When God restored the heavens and the earth, He spoke celestial bodies into being. These luminaries in the heavens had a specific purpose.
Genesis 1:14:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs [Hebrew oth], and for seasons, and for days, and years.
Let’s see how these celestial signs agree with the prophecies of God’s promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Signs in the Old Testament
The Hebrew word oth is used 79 times in the Old Testament. It may be a form of the Hebrew word ooth, meaning to assent or agree. It shows agreement and establishes a promised truth that is yet to be fulfilled. The word oth is used of a beacon, monument, evidence, mark, miracle, ensign, sign, or token. It is literally a mark of something important to come. It refers to tokens of agreements, like circumcision or keeping the sabbath. It refers to miracles and wonders, such as when Moses showed God’s mighty power before Pharaoh.
It is specifically used as a “sign” in the heavens on the following occasions.
After saving mankind from the Devil’s attempt at destroying all life with a flood, God gave Noah a “sign” that such destruction would never come again. This token was set in the sky for all to see.
Genesis 9:17:
And God said unto Noah, This is the token [oth, referring to the rainbow] of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
One of Noah’s descendants, Hezekiah, became king of Judah. He became very ill and was soon to die. God sent the Prophet Isaiah to minister to him, and as a result Hezekiah believed to live another fifteen years. During those years he had a son, and that kept his lineage going, which eventually led to the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. To show His establishment of Hezekiah’s believing, God gave him a magnificent “sign” in the heavens, for the sun went backward in the sky!
II Kings 20:9,11:
And Isaiah said, This sign [oth] shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward [a shadow of the sun in the sky], by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
God sent Isaiah to help bring another “sign” to bless all of Hezekiah’s descendants, and indeed all of mankind. It was a promise of the Messiah’s birth, after being conceived by a virgin.
Isaiah 7:14:
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign [oth]; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
This sign was fulfilled in the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:20-23:
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost [God, the Holy Spirit].
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Counterfeit Celestial Signs: Astrology
Many people look for celestial “signs” today to give them guidance on what to do in their lives, and often seek predictions of things to come. Sadly, the Devil has used a counterfeit “art” called astrology that does this very thing. It makes predictions, supposedly based on heavenly signs, that guide and motivate people to take specific actions. Most modern news media have a “horoscope” section. This word literally means to “look at the hour,” as if the location and arrangement of celestial bodies at the time of one’s birth could affect a person’s destiny. God gave man free will, and we can believe God’s promises no matter when we were born.
Astrology is nothing new. Such observations have caused dismay for centuries, and people fear and give up because something is not “in their stars.” The Prophet Jeremiah saw this in his lifetime.
Jeremiah 10:2:
Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
These “stargazers” are wearisome to those who follow them. God boldly declares that they are of no genuine help to anyone.
Isaiah 47:13:
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
God, as a loving Lord, encourages people not to follow the ways of astrology. Satan uses people that he can control by way of drugs and other means so that they make false “predictions” (see Exodus 7:11,22; 8:7,18; Leviticus 19:26; Numbers 23:23; 24:1; Deuteronomy 18:10; II Kings 17:17; 21:16; II Chronicles 33:6; Ecclesiastes 10:11; Isaiah 47:9,12; Jeremiah 27:9). Saul died because of his relationship with such a medium to the evil spirit kingdom, known as the “witch” of Endor (I Samuel 28:1-25; 31:1-6). These men and women use counterfeit signs from heaven to bring false hope or horrible prophecies that result in hurt, fear, death, and dismay.
The Greek word translated “witchcraft” in Galatians 5:20 is pharmakeia, which gives the English word pharmaceutical. This word is translated “sorceries” in Revelation 9:21 and 18:23. The Devil takes wonderful things that God gave to mankind—like the stars in heaven and natural plants that can be used for physical healing—and perverts them to his evil purposes: like astrology and using drugs in witchcraft. Satan, the thief, only comes to steal and kill and destroy.
John 10:10:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
In contrast to the Devil’s plans, Jesus Christ came to bring a more abundant life. God’s Celestial Word tells that story.
For Signs: Psalm 19
The heavens prophesy of and anticipate the Messiah’s great accomplishments. God spoke celestial bodies into being for a number of reasons.
Genesis 1:14:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
The sun, moon, planets, and stars all have important functions. They divide day and night. They are for “signs,” which in Hebrew means “a mark of something important to come.” They are also for “seasons,” which in Hebrew means a “fixed or appointed time.”
Psalms 147:4:
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
God named the stars and “spoke” through them–specifically in the constellations.
Psalm 19 is a magnificent revelation that shows the importance of these celestial “signs.” It is divided into three sections. The first records God’s Word in the heavens. The second records God’s Word written by his prophets. The third records God’s living Word, His servant, the Messiah. Let’s look at the first part.
Psalms 19:1-6:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Let’s see the next section, which records God’s written Word.
Psalms 19:7-10:
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
God’s written Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true. It converts the soul, makes wise the simple (humble), rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, endures forever, and is righteous altogether (in every way). It is God speaking, and it tells of God’s great plan of salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. That is why it is more to be desired than the finest gold. The story of the Messiah is sweeter than honey from the comb.
