Signs

Signs

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Instead of signs, I was once told the Bible was big on symbols. But after doing a little exploring, I beg to differ.

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.

One of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesnt belong! Can you guess which ... before I finish my song?

Amateur scholars often wonder why light was created in Genesis 1:3 (And God said, Let there be light ...) and again in Genesis 1:14. The light of Genesis 1:3 is from a mysterious source. Some assume that source is our sun. But the sun is created more descriptively in Genesis 1:16:

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also.

And I might add, the greater light is distinguished from all the other stars. That said, the lights in the firmament of Genesis 1:14 (aka stars) serve three collaborating purposes. They produce seasons, days and years. But the first purpose in the list is not like the other three. Their primary purpose of the stars is to produce signs. The science (or study) of lights of the firmament plus signs" equals Astronomy. But as fate would have it, everything in our solar system works in sync to produce time.

Time is the result of the earth rotating on its axis in 24-hour intervals; creating night and day. At the same time, the earth revolves around the sun in 365-day intervals, giving us years. In addition, the sun travels along a celestial loop called the Ecliptic. This celestial belt consists of 12 segments, each housing one constellation. These 12 constellations are commonly known as the Zodiac. The sun spends approximately 30 days passing through each constellation and a total of 365-days traveling the entire ecliptic circle. This is in conjunction with the earth revolving around the sun. Hence, Genesis 1:3 is the beginning of the time process.

Be all this fascination as it may, according to Genesis 1:14, the primary purpose for the stars, and stars alone, is to provide signs. That's before they provide seasons, days and years; time. There are many excellent examples of the practice of star science in ancient cultures. As a matter of fact, Christianity began by the stars.

ZARATHUSTRA

Matthew 2:1-2:
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

The appellation wise men was taken from the Greek magos (MAH-gahs), which means: (oriental) astrologers; magus (of Babylonian ancestry); sorcerer; magician. Technically, they were everything modern Christianity signs have come to demonize. The most famous of all were the Zoroastrian priests of ancient Media, Persia and the Orient; reputed to have supernatural powers. Zoroastrian priests were members of a religion founded by the prophet Zarathustra (Grk: Zoroaster), who lived in 6th century BCE, Bactria (ancient Afghanistan), province of Persia empire (660-583 BC). Zarathustra is said to have been a student of Daniel the prophet. Among their religious beliefs was his prediction; the Magians will see a new star appear and it will notify them of the birth of a mysterious child; whom they were to adore. The new star was to appear in the sign of the virgin (the constellation Virgo).

The teachings of Zarathustra were collected in the Zend-Avesta. In addition, he formed the Magus (Zoroastrian priests) and founded a religion based on the belief that good and evil (the gods Ormazd and Ahriman engaged in constant warfare) are absolutes. Therefore, the followers of Ormazd must strive to attain purity in thought, word and deed (based on a strict code of ethics). Hence, mankind may attain perfection by the individual choice of good. Zoroastrianism was the national religion of Persia and influential in the Near East until the rise of Islam in 7th century BCE.

In verse one, the text, "wise men from the east," is from the Greek plural anatolai (ah-nah-tah-LAH-ee) []. It is used to denote the direction east; based on the rising sun. However, in the text of verse two, "star in the east," the singular anatole (ah-nah-tah-LAY) [] is used to denote the Acronychal Rising. As signs go, this celestial event a (presumed) star (possible distant planet) is seen rising in the east as the sun sets in the west. Therefore, the two heavenly bodies are in opposition; on opposite sides of the earth.

Supposedly, the star can be seen all night as it moves across the sky in an arc from east to west. In antiquity, it was one of the five principle astrological signs that concerned Babylonian astronomers. The Babylonians carefully calculated these positions (for outer planets Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) many decades into the future, which were used as a basis for astrological predictions. When a star (or planet) was said to be at the Acronychal Rising position, it was regarded as having its maximum influence on worldly events.

About the Author:
http://www.curehomophobia.com
http://www.the-big-pic.com



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