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God Prophetically Named the Stars--Part 2

Scorpio, the Scorpion

The Hebrew name for Scorpio is Akrab, which means either a "scorpion" or "wounding." This sign in the heavens is pictured as a scorpion with its tail lifted up in anger. It is about to strike a man (Ophiuchus) who is struggling with a serpent. The man in turn crushes the scorpion's head or heart.

Major stars in this constellation include Antares, "wounding, tearing," whose Hebrew name is Lezuth, "perverseness." The star representing the scorpion's stinger is Lesath, which also means "the perverse." Another is Zuben Akrabi, "the price of the conflict." These obviously refer to the biblical conflict in Genesis 3:15 that is fulfilled when Jesus Christ was crucified in this conflict.

"And I will put enmity between you [serpent] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel."

The Apostle Paul also tells us in Rom. 16:20,

"And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."

The decans in Scorpio provide details of this story:

1. Serpens (the serpent)
2. Ophiuchus (the man whose name means "the serpent held")
3. Hercules (the mighty man)

Serpens is seen attempting to reach the crown (Corona), but the superior strength of Ophiuchus is preventing him from attaining the crown.  Rev. 3:11 says,

¹¹ I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.

The brightest star in Serpens carries the Hebrew name Kelalah, which means "the accursed." In Genesis 3:14 God says to the serpent:

"Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field."

The brightest star in Hercules is named Ras al Gethi, which means "the head of him who bruises." All the stars have similar names which speak of the conflict in Genesis 3:15. They all speak prophetically of the serpent's head being crushed while the man's heel is bruised. The primary feature of Hercules is to signify strength, the ability to win the conflict with the serpent and to attain the crown.

For this reason, Rev. 3:11 above ("let no man take thy crown") is part of the message to the Church of Philadelphia. I showed in my book on The Seven Churches how there are also seven Old Testament churches that correlate with the seven New Testament churches. In this case the Church of Philadelphia correlates with the "Hezekiah Church." The name Hezekiah means "the strength of Yah," and Rev. 3:8 says of this church, "you have a little strength." This is underlying idea of Hercules, having the strength to prevent the enemy from usurping the crown.

The basic prophetic message is about a classic conflict between the coming Messiah and the Serpent. The Messiah is being struck by a scorpion on his heel, but at the same time He crushes the serpent on its head with a deadly blow. This was fulfilled in the Messiah's death on the cross. Because He was raised from the dead, the wound on His heel was only temporary; but the Serpent's power was totally broken with the Messiah's victory assured in the end. Hence, Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:54. 55.

⁵⁴ Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The resurrection theme is found in two places in the biblical feast days. The wave-sheaf offering on the first Sunday after Passover was prophetic of Jesus' resurrection and presentation to God in the temple of heaven. But in the second set of feasts in September-October, which prophesy of the Body of Christ, the day of resurrection is the feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hoshana).

Each year we see signs of resurrection on the feast of Trumpets, which teach us and confirm to us what God is doing. This year on Rosh Hoshana we saw many signs of death and resurrection. One such sign was that Darla was stung by a bee, and as I pulled out the stinger, the word came to mind, "O death, where is thy sting?"

Normally, such an event would pass by with little notice. But when these events happen on feast days, they take on a prophetic significance. 

Sagittarius, the Centaur Archer

The Hebrew name for Sagittarius is Kesith, "the archer." in Arabic, its name is Al Kaus, "the arrow."

Sagittarius is the figure of a Centaur, a creature of a man from the waist up and a horse from the waist down. He is holding a great bow drawn and ready to shoot an arrow into the heart of Scorpio, the Scorpion.

This sign pictures the Messiah coming with the dual nature of heaven and earth, much like the decan in Virgo named Centaurus, which has already been mentioned. But Sagittarius is pictured as an archer (Heb. moreh, "teacher or archer"). Even as a skilled archer hits the bulls eye, so also does a skilled teacher accurately identify and clarify the heart of a matter.

The word appears in Joel 2:23, where the KJV translates it "the former rain moderately." It can also be translated "Teacher of Righteousness." In fact, the Sadducees in Jesus' day believed that their founder (a man named Zadok, "righteousness") fulfilled this prophecy in Joel 2:23. I believe that Joel was prophesying of Jesus Christ. This forms part of the background conflict between Jesus and the Sadducees as well.

Rev. 6:2 portrays the counterfeit Archer, saying,

"And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering and to conquer."

Rev. 19:11 portrays the true Archer, saying,

"And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war."

The decans of Sagittarius are:

1. Lyra (the harp, but originally, an eagle holding a harp)
2. Ara (the altar)
3. Draco ("the trodden on," that is, the dragon)

Lyra speaks of the "new song" in Rev. 14:3 sung by the overcomers. They are the eagles holding the harp. As the Body of Christ, they have participated in victorious spiritual warfare to bring the earth out of bondage, even as God did in Ex. 19:4.

Ara is the altar of fire. Biblical altars were places of sacrifice, not only to judge sin but also to redeem us by paying the penalty for sin. This decan identifies the fiery judgment of God with an altar of redemption. Hence, its Arabic name is Al Mugamra, "the completing or finishing." It prophesies of the restoration of all things by means of judgment on the altar of God.

Draco is another picture of the enemy, like the serpent and the scorpion. This constellation winds around nearly half of the night-time sky and encompasses "a third of the stars of heaven" (Rev. 12:4). The most prominent star in Draco is Thuban. About 4600 years ago Thuban was the Polar Star, but today it has been replaced by Polaris. It is as if to say that the orientation of the earth is shifting from Drago to a new star.

In Revelation 12 the dragon who encompasses a third of the stars of heaven is conquered by Michael and his angels (vs. 7). On earth the Body of Christ "overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony" (vs. 11). This testimony comes from the archers/teachers who bear witness of the true Archer, Jesus Christ.