Eternal Message in the Stars: Lesson 032 − Sagittarius

Sagittarius

The Gracious Delighted-in Conqueror − The Judgments of the LORD are True and Righteous Altogether

The repeating pattern of “He who is, He who was and He who is to come” in the Eternal Covenant is the law of recurrence. The great “I AM” is Eternal. The great “I AM” is He who is, He who was and He who is to come. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).

In the signs:

Libra pictures eternity. Libra − He who is, is the Transaction of Propitiation.

Virgo − He who was, is the Seed of the woman, the Son given.

Leo − He who is to come, is the King.

(Repeat of the pattern - He who is, He who was, and He who is to come)

Cancer − He who is, is the One who holds or shelters; Libra is the Transaction of Propitiation.

Gemini − He who was, is the betrothed Beloved; Virgo is the Seed of the woman, the Son given.

Taurus − He who is to come, is the coming Ruler, the Servant of Jehovah; Leo is the King.

(Repeat of the pattern – He who is, He who was, and He who is to come)

Aries – He who is, is the gentle merciful Lamb; Cancer is the One who holds or shelters; and Libra is the Transaction of Propitiation.

Pisces – He who was, is the bridle, the reins of Love; Gemini is the betrothed Beloved; and Virgo is the Seed of the woman, the Son given.

Aquarius – He who is to come, is the record of the pouring out, the exalted Water-Man; Taurus is the coming Ruler, the Servant of Jehovah; and Leo is the King.

(Repeat of the pattern – He who is, He who was, and He who is to come)

Capricorn – He who is, is the Atonement; Aries is the gentle merciful Lamb; Cancer is the One who holds or shelters and Libra is the Transaction of Propitiation.

Sagittarius – He who was, is the gracious delighted-in Conqueror; Pisces is the bridle, the reins of Love; Gemini is the betrothed Beloved; and Virgo is the Seed of the woman, the Son given.

The events leading up to the end of the kingdom age and the entrance into “everlasting” are seen in the trilogy, Capricorn, Sagittarius and Scorpio.

The message of Sagittarius and Scorpio pictures the final judgment on the lawlessness of humanity in righteousness. At the end of the thousand-year reign, He who is Life Eternal − Spirit Being of Deity, will have that which He purposed in eternity past (Libra), man in His image after His likeness, a kingdom of His sons born of the incorruptible Seed. Men in the flesh are no more. It is done − a kingdom of priests. God’s Eternal Covenant with Himself is fulfilled.

In December, the sun is in the direction of Sagittarius. The four evening luminaries in the heavens are Cancer − He who is, the One who holds or shelters; Gemini − He who was, the betrothed Beloved; Taurus − He who is to come, the Servant of Jehovah and Aries − He who is, the gentle merciful Lamb.

From God’s position as designer of the covenant, Sagittarius is the eleventh sign from Libra. There is not much concerning the number eleven in the numerology of the scripture but when it is connected to the message of the tenth stellar sign Capricorn, the goal is accomplished!

Review of Capricorn

Capricorn’s message is more abstruse then some of the other signs because it is connected to the prophetic revelation of the conclusion of the Eternal Covenant. The numerical order of the constellations has purpose in God’s covenant. From God’s position as designer of the covenant, Capricorn is the tenth sign from Libra.

The number ten implies that nothing is wanting; the number and order are perfect; the cycle is complete. The tenth stellar sign, Capricorn, reveals a new series of events in the everlasting kingdom; everlasting enters eternity. God has His kingdom of sons in His image after His likeness.

Sagittarius

The animal figures are symbols of the covenant Son’s work with the exception of the serpents – “Hydra” and “Serpens,” the hare − “Lepus,” the sea monster – “Cetus,” the dragon − “Draco” and the scorpion – “Scorpio.” These figures symbolize the three enemies that are pictured in the twelve stellar signs.

Sagittarius, known as the “Archer,” has the torso and head of a man and the body and legs of a horse. Sagittarius contrasts “Centaurus” the second decan in Virgo. “Centaurus” is also drawn as the head of a man and the body and legs of a horse. The two star chart drawings “Sagittarius” and “Centaurus” are pictorials of the same man; yet, each has a different message concerning the Son of the covenant. “Centaurus” is situated directly over the “Cross,” the first decan of Libra. The cross speaks of life out from the dead (the resurrection of the begotten Son). The message of “Centaurus” and the “Cross” reveals the truth that the “Pierced” “Centaurus,” “The Branch” of the woman, will also be the one “Who Pierces” all the enemies of God.

