Solar System Symbology
A number of brethren favor the thought that the star constellations of the heavens are arranged by divine providence to picture features of the Divine Plan. And there are scriptural references to the “Mazzaroth, ” the signs of the zodiac, and particular symbolic stars and star clusters. We cannot recount the evidence here, but many brethren have some familiarity with this subject. This leads to the natural question: do the planets also bear symbolic testimony to the Divine Plan? We have not heard much discussion on this, but the article following gives some suggestions. It is from a brother who has considered the question in some detail, building on a study of earlier date.
From time immemorial, mankind has been fascinated by the planets, the brightest objects in the sky next to the sun and moon. Their movements were particularly intriguing, since they did not follow the general rotation of the stars, but wandered along their own individual, sometimes erratic paths. For this reason they were looked upon with awe and reverence and given the name “planets,” which is Greek for “wanderers.” Five days of the week were named after them and a great body of superstition was formed around them. Some of this survives even today in astrology circles.
It appeals to us that the planets and other bodies of the solar system serve as remarkable object lessons of the main characters in the cast of what Bible students familiarly term “The Divine Plan of the Ages.” Such a conclusion, however, is not based upon astrological tradition or the literature of ancient mythology, which we believe is false and Satan-inspired. Rather, it is founded upon a scientific study of the physical characteristics of the heavenly bodies themselves.
As remarkable as it may be, the very heavens themselves seem to serve as a stage for presenting the highlights of the drama of the ages. The Bible instructs us regarding the various classes of people and the personalities involved; the heavenly objects seem to reflect such in their unique qualities and arrangement. In the study that follows, which is limited to our own solar system, the evidence is presented to show how such things as location, motion, appearance, temperature, and color combine to set forth a corroboration of the basic features of the divine plan and particularly the role of the principal characters therein.
This study was stimulated by an article by C. E. Stewart entitled, “The Glory of Jehovah In Our Solar System,” which appeared in the St. Paul Enterprise on November 19, 1915. It was also enriched in no small measure by this country’s recent spacecraft flights, with their spectacular photographs and wealth of new data and discoveries.
SOLAR SYSTEM SYMBOLOGY
A portrayal of the Chief Characters in the Divine Plan of the Ages
| HEAVENLY BODY | PHYSICAL TRAIT | OBJECT LESSON |
|---|---|---|
| SUN (Jesus) | (a) Inexhaustible energy source, golden color. | (a) Immortality, divine nature. |
| (b) Center of solar system. | (b) Jesus honored above all others; ransom the central doctrine (Eph. 1:20, Rom. 6:23). | |
| (c) Most brilliant object in sky. | (c) Jesus altogether lovely (Song. 5:16). | |
| (d) Rays of light vital to all life. | (d) Jesus the light of men and of the world (John 1:4,9, John 8:12). | |
| (e) Rays are warm and healing. | (e) Sun of Righteousness to arise with healing in his wings (Mal. 4:2). | |
| MERCURY (Great Company) | (a) In close proximity to sun, within 36 million miles. | (a) Great Company in position of favor while running for prize. |
| (b) Most eccentric planet, varying 33% in orbit. | (b) Great Company unstable and erratic, wandering from calling. Undependable, influenced by worldly goals; character not developed (1 Cor. 3:10-15). | |
| (c) Slow rotation causes high surface temperature on exposed side, extreme cold on dark side. | (c) Hot-cold, on-again-off-again nature of Great Company. | |
| (d) Name has basic meaning (apart from mythology) of “messenger, news carrier, guide.” | (d) To function as servant class “before the throne” (Rev. 7:13-17). | |
| VENUS (Church) | (a) Orbit is almost perfect circle. | (a) Perfection, faithfulness, consistency. |
| (b) Slightly yellow in hue. | (b) Reward of divine nature. | |
| (c) Most brilliant planet, 15 times brighter than Sirius (the brightest star). | (c) Church shines brightly in a dark world, reflecting light of Jesus (Phil. 2:15,16). | |
| (d) Closest planet to earth. | (d) Church as sympathetic priesthood to bless mankind. | |
| (e) Similar in size, mass, and density to earth. | (e) Trials of Church similar in some respects to common experiences of man (1 Cor. 10:13). | |
