Lesson 022 Aries

Aries

The Gentle, Merciful Lamb − The Commandment of the LORD is Pure

Holiness is the Purity of God’s Commandment

The Eternal Covenant is God’s covenant; all is God’s “doing.”  God is acting from Himself.  Love does not act for itself; God is acting from Himself – He is giving Himself.  He desired to become the servant and according to the worthiness of the Son of the covenant, so did He.  The servant who offered Himself is God, Spirit Being of Deity.  Personified in the Son, God poured out His soul unto death and offered His body a sacrifice for sin.  

The sins of the whole world were burnt out on that body, consumed in the holiness of God to be raised an incorruptible seed of Eternal Life.  Man has no part in the offerings.  “Doing” the will of God is to believe and receive the Eternal Life offered.  

The three signs, Gemini, Taurus and Aries, are a trilogy within the twelve constellations.  The Sovereign has come and gathered His people Israel to himself; the goats and the sheep (the nations) are separated.  The goats are the people of the nations who have refused the offer of the Shepherd King to rule over them as His sheep.  The thousand-year reign has begun.  This is a new beginning; one kingdom on earth where former things have passed away. 

Each of the three stellar signs expresses a different aspect of the kingdom reign, and together they give a complete picture.  In the sign of Gemini, the time of rejoicing arrives.  In Gemini, the Eternal Covenant is shown in two realms – an earthly and a heavenly.  Two cites from two realms form one universal kingdom of God.  The city in heaven is the New Jerusalem – its inhabitants are the bride-wife of the Lamb (born sons of God − the body of Christ).  The city on earth is Jerusalem below – its inhabitants are born sons of God from the remnant of the “woman forsaken,” sons of Israel (Isaiah 54:5-6).  In the sign Gemini, heaven and earth are united; there is one universal kingdom.  The coronation of the betrothed nation Israel to her beloved Bridegroom takes place.  The betrothed regenerate people of Israel have “married” their beloved Bridegroom and their land.  It is a time of great celebration. 

Taurus reveals Love as a force of power administered by the Son of the covenant.  The theme of Taurus is taking captivity captive − by the power of Love.  A heart captured by Love rejoices continually.  The one world government of righteousness and justice is at peace and the powerful authority of Love rules.  “… nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).  The political system, the economic system and the system of false worship exist no longer; “MYSTERY BABYLON” is fallen (Revelation 17:5).  The military and merchandising are no more.  

In the new kingdom on earth, all are separated unto God; it will be as it was in the beginning in the Garden of Eden; only the Word of God will be taught.  In this kingdom, the teaching of the ceremonial law and the offerings will be a continual pictorial of the Son of the covenant. 

The kingdom will be a kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace with the Love of the Sovereign the powerful authority.  No outward rebellion will be permitted.  False teaching will not exist, but God is not yet all in all.  In His kingdom, God will still have men in the flesh.  It is not a “perfect” kingdom.  At the heart of any issue is the issue of the heart − during the thousand-year kingdom reign there will be the proving of the heart; the pride of man’s self-will where the imagination of the thoughts and intents of the heart is only evil continually will be confirmed (Genesis 6:5).  

During the thousand-year reign, each man will be tried according to his own lawlessness.  Will man repent – give up the enmity of the mind, will man give up the pride of the self-will, which is having one’s will over the will of the Sovereign and agree with God?  One must be born again; one must be a son to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3).  Will each man receive the Life Eternal offered? 

When viewed together the signs of Taurus and Aries reveal three stages of the work of God in the ways the Son of the covenant relates to the nation Israel, the church and the kingdom subjects.  To Israel, He who is, the coming Servant of Jehovah has sin covered in the atonement.  To the church, He who was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has put away death once for all; death is overcome by life.  To the kingdom subjects, He who is to come, the ram, man’s substitute offered to whosoever will believe and receive, has all enemies subdued; sin is restrained.  Observed in each stage is the Eternal – who is, who was and who is to come.  

In April, the sun is in Aries – (The sun tabernacles or dwells in Aries).  When the sun is in the direction of Aries, the evening luminaries are Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, and Leo.  From God’s vantage point, Aries is the seventh sign.  Seven is the number that speaks of completeness.  

The sign Aries is the “dividing” point in the Eternal Covenant.  Originating in eternity past in the sign Libra (He who is) through the establishment of the kingdom in the sign Taurus (He who is to come) the heavens have declared the glory of the Eternal Covenant − the hope of life eternal and a holy calling of sons of God. 

