Book 1 | Table of Contents |
Chapter
2
The Witness of the Stars
E. W. Bullinger
The Second Book
The
Redeemed
"The result of the Redeemer's sufferings"
In the First Book we have had
before us the work of the Redeemer set forth as it concerned His own
glorious person. In this Second Book it is presented to us as it
affects others. Here we see the results of His humiliation, and
conflict, and victory--"The sufferings of Christ" and the blessings they
procured for His redeemed people.
In Chapter I, we have the Blessings
procured.
In Chapter II, their Blessings ensured.
In Chapter III,
their Blessings in abeyance.
In Chapter IV, their Blessings enjoyed.
Chapter I
The Sign Capricornus (The Sea Goat)
The
goat of atonement slain for the redeemed
16. Capricornus (the Sea
Goat)
It is most noteworthy that this Second
Book opens with the Goat, and closes with the Ram: two animals of
sacrifice; while the two middle chapters are both connected with fishes. *
The reason for this we shall see as we proceed.
* There is a fish tail here. The third Decan of
CAPRICORNUS is a fish (Delphinus). There is again a fish
(Piscis Australis) in the next sign (AQUARIUS), and then the
following sign is PISCES, or the Fishes. So that the Redeemed Multitudes
are presented throughout this Second Book.
Both are combined in the first chapter, or
"Sign" of Capricornus.
In all the ancient Zodiacs, or
Planispheres, we find a goat with a fish's tail. In the Zodiacs of
Denderah and Esneh, in Egypt, it is half-goat and half-fish, and it is
there called Hu-penius, which means the place of the
sacrifice.
In the Indian Zodiac it is a goat
passant traversed by a fish.
There can be no doubt as to the
significance of this sign.
In the Goat we have the Atoning Sacrifice,
in the Fish we have the people for whom the atonement is made. When we
come to the sign PISCES we shall see more clearly that it points to the
multitudes of the redeemed host.
The Goat is bowing its head as though
falling down in death. The right leg is folded underneath the body, and he
seems unable to rise with the left. The tail of the fish, on the other
hand, seems to be full of vigour and life.
The Hebrew name of the sign is Gedi,
the kid or cut off, the same as the Arabic Al Gedi.
CAPRICORNUS is merely the modern (Latin) name of the sign, and means
goat.
There are 51 stars in the sign, three of
which are of the 3rd magnitude, three of the 4th, etc. Five are remarkable
stars, a and b in the horn and head, and the remaining three
g, d and e, in the fishy tail. The star a is named
Al Gedi, the kid or goat, while the star d is called
Deneb Al Gedi, the sacrifice cometh.
Other star-names in the sign are
Dabih (Syriac), the sacrifice slain; Al Dabik and Al
Dehabeh (Arabic) have the same meaning; Ma'asad, the slaying; Sa'ad
al Naschira, the record of the cutting off.
Is not this exactly in accord with the
Scriptures of truth? There were two goats! Of "the goat of the
sin-offering" it is written, "God hath given it to you to bear the
iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD"
(Lev 10:16,17): of the other goat, which was not slain, "he shall let it
go into the wilderness" (Lev 16:22). Here is death and resurrection.
Christ was "wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our
iniquities." "For the transgression of MY PEOPLE was He stricken" (Isa
53). He laid down His life for the sheep.
In the first chapter of the First
Book we had the same Blessed One presented as "a corn of wheat." Here we
see Him come to "die," and hence not abiding alone, but bringing forth
"much fruit" (John 12:24). The living fish proceeds from the dying goat,
and yet they form only one body. That picture, which has no parallel in
nature, has a perfectly true coutnerpart in grace; and "a great multitude,
which no man can number," have been redeemed and shall obtain eternal life
through the death of their Redeemer.
Astronomers confess that the perverted
legends of the Greeks give but "a lame account" of this sign, "and it
offers no illustration of its ancient origin."
Its ancient origin reveals a prophetic
knowledge, which only He possessed who knew that in "the fulness of time"
He would send forth His Son.
We now come to the three constellations
which give us three pictures setting forth the death of this Sacrifice and
of His living again.
1. SAGITTA (The Arrow)
The arrow of God
sent forth
17. Sagitta (the
Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
It is not the Arrow of Sagittarius, for
that has not left his bow. That arrow is for the enemies of God. This is
for the Son of God. It was of this that He spoke when He said, in Psalm
38:2--
"Thine arrows stick fast in
me,
And Thy hand presseth me sore."
He was "stricken, smitten of God, and
afflicted, He was wounded for our transgressions" (Isa 53:4,5). He was
"pierced," when He could say with Job, "The arrows of the Almighty are
within me" (6:4).
Here the arrow is pictured to us in
mid-heaven, alone, as having been shot forth by an invisible hand. It is
seen in its flight through the heavens. It is the arrow of God, showing
that Redemption is all of God. It was "the will of God" which Jesus came
to do. Not a mere work of mercy for miserable sinners, but a work ordained
in eternity past, for the glory of God in eternity future.
