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Flashback to Isaac’s Birth: Symmetry with Jesus’ birth

Isaac’s birth is one of the most anticipated and drawn out events in the Bible.  God promised Abraham, then 75 years old, a ‘great nation’ in Genesis 12.  Obeying God’s promise, Abraham left Mesopotamia for Canaan, the Promised Land, arriving a few months later.

But before Abraham could father ‘a great nation,’ he needed a son – yet the promised son had not arrived.  Abraham waited 10 years without siring any son or heir.  However, God reassured him with a binding oath; by trusting God, Abraham was ‘credited’ righteousness.  Abraham did get Ishmael as a son, through a surrogate-like arrangement, but God declared that Ishmael was not that promised son. 

Years passed as Abraham and Sarah continued to wait, with fading prospects of bearing a child the more they aged.  Hope seemed lost until Abraham had a unique encounter at the age of ninety-nine years old.

The Lord appears to Abraham

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

God’s Promise for a son

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Genesis 18:1-15

Can we blame Sarah for laughing?  Having a child when the father is 99 and the mother is 90 is sheer impossibility.  We would also have laughed.

The Birth of Isaac

Nevertheless, in the following year, we find that:

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Genesis 21:1-7

Ultimately, Abraham and Sarah now had their promised son – Isaac.  Their dreams were rekindled.  Even so, the overall account raised an important question.

Why the drawn out wait for Isaac’s birth?

Why does God wait 25 years (Genesis 21) to bring about the promised birth of Isaac (Genesis 12)? If God has the power to do anything at any given time, why not bring about Isaac right away?  Would that not better show His power?  Or, was there some special foresight to God’s roundabout way of doing things?

From later outcomes we can deduce several reasons for the wait. 

First, Abraham learned valuable lessons about trusting God during this long wait. In doing so, he became a example for all people who desire to trust in God.  Those who would know God must follow Abraham’s path.

Second, instead of diminishing God’s power, the account magnifies it.  It is remarkable perhaps, but not miraculous, for a middle-aged couple to have a child.  Unlikely events do occur naturally. Should Abraham and Sarah have had Isaac early on, we could interpret the account in that way.  However, a couple bearing a child at the age of 100 years is either a fabricated story or miraculous.  There is no other explanation or middle ground.  Either the events of Isaac’s birth did not happen as recorded or there was a miracle.  If miraculous, then the whole project, known as Israel, continuing even to this day, sits on the foundation of God’s miraculous power and His utterly trustworthy promises.  In the birth of Isaac, all Jews through history are established on a miracle.  And if the foundation is miraculous then so is the structure built on it.

Isaac’s miraculous birth compared to Jesus’ miraculous birth

To grasp the third reason for Isaac’s delayed birth, we must recognize a remarkable pattern.  Consider that Abraham had only one other descendant with an equally promised, anticipated and miraculous birth – Jesus of Nazareth. 

For preceding centuries, different prophets in various ways had promised in God’s name that the Messiah would come. The Gospels then present Jesus as this promised Messiah. His being born from a virgin is equally, if not more, miraculous than Isaac’s birth.  Exactly as with Isaac’s birth account, we can only interpret the virgin birth of Jesus as either fabricated story or the miraculous.  There is no other explanation, no middle ground.  A little reflection brings plainly into sight this symmetry between the births of Jesus and Isaac.  

Jesus as the Archetype of Israel

Here is one in a series of instances that paints an overall portrait of Jesus as the archetype of Israel.  As an archetype, he represents, fulfills and is the fulfillment of God’s purposes that were first uttered to Abraham 4000 years ago. To be an archetype Jesus’ birth had to pattern that of Isaac, the first of the nation.  Otherwise Jesus’ claim to be Israel is proved false right from the start.  But since the miraculous nature of both their births match, then Jesus’ claim to be Israel remains intact and, at the very least, an open question worth investigating. 

Abraham & Jesus are separated by centuries of history

Comparing their births from this historical perspective, we can observe that Isaac’s birth foresaw that of Jesus’ who came much later. To coordinate events with foresight like this, that spans across an immense time period in human history, supports the claim that Jesus’ is the cornerstone of a Divine project.  God invites us all to understand this project so that we can be beneficiaries of that original promise that was given to Abraham so long ago.

… all peoples on earth will be blessed through you

Genesis 12:3

We continue looking at Jesus from this vantage point by examining how his flight from Herod just after birth mirrored the flight of Israel from Isaac’s son. We conclude our investigation here.

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Christmas – The Jesus Birth Story

Christmas is distinguished as a primary global festival, celebrated by nations around the world. Christmas celebrations are replete with music, food, decorations and gifts – while the exact way of celebrating varies from nation to nation. But at its historic core, Christmas celebrates the birth of a poor Jewish boy born just over 2000 years ago.

The unique essence of Christmas becomes ironic when we realize that the one people bypassing the Christmas celebrations are Jewish; the very people from whom this Jewish boy was born, who birthed the tradition. This intrigue alone makes the Christmas story worth exploring, which is what we will be doing here.

The Jewish Birth Story: Better than Santa

Jesus’ Birth Story is rich with imagery

Almost all the characters who make up the drama surrounding this boy’s birth were Jewish.  One of the two historians to have documented the story was also Jewish.

The intrigue, the suspense and the celebration surrounding the birth of this Jewish baby, recorded by a Jewish Levite, paints the later Christmas add-ons like Santa Claus, the North Pole, and the elves in Santa’s workshop, pale in comparison.

Levi, also known as Matthew, wanted us to know for certain that the baby boy he wrote about was Jewish.  So, he began his account with this sentence – the first sentence in his gospel and in the New Testament.

“This is an account of the origin of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Matthew 1:1
Timeline of Jesus, Abraham and David in history
Jesus, David & Abraham in historical timeline. Jesus born 4 BCE since Gospels record that Herod lives at his birth.

Not only was he a son of Abraham as all Jews are, but he was also a descendant of the renowned King David!  What other theme could evoke greater expectancy?  Certainly not Santa.

Jesus’ Birth Recounted

What were the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth?  Matthew tells us in striking detail.

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Isaiah 7:14

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. 

Matthew 1:18-25

The Virgin Birth

Matthew quickly brings us right into deep controversy, for he tells us with certainty that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth.  Luke, another Gospel writer, provides further details on the event.

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Luke 1: 26-35

Surprisingly, rabbinical Jewish sources reveal their belief in the virgin birth.  The theme of the Virgin birth goes back as far as Adam & Eve, its miraculous nature foreshadowed in Isaac’s birth.

Luke’s Details of Jesus’ Birth

Humble shepherds come to see the King

Luke continues the events of Jesus’ birth:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Shepherds at Jesus’ birth

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

Luke 2:1-20

The Wise Men Visit Bethlehem

The visit of the Wise Men is usually included in the Nativity Story. Matthew writes:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

(Micah 5:2)

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Wise Men find baby Jesus

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:1-11
The Magi from afar come to see the King

The non-Jewish Magi comes from afar to encounter the ‘King of the Jews’. Meanwhile the ruling Jewish establishment, led by Herod the Great, becomes ‘disturbed’ by the news of the birth of their King. This foresees a pattern that has been intact for the last 2000 years.

Jesus’ Coming Through a Jewish Lens

In fact, Jesus’ Christmas birth account continues the narrative that depicts him as the archetype Jew who would bless all peoples – including me and you.  Two thousand years before, beginning with the story of Abraham (at 2000 BCE), God had promised

… all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you (Abraham).

Genesis 12:3

That set Abraham on a pilgrimage to the Promised Land in his old age.  However, many years ensued before his son Isaac was born.  Isaac’s birth during Abraham’s hundredth year was just as miraculous as Jesus’ virgin birth.  Jesus’ birth mirrors Isaac’s in order to stress this archetype Jewish role.