The glory declared from the sign Aries to the last stellar sign Scorpio details the person of the Son of the covenant and the work of God in the Son of the covenant.  The light holders, the luminaries of the heavens are God’s prophetic revelation.  The word “signs” in the Hebrew means “a mark.”  A sign is a mark of something other than itself.  God ordained that the “signs and seasons” of the luminaires indicate events in the life of the coming Seed – the Eternal − the coming Redeemer-Deliverer. 

This pattern of repeating, reiterating or retelling God’s plan both in the signs that the heavens declare and in His written word is one of the ways that He employs to make Himself known.  It is a remembering, a memorial − He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  Genesis chapter one reveals the glory of God, then “goes back” and fills in the detail of the ways of that glory; likewise, the Eternal Covenant in the stars – God gives an overview and then gives the details. 

The constellation Aries in modern star chart drawings usually is a male lamb with horns, a ram; however, in many of the oldest star chart drawings, the pictorial is a lamb without horns.  This lamb wears a circular crown or a triangle over the head and the name “The Exalted or The Chief” identifies him. 

In the star chart drawings, the names of the stellar sign and star names associated with the stellar sign give a twofold picture of a blameless lamb and a royal, regal ram. 

The names of the stellar sign Aries are “ Chief or Head,” “The Lamb or The Ram,” “Lamb Sent Forth,” “The Sheep Gentle and Merciful, ” “Reign of Ammon,” “The Dominion or Government Established,” and “The Altar or The Sacrifice of Righteousness.”  

Star names identified in Aries are “The Wounded or The Slain,” “The Bruised or The Wounded” and “Bound or Binding.”  The brightest star in the left horn is “The Wounded or The Slain.”  The sign names “Gentle” and “Merciful” along with the star names of “The Wounded” “The Bruised,” “The Bound,” “The Sacrifice of Righteousness,” and “The Slain” describe the disposition of the lamb as a blameless victim. 

The circular crown depicts the lamb as king.  The king is “The Gentle Merciful Lamb” of God, holy and harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners in whom is all authority and power; yet, in humble meek submission, He lays aside that power and authority as king in tender obedience to offer His body a sacrifice for sin.  

The symbolic triangle above the “crowned” head of the lamb draws the seer of the luminaires back to the eternal.  In ancient times the symbol of the triangle was recognized as the symbol of the eternal.  Three lines are necessary to form a plane figure; and three dimensions of length, breadth, and height are necessary to form a solid figure.  Hence, three sides symbolize the simplest form of a solid figure.  He who is, He who was and He who is to come – the unyielding, unbroken and unadulterated is the “solid” eternal.  

Thus, the lamb, the blameless victim, is understood to be very God in essence.  The Son of the covenant “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (Taurus, the servant, Jehovah - the bullock) and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, (Aries, the Son of Man, the lamb), even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).   

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him (Aries, the begotten Son from the dead, the ram), and given him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven, and in earth and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [the Son of the covenant] is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).  

Having offered His body a sacrifice for sin, the Son is raised the crowned ram – crowned with honor and glory; He has gained much more than that which was.  In the creation of man, God had sons of men in the flesh.  In the begotten Son, God has gained more – He has sons of God – those who believe and receive the gift of the Son.  

By believing and receiving, man becomes what he was not nor ever could have been on his own. 

By believing and receiving, man: 

Receives the righteousness of God,

Is freed from the sin,

Is delivered from death, and

Becomes a born son of God − bearing the heavenly image − a body of eternal life.  

When man believes and receives, God has a:  

Righteous son – freed from the sin,

A son delivered from death,

A born son of His seed in His image, and

A son to live with Him in His kingdom forever. 

The horns of Taurus type power and authority.  The ram is a full-grown male lamb and is not considered gentle but stately, powerful and even majestic, especially when he has a “crown” of horns upon his head. 

The names of the stellar sign Taurus, “Chief or Head,” “Reign of Ammon,” “The Dominion or Government Established,” describe the position of the Son of the covenant in His rank of authority as king and minister.  

The ruling global government will be under the authority of the Chief Shepherd (Psalm 24) –  who is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep (Psalm 22) – the Great Shepherd (Psalm 23), brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20).  The entire kingdom will be under the authority of the priesthood – the theocracy of Jehovah God (Numbers 18:6, 21, 24; Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10, 17). 

The Taurus star names “The Wounded or The Slain,” “The Bruised or The Wounded” and “Bound or Binding,” provide the foundation of the authority of the ram as the gentle merciful king and intercessory high priest between God and man. 

