notes on v.4 "line"= [qav] prophecies, also a survey line denoting the ecliptic or direction of the sun through the heavens, and the lines marking the "decans" within the zodiacal houses of the sun. This is the universal standard of timekeeping and the basis of numerous cultural calendars throughout history. Also the lines of Latitude and longitude on the face of the earth are found here corresponding to these measuring lines, ordering the Heavens and reflected upon the Earth. [Rom. 10:17-18]

"In them"=the heavens
"tabernacle"=houses of the sun. [mansions of the 12 zodiac signs]

v.5 And he as a bridegroom embarking from his bridal canopy (pavilion), like a champion rejoices to run his course.

notes on v. 5...The oriental wedding would conclude with the groom leading the bride out of the canopy (indicative of God's protection) after the marriage ceremony. This also is a figure for Christ-The Bridegroom, courting his Bride-Israel [Not the New Testament Church of his Spiritual BODY].

v.6 Its rising is at one end of the heavens, its circuit reaches from one end to the other, and nothing [yes, no one] is hidden from its heat.

v.7 "The law of the Lord is perfect"=JEHOVAH'S Word in relation to His creation. [Here is the transition from literary to astronomical verbs]

"converting the soul"=returning as the sun returns in its circuit, so God restores and heals every aspect of the soul life of a man in the process of complete salvation wholeness.

v.8 The testimony of the Lord is faithful [as the sun is a faithful witness in the heavens Ps. 89:36-37] making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes.

notes on v.8 "enlightening"=as the sun. {Isa. 60:18-19, II Pet. 1:19 "daystar"} The celestial bodies shed a 3-fold light upon the earth!
"testimony"-a repeating witness also as the Sun on the ecliptic.

v.9-10 The reverent fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired than gold, than much pure gold, they are sweeter than honey dripping from the honeycomb.

"clean"=active continual cleansing.
"true"=faithful in perpetuity

v.11 By them your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated and instructed] and in keeping them there is great reward.

"By them"=in them [moving & dwelling in the ordinances of the Lord, for in them we live & move & have our being] even as the sun lives and moves in and through the houses of the zodiac.
"warned"=instructed as in II Tim. 3:16 by Doctrine, Reproof and Correction.
"keeping"=observing or watching as the stargazers and Biblical astronomers observe the heavens to learn its lessons and secrets. Even so the planets and celestial orbs observe the Creator’s ordinances as they remain in their ordained orbits.

v.12-13 Who can discern their lapses and errors? Clear and restrain me from unconscious faults, let them not have dominion over me.

"errors"=wandering within ordained limits as the planets in their orbits.
"dominion"= to rule over as the sun rules over the day and the moon over the night [Gen. 1:18].

v.14 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in thy sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

  The Stars in their courses and the planets in their orbits, cycle through seasons of change in their orientation to the Sun. As the planets seem to "wander" in their appointed courses, ordered by God according to the phi ratio, they move both closer to, and farther from the Sun’s light. Even so, man in his growth and maturation process "wanders" on the path towards God’s light, and his physical and even spiritual growth too, is ordered by the same phi ratio. As we discern these orbits and their planetary lapses, we are enlightened, warned and instructed in our walk with the Lord. There is abundant grace and mercy in God’s forgiveness, even as a child stumbles and falls before he walks, and walks before he runs. As we learn to walk closer with our Maker, and run to serve His perfect counsels and purposes, we lend our voice to the growing chorus of the Body of Christ, walking the paths of the holy, while avoiding the snares of the evil one, until that long-awaited day when the Lord returns for us in the ultimate victory of the ages. This is some of the important teaching that we can glean from the celestial gospels, as they exhibit some of the strongest evidence for the reality of our Almighty Heavenly Father and Creator. God's Revelation in the celestial gospels features 48 constellations, which include the 12 Signs of the zodiac, along with their 36 decans. These star-pictures were drawn around and associated with their specific star groups, starting with the earliest Bible Patriarchs, so that they would be handed down and remembered throughout the ages. These signs were afterward, [Genesis 49] identified with the 12 sons of Jacob, representing the tribes of Israel. They corresponded with these tribes and Cardinal Directions as follows:

^{1. VIRGO-ZEBULON}                                                    

^{2. LIBRA-LEVI}

^{3. SCORPIO-DAN [NORTH]}

^{4. SAGITTARIUS-ASHER}

^{5. CAPRICORN-NEPHTALI}

^{6. AQUARIUS-REUBEN [SOUTH]}

^{7. PICSES-SIMEON}

^{8. ARIES-GAD}

^{9. TAURAS-EPHRAIM & MANASSEH [TWO HORNS OF THE BULL] (WEST)}

^{10. GEMINI-BENJAMIN}

^{11. CANCER-ISSACHAR}

^{12. LEO THE LION-JUDAH [EAST]}

  These signs of the zodiac were also engraved on the 12 precious gems of the Breast plate of the High Priest of Israel, serving as an oracle of the Will of God interpreted by the priests, designed not only to preserve, expound and perpetuate the great promise and prophecy of Genesis 3:15, the hope of the coming Redeemer, but also specific revelation in certain situations. Thus, the heavens reveal Christ the Coming one, as they set forth his sufferings and glory, and the story of him who would be wounded by the great enemy who caused all sin, sorrow and death. It also depicts the old serpent being crushed under the heel of the redeemer. Our purpose in this study is to show how the corrupting influence of astrological myth perverted & covered the original truths that God first set in His celestial revelation, by altering the star pictures and star names that communicate these truths [Ps. 147:4]. As we recognize those more modern names which these signs and Constellations bear today, that do not agree with their original message, we can separate truth from the various myths and idolatrous traditions of ancient heathen star religions. 



  Additionally, there are many other star-pictures that have been added by men such as Hevelius {1611-1687} and Halley {1656-1742}, of Halley's comet fame. "Hevelius added 22 star pictures among which the asterisms of the Hunting Dogs, the Lynx, the Lizard, the Sextant, the Giraffe, the Fox and Goose, the Unicorn and Sobieski's Sheild are included. Also, Halley added 15, star pictures like Hevelius, for the purpose of including the stars that were not included in the original 48."⁷ The major difference between the purpose of the ancient and modern Constellations is that in the case of the moderns, these were designed to enable astronomers to identify the positions of particular stars. If God had this as His primary motivation for naming and numbering the stars, then all the stars in heaven [without exception] would have been included. This however, was not God's objective. Instead God designed the star-pictures to identify and preserve the original names of the stars, thus, only certain signs constellations were used to identify the star-names for the purpose of preserving and communicating their Biblical meaning [Psalm 19], and their associations with Jesus Christ the Promised Seed! Thus the individual stars within each Constellation are consistent in the meaning of their names, flowing with the message and context of the star-picture in which they appear. In this way, God was able to record in the celestial gospels many wonderful details and declarations of truth in the patterns of the constellations, associated with their star-names, just as the God's Word beautifully declares the depth of its eternal truth, with the individual words fitting perfectly within their given context. Thus, as we have just seen in the 19th Psalm, pattern of Scripture itself serves as a check and balance to the celestial oracles on a number of levels, because the message of the stars will not contradict the truths of the written word. Along these lines we will find certain star names, signs and Constellations preserved in the Scriptures, which we will observe and document in this study. Modern Astronomy as such, has been primarily concerned with the identifying the positions, distance, motion, characteristics and nature of heavenly bodies as can be seen in the conceptual framework of Hevelius and Halley. This was not the purpose of God when He put the patterns of the celestial witness in the stars. The Stars relate the story of the promised Coming Redeemer on one level, but also contain many truths of a scientific nature on other levels, revealed in its three-fold light.

  One object of this study is to look at the ancient star names and constellations, researching some of the ancient signs, names and origins of the constellations, which may be erroneous. In order to recover some of the lost truths written in the heavens, we must first be sure that we are dealing with the accurate star-picture as it aligns itself with the testimony of the Scripture. When we find errors and changes associated with the star-pictures, we can research the history and context to make the necessary corrections so that we can be in a position to compare the revelation in the heavens with what is written in God's Word. Our goal is to allow the celestial revelation to speak for itself just as the written Word does, utilizing the research principles we have documented in the reference section of our web-site, as they relate to individual star names, specific constellations or the decan wherein they arise, the Constellation group in which it appears, and it's relation to the "Red Thread," Jesus Christ, who is the master key to interpreting the Word written both in the heavens and in the Bible. We have seen thus far, how the perversions of Astrology have hidden the true meaning of the celestial witness, in a general sense. Let’s take a more detailed look at some of the specific examples of this type of perversion associated with some of the zodiacal signs.


