Page 173 - Foundations

Ophichus and Serpens

There are multiple images of mighty men who are struggling against various beasts, whether it be
Orion, Ophiuchus, Hercules, Perseus, or others, they all in some way can be related to the labors of
Christ to destroy the works of Satan, that great dragon and serpent of old, in order to free mankind
from sin and death.

The three books named paint a remarkably consistent testimony of the Gospel in the heavens. In them,
all twelve constellations of the zodiac, and their 36 associated decans (minor constellations) are in
various ways demonstrated to be part of a larger testimony that God had set in the heavens to foretell
the conflict between Christ, the Seed of the woman, and Satan, the serpent. From the birth of the Son
of God in Virgo to the triumph and reign of Christ in Leo, and in all of the constellations in between,
it is declared by these authors that not only the constellations, but the names of the individual stars,
give assent to God’s plan of redemption for a fallen creation.

In reading these three books, it was apparent that one reason for the great similarity of testimony
between them is due to all three authors drawing heavily upon the research of Frances Rolleston
(1781-1864) whose book Mazzaroth: or the Constellations was published in the year 1862 (Note:
some sources vary on the original date of publication, but only slightly.). In his book, William Banks
provides the following biographical information on Frances Rolleston.

Anyone who approaches the study of the ancient names of the stars, will soon become aware of the
great debt owed to an amazing lady, Frances Rolleston. It was she who devoted over fifty years of
her life to the compilation of a massive series of notes which was published under the title
“Mazzaroth - The Constellations” in 1863, when she was in her 80's.

Miss Rolleston was a scholar in every sense of the word. She was a classicist, a linguist, and one who
worked and consulted with many of the most educated people in England during the 1800's. She also
corresponded with many other experts from around the world.

Frances was a gifted student who became deeply committed to her studies and began diligently
studying Hebrew in 1818 and continued as a student through 1835. She read daily from the original