The Christian's View Of Astrology

Today, we are going to discuss a topic that is amazingly popular in our modern society - Astrology. It is an important topic because of the large number of people who are involved in its practice and the serious attention which it is given in the Bible.

Let’s first discuss the nature of Astrology.

The Nature of Astrology.

Astrology is the the study of the positions of the Sun, Moon, and other planets in the belief that their motions directly and powerfully influence human beings and their lives and all other earthly events.

The main tool astrologers use for interpreting the influence of heavenly bodies on our lives is the astrological chart, called a natal [birth] horoscope. This chart calculates the exact position of the Sun, Moon and planets at the moment of birth, usually from the baby’s first breath. According to astrologers, the exact position of the heavenly bodies send forth a unique, magical power that permanently “stamps” the newborn child. That celestial “stamp” determines the child’s future character and ultimately their destiny.

In addition to the birth horoscope, astrologers use “secondary” charts. Because the Sun, Moon and planets are always in motion, it is necessary to have new charts made to determine their current influence on us. The information received from these secondary charts supposedly helps the person to make decisions in such areas of life as love and relationships, family, financial matters, occupation, etc. This additional information supposedly reveals to us how we are likely to act and choose at any given time.

Since we can predict where the heavenly bodies will be positioned in the future (by calculating their orbits), astrologers claim they can predict the future for any person. They can predict if we will have a good day or a bad day, a good week or a bad week, a good year or a bad year for any area of life we may consider. If a person makes decisions in their day to day lives based upon their chart, they can find greater happiness and success.

The Popularity of Astrology.

Some of us may scoff at the whole idea of Astrology but statistics tell us that there are ten million devoted followers of Astrology in the United States, and there are another 40 million who dabble in it. Astrological columns or horoscopes can be found in more than 1,200 newspapers in North America and in numerous magazines. A survey of 2,000 adults, conducted by the Public Opinion Laboratory of Northern Illinois University, found that two-thirds were regular or occasional readers of horoscopes. Four out of every five teens have read their horoscope. While most teens are not convinced that horoscopes are always accurate, more than one-quarter believe they are always or usually true.

Most shocking is that one Gallup poll indicated that at least 10 percent of evangelical Christians also believe in astrology to some degree. Many professed Christians read their horoscope in the newspaper or magazines.

Astrology Is Sin.

Astrology is an abomination to God. It is very important for us to understand that Astrology is sinful in two primary ways -

1. Astrology Is Divination.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12, "When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord.”

God specifically told the Israelites that they were not to adopt the practices of the ungodly nations around them. Even though Astrology is not specifically named in this passage, it is included under the terms “divination” and “interpreting omens.”

Astrology is a form of divination. Divination is trying to acquire secret information or discovering the unknown or attempting to foretell the future through sources other than the Word of God. Astrology is also ‘interpreting omens’ which means to discover information and foretell the future through interpreting supposed patterns found in nature; such as, cloud formations, the flight of birds, the condition of a lamb’s liver, the lines on one’s palm, the positions of the heavenly bodies, the posture of tea leaves at the bottom of a cup, the lay-out of tarot cards, etc.

God does not want us to seek special knowledge and guidance outside of what He has revealed in His Word. Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”

Whatever information about our lives and futures God has not felt inclined to reveal to us in His Word, they are to remain secret. The things that God has already revealed to us, in His Word, is sufficient to provide us with enough guidance to secure happiness and success in this life and the life to come.