THE CORRUPTED CONSTELLATIONS

We begin with LIBRA, which according to modern terminology is known as "THE SCALES". Astronomers have realized there was a high historical probability that LIBRA had been an ancient Egyptian corruption. In the Akkadian language, which predates the Egyptian, the months of the year were named after the signs of the zodiac, and the sign of the 7th month {TULKU} is what we now call LIBRA. "Tul" means "mound" and "ku" means sacred, thus "tulku" means "sacred mound" or "the holy altar."⁸



 This agrees with God's Word much better than "the scales" do because the tribe of Levi was associated with Libra, and the Levites were the priesthood which had charge over the holy altar, along with the "balance of the sanctuary". Some ancient sources have associated the sign of a dove with LIBRA. These could have been associated with the altar as an Old Testament sacrificial offering, because doves were commonly used in this way by the Levites, during the Mosaic Law period. The sacrificial offering linked with the Passover Lamb under Mosaic Law, (ARIES), foreshadowed the once & final sacrifice Christ paid, the perfect price of redemption for all mankind. The Akkadian name for LIBRA was BIR, meaning: "the light," thus the lamp with its light, or the altar with its fire was referred to here. The symbol by which LIBRA is still known today appears much more like the top of an altar, than a pair of balances, to which no resemblance has been traced. The most ancient shape of this altar image in the heavens was circular. The circular disc of this altar is actually preserved in the two circular scales, which form the sign of LIBRA today. At one point the circle or other representation of the altar of LIBRA disappeared as the use of this sign penetrated the Occident. When it reached Greece only the "Chelai" remained; which is the Greek word for the sign, and it means only "the claws." As a result the scorpion of SCORPIO, which is depicted in the heavens as reaching towards the pair of scales in LIBRA, came to symbolize both signs, its body-SCORPIO and the claws supplanting LIBRA. Another aspect of this combination of signs is the association of the Levites with LIBRA. Since the Levites had charge of the services related to the Tabernacle, which was physically located in the center of Israel’s wilderness camp, surrounded by the 12 tribes camping their zodiacal order. This original sign of the altar was removed from the circular path of the ecliptic, to the center of the circle symbolizing God’s presence among His people. It was the sign of Taurus that took the place of the missing sign LIBRA on the ecliptic, which was astronomically marked in the reckoning of the Israelites by the two horns of the Bull, symbolized by the two sons of Joseph: Ephraim and Manasseh.



  It is significant that the Constellation of Taurus the Bull was marked in this way since it was recognized as the first sign at the spring equinox, of the sun’s dwelling, marking the precession of the equinoxes, known as the Age of the Bull. This documents the historical process of how the pair of circular scales associated with LIBRA came to be substituted for the ancient circular altar. By hiding the meaning of the altar, the message of the star’s witness is clouded and eventually lost for a time, especially when combined with some of the other celestial corruptions that we will look at next. With this in mind, we will next study the related sign of SCORPIO. In the heavens SCORPIO appears immediately to the left of LIBRA. In the Akkadian it is GIR-TAB, which means "the seizer and the stinger". Some ancient sources relate SCORPIO as the only triple sign of the Zodiac, reflecting the triune ministry of the thief to steal, kill and destroy [John 10:10a]. Other ancient star atlases have associated an eagle and a serpent with the scorpion of SCORPIO. This is interesting, because both the eagle and the serpent are animals known for renewal-the serpent by shedding his skin, and the eagle, re-growing his beak and feathers. The association of the eagle with this sign may have occurred because SCORPIO, as one of the four great patriarchal signs which marked the four Cardinal Directions of the Israelite’s camp (North, South, East & West), were the same four signs which form the four living faces of the Cherubim [Ezek. 1:1O; Man as Aquarius, Lion as Leo, Ox as Taurus and the Eagle as Aquila in place of the Scorpion]. The Cherubim thus formed a united symbolic expression of the twelve signs of the zodiac, which embodies the eternal hope of Creation, the Redeemer’s promised return to crush the head of the serpent. The serpent is associated with this sign because in the heavens right above SCORPIO, SERPENS the serpent is struggling with the man-Ophiuchus, as it stretches itself out to seize CORONA-the crown.




