|
Book
1 | Table of Contents
| Chapter 2
The Witness of the Stars
E. W. Bullinger
The Second Book
The Redeemed
"The result of the Redeemer's sufferings"
In the First Book we have had before
us the work of the Redeemer set forth as it concerned His own glorious
person. In this Second Book it is presented to us as it affects
others. Here we see the results of His humiliation, and conflict,
and victory--"The sufferings of Christ" and the blessings they procured
for His redeemed people.
In Chapter I, we have the Blessings procured.
In Chapter II, their Blessings ensured.
In Chapter III, their Blessings in abeyance.
In Chapter IV, their Blessings enjoyed.
Chapter I
The Sign Capricornus (The Sea Goat)
The goat of atonement slain for the redeemed
16. Capricornus (the Sea Goat)
It is most noteworthy that 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 fishes. * The reason
for this we shall see as we proceed.
*
There is a fish tail here. 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.
Both are combined in the first chapter, or
"Sign" of Capricornus.
In all the ancient Zodiacs, or Planispheres,
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 goat passant
traversed by a fish.
There can be no doubt as to the significance
of this sign.
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 vigour and life.
The Hebrew name of the sign is Gedi,
the kid or cut off, the same as the Arabic Al Gedi. CAPRICORNUS
is merely the modern (Latin) name of the sign, and means goat.
There are 51 stars in the sign, three of
which are of the 3rd magnitude, three of the 4th, etc. 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.
Is not this exactly in accord with the
Scriptures of truth? There were two goats! Of "the goat of the sin-offering"
it is written, "God hath given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation,
to make atonement for them before the LORD" (Lev 10:16,17): of the other
goat, which was not slain, "he shall let it go into the wilderness" (Lev
16:22). Here is death and resurrection. Christ was "wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities." "For the transgression of MY PEOPLE was
He stricken" (Isa 53). He laid down His life for the sheep.
In the first chapter of the First
Book we had the same Blessed One presented as "a corn of wheat." Here we
see Him come to "die," and hence not abiding alone, but bringing forth
"much fruit" (John 12:24). The living fish proceeds from the dying goat,
and yet they form only one body. That picture, which has no parallel in
nature, has a perfectly true coutnerpart in grace; and "a great multitude,
which no man can number," have been redeemed and shall obtain eternal life
through the death of their Redeemer.
Astronomers confess that the perverted
legends of the Greeks give but "a lame account" of this sign, "and it offers
no illustration of its ancient origin."
Its ancient origin reveals a prophetic
knowledge, which only He possessed who knew that in "the fulness of time"
He would send forth His Son.
We now come to the three constellations
which give us three pictures setting forth the death of this Sacrifice
and of His living again.
1.
SAGITTA (The Arrow)
The arrow of God sent forth
17. Sagitta (the Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
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. It was of this that He spoke when He said, in Psalm
38:2--
"Thine arrows stick fast in me,
And Thy hand presseth me sore."
He was "stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted,
He was wounded for our transgressions" (Isa 53:4,5). He was "pierced,"
when He could say with Job, "The arrows of the Almighty are within me"
(6:4).
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.
This is the record of the Word, and 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.
There are many other stars in the heavens
in a straighter line, which would better serve for an arrow. Why are these
stars chosen? Why is the arrow placed here? What explanation can be given,
except that the Revelation in the stars and in the Book are both from the
inspiration of the same Spirit?
There are about 18 stars of which four
are of the 4th magnitude. Only g and d are in the same line,
while the shaft passes between
a and b.
The Hebrew name is Sham, destroying,
or desolate.
2.
AQUILA (The Eagle)
The smitten one falling
17. Sagitta (the Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
Here we have an additional picture of the
effect of this arrow, in the pierced, wounded, and falling Eagle, gasping
in its dying struggle. And that pierced, wounded, and dying Saviour whom
it represents, after saying, in Psalm 38:2 "Thine arrows stick fast in
Me," added, in verse 10--
"My heart panteth, My strength faileth
Me,
As for the light of Mine eyes it is gone
from Me."
(see also Zechariah 13:6)
The names of the stars, all of them, bear
out this representation. The constellation contains 74 stars. The brightest
of them, a (in the Eagle's neck), is a notable star 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 coloured, as in Joshua 2:18.
The star g (in the back) is called Tarared, wounded, or torn.
d (in the lower wing) is named Alcair, which means the
piercing, and e (in the tail), Al Okal, has the significant
meaning wounded in the heel.
How can the united testimony of these names
be explained except by acknowledging a Divine origin? even that of Him
who afterwards foretold of the bruising of the Virgin's Son in the written
Word; yea, of Him "who telleth the number of the stars and giveth them
all their names."
3.
DELPHINUS (The Dolphin)
The dead one rising again
17. Sagitta (the Arrow)
Aquila (the Eagle)
Delphinus (the Dolphin)
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." Apart 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; He who could say "All thy waves and
thy billows are gone over me" (Psa 42:7), He it is who rises up again from
the dead, having died on account of the sins of His redeemed, and risen
again on account of their justification (Rom 4:25).
This is the picture here. 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 or Rotaneu (Syriac and Chaldee), swiftly
running.
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 vigour and beauty of the dolphin--sinking under sin's condemnation,
but rising again as sin's conqueror--developing new life out of death,
and hearlding a new springtime out of December's long drear 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."
"Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid
Whate'er Thy people owed:
Nor can His wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in His righteousness,
And sprinkled with the blood.
If my discharge Thou hast procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine.
Turn, then, my soul, unto Thy rest;
The merits of Thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee."
Book 1 | Table of Contents | Chapter 2
|