price which covers.” It is a picture of the price paid by Christ for the redemption of the sinner.

The constellation, Libra, is attended by three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of the price of redemption.

Crux – The Southern Cross

The first of the three constellations related to Libra is a group of stars in the form of the Southern Cross. The ancient title is Crux. In the northern hemisphere, we cannot see the Southern Cross. It lies below the southern horizon. In the ancient star charts, by the way, the south always represented hell, and the north represented heaven. The constellation reveals the price that was paid by the seed of the woman in order to redeem mankind.

Lupus

The second constellation related to Libra is known as Lupus, but the Latins called it Victima — the victim. The seed of the woman became the victim upon the cross and, in so doing, became the price that covers.

Corona Borealis

The third constellation in Libra is called Corona Borealis — the Northern Crown. It is a beautiful semi-circle of a half dozen stars located in the northern hemisphere. The story of Libra is this — man is a sinner. We are weighed in the balances of God’s justice and are found wanting. The seed of the woman, however, came to become a victim — to pay the price for our sins. He died as a substitute upon the Southern Cross that He might gain for us the Northern Crown.

Scorpio

The third great constellation is Scorpio. It represents a scorpion, though in some early cultures, he is depicted as a dragon or serpent. As we said earlier, in the 7th century B.C., he is shown trying to seize the lamp. Scorpio wants to be the “light of the world.” In other cultures, Scorpio is seen trying to sting the heel of the mighty Ophiuchus, who is seen in the ancient star charts wrestling with a great snake, called Serpens.

While the Scorpion is trying to wound the heel of Ophiuchus, the head of Scorpio is being wounded. It is said that the word, Scorpio, means “the Lawless One,” and as such, represents the seed of the serpent — the Antichrist.

The star in the heart of Scorpio is called Anteres. When seen in the nighttime sky, it gives the appearance of a deep red color and means, “the wounding.” While Ophiuchus is crushing the head of Scorpio, he is seen binding the serpent, who is trying to gain the northern crown. There are three sidereal sidepieces to the constellation Scorpio — Serpens, Ophiuchus, and Hercules. These help to tell the story of the conflict seen in Scorpio.

Serpens

The serpent (Serpens) represents Satan, who has tried to usurp the throne of God. He is seen trying to grab the Northern Crown. He cannot do so, however, because he is being held back by Ophiuchus.

Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus is obviously a view of Christ who, though His heel is bruised in the conflict, succeeds in bruising the head of the Lawless One. In his hands he holds Serpens, keeping him from obtaining the Northern Crown.

Hercules

The other hero character is Hercules. He can be seen in the star chart beating a many-headed snake with his club. The snake is shown in the branches of a tree — most likely the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Hercules is another picture of the great Redeemer.

Kenneth C. Fleming, in his book God’s Voice in the Stars, wrote that the sign of Virgo pointed to Christ as the sign of the promised Seed of the woman; the sign of Libra showed the price He paid to secure man’s redemption; and the sign of Scorpio presented the conflict He had to endure. These celestial prophecies were given in the beginning, and were confirmed and expanded in Scripture.

Finally, they were fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. Scorpio, who represents the Lawless One, is pictured as the seed of the serpent. In an ancient Egyptian Zodiac, the sign of Scorpio was represented as a monster serpent called Python. It not only represented the great conflict fought at Calvary, but also seems to have prophetic implications concerning the end-time when the Antichrist shall arise.

Sagittarius

The fourth great constellation is called Sagittarius, appearing in the form of a centaur — half human, half horse. It is the same concept as was given in the story of Virgo. Centarus, one of the sidereal sidepieces in Virgo, represented the two natures of the Redeemer — His deity and humanity. In Sagittarius, He is both triumphant and victorious. Though He appears in the form of a Centaur, we are reminded that our Savior will return some day, riding upon a flying white horse.

The main actor in the constellation is the Archer. The Centaur, or God-man, has a great bow in his hand, with the arrow aimed at the heart of Scorpio, the enemy. Sagittarius, like the other major constellations, has three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story.

