Lesson 29 Aquarius - Capricorn

  “The Heavenly Revelation of the Son of the Eternal Covenant”

                                               The Kingdom Consummated

                                        Aquarius - Capricorn

We have come to the ninth sign in the circuit which the Son of the Eternal Covenant came forth from heaven to run (Ps.19:1-6). In the last four signs of “The Heavenly Revelation of the Son of the Eternal Covenant,” Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, and Scorpio, we are yet looking at aspects of the Kingdom Age under a rule of righteousness and peace.

The ninth sign is Aquarius (“the Water Bearer”). In this sign we have the figure of the Son of the Covenant as a man pouring forth water from a large urn. The water flows downward like a river into the mouth of a large fish which is drinking in the river poured forth from the urn.

We have already seen in the sign of Taurus, the Judge, Eridanus, the river of the Judge of all the earth, who only does right. The streams of His river made glad the heart of man (Ps.46:4). The people of God are glad to be returned to their land and the city of their God. The time of trouble is past and the God of Glory has returned to His holy sanctuary in the newly built temple. The Jehovah of Hosts is with them in their midst and the God of Jacob is their Refuge.

“Water” is one of the most gladdening things the Creator made. Water is a thing of beauty in the earth created by God. Whether the dew sparkling in the early morning light, or the life-giving rain, or frozen into fragile decorative flakes - a thing of beauty to gladden the heart. From the sparkling stream flowing and rippling over the rocks of the creek, to the mighty flowing river, or the stilled, shining lake reflecting all nature surrounding it, to the mighty ocean with its ever rolling waves, from the fountain springing up from the earth, to the mighty thunderous waterfall, or the river rapids, water is a thing of wonder and beauty to gladden the heart. But most blessed of all, water is life-giving and an absolute necessity to life. That is why “water” is symbolic of “life and energy,” which it supplies to the body.

“Water” is a great symbol for the “word of God.” The word is living and powerful (Heb.4:12). The word is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the seed for eternal life for the body (see Mt.13:3-23). The word is the truth and will free one from the law of sin and death (Jn.8:30-32; 20:30-31). Coming forth from His throne is the pure water of the word - life-giving water (see Ps.46:1-10; Ezek.47:1-12). Worship is in spirit and in truth (Jn.4:24).

And this is what we have pictured in the sign of Aquarius - living water poured out to earth to a very large fish representing “the multitude of fish” in the sea. As we have seen in the sign of Pisces, the fishes held by the bridle are held in the hands of the crowned King, who holds the reins and guides in love.

In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah the man holds two urns and the fish below seem to have come out of the urn. The man is called Hupei Tirion, which means “the place of Him coming down” or “poured forth.” In some eastern Zodiacs the sign is figured by the urn alone. This agrees with the Hebrew name Deli, “the water urn” or “bucket.” The Arabic Delu has the same meaning, “the water urn” or “bucket.”

The brightest star, which appears in the right shoulder, is called Sa’ad or Melik which means “the record of the pouring forth.” The star in the other shoulder is called Saad al Sund (“who goes and returns” or “the poured out”). The bright star in the lower part of the right leg is well known by its Hebrew name Scheat (“who goes and returns”). The bright star in the urn has an Egyptian name, Mon or Meon, which simply means “an urn.” Aquarius is the modern Latin name by which the sign is known today. It has the same meaning, “the pouring forth of water.”

With the fish representing the ethnic peoples of the nations taken into the Kingdom with His return, all the fishes of the creation of man in the flesh, then being under the jurisdiction of the Lion King, the Judge of all the earth who only does right, there will be no false teaching concerning the Almighty and His Anointed Son of the Covenant. The living water pouring forth from the gospel of God’s only begotten Son will bring forth the seed for life and energy for the mortal bodies of man bearing the image of the earthy, that the ones who choose to believe and receive might be born from above to be conformed to the image of God’s begotten Son.

