The star figures in the sky form a very precise map of the heavens and display many allegories which have been preserved as Greek myths. But much more than that, the Book of Enoch states that the angel Uriel revealed them to the prophet Enoch, long before the Great Flood. When he came to understand their meaning, it records that he exclaimed:
“I blessed the Lord of glory, who had made those great and splendid signs, that they might display the magnificence of his works to angels and to the souls of men; and that these might glorify all his works and operations; might see the effect of his power; might glorify the great labor of his hands; and bless him forever.”
If the constellation signs truly came from God, they then would be of great importance. But could the constellations really be that old? Didn’t they originate with the Greeks? It turns out there are scientific ways to date the origin of the entire Greek set of star figures. There is a circle in the southern sky in which no ancient constellations are found because that area always stayed below the horizon of their author. The circle of invisibility slowly moves, so its location can be used to provide a rather precise date of origin. Its position indicates that the constellations predate the ancient Greeks by some 2,000 years. The origin date of about 2900 BC fits Enoch’s lifetime perfectly, supporting the Book of Enoch’s claim. If it is true they began with Enoch, then the study of the original set of constellations should prove to be marvelous. Indeed, they would be a testimony of God echoing to us from before the Flood.
Much groundwork has been done in explaining how the constellations testify of Christ and of the entire plan of salvation. The original modern work was done by Frances Rolleston about 1860. She did a massive amount of research, and her work has recently been republished. Both Joseph Seiss and E.W. Bullinger added to and refined some details of her work. Today there are a number of Christian books which summarize this entire approach and I have posted on my website a brief summary of the work, along with a response to common objections.
In former articles, I have introduced the concept that the constellations are inspired. In fact, it was mentioned in the very first issue of Meridian Magazine as something that everyone should know about astronomy. I have written articles on the four “cornerstone” constellations, interpreted the twelve zodiac constellations and deduced their colors, attempted to restore the “lost” constellation, and even shown how the timing of Christ’s resurrection was prefigured therein. But I have never summarized the entire set of constellations because it was not clear which constellations were included in the original set. This article introduces my proposal for the entire set and suggests religious meanings for each.
Enoch’s Constellations Testify of Christ by John P. Pratt
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