Me – Aries: The Ram Chapter Four: The Return With His Church

Aries: The Ram
Chapter Four: The Return With His Church

This second book began with the goat dying in sacrifice and it ends with the ram living again. The goat had the tail of a fish, indicating that His death was for a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7:9). The two middle signs presented the Church in grace and conflict. We now come to the last chapter of the book, and, as we have seen in the other books, it ends up in triumph for our great God. It is pictured by a ram, full of vigor and life, not falling in death like Aquila (the eagle) in Capricorn, but coming to judge and make war. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy in book one.

The Hebrew name for this constellation is Taleh, the ram. The ancient Akkadian name was Bara-ziggar. Bar means altar, or sacrifice, and ziggar means right making. So the full name would be the sacrifice of righteousness. There are 66 stars in this sign, one being of the second magnitude and two of the fourth. The brightest star alpha(in the forehead), is named El Nath,or El Natik, which means wounded or slain. The next, beta (in the left horn) is called Al Sheratan, the bruised, the wounded.

1. Cassiopeia (The Woman on a Throne): In the last chapter we saw the woman bound; here we see the woman freed, delivered and seated on a throne. Its Arabic name is El Seder, which means the freed. In the Egyptian zodiac her name is Set, or set up as Queen. In ancient times it was called the daughter of splendor. This appears to be the meaning of the word Cassiopeia, the beautiful one on a throne. The Arabic name is Ruchba, on a throne. This is also the meaning of its Chaldean name, Dat al cursa. There are 55 stars in this constellation, of which five are of the third magnitude, and five of the fourth. This brilliant constellation contains one binary star, a triple star, a double star, a quadruple star, and a large number of clouds. The brightest star, alpha(in the left breast), is named Schedir (Hebrew), which means the freed. The next brightest star beta (in the top of the chair), also bears a Hebrew name, Caph, which means the branch. It is evidently given because of the branch of victory that she bears in her hand.

She is lifted up high and making herself ready. Her hands are no longer chained. With her right hand she arranges her robes, while with her left hand she adorns her hair. She is seated beside Cepheus, the King, for His bride has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7b). The bride has made herself ready in the power of God, by the grace of God, through the work of the Spirit of God. Purged from all sin and impurity (First Corinthians 3:12-15), she is a flawless, blameless, unblemished virgin.⁸³⁶ When times are tough in our lives, we need to remember this is the ultimate spiritual reality for every believer.

She is in heaven during the Great Tribulation and she accompanies the Lord as He returns after the time of trouble for Jacob (Jeremiah 30:7) has ended. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations (see the commentary on Revelation Ew – He is Dressed in a Robe Dripped in Blood). Therefore, at the end of the Great Tribulation, the destruction of the enemy is in view and this is what we see in the next section.

2. Cetus (The Sea Monster): When Yeshua Messiah returns with His Church, Satan will be thrown into the Abyss during the Messianic Kingdom. Isaiah first wrote: In that day, the Lord will punish with His sword, his fierce, great and powerful sword, Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; He will slay the monster of the sea (Isaiah 27:1). Then through progressive revelation, the apostle John gave this scene more detail when he wrote: And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended (Revelation 20:1-3).

This picture is that of the great sea monster, the largest of all the constellations. It is the natural enemy of the fishes. That is why he is seen here in connection with this last chapter where fishes are so prominent. It is situated very low down among the constellations, far away to the South in the lower regions of the sky.

It consists of 97 stars, of which two are of the second magnitude, eight of the third and nine of the fourth. The names of the stars tell us the meaning of the picture. The brightest star (in the upper jaw), is named Menkar, and means the bound or chained enemy. The next, beta (in the tail), is called Diphda, or Deneb Kaitos, overthrown, or thrust down. The star omicron (in the neck) is named Mira, which means the rebel. Its name is ominous, for it is a most remarkable star. It is very bright, but it was not until 1596 that it was discovered to be variable, meaning that it shines very brightly for about two weeks, shines for about a year, and then disappears entirely to the naked eye for some time. It passes through several degrees magnitude, both increasing and decreasing. In fact, it varies to such a great degree that it appears unsteady. This points to Satan because he was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44b), but this second book ends by revealing the one who breaks.

3. Perseus (One Who Breaks): Each chapter ends in glory and here we see a great man, called Peretz in the Hebrew, from which we get the Greek form Perseus, or one who breaks. It is the same word which is used of Christ in Micah 2:13. He holds a raised sword in His right hand, and the head of His enemy who He has beheaded with His left. He has wings on His feet that tell us that He is coming swiftly. It is a beautiful constellation of 59 stars, two of which are of the second magnitude, four of the third and twelve of the fourth. Their names supply us with the key to understanding the picture. The star alpha (in the waist) is called Mirfak, who helps. The next star gamma (in the right shoulder), is named Al Genib, which means who carries away. The brightest star in the left foot is called Athik, who breaks.

In His left hand He carries a head, which the Greeks have mistakenly called Medusa. They were unaware that its Hebrew root meant the trodden under foot. It is also called Rosh Satan (Hebrew), the head of the adversary, and Al Ghoul (Arabic), the evil spirit. The bright star beta (in the head) comes down to us with the name Al Gol, which means rolling around, but not only that, this is another variable star. It is remarkable that so many of these enemies should be characterized by variable stars. But Rosh Satan, like the neck of Cetus, has one. Al Gol is continually changing. In about three days it changes from the fourth magnitude to the second. It goes back and forth. This is a fitting picture of Satan who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (First Peter 5:8). He changed himself into a clever serpent in 3:1-5, then changed again into an angel of light in Second Corinthians 11:14; Rosh Satan changes continually because he is the thief, who comes only to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a).

But his time will not last forever. There will be a time in the future when God will say: I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob. I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like the sheep of Bozrah (NKJ), like a flock in its pasture, the place will throng with people. One who breaks open the way will go up before them, ADONAI at their head (Micah 2:12-13). Just as ADONAI went before Israel as the Angel of the LORD in a pillar of cloud at the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 13:21), He will break open the way to salvation for Isra’el at Bozrah once He is invited back.⁸³⁷ We all look forward to that day.