As “Centaurus,” the Lord Jesus is seen as “The Despised” in the constellation, the despised sin offering rejected of men. Although wicked hands would crucify and slay the “strong man,” the covenant Son, it would not occur without divine consent. Can Love be bound? Absolutely not! Death cannot hold on to Love. Love is a force greater than death. Love is the greatest! In Sagittarius, “Centaurus” is the risen Lord Jesus, the “Delighted-In Conqueror,” the “Crowned King” (“Cepheus” in Pisces), who is the victorious one, the power of God unto salvation, “The Gracious,” who must set Himself for battle. In the star chart drawing, the “Archer” is aiming His arrow at the heart of Scorpio, the last constellation. The star chart drawing makes clear that at the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart − the enmity of man’s thinking.

Names of the stellar sign Sagittarius

“The Bending of a Bow for Shooting”

“The Bowman”

“Archer”

Star names identified with Sagittarius

“The Gracious or Delighted-in”

“The Going or Sending Forth”

“Sent Forth Swiftly”

During the thousand-year reign, all enemies of the kingdom are restricted. The dragon has been cast into the pit; the outward manifestation of the serpent – the enmity of the pride of self-will has been restrained − “held under foot” in the kingdom of God by the strong man “Orion” in the constellation Taurus.

In God’s kingdom of Love, joy and peace, the sea monster is destroyed forever (Psalm 74:12-14). The sea monster represents the great world city of politics, economics and religion. The sea monster represents what God did not create. The sea monster has great influence but no substance; it is built in the imagination of man’s heart; it is virtual and temporary.

The man of lawlessness identified with the “Sea Monster” (second decan in Aries) and his false prophet have been cast alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). The ruling authority of Love reigns in righteousness and justice. Love is not a sentimental and emotional feeling but the person of God in Christ.

During the thousand years, the inhabitants of the kingdom will be taught the truth concerning the Son of the covenant in the signs of the luminaires. All flesh will come to worship the LORD when they celebrate the Festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the spring and Tabernacles in the fall.

“And it shall come to pass, from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:23-24).

During the kingdom age when a man reaches the age of one hundred he will be required to make a public confession of his decision for Life eternal (Isaiah 65:20).

All those coming to the festivals will look upon the carcasses and see – the literal visual of “their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched and they [the carcasses of those men] shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). From new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath the inhabitants of the kingdom will walk past the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against the LORD – walk past those sons of humanity outside the city gates that have been put to death for their refusal of the Life eternal offered them.

To refuse the gift offered – a forever-living body is to condemn oneself and receive the just recompense of death. If one chooses to not believe God and not obey the truth but chooses to think as he pleases and not go God’s way, he will not be born again a son of God (John 3:3). Going his own way and having his own will sourced in his own thinking and the desires of the imagination of his heart, he puts his own will above the will of his Creator–Redeemer. He refuses to become a son of God.

This is disobedience to the truth of the Word, who is God (John 1:1). Not believing the truth is lawlessness. Man is responsible for the consequences of his choice. The carcasses are a visual “aid” to deter one from making that fateful decision.

Nevertheless, in spite of the rule of Love, in spite of the teaching of the truth in the signs of the luminaries and in spite of the festivals of Jehovah celebrated in the spring and fall, Sagittarius, the “Crowned King,” the victorious one, “the Gracious,” “Delighted-In Conqueror,” has set Himself for battle. Who is there to battle? All enemies of the kingdom are restrained. The man of lawlessness with his false prophet has been cast alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20); the dragon, which is the Devil and Satan, has been cast into the pit (Revelation 20:1-3), and all outward enmity of the pride of self-will has been restrained. For a thousand years, crime, violence and war have not existed.

Who is there to battle? By outward appearances, all is well; nevertheless, division exists in the kingdom. The enmity of man’s mind and the lawlessness of the heart of man exist in man’s mortal body. The enmity, the imagination of the heart of man, is God’s greatest enemy. Man’s sin of the pride of self-will cannot be tamed or conquered; it must be put to death. The pride of self-will has no sense. The thinking is sensual and sourced in the lusts of deceit; it is foolishness and lunacy. Whatever is divided is brought to desolation, now the end has come and the Conqueror, knowing all things, is about to execute the final judgment of the Lord God Almighty.

At the end of the kingdom age (the thousand-year reign), the gathering for the judgment of the second death will take place. Matthew 13:41-42 says, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Revelation 21:8 says, “But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone….”

This body of people gathered at the end will unite “… to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8). These people are pictured in the sign Scorpio, a scorpion. The sword will kill these whose end is the lake of fire.

Following the path of the sun from eternity (Libra) to eternity, one understands that Sagittarius is the gathering of the enemies for the final judgment. God’s prearranged plan, which was planned in eternity and was not some surprise attack within the kingdom, is the message of Sagittarius.