In the Kingdom Age the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (Is.11:9; Hab.2:14; see also Is.33:5-6). “Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice. And a man shall be like a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; like rivers of water in a dry place, like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, and the eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall hearken” (Is.32:1-3).

In the Kingdom Age Jehovah promised His people of Abraham’s seed through Jacob and his twelve sons that He would “pour water upon him who is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit upon your seed, and My blessing upon your offspring; and they shall spring up as among the grass, like willows by the water courses” (Is.44:3-4, see vv1-2).

Jehovah speaks to His people in poetic, figurative language to express the beauty and joy of His salvation. In this prophecy the “dry ground” is “Jacob’s seed,” his offspring in mortal bodies of human flesh, of the earth, earthy, not having received living water for eternal life.

To spring up out of the earth - alive forever - the fishes, representing seed of the flesh, must swallow [believe] the water of the word of God and receive the seed of eternal life in the Word of God. In the Kingdom Age, the water of the word covers the whole earth that whosoever will may drink to be made alive forever. As shown in Genesis 1:21, on the fifth day of creation (“five” being the day which represents “grace”) it was the waters which brought forth sea creatures after their kind. So in the Kingdom Age the water of the word in which all ethnic groups are covered will bring forth, in abundance, sons of God, born of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God (see 1 Pet.1:23).

God’s people Israel have many promises of God concerning His future King of righteousness and peace. At that time Israel will be the head of all nations (Deut.7:6; 26:18-19; 28:1, 13). All depends upon God’s faithfulness to Himself to fulfill His Covenant.

In the book of Numbers we have a record of the wilderness wanderings of the sons of Israel. When the time had come to possess the land, Jehovah led the march through the lands of the Canaanite kings and Moses and Israel began conquering the kings on the east side of  Jordan. The record begins in Numbers 21. There you may refer to the context. Our interest here is with one prophecy in Numbers 24.

At that time Balak was king of Moab and, seeing Israel coming, he was very much afraid and distressed, and he conceived a plan to curse Israel, that he and his army might drive Israel out of the land of Canaan. Balak knew of a prophet for hire named Balaam and he hired him to curse Israel.

It is not possible to curse Israel. She is God’s people and no one can defeat Israel unless God gives them over to their enemy as a judgment on their disobedience to His commands and to His warnings to cease their rebellion, a righteous judgment to turn them back to Him.

Balaam tried his enchantments to no effect. He told Balak that God had blessed Israel and he could not reverse it (Num.23:18-26). Balak thought that perhaps if Balaam was in a different position he could curse Israel and so he took Balaam to the top of Peor and they looked toward Jeshimon [“waste”].

“And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said, ‘Balaam, the son of Beor, has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said; he has said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel! Like the valleys are they spread forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like the trees of aloes which Jehovah has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of His buckets, and His seed shall be in many waters, and His King shall be higher than Agag, and His Kingdom shall be exalted’” (Num.24:1-7). What a difference to the waste of Balak’s land.

We see the prophecy had reference to the Water Bearer. The purpose of the heavens declaring the glory being that the God of Glory made Himself known. He shared the witness of the heavens to the Covenant Son with all nations. So all are without excuse. Balaam was a diviner of the signs and stars of the host of heaven. Balaam would have been familiar with the sign of Aquarius, and, therefore, have understanding of Jehovah’s prophecy if he so desired (see Deut.4:19).

Ezekiel also speaks of the living water to be poured forth in the Kingdom Age. In chapter 36 Ezekiel prophesies for Jehovah: “Therefore, say unto the house of Israel, Thus says Adonai Jehovah [Lord God]: I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations to which you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, says Adonai Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My ordinances, and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezek.36:22-28; see Is.65:9-10).

“Clean water,” the water of the word of God in truth, the word of the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus, the word of eternal life through the death of the creation of human flesh - in union with Christ Jesus - to be born from above - a son of God. The word of God is for the washing of regeneration (see Tit.3:4-7).

