The Zodiac: Bible in the Stars
There was a time when asking what “sign” you were was all the rage. Astrology and horoscope books were everywhere giving simplistic general predictions of everyday life as if they were some kind of magical fortune cookies.
The fact is, this practice is actually based on original truth.
The Zodiac was God’s first dissemination of knowledge to mankind before writing had developed. God created a system with symbolic characters drawn in the stars so Adam and his sons could remember and associate them with the message.
Many ancient historians such as Baleus, Moreri and Josephus, in addition to Arabic and Persian tradition, hold that it was Adam, Seth and Enoch that began the oral dissemination of the Zodiac.
We are told in Genesis 1:14, “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:” The word “signs” here is from the root meaning “to come”. The word “seasons” means “cycles or appointed times”. The stars are signs of something or someone to come at appointed times.
We see this spelled out in Job 38:31-32:
31. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32. Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
The word “Mazzaroth” in Hebrew means the twelve signs. Notice the names of Orion, Pleiades and Arcturus (Ursa Major) were already well known in the time of Job whose story dates back to at least 2100 B.C., well before Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible.
This knowledge embedded in the stars is as old as the stars themselves as seen in Psalm 147:4, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.”
God intended this knowledge to be known by all of mankind as we see in Psalm 19:1-3:
1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
When looking at the signs of the Zodiac, man could not have drawn the figures. The stars arrangements do not correlate to the figures. There are elements in the signs that don’t even have stars in them. This was God’s doing. It was the story of mans redemption by the coming Saviour written in the stars.
Though it has been corrupted by man in some cases, the fact that these signs of the Zodiac, including their names, order and meanings, existed in all ancient cultures such as Chinese, Chaldean, Egyptian and even Indian point to a single origin.
The Zodiac is divided into three books. The Redeemers First Coming, The Redeemed and The Redeemers Second Coming. Each book has four chapters. Each chapter contains a sign of the Zodiac and three accompanying constellations that elaborate on that sign.
Since the Zodiac was constructed in a circle, the problem became where to start the story. The clue to this however lies with the sphinx.
The original concept of the sphinx appears on the ceiling of the Portico of the Temple of Esneh in Egypt. It depicts the sphinx with the head of a woman and a body of a lion placed between the constellations of Virgo and Leo. Greek tradition also depicts the sphinx having a head of a woman and body of a lion. This is our first clue into unlocking the Zodiac.
The second clue comes from the word “sphinx” itself. It means “to bind closely together”. Thus the sphinx shows where the ends of the circle are bound together and where the circle starts and finishes. It starts in Virgo and ends in Leo.
Book 1 – The redeemers first coming.
Virgo – Chapter one. The name of this sign in Hebrew is Bethulah meaning “virgin”. In Arabic it’s Adarah meaning “the pure virgin”. A virgin should be familiar to all in the Judeo-Christian religion, Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
The sign pictures a woman with a branch in one hand and corn in the other. We see the corresponding scripture in Zechariah 3:8, “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.”
Coma, Constellation 1. The Egyptians called this constellation Shes-nu meaning “desired son”. The ancient Hebrew name Comah means “the desired”. This constellation pictures a woman with a child in her arms. It corresponds with Haggai 2:7, “ And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Centaurus, Constellation 2. This sign has a trunk, head and arms of a man with the body and legs of a horse. It’s charging eastward with a spear aimed at the victim Lupus. The Greek name given to this sign was Cheiron meaning “who pierces”. The Hebrew Bezeh and the Arabic Al Beze mean “the despised” referenced by Isaiah 53:3, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
Bootes or Arcturus, Constellation 3. The Greeks gave us the name Bootes but the Hebrew meaning of this constellation is “the coming”. In the book of Job this constellation is named Arcturus which means “He cometh”. It’s a figure of a strong man walking quickly with a rod or spear in his right hand and a sickle in the other hand. The Egyptians called him Smat meaning “one who rules, subdues, and governs”.
Libra – Chapter 2. This sign is shown as scales or balances. In Hebrew it is called Mozanaim meaning “the scales, weighing”. In Arabic it is called Al Zubena meaning “purchase or redemption”. One of the stars in this sign is called Zuben al Genubi meaning “the price deficient” while another is called Zuben al Shemali meaning “ the price which covers”. They all refer to mans deficiency covered by the sacrifice of Jesus.
Crux, Constellation 1. This is the sign of the southern cross. It was visible in Jerusalem at the time of the birth of Jesus but has since receded out of view there. The Hebrew name is Adom which means “cutting off”. It references Daniel 9:26, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself…”. The cross was sacred to the ancient Persians, Assyrians and even the Chinese. Another sign of a single origin.