Now let’s see how God promised to send His Son, as recorded in the scriptures. We will look at the third section to see what it says about God’s servant, the Messiah.
Psalms 19:12-14:
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
David’s prayer was to serve God in a sinless manner and to be upright and innocent. He wanted the words of his mouth and the inner thoughts of his heart to be pleasing to God. This prayer was answered in the “son of David,” Jesus Christ. The Messiah was born with innocent blood, and he lived a life without ever sinning.
God’s Celestial Word: Prophecies of the Messiah
God’s Celestial and Written Word together show agreement and establish the promised truth that was yet to be fulfilled concerning the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
When God promised to Abraham that the Messiah would come from Abraham’s lineage, He used the stars as an example.
Genesis 15:5:
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be [ Abraham’s “seed” is the Messiah, as clarified in Galatians 3:16].
God told Abraham that the Messiah would carry out what God’s Celestial Word said he would accomplish. Later, Balaam prophesied of the coming Messiah as a “star” that would someday rise forth.
Numbers 24:17,19:
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre [a Branch, referring to the Messiah who would rule] shall rise out of Israel.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion.
Who is he that would “have dominion” over the Devil? The Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. God had David use the stars and the heavens to describe this dominion.
Psalms 8:3,4,6:
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.
This is specifically referring to the dominion that Jesus would have in tasting death for every person. It is the story of Great Conflict between the Messiah and the Devil.
Hebrews 2:6-9:
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
One of the great prophesies of the Messiah that is still visible today in God’s Celestial Word was made by Jacob, who God named Israel, shortly before his death.
Genesis 49:9,10:
Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre [again, a Branch, referring to the Messiah who would rule] shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet [Hebrew rigel, as in the star Rigel in the constellation Orion, one of the brightest stars in the sky], until Shiloh come; and unto him [the Messiah] shall the gathering of the people be.
Jesus Christ is the Ruling Branch to come. He is the great “lawgiver” that brought a new law of love. And his is the Lion of the tribe of Juda who will return to gather together God’s people someday.
Revelation 5:5:
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Signs in the New Testament
The Greek word sēmeion is used 77 times in the New Testament. It is translated as a sign, miracle, wonder, or token. This word shows great significance to what display of power is carried out. Like the Hebrew word oth, it shows agreement and establishes a promised truth that is yet to be fulfilled. This word is used 17 times in the gospel of John, and 8 of these uses are a “sign” that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah (John 2:1-11; 4:46-50; 5:1-47; 6:1-14; 6:15-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-44; 21:1-14).
This Greek word is directly transliterated into the modern English word semeion, which is a symbol in ancient art associated with the gods. It can look like the ancient Roman military standard, with SPQR (an abbreviation for Senātus Populusque Rōmānus: of the Senate and People of Rome) upon it. As with so much of the story of the Messiah, it was adapted to a culture and their “gods,” rather than telling God’s story of His Son, Jesus Christ.
One notable use of sēmeion in the New Testament specifically refers to two constellations, Virgo and Hydra.
Revelation 12:1-5:
And there appeared a great wonder [sēmeion] in heaven; a woman [Virgo] clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
And there appeared another wonder [sēmeion] in heaven; and behold a great red dragon [Hydra], having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
The “signs” in the heavens mark of someone significant to come. The English word “significant” is from the Latin, meaning to make a sign. Revelation 12 shows the constellation Virgo and its relation to the birth of Jesus Christ. Some Bible teachers believe that Revelation 12:1 helps to narrow down the exact date and time of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.
Here the woman has “upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” Virgo marks the beginning, the head, of all twelve signs of the zodiac. This constellation initiates the story of the Messiah, conceived of a virgin, and thus the “seed of the woman.”
Genesis 3:15:
And I [God] will put enmity [conflict] between thee [the serpent, the Devil] and the woman, and between thy seed [the serpent’s seed] and her seed [the Messiah]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
It is amazingly wonderful to see God’s great design in the Celestial and Written Word! The opening revelation in Genesis tells of the Messiah to come. The final truths in the Book of Revelation show his victory over the Dragon, the Devil.
Look at the description of the constellation Hydra in Revelation 12:4. It says that “his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven.” When looking at a planisphere of the zodiac, it is clear that Hydra fills one third of the ecliptic on which the twelve “signs” of the zodiac lie. And the dragon “stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” The Devil tried to do this to Jesus Christ, using the evil King Herod to carry out this horrible murder of children (Matthew 2:16-18).
The final message of these “signs” in the heaven completes the story of the victorious Messiah. The woman, represented by Virgo, “brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” Thus, the sēmeion, the constellations that tell of the significant events to come, end with the complete story of the Great Conflict between the Messiah, who was raised to God’s right hand to rule all nations forever; and the Devil whose end is oblivion.
Revelation 12:9,10:
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
The story ends with the persistent and vicious accuser of the brethren cast down to destruction. Salvation has come, and strength is come, and God’s victorious kingdom through the power of the risen Christ. This is the great message of God’s Celestial, Written, and Living Word!
NEXT: God’s Celestial Word: For Seasons
PREVIOUS: God’s Celestial Word: The Adversary’s Devices and Kingdom