“A new heart will I give you,” a heart for the living and true God. “A new spirit will I put within you,” the spirit of eternal life for the body to be raised up out from the dead, a body for a son of God.

“I will take away the stony heart” - the Law written on stone (see Ex.34:1-28) - “and give you a new heart of your true Redeemer” - God in the flesh of eternal life (see also Ezek.16:60-63). Israel had a heart for the Law, a zeal without knowledge (Rom.10:1-4). Jehovah would give them a heart for their Redeemer, God in the flesh in the likeness of man (Jn.1:14; Rom.8:3).

In that day there will be blessing, pictured as water, for the spirit of man’s soul. There shall also be the blessing of water for the land, which will flow with milk and honey, as God promised Moses (see Ex.3:14-17), and also through the prophet Joel. “And it shall come to pass, in that day, the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hill shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth from the house of Jehovah, and shall water the Valley of Shittim” (Joel 3:18).

The cattle on the hills will have sufficient grazing and the pollen will be plentiful for the bees. It is interesting that Israel was encamped in the Valley of Shittim when the Almighty gave Balaam the vision to see the tents of Israel as He saw them planted in the land (Num.24:2-9; see Zech.14:8-11).

We have the figure of the Man, the Water Bearer, filled out in the three decans in the sign of Aquarius. The first decan is Pisces Australis (“the southern fish”). The brilliant star of the first magnitude is named Fom al Haut (Arabic), meaning, “the mouth of the fish.” As seen in the figure of the constellation, the fish is inseparable from the water pouring forth from the urn, from the Water Bearer holding the urn. It is one picture. The never ending stream of water is poured forth continually from the Water Bearer. The fish thirstily drinking while seeming to swim in the stream of water.

In the Dendorah Zodiac the bright star is Aar (“a stream”). The picture being of the future Kingdom Age, the redeemed of Jehovah will receive the water of eternal life poured forth. Hearing the true word of God, they will believe and seeing in the understanding, they will receive.

The second decan in the sign Aquarius is Pegasus (“the winged horse”). In this figure we see that the blessings of the living water need not be fetched from afar. The living water is brought to the thirsty souls.

In the Denderah Zodiac (one of the earliest) there are two explanatory characters directly below the horse, which are not seen in more modern planispheres. In the Egyptian hieroglyphics one is Pe, and the other, Ka. Peka or Pega in the Hebrew is “the chief,” and  Sus the word for “horse.” So the word Pegasus has been preserved in all languages as the name of this constellation.

The brightest star, located in the neck of the horse at the junction of the wing, is known by the ancient Hebrew name Markab (“returning from afar”). The star in the near shoulder is called Scheat (“who goes and returns”). The star in the tip of the wing bears the Arabic name Al Genib (“who carries”). The star in the nostril named Enif (Arabic) means “the water.” The star in the near leg is called Matar, (“who causes to overflow”).

Here is the key to the figure of a horse unknown to nature. The “horse with wings” is symbolic of “going and coming again quickly.” The “wings” symbolize “swiftness.” Jesus Himself said, “Behold, I am coming quickly” in reference to His second coming to earth (Rev.22:12).

Here then in this sign in figure is the Branch who is - and who came - and who went away. He has returned with the living water of eternal life for the redeemed of the Kingdom Age.

In the third decan of the sign Aquarius is Cygnus (“the swan”), another figure of Him who has come. In the figure of this swan we have pictured another creature not known to nature - a flying swan. Seen pictured, the mighty bird is in flight in mid heaven and coming to earth. The natural swan is a creature of water and earth but not so much of the air, though it has wings.

The brightest star between body and tail is called Deneb (“the Judge”). This star is also called Adige (“flying swiftly”). This star connects the One coming swiftly with the Judge of all the earth who only does right, and is come to judge the earth in righteousness and justice (Ps.72:1-19; 96:13; 98:9; Is.11:1-5; Ac.17:31).