Lupus, Constellation 2. The Latin name of this constellation is Victima or victim. This sign is of an animal slain by the spear of the centaur. The name Lupus, wolf, is a modern distortion of the original sign. Egyptian mythology called him Horus, the son of Osiris and the virgin. The animal was called Sura meaning “a lamb”. This meaning is confirmed in Isaiah 53:7, “…he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
Corona Borealis, Constellation 3. The Northern Crown. It’s Hebrew name is Atarah meaning “royal crown”. We see this word in Isaiah 28:5, “In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown (Atarah) of glory, and for a diadem of beauty…”
Scorpio – Chapter 3. Here we have the sign of a scorpion. Called Akrab in both Hebrew and Arabic, it means “scorpion” but it also means “the conflict” or “war”. The name in Coptic is Isidis meaning “attack of the enemy”. The Sumerians called it “The Perverse One” or “The Lawless One”, all phrases familiar to Bible students, meaning Satan.
Serpens, Constellation 1. This constellation of the serpent is tied to the constellation of Ophiuchus. The sign is a mighty man (Ophiuchus) wrestling with a giant serpent (Serpens). The head of the serpent is trying to get to the royal crown, Atarah.
Ophiuchus, Constellation 2. This name comes from the Hebrew and Arabic name Afeichus meaning “the serpent held”. One of the stars in the this mighty mans foot is called Saiph meaning “bruised”. This takes us back to the very first prophecy in the Bible, Genesis 3:14-15:
14. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Hercules, Constellation 3. Here we have depicted a mighty man on one knee with his heel lifted as if wounded. His left foot is set on the head of the dragon. Again the reference to Genesis 3 where the woman’s seed (Jesus) bruises the serpent’s (Dragon’s) head. The name Hercules is of Roman origin from the Greek Herakles and is a perversion of the original meaning. The original name was Al Giscale in Arabic simply meaning “the strong one”. Long before the Greeks, the Phoenicians revered him as a saviour. Another star located in his arm pit is called Kornephorus meaning “the Branch, kneeling”. This constellation brings to mind Psalm 91:13, “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”
Sagittarius – Chapter 4. In this sign of the Archer we have a Centaur with a bow and an arrow aimed at the heart of the Scorpion. In Hebrew this constellation is called Kesith meaning “the Archer”. In ancient Akkadian the name is Nun-Ki meaning “Prince of the earth”. In the Zodiac of Denderah the name is Knem meaning “He conquers”.
Lyra, Constellation 1. Known as the Harp, today it is depicted as an eagle holding the harp or a harp placed over the eagle implying a victorious song springing from the enemy of the serpent, the eagle. In ancient zodiacs it’s depicted simply as a hawk or eagle, the natural enemy of the serpent. This constellation has one of the brightest of all stars, Vega, which means “He shall be exalted”.
Ara, Constellation 2. This constellation is of an altar pointed downward with a burning fire. This picture implies the coming judgment seen in Psalm 21:9, “Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.”
Draco, Constellation 3. This constellation may be the source of the mythical dragon found in almost all ancient cultures. This again insinuates a single point of origin. The name alone, Draco, is very similar to dragon. This constellation is of a flying serpent with a head that looks very much like what we see depicted as a head of a dragon. Its tail covers a third part of the stars which we see in Revelation 12:3-4:
3. 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.
4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
A prominent star in this constellation is called Thuban in Hebrew meaning “the subtle” as seen in Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” Another star in its head is called Al Waid in Arabic meaning “who is to be destroyed”. This is referenced in Isaiah 27:1, “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
This completes book 1. It foretold of the coming savior born of a virgin and of the sacrifice by the Lamb of God by the bruising of His heel on the cross. It shows His crowning triumph over the serpent and foretells of its future destruction.
Book 2 – The Redeemer’s People.
Capricornus – Chapter 5. This is the sign of the Sea Goat. The lower half is a fish and the upper half is a goat. The goat half has its front leg folded under itself in the act of dying while the fish half is full of vigor and life. Capricornus is the Latin name of this constellation which means both “goat” and “atonement”. The Hebrew name is Gedi which means both “the kid” or “cut off”. Biblically, a goat is a symbolic sacrifice animal as seen in Leviticus 9:15, “And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.” We also see the reference to being “cut off” in Isaiah 53:8, “…for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” The sign signifies the dying goat as a sacrifice giving way to the living fish, a symbol all Christians recognize.
Sagitta, Constellation 1. This constellation pictures an arrow having left the bow. Its scripture reference is in Psalm 38:2, “For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.” This arrow is not to be confused with the arrow of Sagittarius which is meant for God’s enemies. This arrow symbolizes the Word of God, the conviction of sin.
Aquila, Constellation 2. Aquila, the eagle, is shown pierced and falling downward. One of the stars in this constellation is called Al Okal meaning “wounded in the heel”. It represents Jesus, the noble Eagle and natural enemy of the serpent, sacrificed so others may live.