  At the same time the "destroyer" aspect of the scorpion [Rev. 9:11], while trying to sting the man in the heel, is stretching out its claws to seize the altar. Thus there are 3 constellations belonging to this sign in one star-picture. The triune nature of man: body, soul and spirit [IThess.5:23] is embodied in the Constellation of the man "Ophiuchus" who personifies the perfect man. He is engaged in a death struggle with the serpent, which is for the dominion of the world, symbolized by the crown. We can see this because it was the devil in serpent form, who stole the crown from the first Adam; and again the serpent struggling with the perfect second Adam-Jesus Christ; who now has dominion over the world. Not only does the serpent fail in the attempt, but is itself utterly defeated and trodden under foot [Ps. 91]. The scorpion's struggle represents an aspect of the serpent, as to how the enemy attempted to seize on God’s true atonement, and substitute "the way of Cain" as his own counterfeit religious altar of human merit, replacing the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We caught a glimpse of this earlier as Nimrod promoted the construction of the Tower of Babel, emphasizing the bricks of human labor instead of the true witness of the celestial gospel, prophesying of man’s coming Redeemer, Jesus Christ. In SCORPIO we see the effort of the scorpion to wound the man in the heel, indicative of the serpent in Genesis 3:15, while the other foot of the man is placed over the heart of the scorpion, reflecting it's destruction in the conflict. The Hebrew name for Scorpion is (akrab), which also means to war or conflict. This is referred to in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91:11-13 
"For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." 

    This record depicts the destruction of the serpent. However, in Luke 4:9-13 the tempter omits this reference to his own destruction during the temptation of the Lord Jesus Christ, but utilizes aspects of the preceding section of Psalm 91:11-12 in his attempt to induce the Lord to leap from the temple's pinnacle. If these star pictures had been separated, then the conflict would have been separated from the victory; the sufferings from the glory, the deadly wound to the serpent's head would have been separate from the temporary wound to the Victor's heel. Therefore, three unified pictures are required, in which the scorpion, the serpent, and the man, are all involved, in order to present the complete triumphant picture of this conflict of the ages. The corrupting forces of Astrology and cultural mythology have proven effective throughout history in hiding the original truths of the celestial gospel from casual observers and the uninitiated. Let’s take a brief look at an example of this from Greek Myth.

Greek Mythology

  A classic example of the perversion of the story of the coming redeemer, written in the stars is seen in the Greek myths associated with Hercules. His "12 labors," whether in subduing the Nemean Lion, identified with Leo, or conquering the 3-headed Hydra, the sufferings & glory of Christ are easily seen as we strip away the idolatrous veneers of the ages that have concealed the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can see this clearest perhaps in his most difficult task to obtain the golden apples of the Hesperides. These apples of gold were entrusted to the care of the daughters of Hesperus, by the goddess of the earth. These prized apples were protected under the watchful gaze of the dragon, which like the Hydra had to be conquered to restore the way of access to the "tree of life."



