My Redeemer Lives
(A Testimony of the Word of God Written in the Heavens)
Dale M. Sides
Hardly
a day goes by without seeing the media, be it entertainment or news, attack the
fabric and core beliefs of Christianity. Their words and images cast shadows of
doubt upon the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures, as they primarily target those
testimonies dealing with redemption and our future hope of resurrection and
eternal life.
The
written end-time prophecies can definitely help sustain us through these
attacks; however, God (Elohiym) also provided another witness to reassure and
strengthen us—a witness that even predates the written
Scriptures. Although Satan’s henchmen hack away at the Bible, its testimony was
already established in the heavens 2500 years before any of it was written on
earth. This ancient, celestial display of God’s plan of redemption formed the
essence of what was later recorded in the Scriptures.
E.W.
Bullinger, a marvelous researcher of the mid-to-late 1800s
wrote,
We have to remember that our written Scriptures began with Moses, say in 1490
B.C.: and thus, for more that 2,500 years, the revelation of the hope
which God gave in Gen. 3:15 was preserved in the naming of the stars and their grouping in Signs and Constellations.1
The
heavens perpetually repeat the same promise day unto day and night unto night: a Redeemer and King of Glory is coming to
establish true righteousness and rulership in the world! This message is
etched onto the black backdrop of the heavens, unceasingly confirming its
fulfillment. In addition, embedded within that celestial prophecy is a
guarantee of divine retribution and judgment upon those who have launched their
shallow attacks on the Truth. Like everyone, they are without excuse because
the heavens continuously witness the Creator to them.
There
is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard—their line has gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (Psalm 19:3
and 4). These messages are written in the heavens in pictorial language for all
to see.
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His
handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has
gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In
them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out
of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is
from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1–6
Astronomical
research bears witness to the message of a coming Redeemer who would be wounded
for our transgressions, as well as His subsequent rise and return as the King
of Glory. Chinese, Arabian, Indian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures all
recognize that the author of this story has to be the Creator of the heavens
and earth.
The
anguished cry of Job, recorded in possibly one of the oldest known manuscripts
in existence (the Book of Job), gives us a clue of mankind’s ancient knowledge
of this promise: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last
on the earth” (Job 19:25). How could this man, who lived long before the time
of Moses, have so strongly believed that he had a Redeemer who lived and would
stand at last on the earth? The written Scriptures were not in existence yet.
Adam, Seth, and Enoch had undoubtedly understood the message displayed in the
night sky, as revealed to them by the Holy Spirit, and passed it down from
generation to generation.
Jewish tradition, preserved by
Josephus, assures us that this Bible astronomy was invented by Adam, Seth, and
Enoch.2 —E.W. Bullinger
Job
knew this message and kept his eyes upon the heavens in the midst of his
trials. With only these celestial revelations to guide him, he made his way
through the storm.
Regardless
of any tampering that could have occurred to the written Scriptures, it has
been impossible for the message that sustained Job to have ever been touched by
man. So, no matter how bad our afflictions may be now or in the future, we can
be just as sure of our Redeemer’s coming as Job was. The intensity of his
anguish culminated in that cry of hope for the One who would pay for his
weaknesses—and that should be the same cry of hope in our hearts.
Mankind’s
Need for a Redeemer
From
the time of man’s fall, the need for redemption became clear. In our present
atmosphere of moral decline, it is even more apparent. We all desperately need
someone to pay for our shortcomings and weaknesses. Not only is this obvious to
any logically sane person, but every book in the Bible testifies of it. The
most ancient record of God—His revelation written in the heavens—testifies of
it as well.
The
Bible has over 150 usages of the word “redeem,” or a derivative of it, and the
heavens declare the same revelation. In the mouth of two witnesses the truth is
established, and the written Scriptures of both the Bible and the heavenlies
provide that witness to each other!
Only
one individual in the history of the world fulfills the requirements of the One
who could pay the price of redemption for imperfect man. Yeshua HaMashiach
(Jesus the Christ) is the Son of the living God who was promised to be our
Redeemer in the written Scripture and
in the heavens. The wise men (magi) referred to the celestial message that
brought them to
One
of the ways to see Jesus as our Redeemer is through an understanding of the
redemptive names of God. A number of years ago, I initially heard of seven
names (Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Nissi, Jehovah-Shalom, Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu,
Jehovah-Shammah, Jehovah-Sabaoth, and Jehovah-Raah), but soon learned that
there are many more than these.
Yahweh
(Jehovah) Ga’al, “the Lord our Redeemer,” is one of the more prominently used
redemptive names of God. It occurs 13 times in the Old Testament and reveals
His true love and concern for His people. His great desire is to redeem us back
out of the hand of the enemy and once again claim His rightful possession.
