Astrology and the Bible
by JJ Dewey
Part One
[Editor's Note: This essay was originally posted at The Key of Knowledge on Thur Feb 7, 2002; and then this
re-edited version was re-posted by JJ Dewey on another discussion list on October 6, 2007.]
Thank you very much all of you for the birthday wishes.
I've always given some credibility to astrology, but several things
have influenced me to give it a more serious study.
First it has always seemed that people fit the description of their
birth sign more than the law of averages would allow.
Secondly, just as it makes sense that one person has influence on
another, it makes sense that one planet (being a living body) will
have influence on another planet and the life forms therein.
Thirdly, I have had two readings which stimulated my interest. I sent
off for the first reading when I was in my early twenties. I was
impressed by this lady's ad, for she mentioned that she had come
across some ancient Babylonian astrological data that she
incorporates with modern astrology.
When I received the printout which was 6 or more pages I was very
impressed by her description of my character traits. There were
things in there that I could not have gotten from a handwriting
analysis. Then on hindsight I am even more impressed for all her
predictions came true. She was so good that even now that I have
knowledge of astrology I can not figure out how she came to some of
her conclusions. Maybe it has something to do with her studies of
ancient Babylonian astrology.
Unfortunately my copy of this disappeared a few years ago. I would
really like to have it to read again.
Then, around the age of 35, a friend of mine became very enthused
about astrology and raved about an astrologer he met here in Boise
who he claimed was as good as they get. He pestered me to make an
appointment and I finally succumbed.
I went to see him and on the table he had my chart all colorfully
drawn up by hand. As he got into my chart he got quite enthusiastic
and told me that I had a combination of aspects he had heard of but
never seen in a chart.
"What's that?" I said.
He said that I had two grand trines, composed of connecting planets,
joined together to produce a six pointed star, commonly known as the
Star of David.
"Really," I said. "What does that mean?"
"Legend has it in some astrological circles that this was found in
the natal chart of Christ. No one knows if that is true, but this
configuration can be a powerful force to help you accomplish
something worthwhile."
I found this flattering yet genuinely interesting and asked him some
more questions. I learned that the Star of David is rare, but there
are a handful of others who have it and some of them turned out to be
average people. The energy of this combination is powerful in
bringing a balance of energies, but the person with it must make an
effort to release it and then use it effectively.
In my case he said I had squares with Saturn that had to be mastered
before I could receive the full benefit of the two grand trines.
Saturn was not going to let me get away with careless mistakes; that
I would be under strong discipline until I had prepared myself for
the full benefit of the star.
The rest of the reading was interesting, but this piece of
information stuck in my mind and made me decide to study the art
myself to see what there was to it. In fact a few years later I
attempted to teach astrology as one of my classes and did a handful
of professional readings.
If you wish to see my [astrological] chart you can go to:
http://freeread.com/chart.htm.
The only aspects noted on it are the trines to keep it simple.
As mentioned in my book and several posts, I met my wife when she
began attending my classes and I was impressed with her when I
analyzed her writing in my handwriting class. Shortly thereafter, she
requested an astrological reading.
I not only calculated her natal chart, but also her progressed chart
and noticed that the Sun on her progressed chart was extremely close
to the placement of my natal sun. She still has the tape I made
wherein I told her something like this:
"Our suns are in the process of merging. This would indicate that you
and I are going to have a very close relationship or partnership of
some kind." Then keeping in mind that we were both married to other
people at the time I added, "I'm sure that would be a working
relationship."
Then about six months later, when both of us were separating from our
spouses, one Thursday evening lightening struck us both at the same
moment and we have been together since.
Several days after this particular day, I became curious as to how
near that Thursday was to the merging of the suns. I thought it would
be close, but I was truly amazed when I ran the progressed charts
again and saw that her progressed sun merged exactly with mine on the
very day we fell in love. The chances of this happening were
minuscule.
That's enough anecdotal information. Now on with the subject.
We have covered a number of subjects that cause a number of Bible
believers to have concern that metaphysics is either evil or
condemned by God, but we seemed to have bypassed astrology except as
it relates to other subjects. In this treatise I seek to cover some
basics so future readers who are concerned about Bible verses can
look at the subject from a wholeness (holiness) point of view.
I want to thank Glenys, Mindy, Blayne and others who have made
comments. I may repeat some of the things you have come up with, but
wish to include the most pertinent data here so it will reach the
archives.
The first question to ask is why, in the first place, do many Bible
believers think that Astrology is either evil or condemned by God?
There are several scriptures that present a problem. Let us examine
this one by Paul:
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son
or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination,
or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
"For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto
observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy
God hath not suffered thee so to do." (Deuteronomy 18:10 & 14)
Let us translate this from the Concordant version which I believe to
be the most accurate overall.
"There shall not be found among you one causing his son or his
daughter to pass through the fire, or one divining divinations, or
consulting clouds, auguring or enchanting....
"For these nations in whose place you are tenanting, they
herarken to cloud consulters and diviners. As for you Yahweh your
Elohim does not allow you to do so."