The star in the beak is named Al Bireo (Arabic), meaning, “flying quickly.” The star in the body is called Sadr (Hebrew), meaning, “who returns as in a circle.” The two stars in the tail are named Azel (“who goes and returns quickly”), and Fafage (“gloriously shining forth”).

The names of the stars explain the constellations and the constellations explain the sign and the sign gives us the meaning of the figures and we see the Son of the Eternal Covenant and His work. In the Kingdom Age, the Man - the Son of the Covenant - God in eternal flesh and bone, the begotten Son of God out from the dead, brings the water of eternal life to the fishes and they drink and swim.

We are reminded of the great temple of that day, the house of the Prince described by Ezekiel. In chapter 47 Ezekiel describes being brought to the door of the house [the sanctuary], “and, behold, the waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward; for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar (of sacrifice)” (Ezek.47:1). The living water issued forth out of the sanctuary, the throne of Jehovah, to bring healing to mankind in the flesh with deceitful hearts and incurably sin-sick (v12).

Death is the cure for serving the sin of the deceitful heart to have one’s own will over the will of his Creator-Redeemer, which is lawlessness. Death puts an end to lawlessness. One must make an exodus out of the creation of the flesh of humanity and be born again of flesh and bone of eternal life to be made complete and whole.

Living water with seed for eternal life flows from the innermost being of Christ Jesus, the Word, God who became flesh, tabernacling among His own people. When the tabernacle of His flesh was pierced, blood, the evidence of death, and water, a symbol of the living water to flow out to the ends of the earth, flowed forth from His earthly tabernacle for the healing of man. An exodus out of the creation of flesh and blood was made and a new birth offered, a freedom from sin and death.

The man with the line showing Ezekiel the river of the sanctuary went forth eastward, measuring the waters, as the word of God flowed out from the throne of Jehovah. At first the water was ankle deep, then up to the knees and the loins. Afterwards the waters became a river one could not pass over.

Water is the element of fish. The fish were brought forth from the waters. They have their very being and way of life in water. They swim in it. They breathe in it. They were created so. In the beginning God created waters. In the waters He put seed to bring forth fishes of different species, each seed bringing forth after its kind. God reproduced bodies for fish through seed. Each species reproduced after the seed of its kind (Gen.1:20-23).

For man God formed a body of human flesh to reproduce after his kind, bodies of human flesh. Man, in the flesh of humanity, has his element in the lower atmosphere of the divided heavens and on the earth. Man breathes in oxygen for life for the body of human flesh. The life for the body of human flesh is in the blood (Gen.9:4; Lev.17:11, 14a; Deut.12:23). Man is given seed to reproduce after his kind.

God created man for a higher purpose than to come into being - to live so many years and die. God’s purpose is that each person born in human flesh be given the choice to be born again a son of God - to live forever with Him (Gen.1:26; Jn.1:12-13).

There is only one purpose for man to have being. That is to become a son of God through a new birth of seed of eternal life. Therefore God must have a seed of eternal life to reproduce after its kind - bodies of eternal life.

God began His first creation with one man of human flesh. He gave the male of His creation of human flesh to reproduce after his kind, males and females of human flesh. Man begins life in a body of human flesh, a mortal body which will die. God provided a way for the mortal body to be given eternal life and be born again to live forever.

Eternal life is in a seed. The Seed is the Word, who is God. God put Himself in a seed coat of human flesh to have a seed of eternal life to bring forth after its kind a body of eternal flesh and bone - an immortal, imperishable, deathless body.

Jesus Christ, the Word who is God, to have a seed of eternal life, became human flesh, and when He was about 30 years of age, He made Himself known to His own people.  He gave the invitation to come to Him and follow Him into His death to be made alive forever - born again. When Jesus had endured the cross, despising the shame, God raised up out from His dead mortal body, a body of eternal flesh and bone, a body after the life in the seed coat - His eternal life. Then God had seed of eternal life to reproduce after its kind (Jn.12:24).