Re-iterated through Jewish Prophets

The hope for a future blessing for all peoples took a defining turn centuries later when God, through the prophet Isaiah (700 BC), called on all nations to:

Jesus, Isaiah & David in a historical timeline

hear this, you distant nations:

Isaiah 49:1

God then introduced his coming ‘servant’ as Israel, the archetype or embodiment of the Jewish nation.

He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”

Isaiah 49:3

To bring this blessing on all nations (Gentiles)

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6

But simultaneously, this servant would remain strangely abhorrent to his own nation.

This is what the Lord says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,

Isaiah 49:7

Christmas reveals the double fulfillment of this ‘blessing’ as nations worldwide celebrate Christmas while Jesus’ own people do not acknowledge him.

What’s more, many of us in the nations no longer understand the significance of Jesus or his mission.  We might remember him at Christmas, but otherwise, he simply remains a cultural remnant of the European pre-scientific era.

Exploring Jesus Through his Jewish Lens

Perhaps a part of the problem relates to the nations within Christendom who no longer perceive Jesus from a Jewish perspective. As Matthew & Luke began the account of his birth, the four gospels proceeded in this entirely Jewish portrayal of Jesus.

In doing so, the gospels propose an audacious hypothesis that Jesus embodies the entire nation of Israel. From their perspective, Jesus is the archetype, master blueprint, fulfillment, or completion of Israel.

Although, can this hypothesis find support?

What difference does it make to us?

Exploring Jesus through this Jewish lens makes his person and mission vivid, real and personally relevant, rather than faded and remote like it seems to be for many of us.  Jesus stands out in the context of a Divine Plan. We can thus engage with him in a way that makes him large and life-like as he was to his contemporaries – allowing us to comprehend what his promised ‘blessing’ and ‘light for the nations’ means.

So we continue exploring Jesus through this Jewish lens. We review the link between his birth and that of the first Israelite – Isaac, suggesting Jesus’ role with his nation. Then we continue with his childhood flight for survival, illustrated in the story of Anne Frank, further advancing his role to bless all people.

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Virgo & the Zodiac as Signs for my Life

The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac today are associated with astrology and the horoscope.  Today’s horoscope predicts your fortune by your birth date in relation to these twelve Zodiac Signs.  The horoscope then guides you to find true love (love horoscope), or good luck and success in relationships, health and wealth. These Twelve Astrological Signs connecting your birth dates to your personal horoscope are:

  1. Virgo: August 24 – September 23
  2. Libra: September 24 – October 23
  3. Scorpio: October 24 – November 22
  4. Sagittarius: November 23 – December 21
  5. Capricorn: December 22- January 20
  6. Aquarius: January 21 – February 19
  7. Pisces: February 20 – March 20
  8. Aries: March 21- April 20
  9. Taurus: April 21 – May 21
  10. Gemini: May 22 – June 21
  11. Cancer: June 22 – July 23
  12. Leo: July 24 – August 23

Astrology & Modern Horoscope

Horoscope comes from the Greek horo (ώρα) meaning ‘hour, season or period of time’ and the Greek skopus (σκοπός) meaning ‘goal or mark on which to focus’. Astrology comes from astro (άστρο) ‘star’ and logia (λογια) ‘study of’. So the idea in this modern horoscope of astrology is to mark the time of one’s birth according to the zodiac’s constellations of stars.

But is this the original way that the ancients read zodiac astrology?

What is the Zodiac? Where does it come from?

The twelve Zodiac Signs are constellations of stars visible on the earth through the course of the year.

But how did the ancients use the zodiac with its twelve signs?

Be Warned! Answering this question will open up your horoscope in ways you will not expect. It could embark you on a different journey then you intended in just checking the horoscope for your zodiac sign…

The oldest book of the Bible, written before the time of Abraham over 4000 years ago, was Job.  Job states that the constellations were made by God:

He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

Job 9:9

So does Amos, another prophet of the Bible

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name.

Amos 5:8

The Pleiades are stars that make up part of the Taurus constellation.  If Job speaks of them in a book more than 4000 years old, the zodiac constellations have been with us a very long time.

The great Jewish historian Josephus agrees with this when he relates in his book written in first century CE that Adam and Seth were:

They also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies, and their order.

Antiquities II i

We can learn how the ancients used the zodiac to guide ourselves differently than today’s horoscope. We explore this by examining the constellation Virgo.

Horoscope & Zodiac from Creator Himself

Job declares that the zodiac constellations were ‘signs’ made by God from the beginning of time.  Long before prophetic messages were recorded in books, they were placed in the stars as images to tell the story of God’s plan.  The original zodiac was not to guide us to wealth, love and good fortune depending on when in the year our birth was.  The zodiac was a visual story to guide us to God’s plan.

We see this from the creation account in the beginning of the Bible. During the six days of creation it says:

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years…

Genesis 1:14

Modern astrology claims to know about human affairs and events on earth based on the position of the stars. But it is not the stars that affect our lives. They are just signs to mark events that the Creator planned – and He affects our lives.

Since the creation of the stars were to ‘mark sacred times’ and horoscope means ‘horo’ (hour, period of time) + ‘skopus’ (to mark for focus), the intent behind the constellations was for us to know His horoscope through the twelve Zodiac Signs. They form a Story in the Stars – the original astrology.

Astrology and the Prophets together

Studying the stars (astrology) to mark sacred times (horoscope) does not tell all that the Creator planned about these events.  The Creator’s written record gives further details. We see an example of this in the birth of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel records how astrologers understood his birth by studying the stars.  It says:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:1-2

The Magi knew from the stars ‘who’ was born (the Christ). But the stars did not tell them ‘where’.  For that they needed the written revelation.

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Mathew 2:3-6

So the astrologers needed the prophetic writings to more fully understand what they observed in the star.  It is the same for us today.  We can gain the insight that the earliest humans had from the astrological horoscope of the ancient zodiac.  But we can get more understanding through the prophetic writings which further develops each zodiac sign.  So this is what we will do going through each astrological sign of the original Zodiac story.

The Beginning of the Zodiac story

This story written in the stars from the beginning of history extends an invitation to you. It invites you to participate in this cosmic plan of the Creator. But before we can participate in this Story we must understand it. Where does the story begin?  Today horoscope reading usually begins with Aries. But this was not so from ancient times, when it began with Virgo (see here for details from Esna Zodiac).

So we begin the Zodiac story at Virgo.

The Constellation Virgo

Here is a photo of the stars forming Virgo.  Virgo is a young woman, a virgin. But it is impossible to ‘see’ Virgo (this virgin woman) in the stars.  The stars themselves do not naturally form the image of the woman.

Night sky photo of Virgo. Can you see the Virgin woman?
Virgo with connecting lines

Even if we connect the stars in the Virgo constellation with lines as in this Wikipedia image, it is still hard to ‘see’ a woman with these stars, let alone a virgin woman.

But this has been the Sign for as far back as records exist.  Virgo is often shown in full detail, but the details do not come from the constellation itself.

Image of the Virgo woman placed on the stars in great detail

Virgo in the Ancient Egyptian Zodiac

Below is the entire Zodiac in the Egyptian Temple in Dendera, dated to 1st century BCE.  This zodiac contains the 12 Zodiac signs. Virgo circled in red. The sketch on the right shows the zodiac images more clearly.  You see that Virgo holds a seed of grain.  This seed of grain is the star Spica, the brightest star in the Virgo constellation.

Dendera Zodiac from Egypt. Virgo is circled in red

Here is Spica in a night sky photo, with the Virgo stars connected by lines.

