Page Suggestions: Bible Facts
What does the BIBLE say about Astrology and Horoscopes
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God used the stars as an illustration of His promise to give Abraham an innumerable seed (Genesis 15:5
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.Genesis 15 verse 5).
Thus, every time Abraham looked up at the night sky, he had a reminder of God’s faithfulness and goodness. The final judgment of the earth will be accompanied by astronomical events relating to the stars (Isaiah 13:9-10(verse 9) Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
(verse 10) For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.Isaiah 13 verses 9-10;
Joel 3:15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.Joel 3 verse 15;
Matthew 26:29But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.Matthew 26 verse 29).
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. Isaiah 13:10
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. Joel 3:15
Astrology is the "interpretation" of an assumed influence the stars (and planets) exert on human destiny. This is a false belief. The royal astrologers of the Babylonian court were put to shame by God’s prophet Daniel (Daniel 1:20And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm.Daniel 1 verse 20) and were powerless to interpret the king’s dream
(Daniel 2:27Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the kingDaniel 2 verse 27).
God specifies astrologers as among those who will be burned as stubble in God’s judgment (Isaiah 47:13-14(verse 13) Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.
(verse 14) Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.Isaiah 47 verses 13-14).
Astrology as a form of divination is expressly forbidden in Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:10-14(verse 10) There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
(verse 11) Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
(verse 12) For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
(verse 13) Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
(verse 14) For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].Deuteronomy 18 verses 10-14).
God forbade the children of Israel to worship or serve the "host of heaven"
(Deuteronomy 4:19And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.Deuteronomy 4 verse 19).
Several times in their history, however, Israel fell into that very sin (2 Kings 17:16And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, [even] two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.2 Kings 17 verse 16 is one example). Their worship of the stars brought God’s judgment each time.
And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm. Daniel 1:20
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came [into thy mind] upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. Daniel 2:27-29
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, [even] thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee. Isaiah 47:13-15
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. Deuteronomy 4:19
The stars should awaken wonder at God’s power, wisdom, and infinitude. We should use the stars to keep track of time and place and to remind us of God’s faithful, covenant-keeping nature. All the while, we acknowledge the Creator of the heavens. Our wisdom comes from God, not the stars (James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.James 1 verse 5).
The Word of God, the Bible, is our guide through life (Psalm 119:105NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.Psalm 119 verse 105).
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:103-105
Is it all right for a Christian to believe in astrology and discover God's plan for his or her life through a horoscope?
Writer: Billy Graham } billygraham.org
Astrology is offensive to God because it attributes to planets and stars the power that belongs to God alone and because it tries to find the will of God by other means than God has appointed.
The fascination with astrology and horoscopes undoubtedly reflects people's search for a wisdom beyond their own and direction for the future. Astrology is the ancient belief that a person's destiny can be found in the pattern of the stars and planets at the time of one's birth. The "horoscope" is the chart that attempts to describe that destiny.
The Bible mentions the astrologers in the royal court at Babylon and their inability to tell or interpret royal dreams (Daniel 2:10-11(verse 10) The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore [there is] no king, lord, nor ruler, [that] asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
(verse 11) And [it is] a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.Daniel 2 verses 10-11
and Daniel 4:7Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.Daniel 4 verse 7). Isaiah the prophet spoke of astrologers with derision:
Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Isaiah 47:13
Astrology is offensive to God because it attributes to planets and stars the power that belongs to God alone and because it tries to find the will of God by other means than God has appointed. Throughout the Bible God tells us that He will guide us; read Psalm 23:1-2(verse 1) [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
(verse 2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.Psalm 23 verses 1-2,
Psalm 25:9,12(verse 9) The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
(verse 12) What man [is] he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way [that] he shall choose.Psalm 25 verses 9, 12,
Psalm 32:8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.Psalm 32 verse 8;
Luke 1:79To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.Luke 1 verse 79;
and John 7:17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself.John 7 verse 17. The Christian has no need of astrology with its futile hints, for he turns instead to the guidance of God's Word. For more information about astrology you might consult Handbook of Today's Religions by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart. It would be available through a Christian bookstore.