Lyra

First, there is Lyra. This star group is pictured as a harp and refers to the praise — so deserved by Sagittarius. The brightest star in the constellation is called Vega. It means, “He shall be exalted.” It directs our attention to the praise from the harp. In Revelation 5:9,13, we are told that the host of heaven will sing a new song saying, “Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation” (v. 9). The host of heaven will sing, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (v. 13).

Ara

Further to the south from Sagittarius is its second sidereal sidepiece — an altar called Ara. The altar is seen upside down, with its fire poured out over the South Pole — called “the regions of outer darkness.” Here begins a cloud of stars, which runs throughout the heavens. Today, it is called the Milky Way, but in some ancient star charts, it was referred to as “the lake of fire.”

The word Ara, name of the upturned altar means, “it is finished. There is no more sacrifice for sin.”

Draco

The concluding constellation, which forms a sidereal sidepiece to the great Sagittarius is Draco — the dragon. This staging of the dragon concludes the first act in the prophetic drama.

Draco is a long winding constellation made up of stars, which wrap around the northernmost part of the hemisphere. It covers one-third of the circumference and reminds us of Revelation 12:3,4:

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his heads.

“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven.”

Some 4,700 years ago, the great dragon star, Thuban, was in fact the polar star. Over the centuries, however, Draco has fallen from his lofty position and has been replaced by Polaris — kicked out of heaven because he tried to usurp the throne of God.

The message seen in the ancient star chart tells a story quite different from that which astrology would have us believe. Those who would try to prognosticate the future, by use of a horoscope, are actually perverting God’s original message given in the constellations. Satan did not invent the zodiac. In fact, it is my opinion that Satan is incapable of inventing anything. He has only perverted what God originally created.

God made and named the great constellations and their stars. And the meanings of their names represent the message of redemption — from Virgo, corresponding with His birth at Bethlehem, to Leo, corresponding with His return as the “lion of the tribe of Judah” to establish His kingdom upon the earth.

Act Two

Act Two of the great drama is presented through the constellations of Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, and Aries. These signs, together with their constellations, explain not so much the person of the Redeemer, but the results of his redeeming work, particularly in relation to the people who are redeemed.

Capricorn

The curtain rises with a very unlikely actor on the stage. It is a goat with the tail of a fish. This strange monstrosity presents a magnificent message when we understand that the goat represents the sacrificial animal used on the Day of Atonement and the fish represents that body of believers who have received life out of the death of the great sacrifice.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the sacrificial goat and believers are represented by the fish. In some ancient star charts, the goat appears to be dying with its head bowed and its leg folded, while the fish tail is living and vigorous.

There are two stars in the head of the goat that tell the story. Daneb Algedi, which means “the sacrifice comes,” and Dabih, which means “the sacrifice slain.” Note that from the dying goat comes a living fish. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that Christ is the head of the Church while, in turn, the Church represents the body of Christ — thus the head of a goat and body of a fish. When Jesus appointed His first disciples in Matthew 4:19, He said, “I will make you fishers of men.”

Sagitta

There are three sidereal sidepieces that help to tell the story of Capricorn. First, there is a small but ancient constellation called Sagitta — the arrow of God’s judgment against sin. It represents that which pierced the Son of God when He became the sacrifice for the sins of the world. It depicts the instrument of divine justice on Christ who took the place of guilty man.

The Psalmist wrote of it in Psalm 38:2, “Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.” Job spoke of a similar thing when he lamented, “The arrows of the almighty are within me” (Job 6:4). Every born again believer can appreciate with deep feeling that “He was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5).

Aquilla

The second sidereal sidepiece is Aquilla — the falling eagle. The ancient names for the stars in the constellation tell the obvious story. There is a star in the falling eagle called Al Okal, which means “wounded in the heel.”

Furthermore, the eagle is one of the symbols of Christ in the Bible. For instance, in Exodus 19:4, God spoke to Moses and the children of Israel saying, “I bear you on eagle’s wings, and brought you unto myself.”

Kenneth C. Fleming, in his book God’s Voice in the Stars, put it this way: “The eagle seen in this constellation is consistent with what we have noted in the whole sign of Capricorn. The slain goat of the sin offering is followed by the arrow of God’s judgment and the pierced and falling eagle.”

