SeventyOne
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- May 2, 2015
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And you plainly do not grasp what that "PLAIN" Verse says. It seems I will have to go into depth via the Scriptures and prove that "Star Gazing" is against Gods desires, and prove what "signs" actually means.
Gen. 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament(Stars/Sun/Moon via Reflection) of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs (Navigation=signs), and for seasons (OF COURSE), and for days(24 Hours), and years(365):
#0226 H0225 (in the sense of appearing); TWOT - 41a;
n f
1) sign, signal
1a) a distinguishing mark
1b) banner
1c) remembrance
So a "Sign" is a Marker/Banner, a distinguishing mark like the North Star etc. etc. these are "Signs" that have been use for Navigation for eons. Not Signs where God "Tells us things" God has a Holy Spirit for that, did any prophet ever "Look at the Stars for a Sign"? No, that is not what this verse means, its clearly about TIME & SPACE, markers that give us Direction, and Time.
Astrology has no power of prediction and we are strictly forbidden from partaking in it.
In the book of Daniel, the Bible makes fun of astrologers and indicates that they are powerless to really observe the future. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a disturbing dream that none of his astrologers or "wise men" could interpret. The King had ordered all the wise men, including Daniel, a young captive from Judah, to be executed. Daniel convinced the king's bodyguard that God would reveal the mystery to him and requested time to seek the answer. Having prayed to God and received the answer in a vision, Daniel reported to the king's chambers. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar:
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these... (Daniel 2:27-28)
Later, when King Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's son, saw a finger appear and write on the wall at his party, he called in the astrologers, who, likewise, failed to interpret a writing that had appeared on the wall. These astrologers were again shown to be powerless deceivers.
God commanded His people, the nation of Israel, not to practice astrology by looking at "signs of the heavens." God calls such "signs" delusions:
Thus says the Lord, "Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion... (Jeremiah 10:2-3)
Those who practice astrology fall under the judgment of God
It was common practice at the time the Israelites came into the promised land that the native peoples would practice astrology and worship the heavenly bodies. The Bible specifically warned the Israelites not to practice those things also (see also Jeremiah 8:24):
And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19)
The Bible says that those who are stargazers and make predictions based upon that are in error and will not be saved from judgment:
"Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. Here are no coals to warm anyone; here is no fire to sit by. That is all they can do for you—these you have labored with and trafficked with since childhood. Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you. (Isaiah 47:12-15)
The Kings (such as Josiah) were told to get rid of the worship of the heavenly bodies in their nation and did so—under penalty of the judgment of God. The seriousness of this offense is clear, since the penalty for this kind of idolatry was death by stoning.
God destroyed the ten northern tribes of Israel because they indulged in astrology and other forms of demon worship:
And they forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him. So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. (2 Kings 17:16-18)
As a judgment of God, the northern tribes were conquered by Assyria. However, Manasseh, one of the evil kings of Judah, also established astrological worship of the heavenly bodies during his reign:
For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them... For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD... "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, having done wickedly more than all the Amorites did who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols; therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears shall tingle. (2 Kings 21:3-12)
As a result of this idolatry, Judah was also enslaved and dispersed as a nation, because of their involvement in astrology. Israel's involvement in astrology and the worship of heavenly bodies was described by many of the Old Testament prophets, including Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Amos. All described how this was displeasing to the Lord and that His judgment was the result of such practices.
As in the Old Testament, the New Testament also condemns astrology:
But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: "'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon. (Acts 7:42-43)
Although the heavens do declare the glory of God, they do not proclaim the gospel. The gospel was revealed to man by God Himself, who spoke through the prophets and came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. The apparent arrangement of the stars in the sky is a function of the human brain, which tries to find patterns in everything it interprets. Depending upon one's background and society, different shapes of objects are seen as constellations. None of the constellations make such a clear picture that they could only be interpreted only one way.
Studying the stars to attempt to get some message from them is called astrology, and is expressly prohibited in the Bible. Christians should not dabble in astrology, even if they don't really believe it is true. Trust God with your future and follow Him in obedience to His word.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me." (Jesus Christ, John 1:4)
I agree astrology is bad, but that's not the point. The Rev 23 sign isn't someone looking at the stars seeking a message or trying to divine something from them. That's where your confusion lies. This is simply God telling us something will be in the heavens and His people saying, "look, there it is". I'm sorry you can't tell the two apart.
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