The
Heavenly Story Line
The
heavenly story line of the coming Redeemer begins in the constellation Virgo,
which reveals the virgin birth. He is then continuously displayed through the
remainder of the 12 major constellations, ending with Leo. Leo (the lion) gives
us a picture of the King returning to claim His prize. Along the ecliptic path
of the sun, the story is told: the Lord (Yahweh) would send someone to pay the
price for mankind’s sins; this Redeemer would then become the King of Glory by
giving His life (contrary to earthly kings who take lives).
The
following list of the major 12 constellations speaks of either redemption
through the Redeemer’s sufferings or of His coming Kingdom. The subject of our
Redeemer and coming King clearly develops as we trace the ecliptic path of the
sun. This is the red thread of the heavens woven with His redemptive blood.
Virgo (the virgin)—Christ is the promised seed of the Redeemer.
Libra (the scales)—He is the price paid for redemption in the scales of justice.
Scorpio (the scorpion)—He is the wounded Redeemer (wounded by the enemy).
Sagittarius (the archer)—He is the victorious King returning after being wounded.
Capricorn (the goat)—He is the slain goat, as the scapegoat of redemption.
Aquarius (the water urn)—He is the one pouring out the blessings on the redeemed.
Pisces (the fishes)—He is the Redeemer of both Jews and Gentiles, tied together by the band
of His sacrifice for all.
Aries (the ram)—He is the Ram of God, redeeming through His sacrificial blood, which was
shed as the Passover Lamb.
Taurus (the bull)—He is the blood of the bull, as a profile of Old Testament offerings for
redemption.
Gemini (the twins)—the twins, He is the triumphant Redeemer coming twice, once as a sacrifice
and next as the King.
Cancer (the crab)—He is shown as the One
holding onto the inheritance of the redeemed.
Leo (the lion)—He
is the coming King to establish the kingdom He purchased with His own blood.
In
a brief synopsis, the story line of the heavens proceeds from each of the major
constellations to the next in the revelation of the coming Redeemer and King.
This revelation was given initially to the patriarchs and has since been
somewhat shrouded by mythological figures and creatures. However, the truth of
each constellation is still readable when viewed Christologically, which means
seeing Christ in every constellation.
It
is interesting that these 12 messages are divided equally into two revelations
of the Redeemer—His sufferings (His death) and His glory (His coming kingdom).
|
His Sufferings (His Death) |
His Glory (His |
|
|
|
|
Libra |
Virgo |
|
Scorpio |
Sagittarius |
|
Capricorn |
Aquarius |
|
Aires |
Pisces |
|
Taurus |
Gemini |
|
Cancer |
Leo |
|
|
|
Libra,
Scorpio, Capricorn, Aries, Taurus, and Cancer show the price paid for
redemption, while Virgo, Sagittarius, Aquarius, Pisces, Gemini, and Leo show
the Redeemer coming in His glory.
Look
at the balance and symmetry of both the revelation in the heavens and the
revelation of the written Scripture. The second witness, the written Scriptures,
combines His glory and His sufferings together in six New Testament
verses.
1)
Luke
24:26—Ought not the Christ to have suffered
these things and to enter into His glory?
2)
Hebrews
2:9a—But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [elohiym], for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor.
3)
Hebrews
2:10—For it was fitting for Him . . . to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
4)
1
Peter 1:11b—He testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ and the glories that would
follow.
5)
1
Peter 4:13—But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad
with exceeding joy.
6)
1
Peter 5:1—The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a
witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and also a partaker of the glory
that will be revealed.
Consequences
of Neglecting the Redemptive Message
As
I have studied this heavenly revelation, a number of things have become evident
to me. Humanity’s neglect of a redemptive message that rotates over their heads
both day and night has its consequences.
Jews. The Jews, to whom the promise of
redemption was entrusted, apparently set aside their heavenly message once they
received the written law through Moses. Even though the written Scriptures
testified of Jesus Christ (John 5:39), they dismissed the redemptive message of
the stars that would have witnessed it and eventually led them to His birth, as
it did the magi (wise men). It took these “foreigners” to once again bring it
to their attention. The Jews’ neglect and eventual denial of their promised
Redeemer could be compared to a family vacation in which the packing becomes so
detailed that the parents neglect the kids and drive off without them. Rather
than admitting their mistake, they devise a way to get rid of their kids (as
the Jewish religious leaders did with Jesus) to destroy the evidence of their
impudence.
Muslims. Similarly, followers of Islam have
no excuse to miss the Redeemer. While many Muslim clerics denounce the
interpretation of celestial bodies for prophetic purposes, other Islamic
scholars still study its messages and believe in its relevancy to their lives.3
Although they study the very same heavens as we do, they miss out
on the main message of a redeemer since they claim that god (Allah) has no son. Surah 112:1–4 in the Koran states:
“Say: He is Allah, (the) One and Only. Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute. He
begetteth not, nor was begotten, and there is none like unto him.”4 The constellation Virgo
testifies of the Son of the Creator and His coming to the earth; and while
biblical astronomers begin their study of the constellations with Virgo,
Islamic scholars begin theirs with Aires. Because of this, they have ignored
the primary message of Virgo! They are hindered from accurately interpreting
the remainder of the constellations, again leaving them without a redeemer.