Virgo Constellation with Spica star shown

But how does one know that Spica is a seed of grain (sometimes an ear of corn)?  It is not apparent in the constellation itself, just as a virgin woman is not apparent from the Virgo constellation.

So Virgo – the Virgin Woman with the seed of grain – was not created from the stars themselves.  Rather, the Virgin with the seed of grain was thought of beforehand and then was placed on the constellation.  So where did Virgo with her seed come from?  Who first had the Virgin in mind and then placed her and her seed as Virgo in the stars?

Virgo Story from Beginning

In paradise, when Adam & Eve disobeyed, and God confronted them and the serpent (Satan) He promised Satan that:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15
The characters and their relationships foretold in Paradise. The Woman with the offspring is the original meaning of Virgo. The ancients used the Virgo Constellation to remember this Promise

God promised that an ‘offspring’ (literally a ‘seed’) will come from a woman – without mentioning her union with a man – thus she is a Virgin.  This Seed of the Virgin would crush the ‘head’ of the serpent.  The only person where there is even a claim of being born of a virgin woman was Jesus Christ.  The coming of the Christ from a Virgin was announced at the beginning of time, as explained more fully here.  The first humans, to remember the Creator’s promise, created Virgo with her seed (Spica) and placed her image in the constellation so that their descendants would remember the promise.

Thus the Plan of God, given as 12 pictures, remembered in the constellations of the Zodiac, was studied, told and retold in the centuries from Adam to Noah.  After the flood, the descendants of Noah corrupted the original story and it became the horoscope as used today.

Jesus and your Virgo Horoscope

When Jesus said:

Jesus replied, “The hour (horo) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John 12:23-24

He read the horoscope sign and declared himself as that seed – Spica – which would achieve a great victory for us – the ‘many seeds’. This ‘seed’ of the Virgin had come at a specific ‘hour’ = ‘horo’. Jesus did not come at any hour but at ‘the’ hour. He said this so we could mark (skopus) that hour and follow the story – read the horoscope he set out.

So the twelve Signs of the zodiac are for all peoples. There is not just one horoscope sign for you based on your birth date. The 12 Signs form a complete story to guide your life, if you choose to follow it, to eternal life through a lasting relationship with the Zodiac’s Creator.

Your Daily Virgo Horoscope Reading of the Ancient Zodiac

The Bible sets forth sacred hours and time periods, invite us to note them, and live accordingly. Since horoscope = horo (hour) + skopus (mark to observe) we can do that with the zodiac using the written record to explain the Zodiac constellations more fully. Jesus himself marked the Virgo + Spica ‘hour’ for us. Here is a Horoscope reading for you based on this:

Be careful not to miss that ‘hour’ (horo) declared by Jesus because you are too busy every day chasing unimportant things. Because of that, many will miss out on becoming the ‘many seeds’. Life is full of mysteries, but the key to eternal life and true wealth is to unlock the mystery of the ‘many seeds’ for yourself. Ask the Creator daily to guide you to understanding. Since He put the Sign in the Stars of Virgo as well as in His written record, he will give you insight if you ask, knock and seek for it. In a manner, the Virgo characteristics compatible for this are curiosity and an eagerness to dig for answers. If these traits mark you then put it into action by seeking further insight into Virgo.

Deeper into Virgo and the Complete Zodiac Story

Continue on to become familiar with the complete Story as it was originally given by following the Zodiac constellations below. Use it to guide you onto the Straight Path.

To go deeper in the written story of Virgo see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Libra in the Ancient Zodiac

Libra is the second zodiac constellation and means ‘weighing scales’.  In today’s horoscope if you are born between September 24 and October 23 you are a Libra.  Today’s horoscope guides your fortune and blessing as determined by the date of your birth in relation to the twelve Zodiac Signs and gives insight on your personality.  Modern astrology uses the horoscope to guide us to true love (love horoscope), or decisions towards good luck and success in relationships, health and wealth. But was that its original meaning?

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

Libra Constellation

Libra star photo. Can you see balancing scales?

Libra is a constellation of stars forming scales or balances.  Here is a picture of the Libra stars.  Can you see ‘weighing scales’ in this photo of the stars?  No.

Libra Constellation with stars connected by lines

In fact, even if we connect the stars in ‘Libra’ with lines it is still hard to see the scales.  But this sign of weighing scales goes back as far as we know in human history.

In Ancient Egyptian Zodiac

Here is a picture of the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the scales of Libra circled in red.

Dendera Zodiac with Libra circled

The National Geographic zodiac poster below shows Libra as seen in the Southern Hemisphere.  But the triangle does not look like a scale at all.

National Geographic poster of Zodiac constellations. Libra is circled in red

So this means that the Libra constellation of the weighing of heavenly scales was not created from the stars themselves.  Rather, the idea of weighing scales came first.  The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars as a recurring sign for a memory aid.  The ancients could point out the Libra constellation to their children and tell them the story associated with the weighing scales.  This was its original astrological purpose.

The Author of the Constellations

The Zodiac constellations together form a Story – written in the stars.  But who wrote this story?

The oldest book of the Bible, written even before Moses’ books was Job.  Job also mentions constellations, affirming that God made them:

 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

Job 9:9

The twelve Signs of the Zodiac form a Story given by the Creator.  This Story is that of the Cosmic struggle between Him and His Adversary.  Virgo is the Story’s first chapter – the coming Seed of the Virgin Woman – written in the night sky for all peoples to see.

Libra Chapter in the Ancient Zodiac

This is the second chapter in our Story.  Libra painted another sign in the night sky for all peoples.  In it we see the sign of God’s Justice.  The Celestial Scales picture righteousness, justice, order, government and the institutions of the rule of His Kingdom. So in Libra we are brought face to face with eternal justice, the weighing of the penalties of our sin and the price of redemption.

Unfortunately, the verdict is not favourable for us.  The brightest star is in the upper arm of the balance – the balance of our good deeds is shown to be light.

The Libra witness of the Psalms

 The Psalms pronounces the same verdict.

Lowborn men are but a breath, The highborn are but a lie; If weighed on a balance they are nothing; Together they are only a breath.

Psalm 62:9

So the astrological Sign of Libra reminds us of the insufficiency of our balance of deeds. In the justice of the Kingdom of God, all of us are found to have a balance of good deeds that weigh only as much as a breath – deficient and insufficient.

But we are not without hope.  As in matters of debt payments and obligations, there is a price which can cover our lack of merit.  But it is not an easy price to pay.  The Psalms declares

the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough

Psalm 49:8

As Job knew his redeemer who would balance his debt before heaven, so also the Zodiac Signs show us how we can know this same redeemer who can help us in our need.

The Libra Horoscope in the Writings

Since Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Prophetic writings mark important hours for us, we can note their Libra ‘hour’. The Libra horo reading from these writings is:

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Galatians 4:4-5

In stating ‘the set time had fully come’ the Gospel marks a special ‘horo’ for us to read.  This hour is not based on the hour of your birth but on an hour set at the beginning of time. In stating that Jesus was ‘born of a woman’ it alludes to Virgo and her Seed.

How did he come?

He came ‘under the law’.  He came under the weighing scales of Libra.

Why did he come? 

He came to ‘redeem’ us who were ‘under the law’ – the scales of Libra.  Those of us who find our scale of deeds too light – he can redeem.  This is followed with the promise of ‘adoption to sonship’.

Your Libra Horoscope Reading

You and I can apply the Libra horoscope reading today with the following guidance.

Libra reminds us that your pursuit of wealth can easily become greed, your pursuit of relationships can quickly cause you to treat others as disposable, you are likely to trample on people as you seek happiness. Libra tells us that such traits are not compatible with the scales of righteousness. So take stock now of what you are doing in life. Be careful because Libra and the Books warn us that God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing. 