This is the record of the Word, and this
is what is pictured for us here. The work which the arrow accomplishes is
seen in the dying Goat, and in the falling Eagle.
There are many other stars in the heavens
in a straighter line, which would better serve for an arrow. Why are these
stars chosen? Why is the arrow placed here? What explanation can be given,
except that the Revelation in the stars and in the Book are both from the
inspiration of the same Spirit?
There are about 18 stars of which four are
of the 4th magnitude. Only g and d are in the same line,
while the shaft passes between a and b.
The Hebrew name is Sham,
destroying, or desolate.
2. AQUILA (The Eagle)
The smitten one
falling
17. Sagitta (the
Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
Here we have an additional picture of the
effect of this arrow, in the pierced, wounded, and falling Eagle, gasping
in its dying struggle. And that pierced, wounded, and dying Saviour whom
it represents, after saying, in Psalm 38:2 "Thine arrows stick fast in
Me," added, in verse 10--
"My heart panteth, My
strength faileth Me,
As for the light of Mine eyes it is gone from
Me."
(see also Zechariah 13:6)
The names of the stars, all of them, bear
out this representation. The constellation contains 74 stars. The
brightest of them, a (in the Eagle's neck), is a notable star of
the 1st magnitude, called Al Tair (Arabic), the wounding.
The star b (in the throat) is called Al Shain (Arabic),
the bright, from a Hebrew root meaning scarlet coloured, as
in Joshua 2:18. The star g (in the back) is called Tarared,
wounded, or torn. d (in the lower wing) is named
Alcair, which means the piercing, and e (in the
tail), Al Okal, has the significant meaning wounded in the
heel.
How can the united testimony of these
names be explained except by acknowledging a Divine origin? even that of
Him who afterwards foretold of the bruising of the Virgin's Son in the
written Word; yea, of Him "who telleth the number of the stars and giveth
them all their names."
3. DELPHINUS (The Dolphin)
The dead one
rising again
/P>
17. Sagitta (the
Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
This is a bright cluster of 18 stars, five
of which are of the 3rd magnitude. It is easily distinguished by the four
brightest, which are in the head.
It is always figured as a fish full of
life, and always with the head upwards, just as the eagle is always with
the head downwards. The great peculiar characteristic of the dolphin is
its rising up, leaping, and springing out of the sea.
When we compare this with the dying goat
and falling eagle, what conclusion can we come to but that we have here
the filling in of the picture, and the completion of the whole truth set
forth in CAPRICORNUS?
Jesus "died and rose again." Apart from
His resurrection His death is without result. In His conflict with the
enemy it is only His coming again in glory which is shown forth. But here,
in connection with His people, with the multitudes of His redeemed,
Resurrection is the great and important truth. He is "the first-fruits of
them that slept"; then He, too, is here represented as a fish. He who went
down into the waters of death for His people; He who could say "All thy
waves and thy billows are gone over me" (Psa 42:7), He it is who rises up
again from the dead, having died on account of the sins of His redeemed,
and risen again on account of their justification (Rom 4:25).
This is the picture here. In the Persian
planisphere there seems to be a fish and a stream of water. The Egyptian
has a vessel pouring out water.
The ancient names connected with this
constellation are Dalaph (Hebrew), pouring out of water;
Dalaph (Arabic), coming quickly; Scalooin (Arabic),
swift (as the flow of water); Rotaneb or Rotaneu
(Syriac and Chaldee), swiftly running.
Thus, in this first chapter of the Second
Book we see the great truth of Revelation set forth; and we learn how the
great Blessings of Redemption were procured. This truth cannot be more
eloquently or powerfully presented than in the language of Dr. Seiss
(Joseph A. Seiss, The Gospel in the Stars):
This strange goat-fish, dying in its
head, but living in its afterpart--falling as an eagle pierced and
wounded by the arrow of death, but springing up from the dark waves with
the matchless vigour and beauty of the dolphin--sinking under sin's
condemnation, but rising again as sin's conqueror--developing new life
out of death, and hearlding a new springtime out of December's long
drear nights--was framed by no blind chance of man. The story which it
tells is the old, old story on which hangs the only availing hope that
ever came, or ever can come, to Adam's race. To what it signifies we are
for ever shut up as the only saving faith. In that dying Seed of the
woman we must see our sin-bearer and the atonement for our guilt, or die
ourselves unpardoned and unsanctified. Through His death and
bloodshedding we must find our life, or the true life, which alone is
life, we never can have."
"Complete atonement Thou hast
made,
And to the utmost farthing paid
Whate'er Thy people owed:
Nor can His wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in His
righteousness,
And sprinkled with the blood.
If my discharge Thou hast
procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's
hand,
And then again at mine.
Turn, then, my soul, unto Thy
rest;
The merits of Thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee."
Book 1 | Table of Contents |
Chapter
2