Nature shows us that a new body of the same kind can be reproduced from a living part of a plant. In the living body of eternal flesh and bone raised up out from His dead seed, Jesus has an immortal deathless body, a forever living body. In that body of flesh and bone of eternal life God has living tissue as seed to raise up an immortal, imperishable body out from the dead mortal body of human flesh.

The Word, who is God, became flesh of human kind that He, as the Seed of eternal life, might bring eternal life down to man, and bring to man the light of the knowledge of man’s only hope of living forever (Jn.1:1-14; 11:25-26). “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn.3:16).

God gave the Son, raised up out from the dead seed coat of humanity. The seed, the living tissue of eternal flesh and bone, is in the body of the begotten Son. Each person born in the flesh of humanity has the choice to receive the seed of eternal life in the begotten Son. Eternal life is a Gift given in the begotten Son (see Rom.4:25-5:21). A gift must be freely received.

Christ Jesus took the likeness of sinful flesh, sin apart (Rom.8:3). He took a truly human body in the image of the earthly body of man that, through the Seed of the begotten Son of God, He might raise up a body of eternal flesh and bone out of the dead mortal body and have a son in His image. Whosoever will may receive the Gift of the seed of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

The seed of eternal life received in the body of human flesh will likewise raise up a body like unto Jesus’ body out from the dead mortal body of human flesh (Rom.8:9-11). God Himself provided a way to have sons of God - born sons. Death is man’s exodus out of a defiled creation of human flesh. The seed of eternal life is man’s entrance into the Kingdom of God’s sons, each one having received the seed of eternal life in God’s begotten Son.

When the seed germinates through faith and it is taken into the heart and Jesus Christ becomes one’s very life, God has a newborn son of God. When Christ Jesus comes to receive His own to Himself, each son will have a body like unto Jesus’ body of glory, a body of eternal flesh and bone, immortal and glorified, to put on and wear forever.

Old Testament saints who believed in the righteousness of God through faith in the coming Anointed Son and received the seed of eternal life in the begotten Son, and the Tribulation martyrs, will be given their glorified bodies in “The Resurrection of Life” (Rev.20:4-5). In the meantime their souls of spirit life are in Paradise, where their God is with them. The souls of the members of the Body of Christ, whose bodies gave up the life of the flesh and stopped breathing, are with their Lord, where each one is awaiting the new body of eternal flesh and bone (2 Cor.5:6-8).

In the Kingdom Age, both the gathering of His own Bride-Wife to Himself and the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and Tribulation martyrs, will have taken place. It is a new beginning. Israel will be regenerate, a nation born in a day. She will be the head nation to rule all nations. The fish seen in these signs, declaring the glory of the Covenant Son, represent the ethnic groups of mankind. They are generally recognized as Gentiles in our day.

As the living water of the word will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, we have a figure of the fish, the ethnic groups, being in a new element. They will be in God’s Kingdom of righteousness and peace. They will be drinking in the living water of the word of God. Each one hearing the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom.1:16). Each one taking the truth into his or her mind.

In the water of the word is the light of the knowledge of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God, the Word which became flesh that He might give eternal life to as many as believe and receive Him (see Jn.1:1-14; 2 Cor.4:6). The ones who believe the word of Christ Jesus and obey the truth will be born of the incorruptible Seed, the Word of God. The eternal life of Christ’s Seed is the power to raise up the mortal body of flesh out from the dead.

The born sons of God will grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ all down through the Kingdom Age. As they hear and read the word of God and take in the word of God to have understanding, they will meditate on Him who is the Bread of Life and exchange their way of living. No longer do they live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (see Mt.4:4). The born-again sons will not die. At the end of the 1,000 years they will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, mortality will be swallowed up in immortality, just as had been for the living members of the Body of Christ before them (see 1 Cor.15:49-57).