If your balance of deeds is too light on that Day you will need a Redeemer.  Explore all your options now but remember that the Seed of Virgo came so that He can redeem you.  Use your God-given characteristic to sense the right and wrong in your life. What ‘adoption’ means in the Libra horoscope reading may not be clear at this point but if you continue to daily ask, knock and seek He will guide you. This can be done any time of any day, throughout your week.

Libra & Scorpio

Libra’s picture has changed since the beginning of human history.  In early astrological images and names given to the stars in Libra we see the claws of Scorpio reaching to grasp Libra.  The brightest star Zubeneschamali, comes from the Arabic phrase al-zuban al-šamāliyya, which means “the northern claw”.  The second brightest star in Libra, Zubenelgenubi, is derived from the Arabic phrase al-zuban al-janūbiyy, which means “the southern claw.” The two claws of Scorpio are grasping at Libra.  This reveals the great struggle that is underway between these two opponents.  How this struggle unfolds we explore next in Scorpio. To understand the the Zodiac story from its beginning see the Sign of Virgo.

To go deeper in the written story of Libra see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Scorpio in the Ancient Zodiac

Scorpio is the third constellation of the zodiac and is the image of a venomous scorpion.  Scorpio also associates with the smaller constellations (Decans) Ophiucus, Serpens and Corona Borealis. In today’s horoscope if you are born between October 24 and November 22 you are a Scorpio.  In this modern horoscope reading of the zodiac, you follow the horoscope advice for Scorpio to find love, good luck, health and gain insight on your personality.

But did the ancients read it this way at its beginning?  

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

Where did Scorpio Originate?

Here is a picture of the stars forming Scorpio.  Can you see a scorpion in this photo of the stars?  You’d need a lot of imagination!

Photo of the Scorpio stars. Can you see a scorpion?

Even if we connect the stars in ‘Scorpio’ with lines it is still hard to see the scorpion.  But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.

Scorpio constellation connected by lines. The raised tail is clear. But how do you know it is a scorpion and not a hook?

Here is the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the image of the scorpion in this zodiac circled in red.

Scorpio in the Ancient Egyptian Dendera Zodiac

The National Geographic poster of the zodiac shows Scorpio as seen in the Southern Hemisphere.  Even though National Geographic connected stars forming Scorpio with lines it is still hard to ‘see’ a scorpion in this star constellation.

Scorpio outlined in a National Geographic Zodiac Poster

As with the other constellations, the Scorpio constellation of a scorpion ready to strike was not created from the stars themselves. Rather, the idea of the striking scorpion came first. The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars to be a recurring sign. The ancients could point out Scorpio to their children and tell them the story associated with it.

The Ancient Zodiac Story

The Zodiac constellations together form a Story – an astrological story written with the stars.  The Sign of Scorpio is the third chapter of twelve. We saw in Virgo that the Bible states that God made the constellations. So the Story is His and was given at the beginning of human history. It is this Astrology story that the first humans read in what we now know as the zodiac.

The original zodiac was not a horoscope to guide your daily decisions to good luck, health, love and fortune based on the date of your birth and the movement of the planets.  God placed it as a guide to show us His Way. He desired people could see and remember these zodiac constellations every night. The Story started with the promise of the seed of the Virgin in Virgo.  It continued with the weighing scales of Libra, declaring that our balance of deeds are too light for the Kingdom of Heaven. A price must be paid to redeem our light deeds.

Scorpio in the Ancient Zodiac Story

But who is demanding this payment?  Scorpio shows us and reveals the heavenly conflict between the Seed of Virgo and the scorpion.  To understand this conflict we must see Scorpio along with its Decan (an accompanying constellation connected to it) Ophiuchus.

Scorpio and Ophiuchus constellations. From the 1886 edition of Moses and Geology (Samuel Kinns, London).

The constellation pictures a gigantic scorpion (Scorpio) trying to sting a mighty man (Ophiuchus) in the heel, while Ophiuchus is trampling on the scorpion and simultaneously wrestling a coiled serpent.  This gigantic scorpion has its tail uplifted in anger, ready to strike the man’s foot.  This sign tells us that this conflict is to-the-death.  In Scorpio we begin to learn the nature of the payment to ransom us from Libra, the scales of justice.  Scorpio and the Serpent (Serpens) are two images of the same adversary – Satan.

This sign in the stars repeats the promise given to God’s Adversary in the Garden and recorded in Genesis when the LORD told the Serpent concerning the Seed of Virgo

And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15

The scorpion struck the heel when Jesus was crucified on the cross, but the scorpion suffered mortal defeat when he rose three days later.  The constellations Scorpio, Ophiucus and Serpens foretold this long before through the One who arranged them in the heavens.

Conflict with Scorpio remembered by others

Many ancient cultures remember the beginning of this conflict in the garden, and which reached its climax on the cross. The ancient Chinese even recorded the beginning of this struggle within their very script.

2200 BCE Babylonian seal in British Museum showing temptation of Adam & Eve
The serpent is crushed in the head in the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

These two images show how both the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians remembered Adam and Eve in Paradise and also the promise of the crushing of the head of the serpent. The ancient Greeks remembered this through Scorpio.

…you can trace the starlit Ophiuchus himself: so brightly set beneath his head appear his gleaming shoulders. … his hands … firmly clutch the Serpent, which encircles the waist of Ophiuchus, but he, steadfast with both his feet well set, tramples a huge monster, even the Scorpion, standing upright on his eye and breast.

Aratus quoting Exodus 4th Century BCE Greek poet

Serpens and the Crown in Corona Borealis

The third Decan associated with Scorpio is Corona Borealis – a crown placed above Ophiuchus and Serpens. Consider a typical astrological image of the three Scorpio decans shown together.

Ophiuchus and Serpens eyeing Corona Borealis – The Crown

Both Ophiucus and Serpens are looking at The Crown – the constellation known as Corona Borealis.  In fact, these two are battling for this Crown and we can see that Serpens is trying to grasp Corona Borealis.

The Serpent (Serpens) constellation up close – reaching for the Crown – Corona Borealis

Serpens is striving to lay hold of the Crown. This illustrates the nature of the conflict between the two. This is not only a conflict-to-the-death, but it is also a struggle for rule and dominion. The Serpent and Ophiucus battle to determine who will have the Crown.

The Story of Scorpio – for you and me

Scorpio is for all people, not just for those born between October 24-November 22.  Scorpio does not guide to more wealth or love, but from ancient times illustrated from the stars for you and me to know what great lengths our Creator would go to in order to redeem us from our light deeds, requiring a great struggle to the death, and the right to rule for the victor. Accordingly, ‘ruler’ is the meaning of ‘Christ’.

The Scorpio Horoscope in the Writings

Since Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Prophetic writings mark important hours for us, we can note their Scorpio ‘hour’. The Scorpio horo is

Now is the hour (horo) for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

John 12:31-33

I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,

John 14:30

In stating ‘Now is the hour’ Jesus marks the ‘horo’ for us.  Scorpio tells us about the conflict over who will rule.  Thus Jesus calls Satan the ‘prince of this world’ and at that hour he was coming to meet him in conflict.  Satan has hold over us all since our balance of deeds is light.  But Jesus said confidently that he had ‘no hold over me’ meaning that the power of sin and death had no hold over him.  That horo would test this statement as these two adversaries confronted each other.

Your Scorpio Reading from the Ancient Zodiac

You and I can apply the Scorpio horoscope reading today with the following guidance.

