#9. “For Signs and for Seasons.”

     Any attempt to indicate the bearing that the six days’ creation has upon the purpose of the ages, would be lacking in completeness if no reference was made to the work of the fourth day.  We considered in our last paper the object for which the firmament was made, and the present paper deals with the heavenly bodies that were appointed therein to rule the day and the night, to give light upon the earth, to divide the light from the darkness, and to be for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years.  The familiar name sun does not occur in  Genesis i.,  indeed not till  Genesis xv.  is the name referred to.  The name moon is not mentioned until  Genesis xxxvii.   The titles of  Genesis i.  are “the greater light” and “the lesser light”.  It must be remembered that the stars are linked with these two great lights in connection with their appointment.  It should not read as in the A.V., “He made the stars also”, as though the stars are a kind of afterthought;  the words, “the stars also”, must read on from the words, “to rule the night.”  This is seen to be true by reading  Psa. cxxxvi. 8, 9:--

     “The sun to rule by day: for His mercy endureth for ever.  the moon and the stars to rule by night: for His mercy endureth for ever.”

     The sun is mentioned six times in Genesis, and each reference has special relation to the covenant purpose of God.  There is no ordinary every day reference to the sun in this book.  The first mention is in  Genesis xv.   The sun is going down, and the darkness which follows is symbolical of Israel’s night in Egypt.   Genesis xix. 23  speaks of the sun’s rising — here it is blessing.  Lot enters Zoar and is safe.  Again the sun sets.   In  Gen. xxviii. 11  Jacob has left his home, and becomes a stranger and a wanderer.  In his sleep he has the vision of the steps up to heaven;  here he receives the blessing and covenant of Abraham,  and he calls the place Bethel.     Genesis xxxii. 31  ends the night of wrestling,  Jacob   newly-named Israel passes over Penuel, the sun rises upon him and he is safe.  The last reference is that which comes in Joseph’s dream.  The sun, the moon, and the eleven stars make obeisance to him, foreshadowing not only his own personal elevation to the throne of Pharaoh, but that of the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming. 

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The number of times the Hebrew word kokab (star) occurs is 37, the Greek aster occuring 24, and astron 4. 

Chammah (Hebrew “sun”, “heat”) occurs 6 times, cheres 3 times, and shemesh 118 times. 

The Greek helios (“sun”) occurs 30 times. 

     The symbolic meaning of the sun setting, and the sun rising may be gathered from such a passage as the following:--

     “Thy sun shall no more go down … for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light” (Isa. lx. 20). 

     “But unto you that fear My name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings” (Mal. iv. 2). 

     When the Lord spoke to Job, He spoke of the “ordinances of heaven”.  Dr. Bullinger’s metrical version of  Job xxxviii. 31-33  reads:--

“Canst thou bind fast the cluster Pleiades (seven stars)? 

Or, canst thou loosen (great) Orion’s bands? 

Canst thou lead forth the Zodiac’s monthly Signs (twelve)? 

Or, canst thou guide Arcturus and his sons (The Bear)? 

The statutes of the heavens: Know’st thou these? 

Didst thou set their dominion o’er the earth?”

     The certainty of the “ordinances of the heavens” forms a basis for proclaiming the equal certainty of God’s promises  (see  Jer. xxxi. 35-37,  and  xxxii. 20-26  which should be read). 

     The ordinary seasons of the year “seedtime and harvest”, “summer and winter”, are not the only seasons that are indicated in  Genesis i.   The word moed (seasons) means “an appointed time”, and that there are such appointments in the purpose of the ages the Scripture abundantly prove. 

     Take Daniel’s prophecy as an example.  “At the time appointed the end shall be”,  (viii. 19;  xi.27, 29, 35).  “A time” (xii. 7). 

     Genesis i. 14  says also, “let them be for signs”.  “The signs of heaven” according to  Jer. x. 2  caused dismay among the heathen, and there are many indications that the signs of the heavens were originally understood by men.  To set out the witness of the sun and the stars to prophetic truth would necessitate a volume.  Such a volume is Dr. Bullinger’s Witness of the Stars, of which a most useful abridgement may be found in the Companion Bible, Part I., Appendix 12.   Psalm xix.  is the  great  Scripture  classic  on this subject.  It is divided into two main sections, the first dealing with the witness of the sun in the heavens, the name El (God) being used; in the second section the witness of the Word is the theme, and the name Jehovah (Lord) is used.  There we read that the heavens are telling the glory of God without audible speech, and that their witness extends to the ends of the world.  In these heavens the sun goes through his revolutions.   Psalm cxlvii. 4 (R.V.) says:--

     “He telleth the number of the stars, He giveth them all their names.”

     Here is an inspired statement to the truth that God both numbered and named the stars.  Some of these names are given in the Bible, others have come down from antiquity;  many have been corrupted or lost.  Ash, Cesil and Cimah (Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades) (Job ix. 9).   Job.xxxviii.32 says,  “Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?”.  The margin gives it “the twelve signs”.  In the sign Virgo (the Virgin) is preserved the ancient name Tsemach (“The Branch”), a prophetic title of Christ as the virgin’s seed, and many interesting prophecies still remain enshrined in the ancient star names that have come down to us. 

     A prophecy was handed down in the East that in the constellation of Coma (the desired one), a new star would appear at the birth of Him whom it foretold.  Balaam prophesied concerning the appearance of a star in connection with a Sceptre. 

     “There shall come forth a star at (or over) the inheritance of Jacob.  And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel.”

     The wise men from the East were led by a star, the meaning of which they were perfectly certain. 

     The heavenly bodies are God’s great pledge and timepiece.  For signs of the One to come, and the things to come; for seasons or cycles of time, as indicated and measured by the movements of the heavenly bodies.  To attempt to go further into this complex subject would carry this paper far beyond its intended limits.  To those who feel desirous of investigating the subject more fully, we heartily recommend The Witness of the Stars by Dr. Bullinger. 

     The sign of the Lord’s coming, referred to in  Matthew xxiv.,  together with the darkening of the sun  and moon, will doubtless come to mind.  Also the quotation from Joel in  Acts ii. 19, 20,  together with parallels in the book of the Revelation will suggest further lines of study.  For our immediate purpose it is sufficient that we have shown that the firmament, with its sun, moon and stars, are all a part of a great design not created for their own sakes, not created merely for their physical effects, but created and arranged in view of their testimony to the faithfulness of the great Purposer, and the fixedness of His great Purpose.