Before Genesis was written by Moses, the ancient world knew that a Divine purpose began with `The Virgin'

and ended with `The Lion', and that the enemy throughout `was that old Serpent'; to which the subsequent

revelation adds `which is the Devil and Satan'. Consequently, Job, Moses and the Patriarchs who knew the ancient

testimony of the stars, would have found no difficulty in the sudden introduction of the `Serpent' in Genesis 3. Job

speaks of the `Serpent' and uses the same word, nachash, that is employed in Genesis 3. `His hand hath formed the

crooked serpent' (26:13). In both Job 26 and Isaiah 27 the `crooked' and the `piercing' serpent speak of the serpent

`fleeing as a fugitive' as the word bariach signifies. Although Moses was acquainted with the Zodiac both in the

Egyptian presentation and the purer references found in Job, he has little to say about the stars when he comes to

write the book of Genesis. He tells us that the `lights' that were placed in the firmament were `for signs and for

seasons' as well as `for days and years' (Gen. 1:14), but instead of emphasizing the witness of the stars, all that is

said in Genesis 1 is `He made the stars also'. The only other allusion to the signs of the Zodiac is found in the

record of Joseph's dream, where the eleven stars make obeisance to the star of Joseph. The reason for this reticence

is

far

to

Divine

of

to

the destructive purposes of idolatry. Astrologers and star-gazers and monthly prognosticators (Isa. 47:13), were

employed in the propagation of evil, and it would have been fatal to have endorsed such a system in the Scriptures

being prepared for the newly-formed and separate nation of Israel.

Some of the ancient names of the stars and constellations are preserved in the book of Job. In chapter 9:9 we

read of Arcturus, Orion, Pleiades and the chambers of the south; and in chapter 38:31,32 Pleiades, Orion and

Mazzaroth are named; Mazzaroth, the margin informs us, refers to `the twelve signs'. In chapter 26:13 there is a

reference to the `crooked serpent' in connection with `garnishing the heavens' and the word translated `formed' in

the sentence `His hand hath formed the crooked serpent', Dr. Bullinger translates `coiled' among the stars of heaven.

The twelve signs of the Zodiac are the same in number and meaning in all the ancient nations of the world. From

the treasures of wisdom that were at Moses' disposal during his forty years in Midian, supplementing what

knowledge of the Zodiac his Egyptian training would already have provided, he would gather a fairly

comprehensive idea of the purpose of the ages, as understood by the Patriarchs and men before the flood. He would

not fail to observe that the Zodiacal constellation Virgo `The Virgin', with its star Al Zimach `The Branch' (Hebrew

Tsemach), was in line with the promise of Genesis 3:15, neither would he fail to see the references to this conflict in

the sign of Scorpio, and in the constellation of Hydra `The Serpent'. The sign known as Sagittarius, shadows forth

the two natures in the Redeemer, and many other indications of the work of the Redeemer would be evident to one

who could interpret the meaning of the ancient star names. We are sure there was much material both in the wisdom

of

in

of

to

of

forty years' discipline in Midian. Today, without the preparation that the book of Job presents, many readers who

meet with the opening declaration of the book of Genesis, refuse to believe it. It comes without any accompanying

evidence or recommendation. It makes demands which the man of science and the philosopher are not prepared to

meet. But if these men of science had sat with Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the

Naamathite, their pride would have collapsed at the revelation of the Almighty that silenced Job and his three

friends, and it would have given them the necessary state of heart and mind to receive the Divine revelation. With

or without the book of Job, some such prelude seems necessary, and it is a joy to discover in this ancient book a

Divinely appointed link that carries over the remnants of earlier revelation, purifies them by inspiration and sets

them down in black and white that all who will may read. Instead therefore of looking upon Genesis 1 and 2 as the

earliest known record, we should look upon the book of Job as the first inspired book given by God to man, which

we believe enlightened and encouraged Moses; a book that would have enabled the children of Israel to accept

without further sign from heaven the five books of Moses, a book that was intended to canvass the whole problem of

the ages, and prepare the mind for the more systematic opening up of that problem from Adam to Christ.

Across the whole Bible as a background to the purpose of the ages can be written the words of the parable `An

enemy hath done this'; and not until this enemy is destroyed can the goal of the ages be attained. Job and his friends

make further reference to the facts recorded in Genesis 3 many times bewailing the state of man who is `born of a

woman'. They cannot see how such can be `clean' (15:14; 25:4), and say that `Man that is born of a woman is of

few days, and full of trouble' (14:1). In this there is no uncharitable or unchivalrous reference to any particular