| (f) High surface temperature and pressure, 100 times earth. | (f) Thorough testing of Church through severe trials (1 Pet. 4:12,13). | |
| (g) Backward rotation. | (g) Christian viewed as fanatical and peculiar, or out of phase with world (Rom. 12:2). | |
| (h) Rotation slower than revolution about sun. | (h) Church more concerned with serving God and others than self (Prov. 23:26, Phil. 2:3,4). | |
| (i) Ashen light: mysterious luminosity on dark side. | (i) Shekinah light: God’s presence and favor (Exod. 25:22, 2 Cor. 6:16-18). | |
| EARTH | (a) Strikingly beautiful planet; abundant form, (Restored color, and variety; pleasant environment of Kingdom. Humanity) to support life. | (a) Humanity in perfection enjoying blessings |
| (b) Green color of foliage and trees. | (b) Everlasting life on earth to be reward of meek (Ps. 37:11,29). | |
| (c) Blue color of sky and ocean. | (c) Faithfulness of God and man (John 3:16, Ps. 72:11). | |
| (d) Brown color of earth’s soil and crust. | (d) Earthly promises connecting man to planet earth. | |
| MARS | (a) Red/orange dominating color. | (a) Slaughter of war: courage and exploits of God’s heroes in ancient times (Heb. 11). Ashes of Red Heifer sprinkling the unclean: lessons for mankind. |
| (b) Rugged surface features, including mountains, volcanoes, and canyons. | (b) Dependability and endurance of Ancient Worthies. | |
| (c) Planet is earth’s second closest neighbor. | (c) Next in honor to Bride (Venus) Class in uplifting humanity as Princes in all the earth. | |
| (d) Thin atmosphere permits good observation. | (d) History of Ancient Worthies spread out clearly before us. | |
| ASTEROIDS OR MINOR PLANETS (Holy Angels) | (a) Divisible into classes, by surface composition. | (a) Various orders of angels: messengers, seraphim, cherubim. |
| (b) Large number of bodies, almost numberless. | (b) Vast multitude of angels (Rev. 5:11). | |
| (c) Moving about silently, mostly unnoticed. | (c) Spirit beings normally invisible to human eyes. | |
| (d) A few asteroids follow widely wandering paths. | (d) Special assignments take angels to far-flung places. | |
| JUPITER (Fallen Humanity) | (a) Sixth planet out from sun (counting asteroid belt). | (a) A symbol of imperfection – fallen humanity. |
| (b) Rapid rotation in less than 10 hours. | (b) Boastful, proud, calling attention to self (2 Tim. 3:2). | |
| (c) Gases brilliant and rich in color, almost psychedelic. | (c) Vain goals and attractions of life that appear so desirable but burst as bubbles (1 Tim. 6:9). | |
| (d) Cloud belts turbulent and stormy. | (d) Restless, moody, argumentative temperament of fallen man. | |
| (e) Complicated, chaotic pattern of motions within belts. | (e) Confused, angry nations of world; disorder and anarchy evident (Ps. 46:2,3,6). | |
| (f) Large number of moons circling about the planet (16 or more). | (f) Fallen angels sentenced to darkness and restraint, in close proximity to fallen humanity (2 Pet. 2:4, Jude 6). | |
| SATURN (Satan and Systems of Error) | (a) One of the most beautiful and impressive of all planets. | (a) Lucifer (“day star,” “light-bearer”) originally created perfect in beauty, marked by wisdom and brightness (Ezek. 28:12,15,17). |
| (b) Yellow in equatorial regions, green in polar. | (b) Yellow or gold symbolizing Satan’s attempt to appear as divine; green, his bold lie, “Thou shalt not surely die” (John 8:44). | |
| (c) Differential wind speeds mask circulation pattern in equatorial region. | (c) Deception the key method chosen by Satan to spread his influence (Rev. 12:9). | |
| (d) Most regular and organized magnetic field pattern of all the planets. | (d) Vast army of degraded order of angels under Satan’s control. | |
| (e) Vast number of moons in orbit about planet (at least 15). | (e) Vast organization of fallen spirits marshalled to do Satan’s bidding. | |
| (f) Intricate ring system composed of three main sections: outer “A,” brighter “B.” and inner faint crepe “C.” | (f) World system of error composed of “beast” (antichrist), “dragon” (civil powers), and “false prophet” (daughter systems) (Rev. 16:13). | |
| (g) Some fainter rings recently discovered seem controlled by “shepherd moons.” | (g) Worldly systems of error are under control of demonic forces (Rev. 16:14). | |
| (h) Rings appear beautiful and impressive, reaching out nearly 100,000 miles in diameter, yet if compressed, yield one tiny body. | (h) Satan’s systems of error appear impressive on worldwide scale but will collapse in due time (Isa. 14:12-20, Rev. 20:10,14). |
COMPARATIVE SIZES OF THE PLANETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
