Sunday, November 22, 2009

Capricornus

2nd Book -The Redeemed (Capricornus)



   The result of the Redeemer's work, the blessings to the
redeemed are shown by the second book.

   The constellations include:



  1. capricornus - The Atoning Sacrifice and Resurrection

  2. Aquarius - The Holy Spirit Poured
    Upon the Redeemed

  3. Pisces - The Redeemed Blessed Though Bound

  4. Aries - The Crowned Lamb and His Bride.



Capricornus:

Their Blessings Procured -

He shall
be slain as a sacrifice.


 


   


   In the First Book, we had the work of the Redeemer set
forth as it concerned His own glorious person. The first chapter in the Book of The Redeemed is capricornus (the goat
of atonement slain for the redeemed).


   Here in the Second Book, we see the results of His
humiliation, and conflict, and victory - "The sufferings of Christ"
and the blessings they procured for His redeemed people. This Second Book opens with the Goat, and
closes with the Ram: two animals of sacrifice; while the two middle chapters
are both connected with fish. The third Decan of CAPRICORNUS is a fish
(Delphinus). There is again a fish (Piscis Australis) in the next sign
(AQUARIUS), and then the following sign is PISCES, or the Fishes. So that
the Redeemed Multitudes are presented throughout this Second Book.



  1. In Chapter I, we have the Blessings procured.


  2. In Chapter II, their Blessings ensured.


  3. In Chapter III, their Blessings in abeyance.


  4. In Chapter IV, their Blessings enjoyed.


   In all the ancient Zodiacs, we find a goat with a fish's
tail. In the Zodiacs of Denderah and Esneh, in Egypt, it is half-goat
and half-fish, and it is there called Hu-penius, which means the place
of the sacrifice. In the Indian Zodiac, it is a walking goat traversed by a fish.  The Hebrew name for the constellation Capricornus is Gedi, which means "A Kid; A Goat"; it also means "The Cut-Off"--- the meaning of atonement.


   The Sea-Goat Capricorn (from Latin Capricornus: caper, capr-, goat + cornu, horn) is second only to Cancer as the least visible constellation of the zodiac. Depictions of a goat, or of a goat-fish, have been found on Babylonian tablets around 3,000 years old (1000 B.C.).


    Capricornus is a strange creature, the front half of which is a goat and the rear half a fish! The goat is in a fallen position with one leg doubled under his body; the head is bent forward and is in a dying situation. On the other hand the tail of the fish is vigorous and living. This represents Christ coming forth out of His death. In the Goat we have the Atoning Sacrifice, in the Fish we have the people
for whom the atonement is made. When we come to the sign PISCES we shall
see more clearly that it points to the multitudes of the redeemed host. The Goat is bowing its head as though falling down in death. The right
leg is folded underneath the body, and he seems unable to rise with the
left. The tail of the fish, on the other hand, seems to be full of vigor
and life.


   There are 51 stars in the sign. Five are remarkable stars, a and b in the horn
and head, and the remaining three g, d and e, in the fishy tail. The star
a is named Al Gedi, the kid or goat, while the star d is called Deneb
Al Gedi, the sacrifice cometh. Other star-names in the sign are Dabih (Syriac), the sacrifice slain;
Al Dabik and Al Dehabeh (Arabic) have the same meaning; Ma'asad, the slaying;
Sa'ad al Naschira, the record of the cutting off.


  There were
two goats in the Old Testament, typifying death and resurrection:




  • Of "the goat of the sin-offering", it is written in Leviticus 10:16-17: "Moses then asked them what had happened to the goat of the sin offering. When he discovered it had been burned up, he became very angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons. “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sacred area?” he demanded. “It is a holy offering! The Lord has given it to you to remove the guilt of the community and to purify the people, making them right with the Lord."

  • Of the other goat, which was not slain, it is written in Leviticus 16:22: "As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land."


  It is in the Sign Capricornus with its decan constellations that the
crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah is portrayed:



  • Life out of Death

  • The Arrow of God

  • Pierced and falling

  • Springing up again in abundant life


The three decans are Sagitta, Aquila and Delphinus.


I. SAGITTA (The Arrow). The arrow of God sent forth.



  It is not the Arrow of Sagittarius, for that has not left his bow. That
arrow is for the enemies of God. This is for the Son of God. Here the arrow is pictured to us in mid-heaven, alone, as having been
shot forth by an invisible hand. It is seen in its flight through the
heavens. It is the arrow of God, showing that Redemption is all of God.
It was "the will of God" which Jesus came to do. Not a mere
work of mercy for miserable sinners, but a work ordained in eternity past,
for the glory of God in eternity future. It was of
this that He spoke in the O.T.:



  • Psalm 38:2: Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me.

  • Isaiah 53:4-5: Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

  • Job 6:4: For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows. Their poison infects my spirit. God’s terrors are lined up against me.

  • Zechariah 13:6: And if someone asks, ‘Then what about those wounds on your chest?’ he will say, ‘I was wounded at my friends’ house!’


  This is what is pictured for us here.
The work which the arrow accomplishes is seen in the dying Goat, and in
the falling Eagle.


  The Hebrew name is Sham, destroying, or desolate. This sign refers to the
pierced and wounded Redeemer, giving up his life for mankind.


II. AQUILA (The Eagle). The smitten One falling.



  Here we have an additional picture of the effect of this arrow, in the
pierced, wounded, and falling Eagle, gasping in its dying struggle. It is always depicted
with its head downward.


  The names of the stars, all of them, bear out this representation. The
constellation contains 74 stars. The
star names give a clear message of the wounded and dying Redeemer:



  • The brightest of them, a (in the Eagle's neck), is of the 1st magnitude, called Al Tair (Arabic), the wounding.

