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God Prophetically Named the Stars--Part 3

Capricornus, the Sea-Goat

The Hebrew name for this constellation is Gedi, "the kid," or "cut off." Capricornus is Latin and means "the goat" or "atonement." Its Egyptian name, Hu-penius, means "the place of sacrifice." From these names we see that the main focus of attention is on the purpose of the goat, which is sacrifice and atonement for sin.

Capricornus is the figure of a creature that is half goat and half fish, falling in death. One leg of the goat is doubled up under his body, powerless to lift him up. His fish tail, however, is full of life, because in the Hebrew language, the letter nun ("noon") means "fish," and it signifies a swarm of fish. Nun thus symbolizes life. The living fish comes out of the dying goat, and yet they form just one body.

Like Sagittarius, this sign pictures the Messiah coming with the dual nature of heaven and earth, having a heavenly Father and an earthly Mother. Thus, He is Son of God and son of man together. But Capricornus is different because it focuses upon the two works of Christ, rather than upon His dual nature as such.

His atoning work is pictured in the goat and is connected to the Old Testament ceremony for the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. The priests were to select two goats, draw lots for them, and kill the first one, sprinkling its blood upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant to cover (kaphar, "atone for") sin. The second goat was to be led into the wilderness alive to remove sin.

So the dying goat in Capricornus pictures the first goat killed, while the fish pictures the living work of the second goat. Between the two, these portray also the purpose of the two comings of Christ.

The decans associated with Capricornus are:

1. Sagitta ("the arrow")
2. Aquila ("the eagle")
3. Delphinus ("the fish/dolphin")

Sagitta's arrow is hitting the eagle, which falls in death. The stars in Aquila are Al Tair, "the wounded," Tarared, "wounded or torn; Algair, "the pierced," and Al Okal, "wounded in the heel." The last star shows that Aquila the Eagle represents the Messiah, whose heel is wounded while He crushes the serpent's head.

Hence, David prophesies in Psalm 38:2, "For Thine arrows have sunk deep into me, and Thy hand has pressed down on me." David understood that the trials of his life were the result of God's arrows hitting him. David, as a type of Christ, was experiencing the death of the goat in order that He might also experience the life of Delphinus. All of this is symbolized by baptism, as Paul tells us in Romans 6:8, 9,

⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

This is likewise portrayed in the story of Jonah. Jonah was called twice to go to Nineveh to preach the word. The first time he ran away and boarded a ship going the other direction. The ship ran into a storm, and the sailors drew lots to see who was the cause of the storm. The lot fell upon Jonah, and he was thrown overboard. He ended up in the belly of the fish, which he called "hell" (Jonah 2:2).

Recall that the priests were to cast lots upon the two goats in Lev. 16:8, "And Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats." So Jonah represented the goat cast into the sea (the Sea-Goat) and was brought to shore in the belly of the great fish. Then he went to Nineveh, the City of Fish and caused the entire city to repent and be saved. So it is also with the two comings of Christ.

Aquarius, the Water Bearer

The Hebrew name for Aquarius is Deli (or Dali), which means "the urn" or "water-bucket." It is the figure of a man holding a great urn in his left hand, pouring out an inexhaustible stream of water. In the Egyptian Zodiac of Denderah, Aquarius is holding two urns. The fish (Pisces, the next constellation) seems to be coming out of one of the urns, and yet appears also to be swallowing the water as it is poured out.

Aquarius prophesies the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the two fish (Pisces). In the Old Testament, the two fish represent the two nations of Israel and Judah. Israel holds the Birthright, while Judah holds the Scepter (1 Chron. 5:1, 2). In the New Testament context, it takes a little different form. Judah represents those justified through the feast of Passover (Church in general). Israel represents the overcomers, the Birthright holders, those who go beyond Passover and Pentecost to glorification in the feast of Tabernacles.

These are the two fish today, and this is confirmed by other constellations yet to be discussed here, where we also see pictured the two groups of believers: Church and Overcomers. Without an understanding of the prophetic feast days of Israel, it is not likely that these constellations will be understood. But in the message to the Seven Churches in Revelation 2 and 3, the message is to the Church, but only those who overcome are given specific blessings (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21).

So both fish are given the Holy Spirit, but one receives a greater anointing than the other. Pentecost confers an earnest of the Spirit (2 Cor. 5:5), while Tabernacles confers the fullness of the Spirit (Eph. 3:19).

Joel 2:28, 29 says,

²⁸ And it will come about after this that I would pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. ²⁹ And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Isaiah 44:3 says,

"For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants."

This is the prophecy of Aquarius, the Spirit of God pouring water first upon the Church at Pentecost, and later upon the Overcomers at the feast of Tabernacles.

The decans associated with Aquarius are:

1. Piscis Australis ("the southern fish")
2. Pegasus ("the chief horse" that has wings)
3. Cygnus ("the swan, or mighty bird")

The southern fish is drinking water. Its Arabic name is Al Haut, "the mouth of the fish." Pegasus is from pega, "chief," and sus, "horse." Recall that the Greek name Iesus (Jesus) is simply a transliteration taken directly from the Hebrew but spelled in a Greek way. It means "Yah's Horse" and represents salvation. Hence, Jesus is pictured in His second coming on a white horse flying through the heavens (Rev. 19:11). The brightest star in Pegasus is Markab, "returning from afar."

Cygnus, the swan, is not falling to the ground as Aquila, the Eagle. Cygnus is pictured flying swiftly in the heavens in his return to the earth. Both Aquila and Cygnus picture Jesus Christ, but one pictures Him in His death, while the other pictures Him as alive in His second coming. The brightest star in Cygnus is Deneb, "the judge," because He returns to judge the nations in righteousness. One of the stars in the tail of Cygnus is Azel, "who goes and returns quickly." And so Rev. 22:20 says,

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."