Just before dawn on Jan. 7, the planets Mars and Jupiter will join together to send a spectacular message.
To the ancients, the sun, moon and the five visible planets of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn were known as the seven moving stars or seven planets. The seven planets gave their names to the days of the week, Sunday (Sun) and Monday (Moon), the next four days named after Germanic equivalents to the Latin names: Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter) and Friday (Venus), with the seventh day retaining its Latin root, Saturday (Saturn).
We know from Scripture that the sun pictures Christ as He runs His course through the way in the heavens (Ps. 19:4-5), or the 12 constellations of the zodiac that tell His story. The moon, representing the believers (Ps. 89:37), and the five visible planets travel among the same pathway, acting as markers to highlight particular parts of the story as they move through. The red planet Mars emphasizes the blood of Jesus; the planet Mercury, the morning star laid low (Isa. 14:12), represents Satan; Jupiter, with its red spot looking like the wound of Christ’s side, represents Jesus the suffering Savior; Venus, the bright morning star (Rev. 22:16), named for the pagan mother of the seed of woman, represents Christ the seed of woman; and Saturn, with its crown-like ring, represents Christ the ruler. The interaction of the seven planets along the path of the zodiac is part of the way that “the heavens declare the glory of God” and “Pour fourth speech” (Ps. 19:1-4). For more information get a free download of our book The Stars of His Coming at this link.
So, 45 minutes before dawn on Jan. 7, the planets Mars (the blood of Jesus) and Jupiter (the suffering Savior) will come together in a rare conjunction where they will be less than half the width of the moon apart. This conjunction will take place in the constellation Libra, which pictures a pair of scales and represents the religious system before the cross, where animals were sacrificed to satisfy the guilt of men. In fact, the conjunction is between the two bright stars of Libra, zuben a genabi (“the price which is deficient”) and zuben al chemali (“the price which covers”).
The conjunction tells us that there is a choice to be made. You may rely on your own righteousness or even follow a sacrificial religion, but it will not be enough to pay for your sins and the price will be deficient. Or you may rely on the blood of Jesus, symbolized by Mars and the sacrifice of the suffering Savior, represented by Jupiter, who has paid the price which covers. Follow Jesus and choose life.
If you are up early on Jan. 7, enjoy the spectacular conjunction and thank God you are covered by the blood of the suffering Savior. And tell a friend to rely on the price that covers, not the price which is deficient, and join you in choosing life. {eoa}
Ron Allen is a Christian businessman, CPA and author who serves in local, national and international ministries, spreading a message of reconciliation to God, to men and between believers. He is founder of the International Star Bible Society, telling how the heavens declare the glory of God; the Emancipation Network, which helps people escape from financial bondage; and co-founder with his wife, Pat, of Corporate Prayer Resources, dedicated to helping intercessors.
