The Witness of
the Stars
E. W. Bullinger
1893
Table of
Contents
Preface
Introduction
The First Book
The
Redeemer
(His First Coming)
"The
sufferings of Christ"
Chapter I
The Prophecy of the
Promised Seed of the Woman
VIRGO (The Virgin.
A woman bearing a branch in her right hand and an ear of corn in her
left). The Promised Seed of the woman.
1. COMA (The
Desired. The woman and child). The Desired of all nations.
2. CENTAURUS
(The Centaur with two natures, holding a spear piercing a
victim). The despised sin offering.
3. BOOTES (a
man walking bearing a branch called ARCTURUS, meaning the same). He
cometh.
Chapter II
The Redeemer's Atoning
Work
LIBRA (The
Scales). The price deficient balanced by the price which covers.
1. CRUX, The
Cross endured.
2. LUPUS, or
VICTIMA, The Victim slain.
3. CORONA,
The Crown bestowed.
Chapter III
The Redeemer's
Conflict
SCORPIO (The
Scorpion) seeking to wound, but itself trodden under foot.
1. SERPENS
(The Serpent struggling with the man).
2. O-PHI-U-CHUS
(The man grasping the serpent). The struggle with the enemy.
3. HERCULES
(The mighty man. A man kneeling on one knee, humbled in the conflict,
but holding aloft the tokens of victory, with his foot on the head of
the Dragon). The mighty Vanquisher seeming to sink in the conflict.
Chapter IV
The Redeemer's Triumph
SAGITTARIUS (The
Archer). The two-natured Conqueror going forth "Conquering and to
conquer."
1. LYRA (The
Harp). Praise prepared for the Conqueror.
2. ARA (The
Altar). Consuming fire prepared for His enemies.
3. DRACO (The
Dragon). The Old Serpent— Devil, cast down from heaven.
The Second Book
The
Redeemed
"The result of the
Redeemer's sufferings"
Chapter I
Their Blessings
Procured
CAPRICORNUS (The
fish-goat). The goat of Atonement slain for the Redeemed.
1. SAGITTA
(The Arrow). The arrow of God sent forth.
2. AQUILA
(The Eagle). The smitten One falling.
3. DELPHINUS
(The Dolphin). The dead One rising again.
Chapter II
Their Blessings
Ensured
AQUARIUS (The
Water-Bearer). The living waters of blessing poured forth for the
Redeemed.
1. PISCIS
AUSTRALIS (The Southern Fish). The blessings bestowed.
2. PEGASUS
(The Winged Horse). The blessings quickly coming.
3. CYGNUS
(The Swan). The Blesser surely returning.
Chapter III
Their Blessings in
Abeyance
PISCES (The
Fishes). The Redeemed blessed though bound.
1. THE BAND—, but
binding their great enemy Cetus, the sea monster.
2. ANDROMEDA
(The Chained Woman). The Redeemed in their bondage and
affliction.
3. CEPHEUS
(The King). Their Redeemer coming to rule.
Chapter IV
Their Blessings
Consummated and Enjoyed
ARIES (The Ram or
Lamb). The Lamb that was slain, prepared for the victory.
1. CASSIOPEIA
(The Enthroned Woman). The captive delivered, and preparing for
her husband, the Redeemer.
2. CETUS (The
Sea Monster). The great enemy bound.
3. PERSEUS
(The Breaker). Delivering His redeemed.
The Third Book
The
Redeemer
(His Second Coming)
"The
glory that should follow"
Chapter I
Messiah, The Coming Judge
of All the Earth
TAURUS (The
Bull). Messiah coming to rule.
1. ORION,
Light breaking forth in the person of the Redeemer.
2. ERIDANUS
(The River of the Judge). Wrath breaking forth for His enemies.
3. AURIGA
(The Shepherd). Safety for the Redeemed in the day of that wrath.
Chapter II
Messiah's Reign as Prince
of Peace
GEMINI (The
Twins). The twofold nature of the King.
1. LEPUS (The
Hare), or THE ENEMY trodden under foot.
2. CANIS MAJOR
(The Dog), or SIRIUS, the coming glorious Prince of Princes.
3. CANIS MINOR
(The Second Dog), or PROCYON, the exalted Redeemer.
Chapter III
Messiah's Redeemed
Possessions
CANCER (The
Crab). The possession held fast.
1. URSA MINOR
(The Lesser Bear). The lesser sheepfold.
2. URSA MAJOR
(The Great Bear). The fold and the flock.
3. ARGO (The
Ship). The redeemed pilgrims safe at home.
Chapter IV
Messiah's Consummated
Triumph
LEO (The
Lion). The Lion of the Tribe of Judah aroused for the rending of the
Enemy.
1. HYDRA (The
Serpent). That old Serpent— Devil, destroyed.
2. CRATER
(The Cup). The cup of Divine wrath poured out upon him.
3. CORVUS
(The Crow, or Raven). Birds of prey devouring him.
For Signs and For Seasons
Such are the contents of this wondrous
book that is written in the heavens. Thus has God been speaking and
emphasizing and developing His first great prophetic promise of Genesis
3:15.
Though for more than 2,500 years His
people had not this Revelation written in a book as we now have it in the
Bible, they were not left in ignorance and darkness as to God's purposes
and counsels; nor were they without hope as to ultimate deliverance from
all evil and from the Evil One.
Adam, who first heard that wondrous
promise, repeated it, and gave it to his posterity as a most precious
heritage— ground of all their faith, the substance of all their hope, the
object of all their desire. Seth and Enoch took it up. Enoch, we know,
prophesied of the Lord's coming, saying, "Behold the Lord cometh with ten
thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all" (Jude 14). How could
these "holy prophets, since the world began," have recorded their
prophecies better, or more effectually, or more truthfully and powerfully,
than in these star-pictures and their interpretation? This becomes a
certainty when we remember the words of the Holy Spirit by Zacharias (Luke
1:67-70):
"Blessed be the Lord God
of Israel;
For He hath visited and redeemed His people,
And
hath raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His
servant David;
As He spake by the mouth of HIS HOLY PROPHETS
WHICH HAVE BEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."
The same truth is revealed
through Peter, in Acts 3:20, 21: "He shall send Jesus Christ, which before
was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all HIS
HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."
These words have new meaning for us, if we
see the things which were spoken "since the world began," thus written in
the heavens, which utter speech (i.e. prophecy), and show forth this
knowledge day after day and night after night, the heritage of all the
earth, and their words reaching unto the ends of the world.
This Revelation, coinciding as it does in
all its facts and truths with that afterwards recorded "in the Volume of
the Book," must have had the same Divine origin, must have been made known
by the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit.
We now proceed to compare the two, and we
shall see how they agree at every point, proving that the source and
origin of this Divine Revelation is one and the same.
