If astrology is forbidden by Christianity then why does the bible have astrology in it?

Question

Christians tell us that Astrology, and the studying of the stars, (basic astronomy) is forbidden.. yet the bible speaks of astrology in many places. Take Job Chapter 38 for instance.

31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?


The "Pleiades?" "Orion?" what is this, oh these are CONSTELLATIONS... then in the next verse we have the MAZZAROTH, what is the Mazzaroth... it's so important they even capitalized it. The Mazzaroth if you go look it up is none other than the ZODIAC.

So tell us Christians, why does your book talk about ASTROLOGY, and the ZODIAC?

Here's just one of many Christian webpages condemning astrology for those of you that say it doesn't condemn it....

http://www.biblestudysite.com/astrol.htm

The word Mazzaroth is mentioned only once in the King James Version of the Old Testament of the Bible : it is found in the Book of Job 38:32 Smith's Bible Dictionary defines the Mazzaroth as the twelve signs of the zodiac. So does the Catholic encyclopedia.

Answer 1

There's also a verse that says the stars are there for signs and for seasons - a direct endorsement of astrology.

Genesis 1:14

Answer 2

Christianity does not ban astronomy. It does look poorly on astrology.

I do not know what source you have for Mazzaroth. The commentaries that I have to my Bible merely notes it as a Hebrew name for a constellation but that modern scholars do not know which constellation. My translation also has a slightly different translation for the first part of verse 31 "Have you fitted a curb to the Pleiades." Both of these verses occur in the context of God chastising Job for questioning the wisdom of God.

Clearly, the verses in Job are about the ignorance of man and are not an endorsement of any practice.

To the extent that Christianity opposes astrology, it is because astrology is considered to be a fraud. There are numerous verses in the Bible against false prophets and fraudulent diviners. In addition, Deuteronomy 18:11-12, condemns many forms of divination and fortune telling. Prophecy comes from God for the guidance of the community as a whole and not for personal benefit.

As to the citation to Genesis 1:14 by another answer, my translation notes that the lights in the skies (the sun, stars, and moons) are to "mark the fixed times, the days, and the years." That is not astrology but basic keeping of a calendar which is needed for observation of holy days and planting on time.

Answer 3

In the Midrash, it says that Abraham was an expert at reading the stars. He came from Chaldea, the very worrd which means star gazers. He went out to look at the stars after he was told Isaac would be born and found the birth was not there.

In Judaism, there is a belief that our lives are influenced by the time we were born. However because we have Hashem, we are able to overcome these influences.

The Jewish months each have one of the zodiac associated with it. Jews were expert astrologists. Hillel the III predicted the time of the new moons just after the fall of the second temple. His calculations are accurate to within a second.

There are mainstream writtings on astrology in Judaism that are nothing like the horoscopes in the paper. Those who will not abuse them will be able to find them.

Keep in mind, virtually ALL Jewish writtings have a spiritual lesson associated with them. The lesson with astrology is even though we are born with a particular predisposition to behave in a certain way, with the Help of Hashem we can overcome this disposition.

This isn't complete, but it's a start.

Shalom

Answer 4

I dont have a dictionary from the time period before Christ was born, so I cant give you an exact definition of what Mazzaroth was to them back then......But:

The context of the chapter is God talking about His Omnipotence. The constellations he refers to are his creation. Constellations are a part of Astronomy= Science that study of the stars, planets, sun, moon to get their positons, distances size etc.. Astrology- has used constellations to stand for a zodiac which are supposed to influence on persons or events, and foretell what will happen.......that is what is forbidden. Astrology not Astronomy.

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Answer 5

You are confusing Astronomy, the study of the stars, and Astrology which is trying to get a message about the future from the stars. The bible doesn't forbid Astronomy or any other study. God encourages study and protects knowledge for later generations to have. Much of the science we have today is from Christian men. God says He alone knows the future and forbids mankind from using methods (other than asking Him), to foresee the future.

Answer 6

The most interesting question of the day. I didn't know about those scriptures....However...

Astrology did exist in Bible times, but the Bible does not endorse or encourage this practice just because it records what people used to do back then. In fact, it is clearly against God. He had explicitly warned His people: "There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah."*—Deuteronomy 18:10-12

The following articles discuss in more detail.

Answer 7

There are a ton of contradictions with the bible. The thing is, it's been translated by man in so many different languages, parts have been "changed" to better suit the "overall" meaning of that transcript and not to mention it's over thousands of years old.... People can't read Harry Potter appropriately these days, much less the bible.
My true thoughts are, as with many christian things, it's just another incorporation of another belief system in order to get more worshipers. Believe in what you want, I'm not one to judge, but there's just simply too many more ancient religions that have the same "stories" or "circumstances" in the bible.... even the stories of jesus.
I'll prolly get flamed for this because of the conservative christian folk, but again, I say, I'm not judging, I'm just giving my opinion - which is all we can technically offer on a question like this.

Answer 8

What is forbidden does not exclude it's use as a challenge given to a person that has been foolish enough to try to challenge God. What you mention was what God was saying to Job after he had done what I just said, he challenged God for what was going on in Job's life. Kindly keep things in proper perspective so that you remain at least appearing intelligent, rather than trying to justify something with an improperly based question.

Answer 9

That is astronomy, not Astrology. They are two different, separate things, that happen to use the same names for the constelation. It is like calling the use of Essential Oils the same thing as witchcraft potions.

Answer 10

Good point. As you say, the eastern influence is completely ignored... and it is ignored at GREAT expense... even to the point of replacing the Original Kingdom Gospel about light that Jesus actually taught, for the more popular Pauline gospel about blood for sin.

You are making an important point.... perhaps even more important than you realize. This resource will explain what I am talking about....

Answer 11

The study of the stars in order to see the vastness of God's creation is fine- the astrology that leads to looking at the stars for the future- AKA - zodiac is forbidden.