All of Creation is Waiting Part 1...
Growing up in a devout Christian home, I would sneak and look at my horoscope to get a feel for what would supposedly take place in my life that day, week or month. I would hear derogatory comments regarding horoscopes and astrology in church or from the general community of believers, equating the practice of astrology to witchcraft and sorcery. However, deep in my heart and soul, the evil they spoke of, never registered. How could beautiful stories written in the sky God created be evil - be wrong, and why would they be forbidden? The restrictions placed on the exploration, discovery, and practice of astrology, seemed to be driven by the fear and ignorance of Christians, more so, than law. However, in compliance and because of my own fears of disappointing anyone or possibly upsetting God, I put learning astrology aside and would resist the urges to study anything more than the sun signs.
I was no more than 6 years old when I had a dream of seeing the footprint of God on the moon. In the dream, I heard the voice of God talking to me. I looked down and realized I was standing in the middle of a footprint-shaped crater. It was scary, but I heard God gently say, “don’t be afraid daughter...” It was after this dream, that I noticed many of my dreams revolved around space, were very symbolic and a way for the Higher Power to communicate with me. In my quest to learn more about dreams and how God speaks, I became highly intrigued with the prophet, seer and dream interpreter, Daniel and the 3 hebrew boys who were enlisted to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. You can see very clearly, these young men worshipped and revered God. They were adamant about their beliefs and their standards and never once compromised their faith. Then check this out, Daniel 1:17-20:
“17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters (astrologers) in his whole kingdom.” HCSB
Astrology, as we know it today, is thought to be formed from the Mesopotamian system that emerged in ancient Babylon 5,000 plus years ago, around the time of Daniel. In Babylon, astrology was the practice of priests and was one of the ways they would determine the will of the gods, (Roberts 2018). So why would God give them knowledge and understanding of ALL KINDS of literature and learning, if it was meant to be “forbidden”? Why were they found to be 10x better than the all magicians and enchanters in the entire kingdom, if once again, these practices were so forbidden in God’s eyes? What was God trying to show us through this and what are we missing? According to Ellicott’s Biblical Commentary for English Readers, “It appears that Daniel excelled in all classes of magic learning.” In addition, in Daniel 2:48, it states that the king appointed Daniel to be the chief or governor over all of the “magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans etc.” It is my belief, that the Giver of gifts, allowed Daniel to excel in a kingdom, that was considered evil, for the purpose of revealing Himself and His true power.
My question to most believers is how do we, as christians, expect to influence and shape culture and defeat evil, when we are ignorant of the tools, the wisdom and the knowledge already put in the earth? How do we shed light in the darkness when we don’t know how to turn the flashlight on?. The answer is we can’t and we won’t! The difference between Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and the magi of that the empire, is that they knew the source of their power, knowledge and understanding, and they never idolized the practices or their knowledge. They worshipped the Creator.
I humbly desire for us, as believers, to believe that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, are bigger than the box we’ve put them in. We worship a God we can’t see, but we fear the messages sent by the planets and stars, we can see. In addition, we refuse to educate ourselves about the things He created and WHY He gave them to us. Everything He created, He did for us and everything He created was intended to be PURE. His Creation is waiting for us to know this and understand why they were created and how to restore its use to it’s original intent: To Reveal the Truth about Our Creator!
Namaste,
Chantel Hampton / Managing Editor
References:
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/babylonian-astrology-0010806