PSALM 19 (Part 1): The Gospel in the Stars (Psalm 19:1-6)
Psalm 19 is Messianic. It’s in 3 Parts: (1) God’s General Revelation in Creation (v1-6), (2) God’s Special Revelation in His written Word (v7-11), & (3) God's Purpose in revealing Himself & our right response (v12-14). In Part 1 the Divine Name is EL, and in Part 2, YAHWEH (x7), His personal Covenant Name. v1-6 describe His message thru the heavens: “The heavens declare the glory (splendour) of God, and the firmament (expanse) shows His handiwork” (v1). Creation is designed to be a revelation of God (Rom 1:20). His general revelation is continuous & abundant: “Day unto day utters (pours forth) speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” (v2), like a spring pouring forth waters of revelation, both day & night. By day, the sun shines, so we can see His handiwork on earth. At night, the stars reveal His immensity & proclaim the Gospel. This revelation is universal: “There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line (sound - LXX) has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (v3-4a). The Bible teaches God used the stars & constellations to preach the Gospel to ancient man, before His written Word was available. In Rom 10:16-18, Paul quoted from Ps 19, describing His revelation in the heavens, & applied it to the Gospel. So, the Gospel is in the Stars, as confirmed in Gen 15:5-6: “Look now toward heaven, and count (tell, declare) the stars if you are able to number (tell, declare) them.” He said to him: “So shall your descendants (SEED) be.” And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” The word 'count' means to tell, to give an account. So, God asked him to tell the story in the stars. It’s the same word translated ‘declare’ in Ps 19:1. Thus, he was to declare the message the stars were declaring - the Gospel of Messiah. When he did this, God preached the Gospel to him (Gal 3:8), saying: “so shall your SEED (Christ) be” - Christ will come as Abraham’s Seed. So, he was justified by faith by believing the Gospel, not that would give him children (absurd!) God revealed the Gospel of Christ to Adam & Eve (Gen 3:15,21), and taught them the need for sacrifice, which they passeon to their seed. He also designed the stars as signs pointing to His truth (Gen 1:14), named them & revealed their names to man (Isa 40:26, Ps 147:4). He named the constellations to reveal His truth (Job 26:13, 9:8-9, 38:31-33, Amos 5:6-8). The signs of the zodiac (the sun's path thru the constellations) have an ancient origin as a divine revelation, which explains why, when men fell into idolatry, they worshipped the stars & practiced astrology (Deut 4:19, Isa 47:13-14). Over time, God's story in the stars was corrupted into pagan myths, but we can reconstruct much of the original Gospel story in the heavens from the constellation & star names. When God gave an His written Word (v7-11), His star-message became less important.
We look at this star story, which starts with VIRGO (the Virgin), giving birth to the promised Seed, and finishes with LEO, the Lion of Judah, pouncing on the head of HYDRA, the fleeing Serpent (2nd Coming). We see how SCORPIO & its associated constellations perfectly tell the story of Gen 3:15. There are many pictures of Christ, as a mighty Man & Bridegroom, in conflict with the Devil (represented by a serpent, scorpion, dragon & other monsters), as well as pictures of the redeemed. Thus, the heavens declare the GLORY (manifestation) of GOD = JESUS (2Cor 4:6, Heb 1:3, Col 1:15). v4b-6 give more detail of this revelation: “In them (the heavens) He has set a tabernacle (a dwelling place) for the SUN (a picture of the glorious Christ, Mal 4:2, for all life depends on the sun), which is like a BRIDEGROOM coming out of his Chamber, and rejoices like a STRONG MAN (Champion) to run its (His) race (to win His Bride). Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” This gives a spiritual interpretation of the sun & its motion. It typifies the Bridegroom going forth for His Bride, a Mighty Man, coming forth from His chamber to run His course & fulfil His mission, a picture of Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, our mighty Champion who left His place in Heaven to run His course, conquer Satan & redeem His Bride. He completes the circuit & fulfils His mission, bringing His Bride back to His Chamber to be with Him forever. This is represented by its annual circuit through the heavens, the 12 signs of the Zodiac (way by steps), the tabernacle for the sun (v4). These are 12 stages of its journey & 12 mansions it dwells in. The sun represents His majestic PERSON. The constellations picture the different aspects & stages of His WORK. So, as the sun passes through the different signs, it pictures Him accomplishing, step-by-step, the things revealed by these pictures. So, as each year the sun completes a circuit, it proclaims Christ, the Light of the world, fulfilling His mission.
We look at this star story, which starts with VIRGO (the Virgin), giving birth to the promised Seed, and finishes with LEO, the Lion of Judah, pouncing on the head of HYDRA, the fleeing Serpent (2nd Coming). We see how SCORPIO & its associated constellations perfectly tell the story of Gen 3:15. There are many pictures of Christ, as a mighty Man & Bridegroom, in conflict with the Devil (represented by a serpent, scorpion, dragon & other monsters), as well as pictures of the redeemed. Thus, the heavens declare the GLORY (manifestation) of GOD = JESUS (2Cor 4:6, Heb 1:3, Col 1:15). v4b-6 give more detail of this revelation: “In them (the heavens) He has set a tabernacle (a dwelling place) for the SUN (a picture of the glorious Christ, Mal 4:2, for all life depends on the sun), which is like a BRIDEGROOM coming out of his Chamber, and rejoices like a STRONG MAN (Champion) to run its (His) race (to win His Bride). Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” This gives a spiritual interpretation of the sun & its motion. It typifies the Bridegroom going forth for His Bride, a Mighty Man, coming forth from His chamber to run His course & fulfil His mission, a picture of Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, our mighty Champion who left His place in Heaven to run His course, conquer Satan & redeem His Bride. He completes the circuit & fulfils His mission, bringing His Bride back to His Chamber to be with Him forever. This is represented by its annual circuit through the heavens, the 12 signs of the Zodiac (way by steps), the tabernacle for the sun (v4). These are 12 stages of its journey & 12 mansions it dwells in. The sun represents His majestic PERSON. The constellations picture the different aspects & stages of His WORK. So, as the sun passes through the different signs, it pictures Him accomplishing, step-by-step, the things revealed by these pictures. So, as each year the sun completes a circuit, it proclaims Christ, the Light of the world, fulfilling His mission.