Delphinus

The third sidereal sidepiece is a constellation called Delphinus. It represents a dolphin, springing out of water. It is the picture of resurrection. Our Savior died to rise again.

Furthermore, the dolphin is another creature born of water — and, may I add, water is a type of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. The resurrected dolphin represents eternal life given to all who believe.

Aquarius

The next major constellation following Capricorn is Aquarius — the great water bearer. Our Savior identified Himself as the fulfillment of Aquarius in John 4:14. He said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Furthermore, we can see its fulfillment on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God was poured out upon believers. That is the message to be found in Aquarius. Throughout the Bible, water has been symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Joel described it when he wrote, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28).

The Apostle Peter repeated the message on the Day of Pentecost when he explained the “rushing mighty wind” and the “tongues like as of fire” that “sat upon each of them.” Yes, the message in the constellation Aquarius found its ultimate fulfillment through the Day of Pentecost.

Pisces Australis

The water bearer can be seen pouring out his water upon Pisces Austrialis, the Southern Fish — the first of the sidereal sidepieces. The fish, again, represents that which was born of water and of the spirit — that great body of believers down through the ages.

Cygnus

The second sidereal sidepiece in the constellation Aquarius is called Cygnus — the Swan of the Northern Cross. The constellation reveals a beautiful swan flying across the heavens, but the stars form the shape of a cross. It implies the message of “going to and fro throughout the earth bearing the sign of the cross.”

Pegasus

The third sidereal sidepiece is a flying white horse named Pegasus. Its message is that of the returning Christ. Revelation 19 reveals the beautiful story:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

“His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:11-13).

This is the message to be found in Pegasus. Please note, the dispensation begins with the pouring out of His Spirit upon all flesh as seen by the great water bearer. The constellation Pisces Austrinus represents that vast throng of believers who have received the water of life.

During this dispensation, it is our responsibility to go to and fro throughout the earth bearing the sign of the cross as can be seen in the constellation Cygnus. Finally, the dispensation will end with the return of Jesus Christ in power and great glory on the back of a flying white horse as seen by the constellation Pegasus.

In the shoulder of Pegasus there is a bright star called Markab. It means “returning from afar.” For more than 2,500 years the world was without a written revelation from God. The question is, “Did God leave Himself without a witness?” We are told in the Scriptures that He did not. In Romans 1:19, it is written, “That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

But how was God known? How were His invisible things — His plans, His purposes, and His councils known since the creation of the world? We are given the answer in Roman 10:18. Having stated in verse 17 that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” He asks, “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily.” And we may ask, “How have they heard?” The answer follows; “Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Romans 10:18).

What words? What instructions? Whose message? There is only one answer and that is the heavens! Long before there was a written Bible, there was a message written in the stars. Romans 10:18 refers to that message. It is a passage quoted from Psalm 19, the first part of which is occupied with the revelation of God written in the stars, and the latter part of the chapter with the revelation of God written in the word. This is the simple explanation of the beautiful Psalm 19:1-2:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

“Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”

The Gospel in the Stars: Part 2

By J.R. Church on July 17, 2011

The twelve major constellations along with their sidereal sidepieces present the original drama of the ages in the form of what I call a Three-Act play. Act One is presented through the first four constellations — Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. It begins in Bethlehem with the birth of the “Seed” of the woman, and establishes his conflict with and victory over Scorpio — the “seed” of the serpent. Act Two is presented through four constellations — Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and Aries. They represent the Church Age and New Testament Christianity, whose astronomical symbol is a fish. The last four constellations, along with their sidereal sidepieces, represent the concluding act in the great drama of the ages — The Tribulation Period followed by the Second Coming of Christ. It is presented through the constellations Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo.

Taurus

The sign of Taurus opens Act Three, showing us the coming of the Judge of all the earth. Taurus is pictured as a raging bull, coming furiously. Only the front half of the bull is depicted in the constellation. Where the back end of the bull would normally be drawn stands the constellation Aries, the Lamb — as if the bull is coming out of Aires. It is a magnificent picture of Christ who came the first time as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, but will return one day bringing judgment upon the wicked.