Having the eyes of their understanding enlightened to see in the very spirit of their understanding what the word is saying, there is a renewing of the mind, a change of thinking and a transformation of living. They begin to swim in the waters of the word. It becomes a way of life, their natural element. They live and move and have their very being in what they are seeing in the truth. There is a change in thought, word and deed.

They come to know:   God’s works - what He has done.

God’s ways - how He has done it.

God’s purpose - why He has done it.

God’s Person - who has done it.

                               The truth will free you to know the Son who will free you indeed.

If we really know Him and we believe that He knows better than we do what is good for us, there is no effort at all to delight to do His will. We count it all joy.

Connected with Aries, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, and with Pisces, with the fishes under the rule of Cepheus, the crowned King, and with Aquarius pouring forth the water necessary to fish life, is Capricorn (“the sea goat”), the tenth sign in “The Heavenly Revelation of the Son of the Eternal Covenant.” In the figure of this constellation is a goat with the tail of a fish.

In Old Testament Scriptures the goat was used as a sacrificial offering concerning sin, a sin offering (Num.7:16; Lev.4:22-24). The goat is an atoning sacrifice (Lev.16:5-10). In the sign Capricorn we have figured the Son of the Eternal Covenant as the atoning sacrifice to cover all fish born into the sea of humanity.

The goat is bowing its head and the right leg is folded underneath the body. Here is a figure of Jesus bowing to the will of God to become the Servant of God. He would take the likeness of mankind, represented in the fishes, and offer Himself as the sacrificial goat of atonement, that God might have man in His image (see Phil.2:5-8).

In the sign the fishes are of all ethnic groups of mankind in the sea of humanity. In the one offering of Himself in sacrifice, Jesus had all of the sins of mankind covered, through all ages (see Rom.2:22-26; Heb.10:1-14).

Capricornus is the Latin name of the sign and means “goat.” The Hebrew name of the sign is Gedi (“the kid” or “the kid cut off”). Its Arabic name is Al Gedi. The alpha star, located in the horn, is named Al Gedi (“the kid” or “goat”). The star in the fish’s tail is Deneb Al Gedi (“the sacrifice comes”).

Other star names in the sign make reference to the death of the sacrifice. They are: Dabih (Syriac) (“the sacrifice slain”). Al Dabik and Al Dehabeh (Arabic) have the same meaning, “the sacrifice slain.” Two other stars, Ma’asad (“the slaying”) and Naschira (“the record of the cutting off”), further emphasize the death of the goat.

There is One Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, who was crucified, lifted up between heaven and earth, to give mankind of human flesh a way to reconcile with God and become a born-again son of God (Rom.4:25-5:2; 1 Tim.2:3-6).

The Anointed Son of God’s Eternal Covenant is God, a fellow with God (Zech.13:7). He took a body of human flesh to be a fellow with man, that man might have the means of becoming the righteousness of God and be born in a forever living body in the likeness of Jesus’ body of glory and bear the image of God (Heb.2:9-18; Phil.3:21).

Becoming the righteousness of God to have the mortal body raised up out from the dead is - always has been - and will be in the Kingdom Age - through faith in the Anointed Son of God - Jesus. “Jesus” is “the Goat” of the sacrificial sacrifice for atonement.

In the Sea Goat we see the Propitiation set forth an atonement for sin, a covering over of sin until the Anointed Son would come in the flesh to lay down the life in the flesh and take it up again - immortal and incorruptible - a deathless body.

In the plan of God’s Eternal Covenant there are ages between the forming of the body of human flesh for the first Adam and His having given man seed to reproduce after his kind, and the preparing the body of the seed of the woman for the last Adam, the Son of the Eternal Covenant (see 1 Cor.15:35-50).

The life of the mortal body of each Adam is in the blood (Gen.9:4; Lev.17:11, 14a; Deut.12:23). A body reproduces after its kind. The life of the reproduced body is from the life of the preexisting body. The formed body for the first Adam is human flesh.

