Current Events	Available Programs	ARK Kids Programs	Past Events	Area Events	AIG 1998	CLM Meetings

Throughout the centuries, the stars have provided a great source of fascination for millions of people. Satan has deceived people for thousands of years through astrology. He's convinced them that, in the stars, they could find answers to their questions about the future. Instead of seeking God for His wisdom, people have accepted the lie of astrology (Rom. 1:25).

If, through astrology, Satan has gone to such great lengths to deceive people, he must be disguising a message that is for Christians. God does have a special message for us in the stars. The purpose of my lesson is to give information regarding redemption's story which God placed in the heavens for all to see. My conclusions will be based solely on God's Word.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge" (Ps. 19:1-2).

There is possibly a distinctive evidence of God and His truth that deserves to be considered. This evidence is controversial and should not be considered on a par with other evidences. Nevertheless, it is most intriguing and does seem to have some support in the written Scriptures, as well as in the nature of the evidence itself. It at least deserves a hearing.

Long before there were any written Scriptures that we know about, men, of course, needed to know about God and their relation to Him, especially His plans for their salvation. There had been prophets of God in the antediluvian world (e.g., Abel, Enoch, Lamech), as well as in the post-diluvian world before Moses (e.g., Melchizedek, Abraham, Joseph). As noted in chapter 4, the various divisions of the book of Genesis give evidence of having been written by the early patriarchs and then edited by Moses later. Thus, God revealed himself in various ways to early men long before Moses wrote the Pentateuch.

The creation record does state that one of the purposes of the heavenly bodies was to be "for signs, and for seasons" (Gen. 1:14). The Scriptures also indicate that the stars were given names by God (Ps. 147:4; Isa. 40:26).

In fact, the Bible actually refers by name to a number of the stars and their constellations. This is especially true in the book of Job, probably the oldest book in the Bible, if not in the world. Job mentions "Arcturus with his sons" (38:32), the "sweet influences of Pleiades" (38:31), the "bands of Orion" (38:31), the "crooked serpent" (26:13), and the "chambers of the south" (9:9). There are several other references scattered through the Bible.

Perhaps the most important biblical reference to this subject is Job 38:32: "Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?" The fact that these words were spoken to Job directly by God, in the context where they are contained, strongly implies that the "bringing forth of Mazzaroth" each season was something that had been designed and established by none other than God himself.

The significant fact is that the word Mazzaroth means the twelve signs of the Zodiac and their associated constellations. Many or most scholars and commentators are in agreement on this.

Thus, there is good reason to believe that the various star groupings and their symbolic counterparts were originally used, and perhaps even designed, for the purpose of conveying a continuing message to people of all places and times, that message consisting essentially of God's plans and promises concerning man's redemption.

Having built this case, we must remember the Dangers in Astrology. In trying to get at the truth concerning this subject, it is necessary to keep at least the following facts in mind:

1. The modern system of interpretation of star meanings - that is astrology - is unequivocally condemned in the Bible (see Deut. 4:19; Isa. 47:11-14; 2 Kings 23:5; Acts 7:42, 43; etc.), so that we must by all means avoid any association with these particular teachings.

2. Furthermore, astrology is essentially synonymous with ancient polytheistic paganism. The images of "man, and ... birds and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" (Rom. 1:23) universally associated with idolatry, have their precise counterparts in the heavenly pictures associated with the constellations....

The April meeting will elaborate on the positive side of these signs, with an interesting interpretation.