VIRGO

The first of the constellations of the zodiac I will begin with is Virgo.

According to Joseph A. Seiss, "THE GOSPEL IN THE STARS",originally published in 1882 he says ,"I also have the statement from the best authorities that the custom was universal among the ancients to reckon from Virgo round to Leo.And in this sign of Virgo, if anywhere around the starry groups, we find the primary idea in the evangelic presentations."(pg 27, "The Gospel In The Stars", 1972 Kregel Publications,Grand Rapids, MI ). Modern tradition begins the zodiac with Aries, but it was not always so. There is an ancient temple in Esne (or Esneh),Egypt which has the the zodiac on the ceiling (somewhat blackened by woodsmoke fires). A Sphynx seperates the constellation of Virgo & Leo , having the head facing Virgo & the Lion's tail pointing to Leo . In Dr James Kennedy's book, "The Real Meaning of the Zodiac", he states, "That same sphinx is found in the same place in a number of other great paintings of the Mazzaroth (or the constellations of the zodiac), in other parts of the Near East, going back as much as 4,000 years , telling us the original place of the beginning." The sphinx, in these sitings, seperates the beginning point and the end of the zodiac constellations.
(For an internet tour of this temple see http://looklex.com/egypt/esna.htm )
This temple was built during the Ptolemaic period and is referred to as the Temple of Khnum .You will recognize the Ptolemy Dynasty because Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemy rulers until the Roman conquest.
Throughout history, nations have referred to this constellation as a Virgin.Astrea( who took her place amongst the stars) and Athene of the Greeks, Bethulah in Hebrew & Syriac (the maiden,virgin).In Arabic she is Adarah, the pure virgin. And also in Greek she is Parthenos,the maid of virgin pureness.Aratus, in 270 B.C.wrote,in one of his poems ,"Beneath Bootes' feet the virgin seek." (Virgo is found beneath the feet of the constellation Bootes.)
Here is the first of the story of God's plan of redemption of man written in the constellations. ISAIAH 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE ,AND BEAR A SON,and shall call his name Immanuel" (which being interpreted is "God with us", Matthew 1:23)When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph he told him, "...:for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.And she shall bring forth a son,and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.(Matt 1:20b-21).So, here we are told that this child shall be "God with us", "Who shall save his people from their sins".Hmmmmm! Why did redemption have to be this way? Redemption means to buy back.Buy us back from whom? Why is it important that Jesus was born of a virgin?
Picture a football game: the GOLD team vs. the DARK team. The game has started and all is going well for the Gold team. Adam,the quarterback, has control of the ball and everyone on the Goldteam's side is cheering. SUDDENLY, he fumbles & loses control of the ball and the Dark team intercepts it.They run with the ball! Now, picture a hushed silence as the entire audience hears a whistle stopping the game and sees an entourage of important looking people entering the stadium field .A man dressed in brilliant white and gold is in the lead, arms outstretched over his head and he gives the command ,"Stop the GAME !" ~~ "This is MY stadium, which I built and this is MY team (Gold Team)! Gimme back that ball.We're starting over! Adam, do it right this time!". The crowd is in a state of shock at first, then the 'BOO's' begin from the Dark side's fans and the Gold Team is embarrased because this is clearly against the Rules of Fairplay.We came to watch a real bonafied game!You can't break the rules.
So, God would not go against or break His own Laws that He Himself established.In the Garden of Eden, we have a LEGAL situation.Adam and Eve were placed there and given AUTHORITY and DOMINION over the earth and its resources.(see Genesis 1:26).When Adam fumbled the ball & lost it, God would not step in and repossess the title which Adam lost to Satan.That would have been without due process of law.Satan is henceforth referred to as the 'god of this world'(2 Corintians 4:4), who goes "to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it"."(Job 1:7 & 2:2). He is called "..the prince of the power of the air..."(Ephesians 2:2). Have you always thought of Satan as being a red guy with horns & a pitchfork whose geographical location was hell? Nope, not there.He marches around the earth and our atmosphere.His appearance is that of "an angel of light"(2 Corinthians 11:14), but he was not an angel or an archangel, but a different and more powerful heavenly being~ he was one of the CHERUBIM that covered the very throne of God.His authority was great and even Michael the archangel recognized the chain of authority during the disputation over the body of Moses and said ,"The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude vs 9).That was prior to the cross.Michael will fight against Satan in the War in Heaven in Revelation .Do you know what the outcome is?(start with Revelation 12 and keep going). In Ezekiel 28 we learn there are 2 dimensions existing with earthly governmental powers, the physical & spiritual.The Prince of Tyre was the earthly ruler but then the chapter is directed against the 'King of Tyre", obviously referring to Satan himself by the chapters description.I get so frustrated with politicians in this country & other nations,but I need to also keep in mind Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood , but against principalities,against powers, against the RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, against spiritual wickedness in HIGH PLACES".
When a man is a slave, all of his seed (offsping) automatically are accounted slaves.Man is the seed carrier.The woman has merely the egg that becomes fertilized by the seed. None of Adam's seed could redeem us since all themselves must be redeemed.How will God work this out?~~~~~~~~~ Stay Tuned!!
Romans 6:16-18