Taurus is unlike domestic bulls. It was probably an animal that is now extinct — a ferocious relative of domestic cattle, called “Rimu” in the Hebrew Scriptures. Rimu is translated “unicorn” in the King James Version of the Bible and was thought to be a mythological, one-horned creature. However, it was more likely a large wild ox. Famous for its size and ferocity, it may have survived until the times of the Roman Ceasars, but is now extinct. The wild bull, or Rimu, was a symbol of power and rule.

Balaam, described the power of Jehovah on behalf of Israel in Numbers 23:22 when he said, “God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn” (Rimu).

Taurus is the sign of coming judgment. It is the “day of vengence of our God” (Isaiah 61:20). It is a “day of wrath” (Rom. 2:5) from which we shall be delivered for “God hath not appointed us to wrath” (I Thes. 5:9). Taurus means “governer, captain, or leader.” In the shoulder of Taurus is a group of stars known as the Pleiades, meaning “congregation of the judge.”

Auriga

One of three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of Taurus, is the constellation Auriga. It is the picture of the Great Shepherd. He sits calmly above the rushing bull, holding a mother goat that has just given birth to a pair of kids in his lap. In the heart of the goat is a brilliant star called Capella, meaning “she goat.” A small triangle of stars near Capella is called Haedi, meaning “the kids,” and marks the two offspring of the mother goat in the lap of Auriga. It is an ancient picture of the great shepherd protecting his people from the day of wrath.

There is a bright star in the foot of the shepherd called Elnath, meaning “the wounded.” It reminds us that the coming Judge is the one who was “wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). Elnath reminds us that our Savior was to be wounded in the heel, as predicted in Genesis 3:15.

Orion

The second sidereal sidepiece is Orion, which is said to be the most spectacular and wonderful sight in the night sky. Orion is pictured as a mighty hunter with a club in his right hand. In his left hand, he holds the skin of a lion that he has killed. Orion is mentioned twice in the book of Job and once in the prophecy of Amos. Orion means “coming forth as light.”

The brightest star in the constellation is Betelgeuse, meaning “the coming of the branch.” Another star in his foot is Rigel, meaning “the foot that crushes.” In the shoulder of the constellation is a star called Bellatrix, meaning “quickly coming.” In his leg is a star called Saiph meaning, “bruised.” Again, as in every other case, we are reminded of Christ crushing the head of the seed of the serpent. Orion is obviously a picture of Christ coming in power and great glory.

Eridanus

The third sidereal sidepiece is Eridanus, the “river of fire,” flowing from the raised foot of Orion. It represents the method by which Christ will crush the head of the seed of the serpent. Josephus tells us that Adam received a prophecy that God would destroy the world twice — once with water and once with fire. Eridanus represents the judgment of fire. It runs across the heavens toward the south. In the river are several named stars: Archernar means “the afterpart of the river;” Cursa means “bent down;” and Zourac means “flowing.” This is a magnificent prophetic message found in the constellation Taurus. It opens the final act in this great drama of the ages flowing out upon a starlit stage — the panarama of the night sky.

Gemini

The next major constellation is Gemini. In the star chart, it is pictured as a pair of twin boys. However, in the ancient Denderah Zodiac of Egypt, it was depicted as a man and a woman. In the coptic language, Gemini was called Pi-mahi, meaning “the united.” I believe it represents the Savior and His bride.

There are two stars, which mark the heads of the two people in Gemini — Castor and Pollux. These are Latin names. You may recall in Acts 28:11, the Apostle Paul traveled on a ship, “whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” Castor means “ruler or judge” and Pollux means “wounded, hurt, afflicted.” Again, we are reminded of the suffering Savior who will come one day to be united with His bride. He is destined to rule over the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Canis Major

Like the other major constellations there are three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of Gemini. The first is Canis Major. It is depicted as a large dog and should be considered along with the second sidereal sidepiece, Canis Minor — a small dog. Over the centuries, these two constellations lost their original significance. The Greeks supposed them to be the hunting dogs of Orion when, in fact, the names of the stars in Canis Major and Canis Minor reveal that they were not originally dogs at all, but pictures of the Prince of Peace and Redeemer of the world.