Delphinus, Constellation 3. The dolphin/fish is shown leaping upward symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection. The Hebrew name is Dalaph meaning “pouring out of water” but translates into Arabic as “coming quickly”. As Christians we know that Jesus is that living water and we await His coming.
Aquarius – Chapter 6. This is the sign of the Water Bearer. In the Zodiac of Denderah it depicts a man with two urns, one pouring downward with a fish coming out. Stars in this sign include Saad al Sund and Scheat meaning “who goeth and returneth”. This sign shows the blessings which follow and the Holy Spirit or Living Waters to be poured out as seen in Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh…”
Picus Australis, Constellation 1. Known as the Southern Fish, it’s symbolic of blessings received from the flowing water of the Water Bearer, Jesus.
Pegasus, Constellation 2. The Winged Horse shows only the foreparts and is named Pega or Pacha meaning “the chief”. Pegasus was known to the Greeks as the horse of the gushing fountain.
Cygnus, Constellation 3. This is the constellation of the Swan. The stars of the wings and body form a cross. It’s also known as the Northern Cross. The brightest star in this constellation is called Deneb meaning “the Lord” or “Judge to come”. The swan is the lordly bird of the waters.
Pisces – Chapter 7. The picture is of two fish, one headed north seeking a heavenly calling, and the other parallel with the path of the sun content with a earthly portion. They are bound together by a band or ribbon which is attached to Cetus, the sea monster. The ancient Egyptian name was Pi-Cot Orion meaning “the fishes of Him that cometh” foreshadowing the multiplication of the blessings to come.
The Band, Constellation 1. This is the band that yokes the two fish to Cetus, the sea monster. We read of this in Hosea 11:4, “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws...” It represents Israel under the yoke of the enemies of God.
Andromeda, Constellation 2. Here we have a picture of a woman in chains on both her arms and legs unable to rise. The woman is called Set in the Denderah Zodiac which means “set up as queen”. She represents Israel bound and fettered awaiting deliverance from the Coming One as seen in Isaiah 52:2-3:
2. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
3. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
Cepheus, Constellation 3. This constellation is called the Crowned King. Cepheus is Greek from the Hebrew “the branch”. Egyptians called the sign Pe-ku-hor meaning “this one cometh to rule”. This Constellation depicts Jesus as the King of Israel.
Aries – Chapter 8. This constellation is of a ram or lamb. The Hebrew name is Taleh meaning “the Lamb”. In Arabic it’s Al Hamal meaning “the sheep, the merciful, the gentle”. The Akkadians called it Baraziggar meaning “the sacrifice of righteousness”. The relevant scripture is in John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Cassiopeia, Constellation 1. Cassiopeia, the Enthroned Woman with a branch in her hand, sits next to Cepheus, the King, in the constellations. The Arabic name is El Seder meaning “the freed”. Perverted tradition has Cassiopeia as the mother of Andromeda but the star names show the truth that they are the same woman, bound and then freed.
Cetus, Constellation 2. This is the constellation of the sea monster or Leviathan of the Bible. The brightest star in it is called Menkar meaning “bound” or “chained”. Other stars are Deneb Kaitos meaning “overthrown” or “thrust down” and Mira meaning “the Rebel”. All references to the Devil. Remember the band on the two fish of Pisces are yoked to this monster. “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” Isaiah 27:1.
Perseus, Constellation 3. This is a mighty man with wings on his feet and a sword with the blood of the enemies head on it. The Hebrew name for the head is Rosh Satan meaning “the head of the adversary”. He is called the Breaker. His Hebrew name is Peretz which is where the Greeks got Perseus. The related scripture is Micah 2:13, “The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.”
This completes book 2. It shows the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection. It’s a victory over sin and the defeat of the enemy thus giving the Living Water to all who seek it.
Book 3 – The Redemption Completed.
Taurus – Chapter 9. This sign depicts a bull rushing forward with its horns aimed at the enemy. The Egyptian Denderah Zodiac calls this sign Isis meaning “who saves or delivers”. The Hebrew name is Shur meaning both “ruling and coming”. In the neck of Taurus sits the Pleiades meaning “the congregation of the judge or ruler”.
Orion, Constellation 1. The symbol of the Coming Prince, he’s depicted as a great hunter with his left foot crushing the head of the enemy. The brightest star in this constellation is Betelgeuz meaning “the coming of the branch”. It also contains a star named Rigel meaning “the foot that crusheth”. Spelled Oarion in antiquity from a Hebrew root, it meant “coming forth as light”.
