SEVEN STUNNING SISTERS

IOPNA's series on the CONSTELLATIONS continues with this 3rd conversation:

Surprise! surprise!...we find constellations of stars like Orion, ‘Arcturus’ and this ‘Mazzaroth’ – whatever that is – are in the Bible…even the Pleiades cluster!

Yes and finally the Lord said:
“Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?”  Job 38 verse 33
So it seems that constellations somehow relate to what happens on Earth.  
The seven stars (Pleiades) and Orion can also be found in Amos chapter 5, verse 8.

The Pleiades and Orion are both in the Bible 3 times??  Hey, I wonder why!                 

Orion is large and bright - but the Pleiades??….they’re only small and faint.                 

That’s for sure. The Pleiades cluster isn’t in Orion of course, it’s in the constellation of Taurus the bull – like a medallion on his neck.                              

According to Greek mythology, the seven daughters of Atlas were: Electra, Maia, Taygete, Asterope, Celaene, Alcyone and Myrope who is ‘not old enough to stay up as late as her sisters’ - so she’s difficult to see with the naked eye.   So why would they be twice in the oldest writings in the Bible plus mentioned by Amos, a Jewish farmer?

Hang on…how did the ancient Greeks know to identify the Pleiades with 7 sister stars if they didn’t have binoculars to find Myrope?

Precisely. Here we have a handful of faint stars distinguished 3 times in the Bible, God challenges Job whether he can bind them, and now astronomers last century have proved that the Seven Sisters are locked together! By the way, there are about 3000 stars in the Pleiades group and it can be seen from anywhere in the habitable world. In fact, I understand it can always be seen in the night-sky from the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere.

Mmm…fascinating!

It doesn’t stop there – the Pleiades are right beside the ecliptic line in space that corresponds to the sun's passage thru the sky. 

No wonder people noticed them!    

Now then….was the Spirit of God present at Creation?                   

Yes, 'hovering over the waters', according to Genesis 1 verse 2.

We learn from Job in chapter 26 verse 13 that God’s Spirit 'garnished the heavens'!                   

Eh??                                                                                                                                

The role of the Holy Spirit is given in John 16 verse 14 – “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”   So who do the heavens glorify?

The Lord Jesus Christ?

Yes and what does He have in Revelation 3 verse 1 when speaking to the church in Sardis?                                                         

‘The seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars’!

This is Jesus Christ, the One who…

created all things in the heavens            Colossians 1:16                          

treadeth upon the waves of the sea      Job 9:8, Matt 14, Mk 6, Jn 6                  

can even bind the Pleiades                      Job 38:31

So could this be one of those signs in Genesis 1, verse 14?   Are the Seven Sisters of The Pleiades meant to remind us of the Holy Spirit having garnished the heavens to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ?                         

I don’t know about you but that’s what The Pleiades will remind me of from now on. Not only is there a reminder in the heavens, and within me, but all the millions of Subarus around the world proudly wear their 6-star badge depicting the 6 older stunning sisters of The Pleaides!

You’re kidding me??...I never knew that before!

NEXT:             What’s so special about ‘Orion the hunter’?
http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/orion-hunter.html

Acknowledgements:  

Subaru (Australia) Pty. Ltd. and Port Macquarie Subaru   

Photo credit: Pleiades / Rogelio Bernal Andreo / DeepSkyColours.com