The most significant star Canis Major is Sirius — the brightest star in the entire heavens. It is only nine light years away, making it one of Earth’s nearest neighbors among the millions of stars. Sirius is the most glorious star in the sky, meaning “the Prince.” It is the root word from which we derive the title, “Sir.”

Canis Minor

Canis Minor is represented as a lesser dog. It is a small group of stars just south of Gemini. Though the original meaning of Canis Minor has long since been obscured, we can easily determine its original meaning through the bright star Procyon, meaning “Redeemer or Savior.” That is the true meaning of the constellation. Long ago, the Egyptians called it Sebak, meaning “the conquering or victorious.” Both Canis Major and Canis Minor help to tell the story of the coming conquering Redeemer.

Lepus

The third sidereal sidepiece is Lepus. In the star chart it is depicted as a rabbit, but in the most ancient zodiacs, it was a snake. It is located just below Orion, the glorious prince who crushes the head of Lepus, the serpent. There is a star in Orion’s raised foot called Rigel, meaning “the foot that crushes.”

The brightest star in Lepus is Arneb, meaning “the enemy of him who comes.” There is another star called Nihal, meaning “the mad” and another star Sulya, meaning “the deceiver.” Yes, the major constellation Gemini, along with its sidereal sidepieces represents the coming Bridegroom as Prince of Peace, Savior, and Redeemer who will conquer the enemy trodden underfoot. He is coming to rapture the saints, thus keeping us from going through the Tribulation Period.

In Luke 21:25, Jesus said that the last days would be characterized by signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars. One day, our Savior will come to carry out those great prophecies found in the stars. When God created the heavens, He gave the stars certain names, the meanings of which tell the story of God’s great plan of the ages. God gave this story to Adam and his offspring. According to Flavius Josephus, Seth, the son of Adam, invented that “peculiar science which deals with the heavenly bodies and their order.”

Cancer

The eleventh constellation is Cancer. It is depicted as a crab and denotes that which is born of water. This reminds us of New Testament Christianity whose symbol is that of a fish, for we have been born of water — a type of the Holy Spirit. The crab has an unusual feature. Periodically, it sheds it outer skin and comes forth with what appears to be new life. The symbol represents Resurrection of those New Testament saints, who are a part of the Rapture and accompany the translated living saints to heaven.

According to E. W. Bullinger, in his book, The Witness of the Stars, the sign of Cancer was represented in an ancient Egyptian Zodiac as a scarob beatle, but the implication was the same. In ancient Egypt, the scarob would crawl under a rock. Later, the beatle would break open the shell of its body and emerge as a beautiful winged creature to fly away. Again, the implication is that of Resurrection.

According to Kenneth C. Fleming, in his book God’s Voice in the Stars the word Cancer comes from a root word meaning “to hold or encircle.” For that reason, Fleming believes the constellation refers to an ancient eastern inn where the animals were kept for safety. In another ancient Zodiac the constellation was called Klaria, meaning “cattlefolds.” If this is the meaning of Cancer, then it is a picture of heaven — where the Shepherd keeps His sheep! That is still in keeping with the overall concept of the Resurrection and Rapture.

There are several stars in Cancer. The brightest star is Tegmine, meaning “holding;” another star, Acubene, means “sheltering or hiding place;” Ma’Alaph means “assembled thousands;” Al Himarean means the “kids or lambs;” and a cluster of stars in the middle of the constellation, Praesepe, means “multitude.” It is a beautiful view of that day when we shall be transported into heaven to stand before our Savior.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions,” said Jesus. “If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). What a magnificent promise!

Ursa Minor

There are three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of Cancer. The first attending constellation is Ursa Minor, known today as the Little Dipper. Before the constellation became a dipper, it was referred to as a bear. However, the bear does not appear at all in the old Zodiacs of Chaldea, Persia, Egypt, or India. Long before the constellation became a bear, it was pictured as a sheepfold. It represents heaven, the place where the Great Shepherd keeps His sheep.

