‘In our world,’ said Eustace, ‘a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.’

‘Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is but only what it is made of.'”

– C. S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, p. 159 (HarperCollins)

Introduction

In the last installment we focused on two aspects of the Olivet Discourse. The fulfillment of Christ’s prophecies in the lifetime of those to whom he was speaking and the prophetic language of cosmic deconstruction. This cosmic deconstruction language is just one verse. Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” I said this was in relation to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, but I’d also add that this is in reference to the reconfiguration of the cosmic and earthly rulership. Meaning, this also anticipates the destruction of the Gentiles via conversion. I demonstrated that this language was the language of the prophets, used in explicit reference to the destruction of various cities and nations throughout the Old Testament, and that Jesus appropriated this type of language in speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the Old Covenant world, and the ushering in of the New Covenant world. I believe those points are unassailable and one cannot read those passages in any other way. I’ve never heard a valid refutation of this reading, and I would welcome anyone to present them on this forum.

In this installment we will look at why this language is used. I showed last time that this language is associated with various rulers, and cities, and nations. But why this particular kind of language? What is the significance of astral symbolism in these prophecies?

This is by no means exhaustive, but I want to touch on a few things here. I want to suggest that astral symbolism is associated with government, both earthly and heavenly. That stars, sun, and moon are symbols of people, of nations, of governments, of eras, of worlds, of heavenly beings, of demonic beings, and of Christ himself. They are not merely balls of gas.

Luminaries at Creation

From Genesis 1 we read:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:14-18)

From the beginning, God uses anthropomorphic language for the stars. They rule. They govern. They shine forth light. They divide light from darkness. These are all things that are also described of human rulers, and especially, of God’s people. This in itself is just a whisper of what is to come. On its own, we cannot draw more than what is here. But I do believe the creation account gives us this whisper intentionally.

They are placed in a position of authority over the earth to divide the day from the night, to divide light from darkness. This anticipates the rule of humanity over the earth. And their ability to discern good from evil. It suggests wisdom, discernment, and justice.

We see they are also for signs and seasons, days and years. So, if we have language that is disruptive of the stars, then we have disruption in time. Disruption in astral symbolism suggests a disruption in the times. The end of a certain time. The beginning of another time.

When God is asking Job where he was at creation, he says, “Where were you…when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4,7)

Again anthroporphic language for the stars. The morning stars are singing together. Additionally, if we are to take this as Hebrew parallelism, a regular feature of Hebrew poetry, there might be something of an association of the sons of God and the morning stars. The sons of God are in the heavens. The heavenly council, as Michael Heiser has successfully argued, I think. But even if these are discrete entities, we see them mentioned in close proximity to one another, which invites comparison.

The Patriarchs and Luminaries

God uses the stars to make a point about the number of Christians that will come from Abraham’s Seed. But he nonetheless uses the stars. “Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5)

“Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.” (Genesis 22:17) Here we also see that Christians are compared to the numerous grains of sand on the seashore. Primary purpose here is an illustration of countless numbers, but I think there may also be something of heaven and earth being connected here. Christians will be like the stars in the heavens and the sand on the earth. Heaven and earth. Totality of the cosmos. And to push the comparison even further, dirt, being transformed, exalted, and glorified in Christ. At this point we also see the promise of rule being brought in. Christians will possess the gates of their enemies.

“I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands” (Genesis 26:4) Again, the gospel promise of rule, power, authority, possession. God’s people multiplied like the stars ruling over the land, ruling over the earth.

We see the immediate fulfillment of these promises with God’s people in the nation of Israel, after Joshua’s pogrom of the Canaanites. In Deuteronomy 1:10, Moses says to the people, “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude.”

Joseph has a dream where his brothers, his mother, and his father are represented as stars, moon, and sun.

“Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” (Genesis 37:9-11)

So, here we have astral symbolism explicitly associated with humanity, with Joseph and his family specifically, with the people of God. And we also have the theme of rule and authority brought to the fore. Joseph being the ruler in this dream, and the stars bowing to Him.

The first dream Joseph has is about gathering sheaves (of wheat most likely). And his sheave growing taller and upright, while his brothers sheaves bowed to his sheave. Then in verse eight we read, “And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” (Genesis 37:8) So, again we have this earthly imagery combined with the heavenly imagery. Sand and stars. Sheaves and stars. All of it associated with human rule. And with some stars bowing to that human rule.

Luminaries in the Song of Deborah

Deborah writes a poem about the battle between Israel and Sisera’s armies. Again, we have this association of human rulers and the stars. It is not entirely clear to me what is happening here, but here is the text:

The kings came and fought,
Then the kings of Canaan fought
In Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;
They took no spoils of silver.
They fought from the heavens;
The stars from their courses fought against Sisera. (Judges 5:19-20)

There seems to be an interchangeable reference to stars and kings here. But it could be kings vs. stars, meaning kings versus heavenly forces that manifest in other kings. It could mean something else that I haven’t considered. Either way there is this association of human rulers and stars going on here.

Kings and Satanic Luminaries

In Isaiah, we see a strange conflation of Satan in the Garden and the King of Babylon. We see a similar conflation in Ezekiel 28, with the King of Tyre and Satan in the Garden. Satan is also referred to as a son of God in Job, where the sons of God are associated with the morning stars, which in this passage of Isaiah we also see Satan referred to as the Morning Star, or what we commonly know it as, from the Latin, Lucifer. So, morning star, son of God, and the kings of the earth are all tied up here.

