Deuteronomy 18, Isaiah 47 and Deuteronomy 4 are probably the texts that makes many people to think that Astrology is a forbidden subject.
King James Version - Deuteronomy 18:10-15
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,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
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.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. {perfect: or, upright, or, sincere}
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}. {possess: or, inherit}
15 The 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;
Astrology is not mentioned. The Hebrew word translated as "observer of times" here is מְעֹונֵן ("me-anan", Strong's H6049), and means "observer of clouds" or "gatherer of clouds" (The same word is used in Leviticus 19:26).
Young's Literal Version (1862) Deuteronomy 18:10-15
10 there is not found in thee one causing his son and his daughter to pass over into fire, a user of divinations, an observer of clouds, and an enchanter, and a sorcerer,
11 and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead.
12 `For the abomination of Jehovah [is] every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence.
13 Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God,
14 for these nations whom thou art possessing, unto observers of clouds, and unto diviners, do hearken; and thou -- not so hath Jehovah thy God suffered thee.
15 `A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee -- unto him ye hearken;
comment:
I believe that this refers to rituals to "make rain" that was, probably, common between those agricultural peoples. It could be also try to foretell something by the shape of the clouds, I don't know.
If Moses wanted to refer to astrology with this word, why wouldn't he say it clearly as Isaiah do in Isaiah 47:13? Moses is talking about what there was in Canaan (no astrologers), Isaiah is talkin about Babylon (astrologers).
Astrology is astronomy and psychology, it doesn't involve "spirits", that sort of thing. Astrology is an entire different thing than "divinations, observer of clouds, enchanter, and sorcerer". If Astrology is what God is forbidding here, then someone must explain why there is so much astrological symbolism in the Bible (see some below).
With Astrology alone, it's not possible to foretell anything specific, its indications are generic. For example: Lots of indications on the house 3 can mean more contact with brothers, publications, short trips, more use of the telephone and so on. Astrology is more useful to understand better what you are experiencing now and what you have experienced in the past. It can't tell the future.
.............................................................................................................................................................
Isaiah 47:13 (King James Version)
13 Thou hast been wearied in the multitude of thy counsels, Stand up, I pray thee, and save thee, Let the charmers of the heavens, Those looking on the stars, Those teaching concerning the months, From those things that come on thee!
Isaiah 47:13 (American Standard Version)
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels: let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee.
comment:
In that text it is not said that Astrology is forbidden, that the sin of Babylon was to practice Astrology. What is said is that the Astrologers wouldn't be able to save Babylon.
This prophecy was made about 150 years before Cyrus II conquered Babylon in one night (Daniel 5)
Jeremiah also prophetized that the Babylonian dominium of the region would last for 70 years (and indeed it lasted from 609 BC when the Babylonians defeated the Assirians and the Egiptians in the battle of Harran, until 539 BC when Cyrus II conquered Babylon).
Obs. The word translated as "prognosticators" in the ASV is H3045, different from that used in Deuteronomy 18 (H6049, "gatherer of clouds") and means "knower".
...
Deuteronomy 4:19
19 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, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.
Here God is forbidding idolatry, not astrology. The text is clear, but if there is any doubt read the previous verses:
15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of form on the day that Jehovah spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
17 the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flieth in the heavens,
18 the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;
Would you say that God is forbidding to draw or to paint or to make sculptures or photography of animals and humans? No, he isn't, is he? It's to not adore those figures (to bow to them and serve them as if they were gods).
No comments:
Post a Comment