“As for God His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30), perfect in power, perfect in holiness and righteousness, perfect in design, perfect in execution, perfect in its object and end. The Eternal Covenant is God’s covenant with Himself. He is the Authority. He has the Preeminence. Nothing thwarts God’s plan and purposes; He is never taken by surprise! These in the kingdom are like Cain of old, who knew to “do well” (Genesis 4:7), that is to receive the Life Eternal offered in the Son of the covenant. These in the kingdom burn in their anger and refuse the powerful authority of Love, the life offered in the covenant Son.

They refuse to be loved and are gathered for the final judgment, the second death, where for eternity, they will burn in their anger – their hearts hardened like brimstone, weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth in anger toward God remembering their refusal of the gift of life offered and the just recompense of God in their rejection. Most likely, these kingdom inhabitants are the “younger generation” of the last days of the kingdom, those under one hundred years old whom have had enough of God and His ways.

In the imagination of their heart, those rebels imagine they can have the kingdom for themselves. The enmity of the thinking is sensual and sourced in the lusts of deceit; it is foolishness and lunacy.

Although it will appear to them that they have gathered for battle to take the city of God (Scorpio), the “Crowned King” who is the victorious one, “The Gracious,” “Delighted-In Conqueror,” has lifted the restriction placed on them in order to gather them for the final destruction as enemies of God.

The first decan, “Lyra” “the harp, is the revelation of this great truth. A harp is an ancient triangular shaped stringed instrument first mentioned in the scripture in the days of Adam (Genesis 4:21). In the star chart drawing, the harp is drawn as part of an eagle’s body.

Other Names of the first decan “Lyra”

“The Harp”

“The Fishing Eagle”

Star names identified with “Lyra”

“He Shall Be Exalted”

“The Fishing Eagle and Springing Up”

“The Serpent Ruled” – Ancient star chart name for this decan.

In the star chart drawing of “Lyra,” the harp and eagle are combined in one pictorial. The purpose of a harp was for worship and praise, singing and rejoicing to the Lord. The eagle is the king of the birds of heaven; in the realm of natural, the eagle is the enemy of the serpent. The figure of the serpent in the luminaries is the symbol of the sin, the enmity of man’s thinking, the pride of self-will. Ancient star charts name the constellation “Lyra” – “The Serpent Ruled.”

Thus, the drawing of the harp along with the brightest star, “Vega,” and the “He Shall Be Exalted” star, indicates the high and lofty praise – the tribute that will be extolled to the “Archer” for the accomplishment of His victory − the judgments of the LORD, before the victory comes in the sign Scorpio. The root word for “Vega” is used in the song of Moses (Exodus 15) and our English word “victory” comes from it.

The second decan is “Ara,” “the altar.” In Latin, “Ara” means an elevated platform of stone, wood or earth used as an altar; but it is used also for a funeral pyre.

Other Names of the second decan “Ara”

“The Altar”

“The Completing or the Finishing”

No Star names in “Ara” have been preserved.

In the star chart drawing, the altar is topped with burning fire but is viewed as upside down with the fire headed towards earth; it is an obvious message of fiery judgment being poured upon earth, which is fulfilled in the sign Scorpio.

The dragon will have a thousand years in the pit to think about how he will take God’s kingdom. In the pride of self-will, there is no sense. The thinking is sensual and sourced in the lusts of deceit; it is foolishness and lunacy. In the imagination of his heart at the end of the age (when Satan is loosed), he thinks he will take the city of Jerusalem, the King’s city by uniting those rebels in the kingdom that imagine they can have the kingdom for themselves. In his imagination, he will “finally” accomplish what he imagined.

However, his thinking really is imagined because the Lord has already declared what He intends for the twisted dragon, also known as the “leviathan,” through His Old Testament prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah (Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 27). In Ezekiel’s prophecy, the Lord intended Satan to see that his own funeral dirge was foreseen and in Isaiah, the “strong sword shall punish leviathan …”. The New Testament scripture records that event in Revelation 20:7-10.

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of who is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7-8).

However, it is “The Son of man [the Seed of the Woman, the Son given who] shall send forth his angels, [to] gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity” (Matthew 13:41).

“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:9, 10).

There are no bright stars in the constellation of “Ara” and no star names have been preserved; however, the messages of Sagittarius as the “Delighted-In Conqueror,” along with the first decan, “Lyra,” “He Shall Be Exalted,” and the third decan, “Draco,” “the Dragon Cast Down” clearly prophesy that the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Rest assured judgment is coming!

The last decan in the star chart drawing is “Draco.”

