Constelación de Eridanus

30. Eridanus (the River)

It issues forth, in all the pictures, from the down-coming foot of Orion. While others see in it, from the ignorance of fabled story, only "the River Po," or the "River Euphrates," we see in it, from the meaning of its name, and from the significance of its positon, the river of the Judge.

In the Denderah Zodiac it is a river under the feet of Orion. It is named Peh-ta-t, which means the mouth of the river.

It is an immense constellation.

According to the Britannic catalogue, it consists of 84 stars; one of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2nd, eight of the 3rd, etc.

The brightest star, a (at the mouth of the river), bears the ancient name of Achernar, which is in, as its name means, the after part of the river.

The next star, b (at the source of the river), is named Cursa, which means bent down. The next, g (at the second bend in the river), is called Zourac (Arabic) flowing. Other stars are Pheat, mouth (of the river); and Ozha, the going forth.

Here, then, we have a river flowing forth from before the glorious Orion. It runs in a serpentine course towards the lower regions, down, down, out of sight. In vain the sea monster, Cetus, strives to stop its flow. It is "the river of the Judge," and speaks of that final judgment in which the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire. It was evidently originally associated with fire; for the Greek myths, though gross perversions, stil so connect it. According to their fables, something went wrong with the chariot of the sun, and a universal conflagration was threatened. In the trouble, Phaeton (probably a reference to the star Pheat) was killed and hurled into this river, in which he was consumed with its fire. The whole earth suffered from such a burning heat that great disasters ensued. We see from this myth two great facts preserved in the perverted tradition, viz., judgment and fire.

ARATUS also preserves the connection,

"For yonder, trod by heavenly feet,
Wind the scorched waters of Eridanus' tear-swollen flood,
Welling beneath Orion's uplifted foot."

Is not this the testimony afterwards written in the Book? Daniel sees this very river in his vision of that coming day, when the true Orion shall come forth in His glory. He says, "I beheld till the thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit:...His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire. A FIERY STREAM ISSUED AND CAME FORTH FROM BEFORE HIM." This is the River of the Judge; for he goes on to say, "the judgment was set, and the books were opened" (Dan 7:9-11, RV).

We have the same in Psalm 97:3-5 (RV), which describes the scene when the Lord shall reign:

"A FIRE GOETH BEFORE HIM,
And burneth up His adversaries round about.
His lightnings lightened the world:
The earth saw and trembled,
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth."

So again in Psalm 50:3, we read:

"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence,
A FIRE SHALL DEVOUR BEFORE HIM,
And it shall be very tempestuous round about Him."

By Habakkuk the coming of the Lord is described; and it is written:

"His brightness was as the light,...
Before Him went the pestilence,
And burning coals went forth at His feet."
Habakkuk 3:5

What is this but Orion and Eridanus!

Again, it is written in Isaiah 30:27-33 (RV):

"Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far,
Burning with His anger, and in thick rising smoke:
His lips are full of indignation,
And His tongue is as a DEVOURING FIRE:
And His breath is as AN OVERFLOWING STREAM [of fire]...
For a Topheth is prepared of old;
Yea, for the King [Moloch] it is made ready;
He hath made it deep and large;
The pile thereof is FIRE and much wood;
The breath of the LORD, LIKE A STREAM OF BRIMSTONE, doth kindle it."

So, again, we read in Nahum 1:5, 6:

"The mountains quake at Him,
And the hills melt;
And the earth is burned up at His presence,
Yea, the world and all that dwell therein.
Who can stand before His indignation?
And who can abide in the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is POURED OUT LIKE FIRE."

In Isaiah 66:15, 16, we read:

"For, behold, the LORD will come with fire,
And with His chariots like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with FLAMES OF FIRE,
For BY FIRE, and by His sword, will the LORD plead with all flesh."

With this agree the New Testament scriptures, which speak of "the Day of the Lord," "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, IN FLAMING FIRE taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess 1:7,8).

This is the true Eridanus. It is no mere "picture." It is a dread reality! It is written in stars of fire, and words of truth, that men may heed the solemn warning and "flee from the wrath to come"!

But we ask, "Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth" (Mal 3:2)? "Who can stand before His indignation," when "His fury is poured out like fire" (Nahum 1:6)?

The answer is given in the next picture!