   In fighting the sea monster, Hercules was believed to have remained in its belly for 3 days and nights, even as Jonah spent the same period in the great fish’s belly, and as the Son of man was three days & three nights in the heart of the earth, [Matt. 12:40]. This shows the ancient precedent held by Aristotle and Neander who stated that: "Greek myth was based on fragments of a tradition, which transmitted knowledge of divine things held in the earliest of times."⁹ 
  Olcott observes that "the 12 labors of Hercules refer to the Sun's passage through the zodiacal signs."¹⁰ Beginning with the summer Solstice a direct correlation to the order of the 12 signs of the zodiac is evident as they relate to Hercule's 12 labors. As we have noted regarding the significance of the Great Sphinx, with the head of a woman and the body of a lion, one function is to preserve the ancient zodiac of the Biblical Patriarchs, which starts in Leo and ends in Virgo. As we have already noted Hercule's first labor was subduing the Neamean Lion [Leo the Lion], whose skin is draped over Hercule's left arm in the graphic above. The difference here reveals another area where mythology diverges from Biblical Astronomy, because the order of Hercules 12 labors, as they correlate to the signs of the zodiac, moves in a clockwise direction around the ecliptic, but the order preserved in the Great Sphinx moves in the opposite direction, counter-clockwise through these 12 signs. Both orders are noteworthy because the clockwise order denotes the Sun's annual course through the ecliptic spending a month in each sign, while the counter-clockwise course denotes the precessional path of the Sun, spending 2160 years in each zodiacal sign, during the complete 25,920 year cycle of the precession of the equinoxes. Olcott also observantly points out that Hercules "is placed head to head with the giant Ophiuchus, who is represented as holding a writhing serpent in his grasp. Hercules has been thought to represent the first Adam, beguiled by the serpent, and condemned to a life of toil, while Ophiuchus is supposed to be the second Adam, trumphant over the serpent."¹¹ This depiction of the dual nature of fallen and risen man is shown above witht he upside down head of Ophiuchus turned away from Hercules, seems to be mirrored in the physical characteristics of some of the key stars of this notable sign. The Star Alpha Hercules, also known by its Arabic name Ras Algethi [the head of returning one, or the kneeler] is a double star, indicating this dual nature of this hero.
  As above, Hercules is usually seen in a kneeling position, with one foot over the dragon's head and the other being pierced in the heel, by the spear. This again depicts the truth of Genesis 3:15, where the first prophecy of the Promised Seed states: "...he shall bruise your head [serpent], and thou shall bruise his heel."    
  Olcott goes on to conclude that: "The relations of mankind and serpentkind dwelt on in the Bible, and figuring so prominently in the sky figures, seems to indicate the antiquity of these constellations, and shows clearly that there was a deliberate plan carried out in designing them."¹² This is further supported by the fact the Hercules is among the oldest of the stellar signs, having been identified by the Phoenicians, and others 700 years befor Christ.          

  Next we will look at the sign CANCER, symbolized today by "the crab". This is without a doubt a corruption of the true symbol. According to the Greeks; Jupiter placed this Crab amongst the signs of the zodiac. The Egyptians referred to CANCER as the scarab or the "sacred beetle" which symbolized eternal life. Other ancient sources have associated CANCER as the sign of the Ox. This association could have been made through the name found for it in Denderah’s zodiac, which is "Klaria", meaning the "cattle-folds". The Arabic name for CANCER is "Al Sartan" which means "who holds or binds." In the Bible, CANCER is associated with the tribe of Issachar, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, who bore the sign of two asses upon his tribal standard. We find the record in Gen. 49.

  The sign Cancer provided the backdrop for the planetery union of Jupiter and Mercury in June of 3 BC, leading up to the birth of Christ. This particular Conjunction provides important details which would remain covered if we were unaware of the true meaning and Biblical nuance behind the sign CANCER. We find important details of the sign Cancer in its association with Issachar in the context of Genesis 49:14.

Genesis 49:11-12,14-15:
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: [12] His eyes shall be red with wine,[Aldebaran the Eye of Taurus the Bull] and his teeth white with milk. [14] Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: [15] And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. [parenthesis mine]

  According to Bullinger, the Crab is definitely not the original star picture for the sign Cancer. There are two prominent stars in the sign of Cancer that give us a clue to its original name in antiquity. These are Asellus Boreas, the northern Ass; and the other, Asellus Australis, is the southern Ass. The "69 " symbol for the sign of Cancer; resembles a yoke which binds these beasts of burden to each other for labor, having nothing to do with a crab, for which there is no Hebrew word. Bullinger states: the Arabic name for the sign is Al Sartan, which means who holds or binds, and may be from the Hebrew word [H631] acar to bind together, harness, hold, keep, fasten, yoke or hitch. It also means to set in array, join battle, prepare, order and make ready. Bullinger also points out that this sign was connected with the Tribe of Issachar, who is said to have borne upon the Tribal standard the sign of two asses. We can see this referenced in the 14th verse above, which bears an alternative reading that states:

"Issachar is a strong ass couching down between the sheepfolds…" the sheepfolds…" These "sheepfolds" as the two decans of Cancer, refer to the great and small flocks, not bears, of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, encompassing the gap in the northern sky between themthe gap in the northern sky between them. The association of Asses with Cancer is also evident in mythology as pointed out by Condos; "The Crab has two bright stars on its shell; these are called the Asses. The nebula visible within the Crab is the so-called Manger, beside which the Asses are standing. Condos goes on to say that; Some eastern zodiacs depict the Constellation now known as Cancer, as two asses."