Eridanus, Constellation 2. This constellation depicts a river flowing from before the Coming Prince, Orion. The sea monster, Cetus, is trying to stop its flow. The river of the coming judge is seen in Daniel 7:10, “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
Auriga, Constellation 3. This constellation is one that has also been perverted. The Greeks called it Haeniochos meaning “charioteer” which is how we got the Latin name Auriga. However, the word Auriga is from a Hebrew root meaning “shepherd”. What it really depicts is the Good Shepherd with a goat in His lap and reins or bands in His right hand. The same bands that bound Israel.
Gemini – Chapter 10. These twins were perverted by both the Greeks, who called them Apollo and Hercules, and the Romans who called them Castro and Pollux. Pollux means “ruler” or “judge”. The reality of this sign is from the Hebrew word Thaumin meaning “united”. In the Zodiac of Denderah they are pictured as a man and woman hand in hand. It’s meant to depict Christ and His bride.
Lepus, Constellation 1. It’s a picture of a hare but this too is a perversion, as are all three constellations in Gemini. The Persians picture a serpent while the Egyptians picture an unclean bird perched on the serpent under the foot of Orion. The brightest star in this constellation is called Arnebo in Hebrew meaning “the enemy of Him that cometh”. It foretells the destruction of the enemy as seen in Isaiah 63:3, “…I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury…”
Canis Major, Constellation 2. Canis Major is known as the great dog. This image actually comes from Greek mythology. The Persians pictured a wolf called Zeeb meaning “leader”. A major star in this constellation is Sirius from the word Seir. The name in the Egyptian Zodiac is Naz-Seir meaning “the Sent Prince”.
Canis Minor, Constellation 3. The small dog is pictured in the Denderah Zodiac as a human with the head of a hawk and a tail, not a dog. It’s called Sebak meaning “conquering, victorious”. The brightest star in this constellation is Procyon meaning “Redeemer”.
Cancer – Chapter 11. Though the Chinese and Hindu zodiacs, as well as our own, depict a giant crab, the crab has no relation at all with the star names it contains. According to the Greeks, Jupiter placed the crab in the stars. There’s not even an ancient Hebrew word for crab. The Denderah Zodiac called it Klaria meaning “the folds, the resting places”. The Arabic name for the sign is Al Sartan meaning “who holds” while the Greeks called it Karkinos meaning “holding” or “encircling”. This “circle” is what the Greeks turned into a crab. In the middle of this sign there is a nebulous cluster known in Arabic and Hebrew as Praesepe meaning “a multitude, offspring” seen in Revelation 7:9, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb…”
Ursa Minor, Constellation 1. Known as the Little Bear, this too is a perversion by the Greeks. There are no bears in any of the ancient zodiacs. Bear was a bastardization of the original Arabic name, Dubhe or Dubah, meaning “a fold of animals”. The Hebrew equivalent is Dohveh meaning “rest and security”. One of the stars in this constellation is Kochab meaning “waiting Him who cometh”.
Ursa Major, Constellation 2. This is the Great Bear known also as the Big Dipper or the Plough in Britain. The old Arabic name was Al Naish meaning “assembled together”. A star in the center is called Merach in Hebrew meaning “the flock”. These two “bear” constellations are actually two sheepfolds as seen in John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
Argo, Constellation 3. In this chapter, the Greeks turned this sign of a ship into the mythical ship of the Argonauts. The word Argo means “company of travelers”. The brightest star, which is in the keel, is called Canobus meaning “the possession of Him who cometh”.
Leo – Chapter 12. The Lion in this sign has its feet over the head of Hydra, the great serpent. The Arabic name is Al Asad meaning “a lion coming, vehemently”. This is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus, as seen in Revelation 5:5, “…behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book…”
Hydra, Constellation 1. Meaning “he is abhorred”, this is the constellation of the serpent who we know well from Revelation 12:7-9:
7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Crater, Constellation 2. Crater is depicted as a cup full to the brim and placed on Hydra, the serpent. This represents God’s cup of wrath and indignation as seen in Revelation 14:10, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation…” We see it again in Revelation 16:19, “…and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.”
Corvus, Constellation 3. This constellation is of a raven or bird of prey grasping the serpent with its claws. The Egyptians called it Her-na meaning “the Enemy broken”.
This completes book 3 and the story of the Zodiac. In book three we saw the victorious second coming of Jesus with Israel freed. We read of the encirclement and protection of God’s people and the two folds, Israel and Judah, brought back together given rest and security. We also read of the coming judgement by the cup of wrath for the enemy and of the final destruction of the serpent, Satan.
This article barley scratches the surface of the information found in The Witness of the Stars by E.W. Bullinger and The Glory of the Stars by E. Raymond Capt.
However, nowhere in the Zodiac does it say that you’ll get that job you always wanted or that you’re going to meet your soulmate on Tuesday. What it does say is that Jesus was crucified so that you could have an opportunity at eternal life. That’s the real horoscope.