Other names of the third decan “Draco”

“The Dragon” means “Trodden On”

Star names in “Draco”

“The Subtle”

“Who is to Be Destroyed”

“The Punished Enemy”

“The Fraudulent”

“Subtle,” is the brightest star and is located in the second coil from the top of “Draco’s” tail. In the star chart drawing, “Draco” is drawn as a very large twisted serpent but is referred to as a dragon.

Only two serpent figures are in the star chart drawings. The first serpent is the decan “Hydra” in the sign Leo, the third sign from Libra. The other figure is “Serpens” in the sign Scorpio, the last of the stellar signs. Both serpents in the star chart drawings are the first decan of their signs and both portray the same reality; the figure of the serpent is the symbol of “the sin.” The pride of self-will is sin; sin is lawlessness.

This begs the question who then is “Draco,” “the Dragon Cast Down.” Important issues concerning the decan “Draco” are these: “Draco” the dragon is the third decan of the sign Sagittarius. What does that mean? In the symbolism of the star chart drawings, the figures are consistent; different figures do not represent the same symbol (a dragon and a serpent). The “dragon” is an allegorical myth, a creation of the imagination; likewise, “Cetus,” the “Sea-Monster,” (the second decan in the stellar sign Aries) is an allegorical myth; these creatures do not exist. Both figures are drawn as such for the purpose of the allegoric message in the sign − the system that Satan built through the pride of man’s self-will is virtual – an imagined and vain thing. Finally, a serpent like a scorpion is a real creature. This is important in order to keep straight the literal truths given in the figurative symbols. Uniformity is key to symbolism in the drawings.

“Centaurus” and Sagittarius are good examples of likeness in figure and symbolism. Although “Centaurus” is the first decan of Virgo and Sagittarius is a stellar sign, both figures are of a man on a horse. The figure of the man is the covenant Son; the horse represents the man as a warrior.

The animal figures of the serpent “Draco” and the scorpion symbolize the three enemies that are pictured in the twelve stellar signs, the enmity of man’s thinking − the serpent – “Hydra” and “Serpens”(Genesis 3:15), Satan – “Draco” (Isaiah 14:15) and the collective seed of the enmity, Gog and Magog – Scorpio (Revelation 20:8).

The “current” star drawing of “Lepus” the hare in the sign Gemini is the drawing that has been preserved (please see Lesson 17 on Gemini); however, in the oldest of star charts, the decan was drawn as a serpent. The star names identified in the decan “Lepus” reveal the reason why the figure changed from a serpent to a hare. In light of the Eternal Covenant, the star names associated with “Lepus” fit the message of the enmity restrained.

Two of the three figures of God’s enemies are decans and one is a stellar sign. The enmity of man’s thinking − “Hydra” the serpent is a decan in Leo; Satan – “Draco” is a decan in Sagittarius; and the last stellar sign represents the collective seed of the enmity – Scorpio.

“Draco,” Satan, is the least prominent of all. In figure, “Draco” pictures the literal truth that he is not important to the overall covenant plan of God. Although “Draco” is placed in the “center” of the star chart drawings, the constellation is the last decan of Sagittarius and in the “reading” of the signs is the last sign of Scorpio. Thus signifying that the Eternal Covenant is God’s and is between God and man; a third party is not involved.

Who is the dragon? The first mention of the dragon is in Revelation 12 when John is shown the great sign of the fiery dragon in the heavens. In the sign, the dragon has seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads (Revelation 12:3). No explanation is given as to the heads with the crown or of the ten horns, but the dragon is identified as “that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan” in verse nine.

The prophet Isaiah tells us that one of God’s angels conceived in his heart a desire to have God’s creation for himself under his power or rule. His name was Lucifer (“the shining one”). Lucifer was perfect in his ways when he was created, till iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15).

In the enmity of his mind, Lucifer had a twisted plan against God and His purposes. Lucifer planned a city system to take over God’s earthly realm through the men God created. Lucifer planned to have God’s kingdom for himself. Lucifer, self-deceived and self-serving in the imagination of his heart through the pride of his self-will made himself the adversary of God and therefore is called Satan, which means adversary. Also known as the Devil – the adversary is the deceiver.

The starry luminary of “Draco” is a huge decan firmly under the crushing foot of “Hercules,” “The Branch Kneeling,” the last decan of Scorpio. Thus, “The Subtle,” “The Fraudulent” “Draco,” “The Punished Enemy,” is about to be “Destroyed.” In the last sign Scorpio, time ends and man enters eternity.

The King shall reign forever and ever in His kingdom of sons. God accomplishes His goal. He has a kingdom of priests unto Himself. The next and last sign Scorpio is an epilogue detailing the fate of the rebels of the King and His subjects, His sons.

Glossary for Sagittarius