Scorpio tells us that you have to serve somebody. Someone has the claim to the crown of your heart. It is not a lover, spouse or relationship that has the ultimate claim to the crown of your heart. It is either the ‘prince of this world’ or the ‘Christ’ – the one who will rule the Kingdom of God. Take stock now of who has your crown. If you live to save your own life then you have given your crown to the ‘prince of this world’ and you will lose your life. Since Scorpio’s traits are to kill, steal and destroy, he is not compatible for you if he has your crown. Examine yourself to see if you need to ‘repent’ as Jesus so clearly taught. You can find some good examples to get a better idea of what this means. It is not the planets but your heart that will determine the outcome for you. Good examples to follow are not holy saints but ordinary people with regular traits who repented. Repentance can be done any day of the week and probably to turn it into a habit should be done on a daily basis.

The story of the struggle between the two great adversaries continues with Sagittarius (or understood from the beginning with Virgo)

To go deeper in the written story of SCORPIO see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Sagittarius in the Ancient Zodiac

Sagittarius is the fourth constellation of the zodiac and is the sign of a mounted archer.  Sagittarius means ‘archer’ in Latin. In today’s horoscope if you are born between November 23 and December 21 you are a Sagittarius.  So in this modern horoscope reading of the zodiac, you follow the horoscope advice for Sagittarius to find love, good luck, health and gain insight on your personality.

But did the ancients read it this way at its beginning? 

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

Constellation Sagittarius Origins

Sagittarius is a star constellation that form the image of a mounted archer, often shown as a centaur.  Here are the stars forming Sagittarius.  Can you see anything resembling a centaur, a horse, or an archer in this star photo?

Sagittarius Star Constellation Photo

Even if we connect the stars in ‘Sagittarius’ with lines it is still hard to ‘see’ the mounted archer. But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.

Sagittarius Constellation connected with lines

Here is the zodiac in Egypt’s Dendera Temple, more than 2000 years old with Sagittarius circled in red.

Sagittarius in Ancient Dendera Zodiac of Egypt

The National Geographic zodiac poster shows Sagittarius as seen in the Southern Hemisphere.  Even connecting the Sagittarius stars with lines, it is hard to ‘see’ a rider, horse or centaur in this constellation.

Sagittarius in National Geographic Constellation map

As with the previous constellations, the image of the archer is not innate within the star constellation itself.  Rather, the idea of the mounted archer came first, from something other than the stars. The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars to be a recurring sign. Below is a typical Sagittarius image, pictured only in isolation. It is when we see Sagittarius with the surrounding constellations that we learn its meaning.

Typical Sagittarius Astrology constellation image

The Original Zodiac Story

The original zodiac was not a horoscope to guide your daily decisions towards good luck, health, love and fortune based on your birth date and the movement of the planets.  It was a plan promised by God to guide us on His Way. The 12 zodiac constellations recorded this plan as a visual reminder for people.  Astrology originally was the study and knowledge of this story in the stars.

This Story began with the Seed of the Virgin in Virgo.  It continued with Libra, reminding us that our balance of deeds are too light.  Scorpio showed the tremendous struggle between the Seed of Virgo and the Scorpion.  Theirs is a battle for the right to rule.

Sagittarius in the Zodiac Story

Sagittarius foretells how this struggle will end.  We understand when we see Sagittarius with the surrounding constellations. It is this astrology context that reveals the meaning of Sagittarius.

Sagittarius in the Zodiac – Complete defeat of Scorpio

The drawn arrow of Sagittarius points directly at the heart of Scorpio.  So it clearly shows the mounted archer destroying his mortal enemy. This was the meaning of Sagittarius in the ancient Zodiac. The Dendera Zodiac (above) and all zodiacs with the constellations placed side-by-side with each other also show the victory of the mounted archer over Scorpio.

Another Zodiac image of Sagittarius. His arrow points straight at the Scorpion

The Sagittarius chapter in the written Story

The final victory of Jesus Christ, the Seed of the Virgin, over his enemy is prophesied in the Bible to occur as pictured in Sagittarius.  Here is the written prophecy of the Christ’s return to earth.

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.

Revelation 19: 11-21

The Serpent’s Doom

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

Revelation 20:1-3

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:7-10

The First Astrological Unit

These first four signs of the Ancient Zodiac: Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius form an astrological unit within the 12 chapter Zodiac Story which focus on the coming ruler and his opponent.  Virgo foretold his coming from the Seed of the Virgin. Libra foretold that a price would be required for our insufficient deeds. Scorpio foretold that price would be death. But Sagittarius foretold his ultimate victory with the arrow of the archer pointing directly at the heart of the Scorpion.

These Signs were for all people, not just for those born in each constellation’s month. Sagittarius is for you even if you are not born between November 23 and December 21. It was given so we could know the ultimate triumph over the enemy and choose our allegiance accordingly. Jesus Christ fulfilled Virgo, Libra and Scorpio in his first coming. The fulfilling of Sagittarius awaits his second coming. But since the first three signs of this unit have been fulfilled, it provides a basis to trust that the Sagittarius Sign will also be fulfilled.

Jesus and Your Sagittarius Horoscope

Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Bible marks these hours for us, including the Sagittarius ‘hour’. The Sagittarius horo hour is

“But about that day or hour (horo) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Matthew 24:36

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour (horo) when you do not expect him.

Matthew 24:44

Jesus tells us that no one knows that precise hour (horo) of the Christ’s return and the complete defeat of his enemy, except God.  However, there are clues indicating the nearness of that hour.  It says we are likely not to be expecting it or be ready for it.

Your Daily Sagittarius Horoscope Reading of the Ancient Zodiac

You and I can apply the Sagittarius horoscope reading today with the following.

Sagittarius tells that us that you will face many distractions before the hour of the return of the Christ and the complete defeat of Satan.  In fact, if you are not daily transformed by the renewing of your mind then you will be conformed to the standards of this world –and that hour will hit you unexpectedly and you will not be compatible with Him when He is revealed.  If you do not want to reap all the terrible consequences of missing that hour you need to make a conscious decision daily to be prepared.  Take stock of whether you are mindlessly following the gossip and intrigues of the celebrities and soap operas.  If so that will most likely result in traits such as slavery of your mind, loss of close relationships now, and certainly miss the hour of his return along with most others. 

Your personality has both its strengths and weaknesses, but the enemy, who wants you to remain distracted, attacks you at your weak characteristics.  Be it idle gossip, pornography, greed, or just wasting your time on social media, He knows the temptations that you will fall for.  So pray for help and guidance so that you can walk the straight and narrow path and be ready for that hour.  Seek out the few others who also do not want to miss that hour and together you can help each other daily so it does not come upon you unexpectedly.

On through the Zodiac and deeper into Sagittarius

The next four Zodiac Signs also form an astrological unit, revealing how the work of the Coming One affects us, beginning with Capricorn.

Start the story at its beginning with Virgo.

To go deeper in the written story of Sagittarius see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Capricorn in the Ancient Zodiac

In today’s horoscope if you are born between December 22 and January 20 you are a Capricorn.  In this modern horoscope interpretation of the astrological zodiac, you follow the horoscope’s advice for Capricorn to find love, good luck, wealth, health, and insight on your personality.

Capricorn forms an image of the front of a Goat joined to the tail of a Fish. Where did the Goat-Fish come from?

What did it mean from the beginning? 

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

In the ancient Zodiac, Capricorn was the fifth of twelve astrology constellations that formed a Great Story. We saw that the first four constellations were an astrological unit concerning the person of a Great Redeemer and his mortal conflict with His Enemy.

Capricorn begins the second unit which focuses on the work of this Redeemer as it affects us. In this unit we see the results – the blessings to us – of the Redeemer’s victory over His enemy.  This unit opens with a Goat and closes with a Ram (Aries) and the middle two Signs concern fishes (Aquarius & Pisces).  How fitting then that Capricorn has always been the front of a Goat joined to the tail of a Fish.