There are seven bright stars in Ursa Minor, but a total of 24, which make up the complete constellation. The seven stars remind us of the seven lamps of fire which burn before the throne of God, and the 24 stars remind us of the 24 elders in Revelation 4, which are seated around the throne of God.

The most significant star in Ursa Minor is Polaris. It is called the North Star, and we are reminded of Isaiah 14:13, which indicated that heaven was pictured in the “sides of the north.” This does not mean that heaven revolves above the North Pole. It simply means that in the ancient constellations the north represented heaven, while the south represented hell.

The Greeks called Ursa Minor by the name Arcas, from which we get words like “arctic” in English. Arcas means bear, but the root meaning is “the stronghold of the saved.”

There is a star in the constellation called Kochab, meaning “waiting for the coming;” another star, Alkaid, means “the assembled;” and yet another, Alpherkdain, means “the redeemed assembly.”

Ursa Major

Another sidereal sidepiece is Ursa Major, which, along with Ursa Minor, seems to tell the same story. Though it is depicted as the Big Dipper, it orginally referred to “the assembled flock.” As in the case of Ursa Minor, there are also seven bright stars, which make up the constellation of Ursa Major. The brightest star is Dubeh, meaning “herd or flock;” Merach means “the flock purchased;” Phaeda means “visited, guarded, or numbered;” and Benet Naish means “the daughters of the assembly.”

It is a magnificent view of the vast assembly of believers who are reserved in heaven today awaiting the resurrection. Both Ursa Major and Ursa Minor compliment the constellation Cancer by representing the great sheepfold in heaven where the Shepherd keeps redeemed believers.

Argo

The third sidereal sidepiece to Cancer is a ship called Argo. It was the celebrated ship of the Argonauts. According to Greek mythology, its captain, Jason, recovered the Golden Fleece from the serpent. To do so, of course, he had to fight both a dragon and a giant. From the ancient mythological story we can glean the true meaning of the “old ship Zion thus sailing along.” I think it represents heavens “clouds” — possibly the celestial transportation vehicles for resurrected and translated saints. Jason could have been an ancient story of the Redeemer; the Golden Fleece is a symbol of eternal life; the dragon is symbolic of Satan; and the giant could represent the largest of all earthly wars — Armageddon.

Of the stars in the constellation, the brightest is Canopus, meaning “the possession of him who comes.” Another star, Sephina, means “the multitude.” They appear to represent the ship of our salvation. Such is the story to be found in the great constellation of Cancer.

Leo

Now we come to the end of the circle. We began with Virgo, the virgin, and we shall end with Leo, the lion. No one who has followed our study can doubt that we have here the solving of the riddle in the Sphinx, for its head is Virgo, and its body is Leo. In Leo we reach the end of the revelation as inspired in the Word of God.

The constellation is depicted as a great lion pouncing upon its prey. It is a magnificent view of the “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” so beautifully described in Revelation 5:5. When our Savior came the first time, He came as the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). But when He comes the second time, He shall come as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” to establish His kingdom upon the Earth.

Hydra

Like the other major constellations, there are three sidereal sidepieces, which help to tell the story of Leo. The first is Hydra — the many-headed serpent. It is a huge constellation extending approximately one-third the distance around the circle of the heavens, reminding us that Satan’s “tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven” (Rev. 12:4). Hydra means, “he is abhorred!” It is composed of 60 stars — a multiple of the number six. The idea with Hydra is that when one cuts off its head, two grow back in its place. He is the great red dragon known as Satan.

Crater

The second sidereal sidepiece is called Crater and is represented as a cup, bowl, or vial of God’s wrath being poured out upon Hydra. I think it is significant that the constellation is made up of 13 stars, the number of “ill omen.” It reminds us of the story in Revelation 15 and 16 where seven angels take up vials of wrath and pour them out upon the kingdom of the Antichrist.

Corvus

Finally, the third sidereal sidepiece is Corvus. It is the view of a bird eating the flesh of Hydra. We are reminded of that day when the birds will come to eat the flesh of the slain on the battlefields of Armageddon.

