Page 166 - Foundations

Prophecy in the Heavens

In the preceding chapter we looked at the divinely assigned role of the sun, moon, and stars as
markers to indicate to God’s people His moedim (seasons, appointed times). Three times each year
all the men of Israel were commanded to gather to the place appointed by God to observe the Feasts
of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The heavenly lights, specifically the moon, were used to
establish the precise day when these events were to take place.

The Feast Days were not the only moedim whose proper time was announced by the lights Yahweh
arranged in the heavens. It was previously noted that the appointed time for the birth of the Son of
God was announced by a specific star whose message wise men from the East understood and acted
upon. Similarly, we are told that the return of the Lord will be announced by signs in the sun, moon,
and stars (Luke 21:25).

Christians rarely object to assertions that Yahweh assigned to the heavenly luminaries a timing role
as a sort of divine calendar. Yet a Bible teacher will encounter great resistance should he begin to
teach upon the prophetic role that sun, moon, and stars play in declaring the counsel of God. People
fear that advocating a prophetic role for the constellations and various heavenly bodies is tantamount
to promoting astrology. Satan has introduced many profane and heretical practices to humanity from
the very earliest times. He is called “the great deceiver who deceives the whole world” (Revelation
12:9). Satan has induced men to embrace spiritually dark practices such as communication with the
dead, hypnotism, spirit channeling, seances, Ouija boards, astrology and horoscopes. These last two
hold a close relationship to the starry hosts and the location of the sun and moon in the heavens.

Astrology is a form of divination. Divination is defined as “the practice of seeking knowledge about
the future, or about the unknown, through supernatural means.” A patient consideration of the
meaning of this word will reveal that there are both lawful and unlawful forms of divination. By
lawful, I mean practices of which Yahweh approves. The relationship between the word “divination”
and the word “divine,” which denotes something from, or like God, is readily evident. A diviner in