In the ancient Zodiac, Capricorn was for all people since it foretold benefits available to anyone.  So even if you are not a Capricorn in the modern horoscope sense, the ancient astrology story embedded in the stars of Capricorn is worth understanding.

Capricorn Constellation in Astrology

Capricorn is a star constellation that form the image of a Goat fused with a fish tail.  Here are the stars forming Capricorn connected by lines.  Can you see anything resembling a goat-fish in this image?  I cannot. How could anyone even imagine a fused goat-and-fish creature from these stars?

Capricorn star constellation

Goats and fishes are not even remotely related in nature.  But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.  Here is the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the image of the Goat-Fish Capricorn circled in red.

Dendera Zodiac with Capricorn circled in red

As with the previous zodiac constellations, the Capricorn image of the Goat-fish is not obvious from the constellation itself.  It is not innate within the star constellation.  Rather, the idea of a fused Goat-Fish came first, from something other than the stars. The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars to be a recurring sign.  But why?  What did it mean to the ancients?

Capricorn Goat-Fish

The image of Capricorn shows the Goat bowing its head, with its right leg folded underneath the body, and he seems unable to rise with the left.  It looks like the goat is dieing.  But the tail of the Fish is supple, bent and is full of vigour and life.

Capricorn Goat dying but fish tail is alive

From the beginning of human history the goat (and sheep) was the accepted way to offer a sacrifice to God. The Bible tells us that Abel, son of Adam & Eve, offered sacrifices from his flocks. God accepted his sacrifices but not Cain’s. Abraham offered a Ram (male goat or sheep) and God ransomed him with it.  God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to offer a lamb for Passover. These were all signs to teach us that a ransom of another life would be needed to redeem us from the balance of Libra. Jesus, in his sacrifice on the cross volunteered to be that sacrifice for us.

The Capricorn goat bowed in death was the sign for the ancients to remind them of the promise of the coming redeemer who would be that sacrifice. Jesus was the fulfillment of that Sign.

The Capricorn Fish

But what is the meaning of the Capricorn Fish tail? To illustrate we look at another ancient culture – the Chinese. The Chinese New Year celebration occurs January/February (around the time of Capricorn) and is a tradition that goes back thousands of years. This festival celebrates with decorations that Chinese hang on their doors. Here are some images of this.

Card – Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Decorations
Chinese New Year – Fishes

You will notice that all show fishes. Fishes are used in their New Year Greeting because, from ancient times, fishes were symbols of life, abundance and plenty.

In the same way, in the ancient zodiac, fishes represented the abundance of living people – multitudes – for whom the sacrifice was made.

Jesus used the same image of fishes when he taught about the many whom his sacrifice would reach. He taught

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.

Matthew 13: 47-48

When Jesus explained the future work of his disciples he said

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Matthew 4:18-19

Both times the image of fishes represented the multitudes of people who would receive the gift of the Kingdom of Heaven. Why not you too?

The Capricorn Horoscope in the Writings

Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and thus means the marking of special hours. The Prophetic writings mark the Capricorn ‘horo’ in vivid ways. Because Capricorn is two-fold (Goat and fish), the Capricorn horo reading is also two-fold: the hour of sacrifice and the hour of multitudes.  Jesus marked the first of the hours like this.

14 When the hour (horo) came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” …

Luke 22:14-16

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Luke 22: 20

This is the ‘hour’ of the Capricorn goat.  This hour had been marked by the Passover exodus over 1500 years previously, when the blood of the sacrifice was painted on the doors so that death would pass over.  That very hour Jesus revealed the full meaning of Passover by stating that his blood would similarly be poured out for them … and us.  He would die so we would get life, just like the Passover with Moses … just like the Capricorn goat.  That hour leads to the next hour – multitudes with life.

I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the hour (horo) to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

Revelation 14: 14-16

The prophetic writing says that this hour will come when those joined to the Capricorn sacrifice will participate in the harvest to heaven at the end of this age.  This is the hour in the parable of Jesus when the fish are brought in the net. These two hours of Goat and fish balance and fulfill each other.  These two hours marked Capricorn in the ancient astrological horoscope.

Your Capricorn Horoscope Reading

You and I can apply the Capricorn horoscope reading today with the following.

Capricorn tells that there is more to life than meets the eye.  If you or I were running the universe perhaps all its characteristics would be straightforward and obvious.  But you need to accept the fact that neither you nor I are in charge.  Just as there are physical laws that govern the motion of planets, there are spiritual laws that govern you.  Better accept that reality than continue to fight or try to get around it.  Otherwise you will find that going against these laws is just as painful as going against physical laws. Certainly you do not want to be incompatible with the fundamental spiritual horos.

Perhaps a good place to start getting in sync with these spiritual laws is to just express thanks and gratitude instead of first trying to understand it all.  After all, if there is Someone who is looking out for you in such a way as to spill some of his own blood on your behalf – why not try saying ‘thanks’.  Being thankful is a trait that can smooth out a lot of questions in any relationship.  And thanks can be done straight from your heart, anytime and any day.  Perhaps then all the puzzling pieces may start coming together to make sense of your life.  Be bold, take a new direction, and say ‘thanks’ to Capricorn.

Further in the Zodiac and deeper into Capricorn

In the Capricorn Goat we have the sacrifice of death pictured.  In the Capricorn Fish we have the many peoples for whom the sacrifice gives life. Since they live in water, the fish of Capricorn also prepares us for the next chapter in the ancient Zodiac Story – Aquarius – the Man bringing rivers of living water. To start at the beginning of the Zodiac Story see Virgo.

To go deeper in the Written Story corresponding to Capricorn see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Aquarius in the Ancient Zodiac

Aquarius is the sixth constellation of the zodiac and is part the Zodiac Unit revealing the results for us of the Coming One’s victory.  It forms the image of a man pouring rivers of water from a celestial jar. Aquarius is Latin for water bearer. In today’s horoscope if you are born between January 21 and February 19 you are an Aquarius.  So in this modern astrology horoscope reading of the ancient zodiac, you follow the horoscope advice for Aquarius to find love, good luck, health, and gain insight on your personality.

Aquarius shows that our thirst for happiness in wealth, luck and love is insufficient. But only the Man in Aquarius can provide the water that will satisfy our thirst. In the ancient zodiac Aquarius offers his water to all people.  So even if you are not Aquarius in the modern horoscope sense, the ancient astrological story in the stars of Aquarius is worth knowing so you can choose whether to drink from His water yourself.

Constellation Aquarius in the Stars

Here are the stars that form Aquarius.  Can you see anything resembling a man pouring out water from a container in this star photo?

Aquarius star constellation photo

Even if we connect the stars in Aquarius with lines it is still hard to ‘see’ any such image.  So how could anyone even think up a man pouring water onto fish from this?

Aquarius with stars connected by lines

But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.  Here is the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the image of the water-bearer Aquarius circled in red. You can also see in the sketch on the side that the water flows to a fish.

Egyptian Zodiac at Dendera with Aquarius circled

Here is a National Geographic poster of the zodiac showing Aquarius as seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

National Geographic Zodiac Star chart with Aquarius circled

Even if we connect the stars forming Aquarius with lines to show the zodiac constellations, it is still hard to ‘see’ anything resembling a man, a jar and pouring water in this star constellation. But below are some common astrology images of Aquarius.

Aquarius & Rivers of Water

Traditional zodiac image of Aquarius Man pouring out water for fish (Piscis Australis – The Southern Fish)
Aquarius seen pouring out water to Piscis Australis – The Southern Fish

As with the other zodiac constellations, the image of the Water-Bearer is not obvious from the constellation itself.  It is not innate within the star constellation.  Rather, the idea of the Water-Bearer came first, from something other than the stars. The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars to be a recurring sign.

