WHEN WERE YOU BORN?

 

Detail of a ceiling at Grand Central Station in NYC depicting the Zodiac

                      

It has been on my mind for quite some time to talk about horoscopes.  Many people follow astrology or their daily horoscopes.  Just in the past two months, it has started to bother me because so many people have asked me, "when is your birthday?"  Just in case you are wondering, it is not so that they may purchase a gift for me. No, it was to ascertain who I am based on what sign of the zodiac that I am.  

Let me relate some of those encounters and conversations.  

1. I was at a concert talking to a woman who teaches in a local reformed Jewish Temple's kindergarten program here in Westchester New York.  As we had a robust debate, she casually asked me, " when were you born?"  After I related my birthday, she concluded that we debated like the animal zodiac symbols that supposedly represented us.  Wow, I knew she went to a reform synagogue, but how reformed are they? So reformed that they have reformed the Word of God?

Deuteronomy 4:19 (NIV)- “And when you look up to the sky 
and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly 
array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. 

2. I really seemed to connect to this woman Cheryl ( not her name ) that I met at a party which I attended in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.  We enjoyed talking about crafts, we laughed at the same jokes and my husband even thought that we looked a little bit alike!  Don't you know midway through the party, she asked me,"when was I born?" People at the party marveled how similar we were and when they found out our birthdays were a few days apart there was definitely some oohs and aahs. Business people, chefs, two NYC school teachers didn't believe in God but were willing to believe that a configuration of stars were responsibility for who and what we are.  Ready to be lead of the stars rather than God himself ✝. 

Isaiah 47:13-14 (CEV)
You have worn yourself out, asking for advice from those
who study the stars and tell the future month after month. Go ask them how to be saved from what will happen. People who trust the stars are as helpless as straw in a flaming fire. No one can even keep warm, sitting by a fire that feeds only on straw.

Detail of a ceiling in Grand Central Station in NYC depicting Pegasus

3. A man who I attend Church with has been a baptized Christian for several years but has only recently realized that his speech and some possessions that he has in his home may not be pleasing to God. The Bible instructs us to not neglect fellowship with other Christians because time spent together encourages us to be our very best.  I think that is what occurred when Brother Ron ( not his real name ) and I spent some time together.  After several get togethers I realized that Brother Ron often assessed people with a little help from zodiac signs.  

I don't even think he realized he was doing this.  Habits both good and bad become second nature to us.  So ingrained are these behaviors that unless we make it a priority to change them, they will remain.  I had prayed about this and now the time had finally come when I knew that I must speak up and challenge him.  It seems Ron had been a New Age believer before he came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior and had numerous books at home on the topic.  

Deuteronomy 17:2-3 ( CEV)
The Lord your God is giving you towns to live in. But later, a man or a woman in your town may start worshiping other gods, or even the sun, moon, or stars. I have warned you not to worship other gods, because whoever worships them is disobeying the Lord and breaking the agreement he made with you. 

Many people think that the daily perusal of a horoscope is innocent fun, probably members in good standing at your Church or Synagogue believe this.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In the Holy Scriptures, God explains the reason why he created the stars, the moon and the planets and it is not to direct our lives.  One of the themes in the Bible, is to beware of idolatry and following other gods.  We are, according to the Ten Commandments to, " have no other God before Him." Exodus 20:3.

We desire to understand and find a purpose and direction for our lives.  We need to know how to interact with one another and where we will go when we die.  How do we fit in with the universe?  Astrology and Christianity have very different ways of answering the questions of life.  The stars are inanimate created objects.   What about us?  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" - Genesis 1:27 KJV.  What about the stars?  "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands" - Hebrew 2:7 KJV.  Did you catch that?  The stars are the works or creation of God and we have been set above them.  Meaning do not look to the stars for guidance.  We are lower than the Angels, who are messengers of God and finally God is at the top of all creation.  Our God who always was and always will be.  A living God who loved us so much that He sent us salvation through His Son.  Let us entrust Him with the questions of our life and not the stars.

It is so important that we get this straight lest we misled others.  Christians and Jews have a responsibility to hold onto and teach the truth which God has entrusted to us.  1 Timothy 4:1 ( KJV) - "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."  As this verse from first Timothy shows, the stakes are high.  Please pray and study the Bible.  God bless you.