Leo, the lion, is seen jumping on Hydra — ripping, tearing, and destroying him. Here is the conclusion of the whole matter. Here is the final triumph of the Son of God and the consummated victory of the “Seed” of the woman over the “seed” of the serpent.

So, there you have it. The constellations were named by our great Creator, and prepared to tell the story of redemption for fallen humanity. The message was given to Seth, the son of Adam. For 2,500 years, before the writing of Genesis, those early civilizations were able to study the message of God’s love and redemption. That is the message of those mysterious signs in the heavens.

Blessings
jimmy

Nando

A very good article that deals with the denials that all who are in sin convince themselves of. God defines what is sinful and not us.

The sins of the flesh tend to be the ones that are more justified due to their nature. Until sin is recognized and repented the person that is in it is in rebellion against God who defined it. I which there was a simple answer to give but the article by Eliane B. is about the most tactful and to the point that I have seen. Very good job in such a difficult subject.

We are all sinners in need of mercy and grace and the blood of our Redeemer Jesus to obtain salvation. The goal is to sin not, but if we sin to repent and ask the Holy Spirit to change our nature more and more.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/aug2011/elianeb816.htm

Eliane B (16 Aug 2011)
“Sexual preference and holiness“

In response to http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/aug2011/ksrajan815-1.htm

All true believers in their/our lives fight against some kind of fleshly temptation and deal with a tendency to sin in one way or another. None of us gets to be completely holy before our final redemption (transformation of our body to incorruptibleness and immortality).

Some of us might have adulterous desires (or even actual adulterous practices), others might live in fornication (moving from partner to partner before or outside marriage), others might have a lust for teenagers or even have pedophile inclination, and other have a sexual desire for people of the same gender.  Others might have the blessing of a relatively happy marriage but be addicted to pornography, for example. Others might not have any of those tendencies but struggle with other challenges that might not be of sexual nature, like greediness, covetousness, idolatry, gossip or telling lies, for example.

All of us have been called to holiness and we all must turn from sin and ask Jesus to forgive us and to help us overcome our flesh. All types of sexual immorality are seen as grievous sins in the sight of God. The position of the human law has absolutely no interference in how our Creator views sin and its effects. So it doesn’t matter if some country’s law allows or even stimulates actions that the Bible considers inappropriate and not pleasing to God.

Here is a link about what the Word of God says about same sex marriage: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-f018.html

It’s in prayer and love that I write these lines. Some readers here might struggle against some sin that they have a lot of difficulty fleeing from and have become enslaved to. But one thing is to struggle and acknowledge what is wrong. Another thing is to consider a sin something normal and harmless. We should not celebrate sin or deny that something is a sin when the Bible plainly says that it is, like many other sins that people prefer to ignore (like adultery, fornication and pornography, realities that unfortunately have infiltrated the Church). No wonders that many prayers don’t get any higher than the ceiling.

I pray that all here in this forum that have difficulties overcoming any kind of sin and that acknowledge that sin is not right in the sight of God, that we all repent and are given power to fight against carnality, so that we become true overcomers, regardless of our sexual inclinations.

Notice Paul’s testimony concerning the very real possibility of deliverance of any immoral behavior:

Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, …shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

—I Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)

When there is true repentance and sin is forsaken, then such a person should be lovingly received into the fellowship of believers, like any other repentant and believing sinner. This is the example given in the case of the incestuous Corinthian:

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him.

—II Corinthians 2:6-8 (KJV)

Do homosexuals need to become heterosexuals? No! Scripture never states nor implies all people must be heterosexual; it does say explicitly, however, that we are to avoid all forms of sexual immorality, which includes (but isn’t limited to) homosexual practices. True believers should not persist in sin.

I pray that this forum continues to be a place that we all seek for repentance, forgiveness and holiness.

When we really know Jesus, we have a life-changing experience. Jesus said in Luke:

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”

Someone once put it this way: “No Jesus, no change. Know Jesus, know change.”

If we try to overcome our sinful tendencies, that’s a good sign that Christ is working in our life.

