Page 235 - Foundations

due to the great antiquity of this subject and the gaps that exist in the historical record of the
civilizations of man.

Although authors of books on the gospel message in the zodiac are nearly unanimous in listing twelve
main constellations and three additional minor constellations (decans) in association with each of
them for a total of forty-eight, in doing so they are following Roman and Greek practice. The more
ancient zodiacs number the constellations as thirty-six. I previously noted that in The Chaldean
Account of Genesis, the Assyrians attributed to the God of creation the arrangement of thirty-six
constellations. The Egyptians also recognized thirty-six constellations.

Men have added numerous constellations throughout the ages. The IAU recognizes 88 constellations,
though many of them are of relatively recent origin and are rejected by astronomical purists. It is
difficult to declare with certainty the correct number of divinely inspired constellations. I think the
more ancient zodiacs would be more likely to represent the original number of recognized
constellations, yet even here there is a lack of uniformity depending upon which ancient tablets or
zodiac is used as a reference. Since the Bible provides no catalogue of star names or constellations,
mentioning them always in incomplete references, it is not possible to speak with certainty about their
precise number.

In the following discussion of the zodiacal figures, I will list and describe only the twelve major
constellations. My purpose in speaking of the constellations in this set of writings is not to provide
a complete study of the subject of the divine origin of the zodiac. Rather, it is to establish the
profound role the starry heavens have played from the very earliest days of man, and to establish their
divine role as stellar prophecy. These truths can readily be conveyed by an examination of the twelve
central constellations of the zodiac. The student with an interest in this subject will profit much by
examining the additional thirty-six decans associated with them.

In the following summary of the constellations, the images used are taken from Urania’s Mirror, a
set of cards first published in 1824.

Virgo

It seems fitting to begin with the constellation that is a figure of a woman bearing seed, for the first
recorded prophecy of the Bible speaks of “the seed of the woman” who will crush the serpent’s head