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer [Day/Morning Star, shining one], son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.” (Isaiah 14:12-15)

So, we see the star of Babylon being put out. Falling out of the sky. Being lowered to the earth. Bowing down to the earth, we might say. This star representing a Gentile king, but also Satan. Remember, who Jesus said the Jewish leadership were sons of? Their father was the devil. They were Satanic. The Olivet Discourse shows us similar stars coming down for similar reasons.

Bishop and Apostate Luminaries

In the Book of the Apocalypse, John sees Jesus with seven stars in his right hand. Jesus explains what these are. He says, “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20) Traditionally, and I think most naturally the seven angels are the bishops of these churches. They are the overseeing pastor of the college of presbyters at these churches, and Jesus is having John write letters to each of them.

I think the whole flow of Scripture shows us that Christians basically replace heavenly angels in authority with the coming of the New Covenant. We don’t have time to develop this here. But humans are referred to as angels in Scripture, we just don’t notice it because of interpretive discretion. Matthew 11:10, Jesus quotes Malachi and says that John the Baptist is an angel. “This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’” Every translation says messenger, but it is the exact same word for angel. John the Baptist is an angel just like the angels of the seven churches are the messengers of God to those churches, meaning the pastors of those churches, and more specifically the bishops.

Jude describes apostate Christians as “wandering stars.” (Jude 13)

So, again we see stars associated with God’s people here. Apostates or false teachers are called wandering stars.

Luminary Saints

Paul describes faithful Christians shining like stars.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (NIV, Phillippians 2:14-15) The greek word there, φωστῆρες, is often translated as lights or luminaries. But it’s the exact same Greek word in the LXX in Genesis 1:14 to describe the creation of the stars.

Daniel gives a prophecy of what appears to be the resurrection. And he describes the resurrected saints as follows.

“Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)

The Song of Deborah ends with this.

“Let those who love Him be like the sun
When it comes out in full strength.” (Judges 5:31)

Deborah’s song likely prophetically anticipated Samson, whose name means little sun, or like the sun.

Psalm 19 compares the sun to a bridgroom and strong man. Like Samson.

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.” (vv. 1-6)

Here we see the creation anthropomorphized as evangelists and open air preachers. The heavens declare the glory of God. And we see the sun, described as a bridegroom and a strong man, like Samson, the little sun. And the sun tabernacles among the stars, just as the Son tabernacled among men. So, if we take the sun to be a Messianic reference, then the heavens, and by implication, the stars are a reference to Christians.

Christ as The Luminary

Scripture shows us that astral symbolism represents all kinds of things, but that it is often associated with ruling authorities. And we see this in its fullest form with Christ and his rule. Jesus is likened to the sun, as we just saw in Psalm 19.

Elsewhere in the Psalms, the sons of Korah say, “The Lord God is a sun and shield.” (Psalm 84:11)

Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ to the Gentiles in language that is like the rising of the sun:

“Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)

Malachi prophesies about the coming of Christ, whether first or second advent I’m unsure, but he does so in a way that like Isaiah associates Christ with the Sun “For the day is coming…The Sun of Righteousness shall arise.” (Malachi 4:1-2)

In the gospel of Luke, Zacharias prophesies of Jesus, and describes Him similarly to Isaiah and Malachi as a dayspring, which carries with it the idea of dawn, the rising of the sun.

“The Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

And in The Apocalypse, John describes Jesus’ countenance shining like the sun.

“His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” (Revelation 1:16)

And in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (ch. 60:19-20), we see that Jesus is the light of the New Jerusalem. “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” (Revelation 21:23)

Conclusion

So, why stars? Why suns? Why moons? They are metaphors, similes, and images for rulers, authorities, dominions, both heavenly and earthly. We see this even today. The flags of many nations often have stars, or suns, or moons on them. And in the Olivet Discourse Jesus is telling us that Old Covenant rulers, both Jew and Gentile are going to be shaken, are going to be overcome by the rising Sun of the New and Better Covenant. The lesser lights of heaven are going to bow to the Great Light of Heaven. And through Christ’s rising and rule in heaven and on earth, Christians likewise will rise and rule in heaven and on earth.

Jesus says to the bishop of Thyatira. “To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations – that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ (Psalm 2:9) – just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star.” (Revelation 2:26-28) Again authority to rule of the earth is associated with the stars. The authority give to Jesus is shared by all those who are united to Jesus, who do the will of Jesus. This particular promise seems to be future rule and reward. But in Ephesians, Paul seems to indicate a similar thing, but in an immediate sense.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:4-6)

God made us sit together with Christ in the heavenly places. So, just as Jesus came and tabernacled with us on earth. He now, like the Sun, tabernacles in the heavens among the stars, and we sit with him like the stars sit with the Sun in the heavens. All lesser lights of heavens are dashed, destroyed, and replaced with Christ and all those who are in Christ.

The first season of True Detective is like an Old Testament story in that it has a lot of sin, grittiness, and flawed people involved, but the shadow of Christ looms large over the whole thing. Matthew McConaughey plays Rust, a detective who is a Messianic figure. There is a scene in the last episode where we as the audience are looking through a glass darkly, and I think Rust is purposely made to resemble popular artistic renderings of Jesus. In the last scene of the first season, there is a conversation between Rust and Marty. Marty jokes about Rust being unkillable. There’s a bunch of other things, too. But the conversation they have is about the stars, and in my view, it is an argument from creation for a postmillennial perspective. That there’s hopeful, optimistic view of eschatology and history. And then there’s not. I leave you with that conversation.