Adam’s body was given seed to reproduce mortal bodies of human flesh with the life in the blood, after his kind. Each body born of man’s seed is born of the flesh of humanity. Each body born of the flesh, male and female, is after Adam’s kind, human flesh. The body of flesh will die. Man needs a seed of eternal life, that he might be born again in a forever living body.

The body prepared for Jesus, the last Adam, was also mortal. The seed was living flesh of a woman after Adam’s kind, mortal, human flesh. The life of the woman’s body came from the life of Adam’s body, after his kind - the first creation of mankind.

In that body lived the Eternal God, who is life - life of spirit being - life in which death has no part (Jn.1:1-14). The body of human flesh was a seed coat. The Eternal God was the life of the seed. The spirit of eternal life would raise up a body after its kind - a body of eternal flesh and bone (see Lk.24:36-40; Jn.20:19-27).

The life of that body of eternal flesh and bone came from the preexisting life of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who is God. God then had a Son, begotten out from the dead, who could reproduce after His kind - bodies of eternal flesh and bone. Each body would come through the preexisting life of Jesus, who as the Eternal God is life (see Jn.5:21, 26; 11:25-26).

In this way God had a new creation of sons of God. The begotten Son, in His living body of eternal flesh and bone, would reproduce sons born of the eternal spirit of the life of the begotten Son. The eternal life of each body raised out from the dead would be of the preexisting life of the begotten Son. Each body reproduced after His kind - immortal, incorruptible, deathless - a forever living body.

The only way God could have man in His image made it imperative that God clothe Himself in a mortal body in the likeness of man, as a Seed, to reproduce after His kind (Jn.12:23-24). Then man could be given the choice of becoming a son of God - a new, righteous creation (Jn.1:12-13). Mankind could be born again simply by hearing the words of Jesus believing His Father, who sent Him, and receiving the seed of eternal life with power to raise up his mortal body out from the dead.

As Paul wrote to the Corinthian assembly, “All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” (2 Cor.5:18-19a).

In the sign Aries the emphasis is on the two bodies of the Propitiation set forth, the Lamb born to take away the sin of the world, and the Ram raised up, the begotten Son of God who gives eternal life to all who will believe God and receive the Gift of His Son begotten out from the dead.

In the sign of Capricorn the emphasis is on the Propitiation being the goat of the atonement. The goat of atonement is the means of God being justified to overlook sins done before the actual death and resurrection of the Covenant Son. Having set forth the goat of atonement in the redemption in the Son who is set forth as the Propitiation, God could forbear to carry out the consignment of the mortal body back to the dust of the ground from which it came. Anyone believing the righteousness of God is through faith in the Anointed Son in whom is the redemption, and seeing the Son as set forth for reconciliation with God, and coming to the Son to meet God and make peace with God, could be declared righteous through faith in the blood of the Anointed Son covering over his sins. The shed blood is the proof of the death of the One being sent as man’s substitute (Heb.2:9).

The believing one would be declared righteous through his faith in the coming Redeemer and his body sealed for the redemption in the Resurrection of Life. And God can declare His righteousness in passing over the sins done by the one He declares righteous through faith in the Anointed Son. God can declare Himself just in justifying the one having believed God and having, through faith, received the Propitiation set forth from eternity past (Rom.3:21-26).

The three decans in the sign of Capricorn bear out that which is pictured in the Sea Goat and the star names. The first decan is Sagitta (“the arrow”). The arrow is seen in flight in mid heaven, shot from an invisible hand. The “arrow” pictures “the purposed death” of the Propitiation set forth as the Goat of the atonement, a death foreordained before the foundation of the world. The Hebrew name of the arrow is Sham (“destroying” or “desolate”). The death of the Goat will be the destroying of the death of the mortal body and the consignment to the return to the dust of the ground will be desolated in the Resurrection of Life.