The Beehive nebula referenced by Condos above as the "Manger," is situated between the asses, also has the ancient name Praesepe, meaning a multitude or offspring.¹⁴ According to R.H. Allen: "before the invention of the telescope, this was the only universally recognized nebula, its components not being separately discernible by ordinary vision."¹⁵

Thus the work of the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd, seen celestially in the Constellation Böötes the Shepherd, is indicated, laboring to enter into in the promised land resting place (H4496 menuchah, Ps. 23:2, Isa. 28:10,12; Num. 11:33) between the sheepfolds, opening the way as he leads his flocks.

  Aratus’ name for Bootes is Arctophylax, ie. the guardian of Arctos, the flock of the greater fold, called today the great bear. This aligns with the name of the brightest star in Böötes, Arcturus, which was probably the name of this sign in antiquity [Job 9:9], providing a conclusive link with the celestial shepherd and his flocks. It is intriguing to see Draco the dragon depicted below, as winding his way down between these two flocks in the northern skies, with the lower coils of his tail beneath the star Thuban, the archaic pole star [Fig. III.a]. R.H. Allen notes that for the ancient Chaldeans "Draco was a much longer Constellation than with us, winding downwards and in front of Ursa Major, and even into later times, clasped both of the bears in its folds… with the combined title Arctoe et Draco,"¹⁶ pictured below.

  These stars of the Dragon’s tail, and those of the great and smaller flocks, form essential parts of the boundary of the naked-eye gap in the northern sky, which concealed the Age of Grace in God’s celestial timetable, also known today as Böötes’ Void. This idea is mirrored by the offspring that is a multitude symbolized in Praesepe, between the northern and southern asses of the sign Cancer. Just as Praesepe was the only universally recognized nebula before the telescope, so the gap in the northern sky was also a pre-telescopic phenomena. Today we can see many stars that do not appear to the naked-eye, because we live in the time period that the northern gap was hiding-the Great Mystery of the Age of Grace, hidden by God’s Hand. This is the period between the sufferings and glory of the Lord revealed in the celestial gospel. It was not revealed until the Apostle Paul wrote the seven Church Epistles of the New Testament.

  The sign of two asses becomes even more interesting when considered with the remaining context of Genesis 49:11. First, the vine to which the asses were bound is a prophecy and figurative reference of Jesus Christ the branch, a truth that becomes clear in John 15:1-5. The vine is also one of the Biblical trees that symbolize Israel as a nation. In effect, Jesus Christ is the rejuvenation of the tree of life for all mankind. In Psalm 80, Israel was symbolized as the vine that God first brought out of Egypt [Psalm 80:8, Isa. 5:7], when the precedent for the Feasts of Passover, & Tabernacles was instituted. Psalm 80 is one of three Psalms addressed to the Chief Musician upon Gittith, meaning winepress, a direct reference to the autumn Feast of Tabernacles in recognition of the harvesting of the fruit of the vine.¹⁷ Secondly, he washed his garments in wine, from Genesis 49:11, refers to the Messiah returning in righteous judgment against evildoers, treading the fury of the winepress of God’s wrath, as seen in Isaiah 63.

  These prophecies are fulfilled in the seventh administration, when the day of vengeance is at hand [see Rev. 19:13, 15-21], when God’s final judgment is executed by the King of Kings in his glory. In this light, the significance of this sign of the two asses becomes clear, since it relates to Jesus’ two entries into Jerusalem, during his earthly ministry to Israel. Isaiah 63:4 above refers to this: and the year of my redeemed is come, as Isaiah states earlier [Isa. 61:1-2], in reference to the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. Here we find more evidence of the length of Jesus’ earthly ministry since he was the lamb of the first year [Exod.12:5] as the fulfillment of the Passover lamb for Israel. Jesus’ ministry was not three years as the popular belief holds, but seventy weeks [Dan. 9:24]. It was during the gap between the acceptable year of Jesus’ ministry to Israel and the day of vengeance, when the events of the Book of Revelation will take place that the hidden age of the Great Mystery (our current Age of Grace) occurs.

According to Wierwille: Jesus entered Jerusalem a first time on Friday, the ninth of Nisan, in judgment, and a second time on Saturday, the tenth of Nisan, in blessing.¹⁸ Traditional theology has many times attempted to make these two similar entries into Jerusalem identical, causing endless confusion that, to this day, still surrounds the erroneous teaching of "Palm Sunday."

