i ask answers...
- Thread starter me79
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Taken from gotquestions.org
The purpose of a horoscope is to gain insight into a person’s character and foretell the future. The basic belief of astrology is that planets and stars exert an influence upon our lives. Those with special knowledge—astrologers—can predict events in a person’s life. It is distressing that most major newspapers have a horoscope column, and even more distressing that many Christians read their horoscopes.
The Bible expressly forbids divination, sorcery, and hidden arts (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). God’s people are to heed God only (Deuteronomy 18:15). Any other source of guidance, information, or revelation is to be rejected outright. See also Acts 16:16-18. The Bible points to Jesus Christ as the only proper focus of faith (Acts 4:12; Hebrews 12:2). Our trust is in God alone, and we know that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Faith in anything besides God is misplaced.
Astrology, then, opposes biblical teaching in at least two ways: it advocates faith in something besides God, and it is a form of divination. We cannot determine God's will for our lives through horoscopes. As Christians, we are to read the Bible and pray to God in order to gain wisdom and guidance. A Christian consulting a horoscope is a violation of God's means of communicating with His children. We strongly believe that horoscopes should be rejected by Christians.
The purpose of a horoscope is to gain insight into a person’s character and foretell the future. The basic belief of astrology is that planets and stars exert an influence upon our lives. Those with special knowledge—astrologers—can predict events in a person’s life. It is distressing that most major newspapers have a horoscope column, and even more distressing that many Christians read their horoscopes.
The Bible expressly forbids divination, sorcery, and hidden arts (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). God’s people are to heed God only (Deuteronomy 18:15). Any other source of guidance, information, or revelation is to be rejected outright. See also Acts 16:16-18. The Bible points to Jesus Christ as the only proper focus of faith (Acts 4:12; Hebrews 12:2). Our trust is in God alone, and we know that He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Faith in anything besides God is misplaced.
Astrology, then, opposes biblical teaching in at least two ways: it advocates faith in something besides God, and it is a form of divination. We cannot determine God's will for our lives through horoscopes. As Christians, we are to read the Bible and pray to God in order to gain wisdom and guidance. A Christian consulting a horoscope is a violation of God's means of communicating with His children. We strongly believe that horoscopes should be rejected by Christians.
SpiritLedEd
Member
Re: I Ask Answers
The Bible doesn't specify that the Magi were astrologers, only that they were "Wise Men", which I take to mean "scholars" and, as such, they may have been knowledgeable where the Old Testament is concerned. They may have been familiar with Balaam's prophesy in Numbers 24:17- "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel." ThIs prophesy was uttered in approximately 1452 BC.
SLE
The Bible doesn't specify that the Magi were astrologers, only that they were "Wise Men", which I take to mean "scholars" and, as such, they may have been knowledgeable where the Old Testament is concerned. They may have been familiar with Balaam's prophesy in Numbers 24:17- "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel." ThIs prophesy was uttered in approximately 1452 BC.
SLE
i was just thinking that astrology was a fundamental science of that time as medicine,as aritmethics... and that the wise men,because they had a large knowlegde in all sciences,so implicit in astrology,they were lead by the star(by the God,because this was His plan to fulfill,so,all happened with His will,his approval and under His control),because they were reading the sky(this was one of their current job),because they were whatching the planets and the stars arrangements.The idea is i think of it as God's plan(as His agreements with astrology),because He makes use of this element(and in the biblical story it represents a basic element,without the story would have been different maybe) to achieve His goal;God choosed to be a star there,to be maguses...So,i understand astrology like being s-thing under His control:it predicts the future by the stars.I want to know for sure if it's a sin ,because i 'm watching s-times T.V. brodcasts on this subject.I also was thinking that if i would know the etymology of word,i'll find out if there is a refference to astrology.Please,understand my confusion.I'm just looking aswers,for a right understanding about this matter
Faithful Son
Member
Hi me79, I think the response Chad gave is more than adequate. Try to read Chad's response, read it without really thinking, but reflect on each sentence.
Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, read the scripture noted in the response, take words like divination and sorcery and look them up in a dictionairy, look for their definition. Medidate on the whole subject, don't be influenced by other people's opinions. It may look like a few paragraphs and you may think it's silly, but if we medidate and reflect on God's Word, we will receive answers.
God bless you!
Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, read the scripture noted in the response, take words like divination and sorcery and look them up in a dictionairy, look for their definition. Medidate on the whole subject, don't be influenced by other people's opinions. It may look like a few paragraphs and you may think it's silly, but if we medidate and reflect on God's Word, we will receive answers.
God bless you!
"jiggyfly",u 've said Astronomy is the science.Well,allow me to contradict u ,without upseting me! As i know,in the old greek,word "LOGOS"means "science ",too.So,astrology is the science of the Universe and astronomy -only the study!I think astrology is the prediction of the human destiny watching position ,move,color...of the stars,planets... I know what mean some words in the old greek,but not too much.I need to know what means the word "magus"!I also know by my knowledge,that in the old times ,too,it was studying sciences(of course then were only a few,but obligatory for an wise man,for s-one cultured,erudite,and were considered subjects matter in school time)Accept my thanks for trying to help!I'm sure God will send me the answer ,the right one!
me 79, the word used in the NT is
magos
mag'-os
Of foreign origin [H7248]; a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.