The second decan in the sign Capricorn is Acquila (“the eagle”). The eagle is seen as wounded and falling to the ground. The arrow, Sagitta, has found its mark. Again, the star names help give meaning to that pictured.

The alpha star, found in the neck of the eagle, is called Al Tair (Arabic) (“the wounding”). The star in the throat is called Al Shain (Arabic) (“the bright”) from a Hebrew root meaning, “scarlet colored.” The star in the eagle’s back is called Tarared ("the wounded” or “torn”). The star in the lower wing is named Alcair (“the piercing”).

The eagle as the sovereign of the heavens figures Christ Jesus as God, the Sovereign of His universe, willing to take the likeness of His creation of mankind, that He might ransom man from sin and redeem the mortal body (Mt.20:28; Mk.10:45; 1 Tim.2:4-6). The Sovereign of the universe was willing to die, that men in His creation might live forever.

On the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus had been raised up out from the dead, Peter stood in Jerusalem and accused the men of Israel of having taken Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified and slain by wicked hands (see Ac.2:22-36). They had crucified their Lord, their Master and the Anointed Son, their Messiah. Yet all was done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. God knowing that death could not hold on to that body in which was no sin (1 Jn.3:5).

Death had no claim to the mortal body of Jesus. The body was not of man’s seed. No consignment of death had been passed on that body. The body was prepared of the seed of a woman (see Gen.3:15; Is.7:14; 9:6-7; Mt.1:18-25; Lk.1:26-35). No sin had been done in that body (1 Pet.2:22; see Heb.9:11-28). Therefore there was no sentence of death of the mortal body of human flesh prepared for Jesus to be the seed for the body of eternal flesh and bone to be raised up out from the dead mortal seed coat. On the third day God raised Him up (see Jn.12:23-27; 1 Cor.15:3-4). That is the picture of the arrow and the eagle.

The third decan in the sign Capricorn is a beautiful constellation of a cluster of little stars known as Delphinus (“the dolphin”). In this figure we have pictured a fish full of life. The dolphin seems to be springing up out of the sea, head upright and the tail figured as the tail of the Sea Goat.

The Sea Goat has that purposed in His death. Here is His seed brought to life through the righteousness of the One in whom is the redemption. In Him the ransom of sin is paid. The ransom of sin is death of the mortal body. The ransom paid, the body is redeemed, bought by the precious blood of the Redeemer. The purchased body is sealed with the seed of eternal life to raise it up out from the dead. One day the body will spring up to eternal life, spring up out of the sea of humanity a body of eternal flesh and bone, immortal and glorified forever (1 Cor.15:35-50).

The ancient names connected with this constellation are Dalaph (Hebrew) (“pouring out of water”), Scalooin (Arabic) (“swift,” as the flow of water), and Rotaneh or Rotaneu (Syriac or Chaldee) (“swiftly running”).

The Goat of atonement must be set forth before the fullness of time, when the Son is sent forth, become of a woman, that God may pass over the sins of those who put faith in His blood; that is, put faith in Christ’s death to put away sin and give eternal life for the body (Gal.4:4; Rom.3:22-26).

The Goat of the atonement must, therefore, be sent forth in the word of God, which prophesied of the coming Anointed Son with redemption for life of the mortal body of human flesh to be raised up immortal, a body of eternal flesh and bone like Jesus’ body of glory.

The word of God is pictured in Scripture as living water. Living water is running water, water which is constantly moving to keep purified. There is no stagnation in running water and therefore no impurities to defile.

“The word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb.4:12).

In this way we see the connecting of the sign Aries with the sign of Capricorn, and the two signs of Pisces and Aquarius inclusive between them.

This concludes our lesson on the stellar signs of Aquarius and Capricorn. We will continue “The Kingdom Consummated” with the last two signs in “The Heavenly Revelation of the Son of the Eternal Covenant,” Sagittarius and Scorpio.