The symbolism of the two star chart drawings along with the sign and star names signifies what the scriptures say concerning the Seed of the woman; He is the head, the prince of the flock.  In His exaltation, He is “the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne” (Revelation 7:17).  

The first decan in the constellation of Aries is known as Cassiopeia.  She was originally known as “The Daughter of Splendor,” “The Enthroned, The Beautiful,” – (Psalm 45) “The Seated,” and “The Delivered from All Evil.”  

Two star names are identified in the first decan of Aries.  The number two affirms a difference.  One excludes all difference and denotes that which is sovereign.  However, when two or more agree, the number speaks of the witness of a true testimony.  The two star names are “The Freed” and “the branch” [as the victor].  “The branch” is not to be confused with the star “The Branch” in the sign Virgo. 

In the sign of Virgo, the star is “Zerah” referring to the Seed held in her left hand, “The Branch.”  The Latin name is “Spica,” which is a term used for a cluster of seeds in a head of wheat or barley grain and is the name most used on modern star charts.  The star “The Branch” in the sign Virgo reveals the personal identity of “Him who was” as the seed (birthed Son of God) of the woman connected with the prophecies of “The Branch” (the begotten Son of the covenant).  “The Branch,” Jesus, is of the family tree of the nation of Israel and is the bough of life (the begotten Son of the covenant) – the incorruptible seed, the Word of God.  In Virgo, the seed and branch are expressed.  

The star name “the branch” in Cassiopeia is a victory branch and is the same Hebrew word translated palm branches in the making of booths during the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:40-41).  The Feast of Tabernacles was a memorial festival celebrated by the nation in remembrance of its deliverance from Egypt.  Having no dwelling place, they made booths of palm branches.  Egypt in type is a picture of the world with its system.  In Egypt, Israel was in bondage; they were slaves.  The festival of the Feast of Tabernacles was a looking forward to the establishment of the kingdom.  In the kingdom age, the celebration of Feast of Tabernacles will be the remembering of the deliverance from Egypt (the world with its system), past and present.  

In the star chart drawings, Cassiopeia is portrayed as a regally enthroned woman.  In one hand, she holds a victory branch of triumph; and with the other hand, she is preparing herself for public presentation in her role to rule with Her King.  In His first coming as the servant, Jesus, the seed of the Woman, “The Branch,” tabernacled among His people.  Hailed by them as her king, He was crucified as the Lamb of God.  

In the kingdom age, He who made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant will be their tabernacle.  He will be their dwelling.  In this sign of Cassiopeia is the promise of His second coming where she (Israel) will tabernacle with Him in His Kingdom.  Looking forward the sign is prophetic, looking backward it is a memorial.  

The Cassiopeia star names “The Freed” and “the branch” are the witnesses that “The Daughter of Splendor” is “The Freed” − the victor.  Thus, “The Branch” determines Israel’s throne and her victory branch.  

The second decan in Aries is “Cetus” or “Sea-Monster.”  The star names identified in the decan are “The Rebel,” “Subdued,” “The Bound or Chained Enemy,” “The Overthrown,”and “Overthrown or Thrust Down.”  “The Overthrown” has an ancient meaning of“The Lord or Judge of Cetus.” 

In the oldest star chart drawings, Cetus is a large sea monster with a huge mouth and single large horn upon an enormous head.  Although no star names are attached to the large horn of Cetus, the meaning is evident from the revelation given John concerning Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17. 

Lucifer’s plan to overpower and overthrow God is through a city - a kingdom built through merchandising − a city system of politics, economics and religion.  Cetus is the second largest luminary after Hydra.  It is the pride of man’s self-will (Hydra) that leads man to build a name for himself through humanity’s city system (Cetus).  The size of the constellation and meaning is evident; the system empowered by the pride of man’s self-will will take ages to “build” and great will be its effects − the system will be global.  This global system built through merchandising is “the heart of the serpent − the heart of the pride of man’s self will” where the creature is worshiped and served rather than the Creator.  

Man drawn away (from God) by his lust for wealth and power is enticed by the seduction of his own thinking to build the world system of the evil one.  The evil one uses the seduction of man’s own desire as bait to draw men to build the world system.  However, a man cannot be “hooked” if there is no desire for the bait.  