Mohammed did not die for them; he has no relevancy to fulfilling the Word of
God written in the heavens.
Gentiles. Then there are the Gentiles who can
obviously see from the creation that there is a Creator, yet they deny the
person and accomplishments of Jesus Christ—even when the heavens testify of Him
day after day and night unto night. All are without excuse!
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:18–20
As
clear as the written Scriptures are concerning the coming of Messiah, so have
the heavens blatantly and boldly announced the coming of the Redeemer with His
Star. At the same time the celestial announcement was observed, a supernova
occurred in the decan Coma.5 This was a fulfillment of a prophecy
spoken by Balaam in Numbers 24:17.
I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of
In addition, Persian
history claims Zoroaster was a student of Daniel, and that Daniel had revealed
to him that when a formerly unrevealed star appeared in the constellation Coma,
it would be a sign that the King of kings had been born in the region of
Jerusalem.6
Perhaps
the most heart-breaking consequence of missing both the revelation in the
heavens and in the written Scriptures is to remain within a sinful state,
regardless of the belief system. This means that the Jews, Muslims, and
Gentiles who have missed the message of redemption displayed in both forms will
also miss the Redeemer’s kingdom on earth. Without forgiveness and the hope of
reconciliation with the Father, they remain forever burdened with the weight of
their guilt and condemnation.
Conclusion
The
revelation of the Redeemer has been plastered all across the heavens as well as
in the written Scriptures, making it the most obvious declaration in history. No one has an excuse to miss it. Sadly,
there are some who have missed it because they’ve succumbed to the spiritual
blindness instigated by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).
God’s
redemptive message has been brilliantly displayed in the heavens since the
beginning of creation. It was revealed to mankind by the Holy Spirit and passed
down from generation to generation. Yahweh sent His written Word to witness to
its truth—that Yeshua is the Messiah,
the promised seed of the woman. This message continues to shine in the hearts
of those who have personally met Him and await His return, when they will reign
with Him on earth for 1,000 years!
As
the days grow darker and the time of His return draws nearer, we can cry out
from our hearts the same words that Job did.
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand
upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will
see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am
overwhelmed at the thought! Job 19:25–27 New Living Translation
_____________
Notes
1.
E.W. Bullinger, Appendix 12 “The Stars Also” of The Companion Bible, accessed
December 14, 2009 at http://levendwater.org/companion/append12.html.
2.
Ibid.
3. “Of the night and the day there are indeed Signs
for men of understanding” The Koran, Sura 3.190. This is the verse in the Koran
upon which those who support the reading of the heavens for prophetic reasons
base their logic. The following quote was taken from “Constellations, Fixed
Stars and the Zodiac in the Islamic Astronomy,” a September, 2004 publication by
the Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisation, available in PDF at http://www.muslimheritage.com/uploads/zodiac.pdf,
accessed April 8, 2010. “The concept of the zodiac, which before being adopted
by Islamic civilization had been established in Greek, Egyptian, Mesopotamian,
Indian and Chinese civilizations, was viewed from a new angle by Muslim
observers, who based their views on verses in the Koran. Since Islam was a
monotheistic faith, most Islamic scholars regarded that the signs of the zodiac
[served] only as positions through which the sun and moon passed.” The next
quote also comes from the same document: “Although many Islamic scholars judged
astrology to contravene religion, astronomers continued to interpret the
heavens, and sultans to act on their advice. The office of chief astronomer (munajjimbahsi) instituted at the Ottoman
court in the mid-fifteenth century combined astronomical observations for such
purposes as drawing up annual calendars, and astrological functions. But the
attitudes towards astrology of the Ottoman sultans varied. While some complied
with tradition and consulted the chief astrologer from time to time, others
dismissed astrology as contrary to both religious principles and reason.”
4.
Yusuf Ali, A. The Holy Qur'an (translation and commentary), (Indianapolis, IN: American Trust
Publications, 1977)
5. Jim
A. Cornwell, The Alpha and the Omega, chapter six, “The Star of Bethlehem and Coma Berenices” (820-page
manuscript posted on Microsoft Network (MSN), Copyright © 1995,
all rights reserved). This document can be viewed at http://mazzaroth.com/ChapterSix/TheStarOfBethlehem.htm,
accessed April 15, 2010.
6. Ron
Charles, The Search—A Historian’s Search
for Historical Jesus (
© Copyright 2010 by Liberating Ministries for Christ International, Inc.