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of the planees and predicred their ef–
fccts on mankind. Throughour Eu–
rope, people rrembled before che
power of che heavenly bodies, con–
vinced rhar rhe lives of men and che
desrinies of narions were swayed by
che srars.
Dcdared asrronomer-hisrorian Pan–
nekoek on che prevalence of astrology
during rhc Middle Ages: "The medi–
eval doctrine, rhar from thc srars ema–
nared rhe forccs rhat dctcrmined
evenrs on earrh, was now sprcad by al–
manacs rhrough all classes of che pop–
ulation. Sucb almanacs, as well as
single calendar sheecs, prinred in Jarge
numbers, conrained besides che celes–
tial phenomena, rhe eclipses and con–
juncrions, also predicrions of che
wearher, of natural carastropbes, and
of favourable and unfavourable rimes
of various acriviries, even blood–
lerring and haircurting"
(A
History o(
Astrontml)'·
pp.
187-188).
In
1488,
ascrologer Johannes Lich–
renberger wrore rhar a conjunction of
.Jtlpirer and Sarurn would "rhreaten
terrible things and announce many
furure ca lamiries." In 1524, a con–
juncrion of che same rwo planers
broughc panic ro Europe as mi ll ions
belicved grcar floods would devastare
che earth. In rhose rimes of terror,
only a few scholars combacred astrol–
ogy as a supersririon.
Prorcsranr religious leaders also bc–
lieved in rbe influences of rhe srars.
Marrin Lurher wrore: ''The signs in
heaven and on earrh are surely noc
lacking; chey are God's and che an–
gels' work, warn and threaten the
godlcss lords and countries, and have
significance."
As revolutions ripped through
Europe and tbe upheavals of the Ref–
ormation shook conrinenrs, con–
fidence in asrrology soared, and men
looked ro rhc srars for securiry and
refuge.
Bur with che dawning of our mod–
ero scientific age, wirh its emphasis
on experimental evidence and elabo–
rare scienrific invesrigation, belief in
ascrology suffered a serious decline. As
ascronomers scanned che skies and
PLAIN TRUTH December 197 2
scudied the universe, ir became clear
rhar rhe planees were merely large
chun ks of ma rrer, mechanically re–
volving around a medium-sized srar.
The scars rhemselves wcrc accually
large gaseous orbs of maner under–
going thermonuclear fusion on a vasr
scale. Thus modern science seemingly
dealt a dearh blow
ro
rhe belief in as–
crology.
Think for a rnomenr how utterly
absurd ir is to believe rhar chunks of
rock, hardly visible millions of miles
away, can exercise inl1uence on
human beings! How foolish ir is ro
believe that gaseous orbs, which are
barely perceptible in che night sky,
can alce:· human lifc, affccc the dcs–
rinies of narions and determine
whetber a man should become a
singer ora carpenrer!
The Bible Versus Astrology
Ir
is inreresring ro note rhar rhe
Bible speaks our on asrroJogy.
Here is what the Holy Bible says:
"Take ye thercfore good heed unro
yourselves," God cold ancient Israel,
" .. lcst thou lift up thine eyes unto
heaven, and when rhou seesc che sun,
and rhe moon, and che stars,
even aiL
the host o( heaven.
shouldesr be driven
ro worship rbem, and serve rhem . .."
(Deu reronomy
4:15, 19).
God commanded His people Israel,
when chey Jefe Egypr, "When chou
arr come inro the land which che
Lord rhy God giverh rhee, rhou shalr
not learn ro do afrer rhe abomina–
tions of those nations. There shall nor
be found among you anyone that
makerh his son or his daughrer ro
pass through che fire, or that useth di–
vination, or
an observer o( times
[as–
rrologer], oran enchanrer, ora wirch,
or a charmer, or a consulcer with fa–
mi liar spirirs, or a wizard, or a nec–
romancer. For all rhat do rhese rhings
are an abomination unto che Lord:
and because of these abominations
the Lord rhy God dorh drive rhem
out from before rhee. Thou shalr be
perfect wirh rhe Lord rby God. For
rhese narions. which rhou shalr pos–
sess, hearkened unto
observers o(
time.r
[asrrologers] , and unto diviners: bur
as for chee, che Lord rhy God hach
nor suffered thee s<> ro do" (Deucer–
onomy
18:9-14).
Looking
ro
the stars and planees ro
understand rhc fucure and Jerring che
inerr srars insread of God's Law rule
one's life is putting rhe creation be–
fore the Crearor.
Thc Bible unequivocally condemns
asrrology's prerenrion of being able
ro
forerell fucure evenrs or grear polirical
or physical changes from rhe aspecrs
of che planees, eclipses, motions of
che moon, ere.
Yet, the ancienr Housc of Israel
fell inro rbis idolarry. They rejecred
God's laws and sratutes thar bring
peace, prosperiry and happiness. They
followed che way of the hearhen
round about rhem. "And rhey lefr all
rhe commandmenrs of rhe Lord rheir
God, and made them molren images,
even two calves, and made a grove,
and worshipped
all the host o( heaven.
and served Baal" (II Kings 17:16).
The House of Judah larer fell into
chis same idolarry. Manasseh, king of
Judah, bu ilt alrars for Baal, made a
grove, " . .. and worshipped all che
hose of heaven, and served them"
(II Kings 21:3).
In che days of Josiah, however,
rhere was a remporary reviva] of trurh
in the land. This zealous king cleaned
che land of asrrology and other super–
sririons. We read rhar he ' 'pur down
the idolarrous priesrs, whom rhe
kings of .Judah had ordained
ro
buen
incense in rbe high places in che cicies
of Judah, and in rhe places round
abour Jerusalem; rhem also rhat
burned incense unro Baal, ro rhe sun,
and ro che moon, and ro rhe planees
[marginal ceading : "rhe rwelve
signs," or, "constellarions"], and ro
all the hose of heaven" (II Kings
23 :5) .
Neverrheless, che people rerurned
ro rheir superstirions afrer rhe dearb
of Josiah and were carried off inro
captivity ro Babylon.
Remarkable as ir seems, however,
mankind srill hasn'r learned irs lesson.
Despire che warnings of Scriprure and
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