One of the details that clears the air about Jesus’ entries into Jerusalem is the number of asses involved with each entry. During Jesus’ first entry only one ass was involved, but the second entry included both a mother ass and her foal, which fulfilled Zech. 9:9. Wierwille cites Judges 5:10, 10:3-4 and 12:13-14, to show that during the time of the Judges’ authority and rule over Israel, they rode on white asses’ colts. He goes on to say that:

Jesus’ first entry into Jerusalem in judgment relates to Genesis 49:11-12. His second entry in blessing ties to verse 15, and the "rest which was good, and the land that it was pleasant," that becomes a reality for Israel, when Jesus Christ inaugurates the rule of his millennial kingdom on the earth. During Jesus’ first entry into Jerusalem, when he prophesied its destruction, in Luke 19:29-44, Mark 11:1-11, and John 12:12-19, the people honored Jesus by "spreading their garments in the way." This foretells his future recognition and glorified status as King of Kings. Freeman states: It was usual to strew flowers and branches, and spread carpets and garments in the way of conquerors and great princes and of others to whom it was intended to show particular honor and respect. In a similar way Jehu was recognized as King [II Kings 9:13].¹⁹

URSA MAJOR and MINOR are interesting in this light because the star-picture we have is a large and small bear. It is significant that no bear appears in any of the most ancient Zodiacs, and no bear ever had a tail like the current star picture, especially since this tail marks the pole star in the little bear. It is true that Ursa Major & Minor are a pair of signs or constellations, one larger and the other smaller. But as we have just seen, they are more anciently seen as sheepfolds. However, by concealing the idea of the Great Shepherd’s sheepfolds, the idea of the redeemed of the Lord, is hidden and the work of the Redeemer is nullified in this aspect of the celestial witness.

Our last example of a corrupted Constellation is Argo Navis, perhaps a celestial image of Noah’s Ark, the great ship that navigated the waters of the deluge. This celestial ship seen here as it is depicted in Bayer’s 1603 Atlas, has been cut up in to four separate modern constellations, none of which bear any of their original significance. The first of these is Vela the sails, which was initially separated from Argo Navis in 1763 by French cartographer Abbe’ Nicolas de LaCaille, while he mapped the stars of the southern polar region. In his 1752 & 1763 publications, he added 14 star groups, amongst which these of the former Argo are included. Puppis is the stern of the ship, which is partially located on the Milky Way. Pyxis is the ship’s compass, also partly on the Milky Way. The last part is Carina, the keel of the ship, noted for its brilliant star Canopus which dominates the southern hemisphere as the second brightest star in the sky, only behind Sirius. The graphic below shows Eta Carina, a very unique variable star located in a remarkable segment of the southern Milky Way, known as the "Keyhole Nebula."

Footnotes

1. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins
2. The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop 
3. Strong's Concordance on "Beliyaal"
4. The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop 
5. The Temple, Alfred Edersheim
6. Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger
7. IBID
8. IBID
9. IBID
10. Star Lore, Myths, Legends & Facts, W.T. Olcott
11. IBID
12. IBID
13. Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger
14. Star Myths, Theony Condos
15. Star Names, Their lore and Meaning, R. H. Allen
16. IBID
17. Companion Bible, marginal note, E.W. Bullinger
18. Jesus Christ Our Passover, V.P. Weirwille
19. Witness of the Stars, E.W. Bullinger
20. The Mazzaroth, Frances Rolleston

Isaiah 63:1-4
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. [2] Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? [3] I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. [4] For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.  

Gen. 49:14; 
"Issachar is a strong ass, couching down between the sheepfolds; and he saw a resting-place that it was good; and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became servant under task work."

   Two of the stars in this sign were known in antiquity as "Asellus Boreas", the Northern Ass; and "Asellus Australis", the Southern Ass. The sheepfolds in this verse are represented to us today as URSA MAJOR and URSA MINOR. CANCER is located between them on the ecliptic, just as Gen. 49:14 indicates. The old Akkadian name for this month was "Su-kul-na" which means "possessor of seed".¹³ Thus the Asses as beasts of burden represent the work of the redeemer to save his flocks, and the message of this sign is the "Messiah's redeemed possessions held fast." The Lord became a servant, and humbled himself in obedience to God to the point of his death. His redeemed shall come to a resting-place that is good, and to a land that is pleasant. They look for a heavenly home, and in the many mansions of the Father's house they will find eternal rest.