astronomy Summary and Overview

The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; compare Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), "the crooked serpent," Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri, or Gemini, "Castor and Pollux" (Acts 28:11). The stars were called "the host of heaven" (Isa. 40:26; Jer. 33:22). The oldest divisions of time were mainly based on the observation of the movements of the heavenly bodies, the "ordinances of heaven" (Gen. 1:14-18; Job 38:33; Jer. 31:35; 33:25). Such observations led to the division of the year into months and the mapping out of the appearances of the stars into twelve portions, which received from the Greeks the name of the "zodiac." The word "Mazzaroth" (Job 38:32) means, as the margin notes, "the twelve signs" of the zodiac. Astronomical observations were also necessary among the Jews in order to the fixing of the proper time for sacred ceremonies, the "new moons," the "passover," etc. Many allusions are found to the display of God's wisdom and power as seen in the starry heavens (Ps. 8; 19:1-6; Isa. 51:6, etc.)

ASTRON'OMY (the laws or science of the stars). The Bible gives evidence that its writers were students of the starry heavens, but the Hebrew religion sternly forbids their worship. Some of the constellations are mentioned -- e.g. the Pleiades, Orion, the "Great Bear"(Arcturus). Job 9:9; Job 38:31. The Jews do not seem to have divided the stars into planets, fixed stars, and comets. During the Babylonish captivity they encountered the astronomy as well as the astrology of the far-famed Chaldaeans. Indeed, in Chaldaea was the birthplace of the science. In the case of the magi, Matt 2, God used their astrology as a means of grace to lead them to Christ. See Star of Bethlehem.