But why?

What did it mean to the ancients? Why has Aquarius from ancient times been associated with The Southern Fish constellation so that the water flowing from Aquarius runs to the Fish?

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways, embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

The Ancient Zodiac Story

We saw, with Virgo, that the Bible states that God made the constellations. He gave them as signs of a Story guiding mankind until written revelation. Thus Adam and his sons taught them to their children to instruct them of God’s Plan. Virgo foretold the coming Son of the Virgin – Jesus Christ. We worked our way through the Story explaining the Great Conflict and now we are in the second unit revealing the benefits to us of His victory.

The Original Meaning of Aquarius

Aquarius told the ancients two great truths which is wisdom for us today.

  1. We are thirsty people (symbolized by the Southern Fish drinking in the water).
  2. The water from The Man is the only water that will ultimately quench our thirst.

The ancient prophets also taught these two truths.

We are Thirsty

The ancient prophets wrote about our thirst in various ways. The Psalms expresses it like this:

As the deer pants for streams of water,

    so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

    When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42:1-2

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

But problems arise when we seek to satisfy this thirst with other ‘water’. Jeremiah taught this was the root of our sin.

My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Jeremiah 2:13

Jeremiah 2:13

The cisterns of water that we pursue are many: money, sex, pleasure, work, family, marriage, status. But these cannot satisfy and we end up still ‘thirsty’ for more. This is what Solomon, the great King known for his wisdom, wrote about. But what can we do to quench our thirst?

Lasting Water to Quench our Thirst

The ancients prophets also foresaw a time when our thirst would be quenched. As far back as Moses they looked forward to the day when:

“Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. Numbers 24:7

Numbers 24:7

The Prophet Isaiah followed with these prophecies.

Behold, a king will reign righteously And princes will rule justly. 2 Each will be like a refuge from the wind And a shelter from the storm, Like streams of water in a dry country, Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land. Isaiah 32:1-2

‘The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. Isaiah 41:17

Quenching the Thirst

But how would the thirst be quenched? Isaiah continued.

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Isaiah 44:3

In the Gospels, Jesus declared that he was the source of that Water

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7: 37-39

He specifies that ‘water’ is a picture of the Spirit, who came to dwell in people on Pentecost.  This was the partial fulfillment, which will be finalized in the Kingdom of God as it states:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb Revelation 22:1

Coming to Drink

Who needs water more than fish? So the Zodiac pictures Aquarius pouring his water to the fish Piscis Australis – The Southern Fish. This illustrates the simple truth that the victory and blessings won by the Man – the Seed of the Virgin – will certainly go to all who thirst for it. To receive this we need to:

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. Isaiah 55:1-3

The fishes of Pisces expands on this picture, giving more detail. The gift of His Water is available to all – you and me included.

Aquarius Horoscope in the Ancient Writings

Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and thus means the marking of special hours. The Prophetic writings mark the Aquarius ‘horo’.  Jesus marks Aquarius in this manner.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

John 4:13-14, 21-23

We are now in the ‘hour’ of Aquarius.  This hour is not a short specific hour as with Capricorn. Instead it is a long and wide open ‘hour’ that continues to extend from the time of that conversation until today. In this hour of Aquarius, Jesus offers us water that will well up to eternal life in us.

The Greek word used by Jesus two times here is horo, the same as the root in ‘horoscope’.

Your Aquarius Horoscope Reading from the Ancient Zodiac

You and I can apply the Aquarius horoscope reading today in the following way.

Aquarius says ‘know thyself’.  What is it deep inside you that you thirst after?  How does this thirst show itself as the traits that those around you see? Perhaps you are just aware of a vague thirst for ‘something more’, whether that be money, longer life, sex, marriage, romantic relationships, or better food and drink. That thirst could make you incompatible with those that are already close to you, causing frustration in any of your deeper relationships, whether that be co-workers, family members or lovers. Be careful that your thirst does not cause you to lose what you do have. 

Now is a good time to ask yourself what is meant by ‘living water’.  What are its characteristics? Words like ‘eternal life’, ‘spring’, ‘spirit’ and ‘truth’ were used to describe the Aquarius offer. They bring to mind traits like ‘abundance’, ‘satisfaction’, ‘refreshing’.  This can turn around your relationships so that you are a ‘giver’ rather than just a ‘taker’. 

But it all starts with knowing your thirst and being honest about what drives you.  So follow the example of the woman in this conversation and see if you can learn how she took up the offer.  A life worth living comes as you examine your heart.

Deeper into Aquarius & through the ancient Zodiac Story

The Sign of Aquarius was originally not meant to guide decisions towards health, love and prosperity only for those born between January 21 and February 19. It was placed in the stars so that all would remember that we do thirst for something more in this life. It promises that the Son of the Virgin will come and quench that thirst in us. To start the Ancient Zodiac Story at its beginning see Virgo. Pisces continues the Zodiac Story.

To go deeper in the written story of Aquarius see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Pisces in the Ancient Zodiac

Pisces is the seventh constellation of the Zodiac, and in the Zodiac Unit revealing the results for us of the Coming One’s victory.  Pisces forms the image of two fishes bound together by a long band. In today’s horoscope if you are born between February 20 and March 20 you are a Pisces.  In this modern astrology horoscope reading of the ancient zodiac, you follow the horoscope advice for Pisces to find love, good luck, wealth, health, and insight on your personality.

But what did it mean to the ancients?

Why has Pisces from ancient times pictured two fishes connected by a long band?

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

In Virgo we saw that the Bible states that God Himself made the zodiac constellations as Signs going back to the beginning of mankind.  In this ancient astrology of the stars each chapter was for all people. So even if you are ‘not’ a Pisces in the modern horoscope sense, the ancient story in the stars of Pisces is worth knowing.

Constellation Pisces in the Stars

Here are the stars forming Pisces.  Can you see anything resembling two fishes held together by a long band in this photo?

Photo of the Stars that make up Pisces

Even connecting the stars in ‘Pisces’ with lines do not make the fishes obvious.  How did early astrologers think up two fishes from these stars?

Pisces constellation with stars connected by lines

But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.  Here is the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the image of the two Pisces fishes circled in red. You can also see in the sketch on the side that the band binds them together.

Ancient Egyptian Zodiac of Denderah with Pisces circled

Below is a traditional image of Pisces that astrology has used as far back as we know.

Astrological Pisces Image

What is the meaning of the two fishes?

And the band fastened to their two tails?

What is the significance for you & me?

Original Meaning of Pisces

We saw in Capricorn that the fish tail received life from the dying head of the goat. Aquarius showed water poured out to the Fish – Piscis Austrinus. The fish represented the multitudes who would receive the Living Water. This was foreseen back in the time of Abraham when God promised him

all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.

Genesis 12:3

and through your seed all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me Genesis 22:18

These multitudes redeemed through the Coming Servant divided into two groups

he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6

Isaiah wrote of the ‘tribes of Jacob’ as well as the ‘Gentiles’. These are the two fishes of Pisces. When Jesus called his disciples he told them

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19

The very first followers of Jesus used the symbol of the fish to show they belonged to him. Here are photos from ancient catacombs.

Fish symbol with Greek letters on ancient tomb
Fish symbol on ancient Roman tombs
Two fish engraved in rock

The two fishes of Pisces, the tribes of Jacob and those of other nations following Jesus have equal life given to them by him. The Band also holds them equally in bondage.

The Band – Passing Bondage

The two fishes of Pisces, though given new spiritual life, are bound together by the constellation The Band. The Band holds the two fishes captive. But we see the hoof of Aries the Ram coming towards the band. It speaks of the day when the fishes will be freed by Aries.