God is the only one who truly knows our hearts. But if Christ has become our Lord, then the Holy Spirit will begin to deal with the sin of immorality (or any other sin) in our lives.

If you don’t agree with me, I really don’t want to start a thread or do anything else to convince anyone that sexual immorality is a sin. I just wanted to remind what Word of God says, for our own benefit. The Lord is coming, friends. Let’s pray according to Luke 21:34-36:

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

In Christ,

Eliane

Nando

There is a lot of controversy in the internet about the comet Elenin the star Nibiru or Planet X or Nemesis. In this article we are including the article posted in www.fivedoves.com by Jim Bramlett of a very fascinating radio interview whose scope is breathtaking and covers the Apocalypse and the astronomical events that will be present at the time which will include Elenin and Nemesis.

The information presented is exceptional and it is one of the most serious and thought provoking interviews that I have heard lately. As I have posted before, the Apocalypse starts this month, as Jesus has revealed to me, and what is covered in the interview by Nathan Leal and a Cuban immigrant Agusto Perez is a must hear.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2011/jim720.htm

Jim Bramlett (20 July 2011)
“Fascinating end-time radio interview“

Dear friends:

For some interesting end-time insights, including some very near-term (2011) celestial signs, listen to http://www.watchmanscry.com/audio/Nathan_071211.mp3 (probably about 30 minutes).

Nathan Leal from http://www.watchmanscry.com interviews Cuban immigrant and ministry leader Augusto Perez of http://www.theappearance.com

(Thanks to Gina McCray’s post on the Five Doves Web site,)

Jim

Nando

A visitor to my blog by the name of Telson left the following article concerning the controversy between the Bible and the Quran. It is a very good source of biblical data pertaining the validity of the Bible versus the Quran from a historical point of view and the number of documents that are available.

Christianity and Islam can not be more different that they are at present. The most striking difference that I see is synthesize on the word love and what it means in both religions.

Jesus out of love for His creation became man and died to pay for our sins. He calls us out of love to enter in a personal relationship of love and obedience with him. His commandments are ones of love and forgiveness towards others and love and commitment to him.

How many times shall we forgive others, seventy times seven meant to mean always. His order was to love your enemies.

True love does not force persons by force or under penalty of death to love. If you have to be forced to love it is not love.

Reader make your own list of the differences of these two religions concerning the abstract meaning of love and its application by both religions.

Nando

Thanks to Randy we have this excellent article about the salvation of the believer. For more than thirty years I listened to John McArthur every weekday radio programs. He is the best Bible teacher I have heard in my life. This man is dedicated to the study of the Word and you should listen to the sermons linked here.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2011/randy77-1.htm

Randy (7 July 2011)
“3 Great (FREE) John McArthur sermons on “Can you Lose Your Salvation?”“

Nando

The Rapture is seen in two times and not one.

There is  scriptural basis for this interpretation, very good Marilyn and also Lora Shipley.

So in conclusion parts of the church is barley and parts are wheat.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2011/marilyna428.htm

Marilyn Agee (28 Apr 2011)
“Bruce Warner: “MORE ABOUT THE  ‘WHEAT’”“

This is a new study by Lora Shipley about the bride of Christ, the church and the Rapture or taking away of the church into the clouds (the Rapture).

Lora your explanation of the Barley and wheat is clear, what I think needs to be mentioned are the rest of the believers that come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. That has to be part of the wheat harvest of the earth.

Some of that harvest has to be alive at the end of the Tribulation to replenish the earth and millions are found dead martyred during the reign of the Antichrist.

Nando

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2011/loras423-1.htm

Lora Shipley (23 Apr 2011)
“New Video: What to Expect On the Day of Visitation & The 49 Day That All Eyes On the Barley- (The Bridal Procession)“

–

Be the Bride!
Be the Loaf of Barley!

Lora Shipley

Please note, many of my studies have insights, I do not consider them doctrine; in many of  them I am asking the question, making comparisons and trying to put the pieces to the puzzle together. All  my studies are based on scripture and patterns that have been established in his word. I hope you are blessed.

www.loafofbarley.com

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Proverbs 8:34