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What does the BIBLE say about Astrology and Horoscopes

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Christians consulting horoscopes

The purpose of a horoscope is to gain insight into a person’s character and foretell the future. The basic belief of astrology is that planets and stars exert an influence upon our lives. Those with special knowledge—astrologers—can predict events in a person’s life. It is distressing that most major newspapers have a horoscope column, and even more distressing that many Christians read their horoscopes.

The Bible expressly forbids divination, sorcery, and hidden arts (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’s people are to heed God only (Deuteronomy 18:15The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.Deuteronomy 18 verse 15). Any other source of guidance, information, or revelation is to be rejected outright. (See also Acts 16:16-18(verse 16) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

(verse 17) The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

(verse 18) And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.Acts 16 verses 16-18.) The Bible points to Jesus Christ as the only proper focus of faith (Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.Acts 4 verse 12; Hebrews 12:2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12 verse 2). Our trust is in God alone, and we know that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6(verse 5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

(verse 6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.Proverbs 3 verses 5-6). Faith in anything besides God is misplaced.

Astrology, then, opposes biblical teaching in at least two ways: it advocates faith in something other than God, and it is a form of divination. We cannot determine God's will for our lives through horoscopes. As Christians, we are to read the Bible and pray to God in order to gain wisdom and guidance. Consulting a horoscope is a violation of God's means of communicating with His children. We strongly believe that horoscopes should be rejected by Christians.

What does the Bible say about astrology or the Zodiac?

The Bible has much to say about the stars. Most basic to our understanding of the stars is that God created them. They show His power and majesty. The heavens are God’s "handiwork" (Psalm 8:3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.Psalm 8 verse 3; Psalm 19:1[[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.Psalm 19 verse 1). He has all the stars numbered and named (Psalm 147:4He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by [their] names.Psalm 147 verse 4).

The Bible also teaches that God arranged the stars into recognizable groups that we call constellations. The Bible mentions three of these: Orion, the Bear (Ursa Major), and "the crooked serpent" (most likely Draco) in Job 9:9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.Job 9 verse 9; Job 26:13By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.Job 26 verse 13; Job 38:31-32(verse 31) Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

(verse 32) Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?Job 38 verses 31-32; and Amos 5:8[Seek him] that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD [is] his name.Amos 5 (KJV) verse 8. The same passages also reference the star group Pleiades (the Seven Stars). God is the One Who "fastens the bands" of these constellations; He is the One who brings them forth, "each in its season." In Job 38:32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?Job 38 verse 32, God also points to the "Mazzaroth," usually translated "constellations." This is thought by many to be a reference to the twelve constellations of the zodiac.

The constellations have been tracked and studied for millennia. The Egyptians and Greeks knew of the zodiac and used it to measure the beginning of spring centuries before Christ. Much has been written of the meaning of the zodiacal constellations, including theories that they comprise an ancient display of God’s redemptive plan. For example, the constellation Leo can be seen as a celestial depiction of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.Revelation 5 verse 5), and Virgo could be a reminder of the virgin who bore Christ. However, the Bible does not indicate any "hidden meaning" for these or other constellations.

The Bible says that stars, along with the sun and moon, were given for "signs" and "seasons" (Genesis 1:14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.Genesis 1 verse 14); that is, they were meant to mark time for us. They are also "signs" in the sense of navigational "indicators," and all through history men have used the stars to chart their courses around the globe.