  • The star b (in the throat) is called Al Shain (Arabic), the bright, from a Hebrew root meaning scarlet colored, covered with blood.

  • The star g (in the back) is called Tarared, wounded, or torn.

  • d (in the lower wing) is named Alcair, which means the piercing.

  • e (in the tail), Al Okal, has the significant meaning wounded in the heel.


III. DELPHINUS (The Dolphin). The dead One rising again.



  This is a bright cluster of 18 stars, five of which are of the 3rd magnitude.
It is easily distinguished by the four brightest, which are in the head. It is always figured as a fish full of life, and always with the head
upwards, just as the eagle is always with the head downwards. The great
peculiar characteristic of the dolphin is its rising up, leaping, and
springing out of the sea. When we compare this with the dying goat and falling eagle, what conclusion
can we come to but that we have here the filling in of the picture, and
the completion of the whole truth set forth in CAPRICORNUS?


  Jesus "died and rose again." Without from His resurrection, His
death is without result. In His conflict with the enemy, it is only His
coming again in glory which is shown forth. But here, in connection with
His people, with the multitudes of His redeemed, Resurrection is the great
and important truth. He is "the first-fruits of them that slept";
then He, too, is here represented as a fish. He who went down into the
waters of death for His people:



  • Psalm 42:7: "I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me."

  • Romans 4:25: He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.


  In the Persian planisphere, there seems to be
a fish and a stream of water. The Egyptian has a vessel pouring out water.
The ancient names connected with this constellation are



  • Dalaph (Hebrew),
    pouring out of water.

  • Dalaph (Arabic), coming quickly.

  • Scalooin (Arabic),
    swift (as the flow of water).

  • Rotaneb (Syriac and Chaldee),
    swiftly running.


  This decan would indicate that the tail of the Sea Goat is that of
a dolphin. It is shown jumping out of the water, and very much alive.
Anciently, the dolphin was a symbol of life and resurrection. The Dead One Rising Again - This is a dolphin that is full of life,
with his head up and leaping out of the sea. This shows resurrection
from death.


   So, in this ‘chapter’ we have the
sin offering who partakes of life (Capricorn); we have the arrow
of affliction (Sagitta), the royal soarer pierced in the heel (Aquila),
and the poured-out, swiftly coming, life possessing One (Delphinus).


Thus, in this first chapter of the Second Book we see the great truth
of Revelation set forth; and we learn how the great Blessings of Redemption
were procured. This truth cannot be more eloquently or powerfully presented
than in the language of Dr. Seiss (Joseph A. Seiss, The Gospel in the
Stars):


   This strange goat-fish, dying in its head, but living in its afterpart--falling
as an eagle pierced and wounded by the arrow of death, but springing up
from the dark waves with the matchless vigor and beauty of the dolphin--sinking
under sin's condemnation, but rising again as sin's conqueror--developing
new life out of death, and heralding a new springtime out of December's
long dreary nights--was framed by no blind chance of man. The story which
it tells is the old, old story on which hangs the only availing hope that
ever came, or ever can come, to Adam's race. To what it signifies we are
for ever shut up as the only saving faith. In that dying Seed of the woman
we must see our sin-bearer and the atonement for our guilt, or die ourselves
unpardoned and unsanctified. Through His death and bloodshedding we must
find our life, or the true life, which alone is life, we never can have."



Here is the story the Mazzaroth has presented to us so far:


* The First Book - The Redeemer: (His First Coming) "The sufferings of Christ"


  • Chapter I - FIRST - The Prophecy of the Promised Seed of the Woman

    • VIRGO (The Virgin. A woman bearing a branch in her right hand and an ear of corn in her left). The Promised Seed of the woman.




      • COMA (The Desired. The woman and child). The Desired of all nations.

      • CENTAURUS (The Centaur with two natures, holding a spear piercing a victim). The despised sin offering.

      • BOOTES (a man walking bearing a branch called ARCTURUS, meaning the same). He cometh.





    • Chapter II - SECOND - The Redeemer's Atoning Work: There shall be a price paid by Him for a purchased possession.

      • LIBRA (The Scales). The price deficient balanced by the price which covers.

        • CRUX, The Cross endured.

        • LUPUS, or VICTIMA, The Victim slain.

        • CORONA, The Crown bestowed.





    • Chapter III - THIRD - The Redeemer's Conflict:
      The price shall be a conflict with the serpent-foe, and a wound in the conqueror's heel.

      • SCORPIO (The Scorpion) seeking to wound, but itself trodden under foot.

        • SERPENS (The Serpent struggling with the man).

        • O-PHI-U-CHUS (The man grasping the serpent). The struggle with the enemy.

        • HERCULES (The mighty man. A man kneeling on one knee, humbled in the conflict, but holding aloft the tokens of victory, with his foot on the head of the Dragon). The mighty Vanquisher seeming to sink in the conflict.





    • Chapter IV - FOURTH - The Redeemer's Triumph: He shall be sent forth swiftly, surely, as an arrow from a bow.


      • SAGITTARIUS (The Archer). The two-natured Conqueror going forth "Conquering and to conquer."


        • LYRA (The Harp). Praise prepared for the Conqueror.

        • ARA (The Altar). Consuming fire prepared for His enemies.

        • DRACO (The Dragon). The Old Serpent— Devil, cast down from heaven.






    * The Second Book -The Redeemed "The result of the Redeemer's sufferings"



    • Chapter I - FIFTH - Their Blessings Procured: He shall be slain as a sacrifice.

      • CAPRICORNUS (The fish-goat). The goat of Atonement slain for the Redeemed.

        • SAGITTA (The Arrow). The arrow of God sent forth.

        • AQUILA (The Eagle). The smitten One falling.

        • DELPHINUS (The Dolphin). The dead One rising again.








       Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation of the Bible.



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