The main item in question here comes from the phrase "observers of
times" which most believe refers to astrology. The phrase comes from
the Hebrew ANAN which literally means "to cover." This comes from
ANAWN which is the Hebrew for cloud.
Interestingly ANAN is used in the following verse after the flood of Noah:
"And it shall come to pass, when I bring (ANAN) a cloud (ANAWN)
over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:" (Genesis 9:14)
Because the earliest use of ANAN is associated with the motion of
clouds we can see why the Concordant version translates it in
Deuteronomy as one who consults or interprets patterns in clouds, a
quite different art than that of astrology. ANAN corresponds more
closely with a tea leaf reader than an astrologer.
The second verse mentioned by Paul comers from Daniel:
"And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king
enquired of them, he found them (Daniel and his friends) ten times
better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his
realm." (Dan 1:20)
The word "magicians" comes from the Chaldean CHARTOM which is
interpreted as "magician" because of its context throughout the Bible
but more than likely merely refers to a "keeper of permanent records"
-- probably hieroglyphics of hidden or occult knowledge. Because they
possessed hidden knowledge, it is quite possible this lead to them
being seen as magicians.
The Concordant Version translates this word as "sacred scribes."
"Astrologers" comes from ASHSHAPH and seems to be of mysterious
origin. It is generally translated as "astrologer."
The meaning here is probably the same as the Greek MAGI or MAGO, the
title of the astrologers who visited Jesus as a child. This is
evidenced by the fact that the earliest known Greek manuscript of
Daniel translates ASHSHAPH as "Magi."
The Concordant Version agrees and translates the word also as "Magi."
According to historical evidence the magi could have indeed been
astrologers as part of their work, but they were also philosophers,
counselors and interpreters of the signs of the times.
The idea that Daniel and his friends were "ten times" wiser is
misleading. In the original language the term was a unit of
measurement. It was more like saying that Daniel was "miles ahead" of
his competition.
So Daniel was "head and shoulders" above the Babylonian astrologers
and record keepers "in all matters of wisdom and understanding." This
indicates to us that the Babylonian Magi were more than just
astrologers but also philosophers.
When the king found that none of the astrologers could interpret his
dream he decided to have them all killed. The interesting thing is
that included in this group of wise astrologers to be destroyed was
Daniel and his friends. Daniel was then concerned when he learned
that the "wise men" including himself would be killed so he
petitioned to God for knowledge that he "and his fellows should not
perish with the rest of the wise men (magi/astrologers) of Babylon."
Then as we know Daniel received knowledge from God about the meaning
of the dream which truly impressed the King. The scripture reads:
(Upper case and parenthetical information added for emphasis.)
"Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great
gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and
CHIEF OF THE GOVERNORS OVER ALL THE WISE MEN (magi/astrologers) OF
BABYLON."
"Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel
sat in the gate of the king."
(Dan 2:48 & 49)
Daniel who was clearly named as one of the wise men (another name for
the magi/astrologers) was appointed "governor" over all the magi.
Obviously Daniel was an astrologer/magi himself if he was identified
as such by the king when they were targeted for death and later as
their leader when they were allowed to live.
Therefore, if astrology is evil, Daniel and his friends were evil.
There are several other scriptures not mentioned by Paul which are
used to discredit astrology. A popular one is in Deuteronomy 4:16-19:
"Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the
similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The
likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any
winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that
creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the
waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto
heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars,
even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and
serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations
under the whole heaven."
This scripture is against the making or worshiping of engraven
images. This no more condemns people for studying the influence of
the stars than it does the study of psychology, or the influence of
one person upon another. Both heavenly bodies and human bodies are
figured in this commandment.
Here is another one:
"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." (Isaiah 47:13)
This was not a condemnation of the astrologers, but of the kingdom of
Babylon for its "wickedness" in enslaving the Israelites and
self-serving attitude, among other things.
To say that the astrologers could not save Babylon because of her
misdeeds is like saying a doctor cannot save a patient because he has
abused his body. Such line of reasoning is neither a condemnation of
astrologers or doctors.
The interesting thing is that even if we confront the literalists at
their own game we can win the scriptural battle, but there is another
angle to consider here. That is--what is deemed taboo or evil in one
age can be a benefit in another. There is a time and season for every
purpose under heaven.
The God of the Old Testament commanded the people not to eat pork,
shellfish and many other items, yet God in the New Testament told the
people it was all right to eat these things.
The God of the Old Testament commanded the people to put witches,
gays, Sabbath breakers and disobedient children to death.
Fortunately, we are wise enough in this age to not follow such
instructions in a black and white manner, but to use good judgment
over scripture.
If we are willing to trust our judgment rather than go by Old
Testament commands in civil matters then why not also judge astrology
for what it is, looking at the subject with an open mind?
If it works and is useful then use it, if it has no value then do not use it.
We are not under condemnation if we sincerely follow the highest we know.
-- End Of Article --
The foregoing is only Part One of a five part essay written by JJ Dewey on
this topic. Should you wish to study this topic further,
you can by using the links(s) provided below which will take you directly to an
index at JJ's main website FreeRead.Com
specifically created for this essay:
Here is the link that will take you directly to the index of archived
articles on Astrology In The Bible.
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