Pisces with Aries in the Zodiac. Aries’ hoof is coming to break the Band

This is the experience of all followers of Jesus today. The Bible describes our present bondage to suffering, decay and death – but with hope looking forward to the Day of freedom from this bondage (represented in Pisces by the band).

Bondage & groaning now

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:18-25

Redemption coming…

We wait for the redemption of our bodies from death. As it explains further

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15: 50-57

The Band around the fishes of Pisces pictures our present-day situation. But we wait expectantly for the coming of Aries to set us free. This freedom from bondage to death is offered to all. In the original zodiac, Pisces did not guide your daily decisions to good fortune, love and better health, based on your birth date. Its Sign declared that not only would the victory of Jesus grant us Living Water, but also that one day he would release us from the bondage to decay, trouble and death that hold us captive now.

Pisces Horoscope in the Sacred Writings

Since Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Prophetic writings mark important hours for us, we note their Pisces ‘hour’. Fishes alive in the water, but still bound by the bands mark the Pisces horo reading.  True life but waiting for complete freedom.

They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the hour (horo) is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their hour (horo) comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, John 16:2-4

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that hour (horo) what you should say Luke 12:11-12

We live in the hour of Aquarius and also in the hour of Pisces.  Aquarius brought the water (Spirit of God) to bring life to the fishes.  But we are only in the middle of the Zodiac Story and the final Sagittarius victory is still in the future.  We now face trouble, hardship, persecution and physical death in this hour, as Jesus warned us.  The bands holding the fish are real.  But even as we are held by the bands we still have life.  The Holy Spirit indwells, teaches and guides us – even in the face of death.  Welcome to the hour of Pisces.

Your Pisces Horoscope Reading from the Ancient Zodiac

You and I can apply the Pisces horoscope reading today with the following.

Pisces horoscope declares you must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom. In fact some common traits of your journey to that Kingdom are troubles, hardships, distresses and even death.  Don’t let this get you down.  It is actually to your benefit as it can develop three characteristics in you: faith, hope and love.  The bands of Pisces can do this in you – if you do not lose heart. Though outwardly you may be wasting away, yet inwardly you are being renewed day by day.  This is because you have the firstfruits of the Spirit in you.  So even as you groan inwardly as you wait eagerly for the redemption of your body, recognize that these real problems are working for your good if they make you compatible with the King and His Kingdom.

Keep yourself going with this Truth: In his great mercy The King has given you new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when The King is revealed.

Continue through the Ancient Zodiac Story

The beginning of the Ancient Zodiac story starts with Virgo. To continue the Ancient Zodiac Story see Aries.

To go deeper in the written story of Pisces see

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book

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Aries in the Ancient Zodiac

Aries is the eighth constellation of the Zodiac and concludes the Zodiac Unit revealing the results for us from the Coming One’s victory.  Aries is the image of a ram alive and well with its head held high. In today’s horoscope if you are born between March 21 and April 20 you are an Aries.  So, in this modern astrology horoscope reading of the ancient zodiac, you follow the horoscope advice for Aries to find love, good luck, wealth, health, and gain insight on your personality.

But what did Aries mean at first?

Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways, embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…

In Virgo we saw that the Bible states that God made the zodiac constellations as Signs from the beginning of mankind.  In this ancient story from the stars each chapter was for all people. So even if you are not an Aries in the modern horoscope sense, the ancient astrology story of Aries is worth knowing.

Constellation Aries in the Stars

Here are the stars forming Aries.  Can you see anything resembling a ram (male sheep) with its head held high in this photo?

Aries Star Constellation in sky

Even connecting the stars in Aries with lines does not make the ram obvious.  So how did early astrologers think up a living Ram from these stars?

Aries Constellation with stars connected by lines

But this sign goes back as far as we know in human history.  Here is the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with Aries circled in red.

Aries in the Ancient Egyptian Dendera Temple Zodiac

Below are traditional images of Aries that astrology has used as far back as we know.

What is the meaning of the Ram?

What is the significance for you & me?

Aries Astrology Constellation Image
Classic Aries Zodiac Image

Original Meaning of Aries

With Capricorn the Goat-front had died so Fishes could live. But the Band of Pisces still held the fishes. There remains a bondage to physical decay and death. We live through many troubles, grow old and die! But we have a great hope for a physical resurrection. Aries front leg extending to the band of Pisces reveals how this will happen. An amazing thing happened to that Goat (Capricorn) which died. The Bible describes it like this:

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 5:6-14

Aries – The Lamb Alive!

The marvelous news, planned from the beginning of human history, is that the Lamb, though slain, has come alive again.  Who was the lamb slain?  John the Baptist, thinking back to the sacrifice of Abraham, said of Jesus

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion.  Forty days later, after being with his disciples, the Bible says he ascended into heaven.  So the Lamb is alive and in heaven – just as Aries reveals.

Later in this same vision John saw:

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10

These are the multitudes, symbolized with the fishes of Pisces, that have come to the Lamb.  But now the bands of decay and death have been broken.  Aries has broken the bands holding the fishes of Pisces.  They have received the fullness of salvation and eternal life.

Aries Horoscope in the Writings

‘Horoscope’ is based on the Greek word ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Bible marks many important hours. We have been reading the crucial Virgo to Pisces ‘hours’ in the writings. But it is the other Greek word in Horoscope – skopus (σκοπός) – which brings out the Aries reading.  Skopus means to look at, think about or consider.  Aries pictures the eternal Lamb of God thus giving no definitive time period to focus on. Rather we are urged to consider the Ram himself.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking (Skopus) to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:3-11

There is no hour de-limiting Aries the Ram.  But the Ram has gone through distinct degrees of glory.  We first see him in the very nature (or form) of God.  He planned even from the beginning to be a servant by becoming a human and to die.  Virgo announced this descent to ‘human likeness’ and Capricorn expressed his obedience to death.  But death was not the end – it could not hold him and now the Ram is exalted in heaven, alive and in charge.  It is from this high authority and power that the Ram executes the final unit of the Zodiac, beginning with Taurus.  No longer the servant, He is preparing to come in Judgment to vanquish his enemy, as Sagittarius of the ancient Zodiac story predicts.

Your Aries Horoscope Reading

You and I can apply the Aries horoscope reading in this way:

Aries declares that the brightness of morning comes after the dark night. Life has a way of bringing the dark night to you. You might be tempted to give up, quit or settle for something less than what you were made for. To find the resilience to keep on going you need to look past your circumstances and situation. You need to see your ultimate destiny.

You do so by scoping out Aries. If you belong to Aries you will ride on his coattails and he is at the highest place and he will take you there with him. For if, while you were God’s enemy, your relationship with him was restored through the Capricorn sacrifice, how much more, now being compatible with Him, will you be saved through Aries’ life? It is just that you have to follow his path, and his path went down before it went up – so yours will have to as well.

How to keep going? Rejoice in Aries’ life always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident in all your relationships. Aries is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, bring your requests to God. And the peace of God, which goes beyond your understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in The Ram. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

The Return of the Lamb

This closes the second unit of the ancient zodiac story which focused on the benefits given to those who receive the fruits of the victory of Jesus (The Lamb).  Why not receive his gift of life?

The final unit, chapters 9-12 of the Zodiac Story, focus on what happens when Aries the Ram returns – as he promised.  This is declared in that same vision of the Lamb when John saw:

They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! Revelation 6:16

In the ancient zodiac this is shown in Taurus.  See Virgo to begin that Zodiac Story. 

To go deeper in the written story of Aries see:

Download PDF of the Zodiac chapters as a book