In the OT it is
rab-mâg
rab-mawg'
From H7227 and a foreign word for a Magian; chief Magian; Rab-Mag, a Babylonian official: - Rab-mag.
Essentially one can say at best that the "3 wise men" were scholars and could have been Babylonian officials of some rank. Credence to that thought is indirectly lent by the fact that Herod wanted to meet them to find out more about this prophecy. Granted his motives were to kill the Christ child. BUt he had to have known of these wise men, for if they were low ranking, he probably would never had heard of them. There is an inference in those words towards magic, but it doesn't mean that they were encessarily practitioners of magic.
theajkman
magos
mag'-os
Of foreign origin [H7248]; a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.
In the OT it is
rab-mâg
rab-mawg'
From H7227 and a foreign word for a Magian; chief Magian; Rab-Mag, a Babylonian official: - Rab-mag.
Essentially one can say at best that the "3 wise men" were scholars and could have been Babylonian officials of some rank. Credence to that thought is indirectly lent by the fact that Herod wanted to meet them to find out more about this prophecy. Granted his motives were to kill the Christ child. BUt he had to have known of these wise men, for if they were low ranking, he probably would never had heard of them. There is an inference in those words towards magic, but it doesn't mean that they were encessarily practitioners of magic.
theajkman
thank u Chad,u helped me a lot... i've omited this essential perspective from my reconstruction,which was a big and silly mistake!thinking more of it,i'm wondering now how could i forgot unique and special ways GOD works?and i'm realizing it is not only a navigation purpose(that time it was used pergament for writing comunication,so there might was a possibility of existance a primitive-form of maps),but also a symbolic purpose(a star,led by a star,shining star,a star which shinings,a star which was seen by the choisen ones,a message-star,a new star-borned...and so on- Jesus as King,the chosen ones are led by Jesus/Jesus will lead his people,King of Kings,Jesus seen with the eyes of faith by the chosen ones(magi were only 3,the shepherds -a few),the message of new-life/the message of Truth,of salvation,that He is the King we should bow on knees,a new King borned/we should bow our lives to the KIng- Jesus.
Chad,u helped me just now to "see" things in this perspective,too.Thank u!...Be blessed!Still,do u know other examples in Bible(in the O.T.,as well as in the N.T.) when God's choisen ones navigated using "sky language"/guiding by the stars?
Chad,u helped me just now to "see" things in this perspective,too.Thank u!...Be blessed!Still,do u know other examples in Bible(in the O.T.,as well as in the N.T.) when God's choisen ones navigated using "sky language"/guiding by the stars?
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The AJK Man...thank u,too!So,in the N.T. "magos" means "sorcerer" ,but also "wise man".What i don't understand is why it has so different meanings."sorcerer" is that who practises witchcraft-so,is evil -and 'wise man",a positive meaning!i cannot "see" the relation meanings( between "sorcerer" and "wise man")God definitely condamnes sorcery (u can find it in many Bible places-Deuteronoms 18:10-14 for example),but why these 2 meanings-an evil ,negative one and the other one-positive conotation- for defining the same word? To be homonymy and not polysemy???...What do u think?
SpiritLedEd
Member
Re: I ask answers
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word "Astrology" is an archaic version of our word "Astronomy". So it would seem that the Magi may have been what we know as "astronomers"; that there was a morally legitimate element to astrology in those days.
SLE
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word "Astrology" is an archaic version of our word "Astronomy". So it would seem that the Magi may have been what we know as "astronomers"; that there was a morally legitimate element to astrology in those days.
SLE
SpiritLedEd,we are not allowed to give our opinion about the sense of a word dictionary!dictionaries works with exact senses of words, as in definitions, so,we are not allowed to say what we think about the word sense!
i rather think the answer i find is:"homonymy"( and of course,i'm reffering to the word used in N.T.)
i rather think the answer i find is:"homonymy"( and of course,i'm reffering to the word used in N.T.)
I don't really think the wording matters. Linguistics can be a tricky cup of tea, and translating languages can bear multiple meanings.
But it's obvious that God would not lead people who were evil or practising evil "arts" to His newborn Son, and it's obvious why putting faith in the alignment of planetary bodies to guess your future rather than putting faith in God to take care of your future is pretty much Idolatry.
Horoscopes and astrology are just another thing that lead our minds away from God and His purpose for our lives.
But it's obvious that God would not lead people who were evil or practising evil "arts" to His newborn Son, and it's obvious why putting faith in the alignment of planetary bodies to guess your future rather than putting faith in God to take care of your future is pretty much Idolatry.
Horoscopes and astrology are just another thing that lead our minds away from God and His purpose for our lives.