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God Prophetically Named the Stars--Final

Leo, the Lion

We have already written about Leo leading up to this present series, particularly in regard to the Sickle of Leo that emerged on September 20.

The Hebrew name for Leo is Arieh, the Lion. Leo is pictured as a majestic lion whose feet are poised over the head of Hydra, the great serpent, as if to crush its head (Gen. 3:15). It is the constellation of Judah, as we see in Jacob's blessing in Gen. 49:9, "Judah is a lion's whelp . . . as a lion, who dares rouse him up?"

The stars in Leo speak of the lion's work as well. Regulus, "treading under foot,"  is the star between the feet of Leo. It also means "King or ruler," because the ancient idea of ruling was synonymous with putting subjects "under foot." Hence also the biblical statements about all things being put under the feet of Christ.

Other stars in Leo are Denebola, "the Judge," Al Biebha, "the exaltation," Al Dafera, "the enemy put down." These all confirm the meaning of this constellation. As it is the final constellation in the circle from Virgo to Leo, it pictures the final victory of the Messiah when He returns as a Lion to judge the earth. Psalm 67:4 says,

"Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou wilt judge the peoples with uprightness, and guide the nations on the earth."

In other words, the coming of the great Lion-Judge is not a fearful thing, but a cause for rejoicing. This is because He comes to set the earth free from the oppressors who currently rule the earth unjustly for their own personal gain. The Lion comes to remove them from power and to empower the Overcomers. These are the ones who have become like Jesus, those who know the divine plan for creation and are in agreement with it. These are the ones who have the character of Jesus Christ and have been formed in His image, having both love and the strength of faith and character to judge among the people in righteousness by the laws of God.

Psalm 72:17-19 give us the doxology of the Exodus book of Psalms (Ps. 42-72). We read,

¹⁷ All nations shall call Him blessed. ¹⁸ Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders, ¹⁹ And blessed be His glorious name forever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

The picture here is not one of destruction and devastation, but of rejoicing and harmony in the earth among the nations. Any destructive events that take place in the time leading up to the coming of the Lion will occur as a result of ruthless men who are trying desperately to maintain their positions of power that are crumbling around them.

Summary

The constellations were created in the beginning "for signs and for seasons" (Gen. 1:14). "The heavens declare the glory of God," says the Psalmist in Psalm 19:1. In the heavens God wrote the first Bible, the prophecies of the divine plan for creation. Though men later perverted these prophecies--mostly by misapplying them to false messiahs of the distant past--the message in the constellations was the only Bible that men had for many centuries. It was the original gospel that men knew, and it was visible world-wide.

Years later, men were moved by the Spirit of God to commit the revelation of the divine plan to writing, along with the actual history of the outworking of that plan. This we know today as the Bible, and it is consistent with the original gospel written previously in the stars. Yet a written revelation is a more sure word of prophecy than symbols and pictures passed down orally through the generations.

Even so, the gospel in the stars has endured as the only revelation of God that many nations have known throughout the millennia. They knew that a Messiah would some day be born of a Virgin (Virgo), that He would redeem mankind as a Sacrifice on the cross (Crux) for sin to uphold the justice of the divine law (Libra). He would be rewarded with the crown (Corona) to rule the earth. His "heel" would be bruised, as it were, but He would crush the serpent's head (Scorpio).

He would be the great Archer, the Teacher of Righteousness (Sagittarius) with the dual nature as both Son of God and Son of Man (Capricornus). He would be the Source of the Holy Spirit that was to be poured out upon all flesh (Aquarius), as He comes on the winged white horse (Pegasus).

He would pour out His Spirit upon His people, both the Church and the Overcomers, represented by the two fish (Pisces) held together by the Band. One is a chained woman (Andromeda), and the other the enthroned woman (Cassiopeia). But all are set free from sin first by coming as the Lamb of God at Passover (Aries) and afterward as the Judge (Taurus).

Taurus is also a revelation of Joseph, the holder of the Birthright. The Birthright is given through the feast of Tabernacles (Al Cyone, or Succoth). The Seven Churches (Pleiades, The Seven Stars) are within Taurus as well, and those who overcome will be given the blessings of the Birthright.

The Twins (Gemini) speak of Christ and the Overcomers who come into the Image of Christ, so that they look like Him in every respect. It is revealed also in the NT, which speaks of the Lamb of God (Gr. Amnos) and the lambs of God (Gr. arnion). The Big Dog (Canis Major) is the Faithful High Priest, Jesus Christ, while the little dog (Canis Minor) represents the body of faithful Overcomers, the Caleb company.

Yet the distinction is also maintained between the Church and the Overcomers, each having its sheepfold, or enclosure (Cancer). Thus, there is the Larger Sheepfold (Ursa Major) and the Smaller Sheepfold (Ursa Minor). The Overcomers are in search of the lost Golden Fleece--the glorified body--with Jason (Jesus) in the ship of history (Argo).

But in the end, the Lion (Leo) comes to judge the nations, to overthrow the oppressors of the earth. The oppressors will be cast down and judged by the law of God as a river of fire (Eridanus), and by the Cup of Wrath (Crater).

Christ is the repairer of the breach between the Scepter and the Birthright, uniting the two into one Inheritance that will be given to the Overcomers. These receive the glorified body, which is the mark of God upon those truly called to rule, judge, and guide the nations in the paths of righteousness, so that all may rejoice in the Age to come.