Because of its global influence, Cetus is great in power and is associated with Leviathan, (Job 41:1, Psalm 74:14; 104:26) and the Dragon (Revelation 12:3,4,7,9,13,16,17; 13:4,11; 16:13; 20:2) and is identified as “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  

Yet, the star names, “The Rebel,” “Subdued,” “The Bound or Chained Enemy,” and “Overthrown or Thrust Down” confirm the truth of God’s covenant plan.  Again, looking forward the sign is prophetic, looking backward it is a memorial.  

MYSTERY BABYLON and its ruler that the scriptures identify as “…that man of sin …, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped …” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) with his false prophet is “Overthrown or Thrust Down.”  God casts the son of perdition with his false prophet into the lake of fire, because from the highest throne “The Lord or Judge of Cetus” flows the “River of the Judge or Ruler.  

The power behind the scenes − “The Mad,” “The Deceiver,” “The Caught” is “The Bound or Chained Enemy.”  “The Rebel,” the pride of man’s self-will, is “Subdued” waiting for the fulfillment of the prophecy given in Genesis 3:15.  In this verse the Lord pronounced the destruction of the serpent (the pride of man’s self-will) when He said, “…He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”  This fulfillment takes place in the stellar sign Scorpio.  

The system, its ruler, his false prophet and the power behind the scenes are pictured as one in the sea monster star chart drawing.  Also in the star chart drawing of the sea monster is a band around his neck that is attached to the tails of the two fishes of the next stellar sign Pisces.  The band (bridle or reins) that holds the tails of the fishes in Pisces pictures the power of that which holds the fishes of the sea of humanity captive (the authority of the world system under the control of the sea monster). 

Nevertheless, the ram lays claim to the fishes of the sea of humanity, His subjects of the kingdom, as His possession by placing His foreleg near the “Band.”  The “Band” is the first decan of the stellar sign Pisces. 

Perseus is the third or last decan in Aries.  The name Perseus comes from a Hebrew word that means “The Breaker,” “The One Who Carries Away,” and “Who Helps.”  

Star names identified in Perseus are “He Who Helps,” “He Who Breaks,” “He Who Carries Away,” “The Trodden Underfoot,” “The Head of The Adversary or The Head of Satan,” and “The Subdued or Weakened.” 

In the star chart drawing, Perseus is a mighty man who holds a sword in His right hand and a cut-off head of the enemy in His left.  The great “sword” in his right hand is a picture of “the commandment of the LORD; it is pure” (Psalm 19:8, Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12).  That which the LORD “has done,” “it is finished”; “it is done”; the Eternal will perform. 

The star in the “head” held in the hand of Perseus is called “Rosh Satan,” “The Head of The Adversary or The Head of Satan.”  Never again is the serpent, the pride of man’s self-will, able to execute world power.  The “head” is the place of thinking.  Perseus −“He Who Breaks” − has cut off the power of the vain imagination of His enemies.  The thinking is the source of power, whether man or Satan.  

The “Breaker” is victorious! “…Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.  In His exaltation, He is “the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne” (Revelation 5:12, 7:17). 

For next week’s lesson, The Sin and Trespass Offering the Mazzaroth Declare, please read Leviticus 4 and 5.  

Glossary for Aries

Names of the Stellar Sign of Aries: 

“Chief or Head”

“The Lamb or The Ram”

“Lamb Sent Forth”

“The Sheep Gentle and Merciful”

“Reign of Ammon”

“The Dominion or Government Established”

“The Altar or The Sacrifice of Righteousness”

Star Names identified in the Stellar Sign of Aries: 

“The Wounded or The Slain”

“The Bruised or The Wounded”

“Bound or Binding”

Names of Decans in Aries: 

“Cassiopeia” Names:

“The Daughter of Splendor”

“The Enthroned, The Beautiful”

“The Seated”

“The Delivered from All Evil”

Star names identified with “Cassiopeia”:

“The Freed”

“The branch” – not “The Branch” in Virgo

“Cetus” and “Sea-Monster” Names:  None

Star names identified with “Cetus” or “Sea-Monster”

“The Rebel”

“Subdued”

“The Bound or Chained Enemy”

“The Overthrown” – ancient meaning is “The Lord or Judge of Cetus” 

“Overthrown or Thrust Down”

“Perseus” Names:

“The Breaker”

“The One Who Carries Away”

“Who Helps”

Star Names identified with “Perseus”: 

“He Who Helps”

“He Who Breaks”

“He Who Carries Away”

“The Trodden Underfoot”

“The Head of the Adversary or The Head of Satan”

“The Subdued or Weakened”