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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

ASTROLOGY

Pseudoscience dealing with the supposed influence of the heavenly bodies on human character and destiny. Astrological conclusions are based on the apparent movement of the sun and planets through the zodiac, an arbitrary division of the celestial sphere into 12 segments identified with 12 major constellations. As the sun travels in its path, called the ecliptic, it cuts across the zodiac at various points. The movement of the sun and the planets in relation to the zodiac provides astrologers with patterns or “aspects” from which their interpretative schemes are drawn.

The 12 segments of the zodiac are called “houses.” Constellations (e.g., Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius) associated with the respective houses are called “signs.” One’s date of birth determines the sign under which one is born. Using a rather elaborate procedure, an astrologer attempts to draw up a celestial map or “horoscope.” Horoscopes are based on the supposed fact that persons born under a given sign have certain characteristics in common. Positions of the various planets with reference to the signs, or positions of the sun and moon with reference to one another, are regarded as pointing to favorable or unfavorable conditions.

The earliest known account of the use of astrology comes from ancient Sumer, a region in the lower Euphrates River valley. The Sumerian Gudea cylinders contain an account of a dream of King Gudea in which the goddess Nidaba came to him holding a tablet inscribed with a map of the heavens. The dream indicated that it was a propitious time for Gudea to build the Eninnu temple.

Astrology flourished in ancient Babylon under the influence of priests. It was integrally linked with the serious study of celestial phenomena. The superstitious Babylonians were intensely concerned with omens, so it is understandable that they would attempt to find omens in the observable movements of the sun, moon, planets, and stars. To the best of our knowledge the Babylonians originated the zodiac. They also drew up a monthly calendar of days that were propitious and days on which activity should be reduced to a minimum for fear of incurring the anger of one or more deities. This monthly pattern then served for the rest of the year.

Babylonian influence in astronomy and astrology spread to Greece in the fourth century. The Greeks’ interest in science and their polytheistic religion, which allowed for the attribution of deity to heavenly bodies, undoubtedly inclined them to take up astrology and to develop it extensively.

The spread of Hellenistic culture brought the practice of astrology to Egypt, where it flourished for a long time. Herodotus, an early Greek historian, stated that the Egyptians were the first to use a person’s day of birth to predict character. Herodotus also wrote that the Egyptians kept careful records of unusual phenomena, which they used as a basis for predicting consequences that might follow similar phenomena in the future. The Egyptians contributed a number of refinements to the Greek astrological system, such as division of the sky into 36 sections, each with its own deity. They also divided the day into 24 hours.

The influence of Greek astrology was felt in the Roman world as well. A Roman astrologer named Nigidius, who was strongly influenced by Greek thought, made prognostications that show considerable subtlety—and also considerable vagueness. Not much is known about other Roman astrologers, although astrological belief played an important role in Roman life. A system of lucky and unlucky days was developed. The names of the days of the week were derived from the names of planets (which bore the names of gods). The practice of naming the days of the week for the planets probably goes back to the Hellenistic period. Roman contributions to the calendar system paved the way for an even more widespread use of astrology. For example, astrological computation was made easier for ordinary people by the adoption in 46 BC of the 365-day Julian calendar.

It is often alleged that references to astrological motifs occur in the Bible. The blessings pronounced by Jacob on his 12 sons, for example, have been associated by some with the signs of the zodiac. Apocalyptic imagery of a cosmic nature is frequently regarded as having astrological significance. All such interpretations are highly speculative.

Attempts to predict the future by appeal to false deities, mediums, or objects were forbidden in the OT. The reason was that such attempts ignored God as the true source of revelation. The future was foretold by persons, like Daniel, who could interpret dreams, but the Scriptures make clear that Daniel’s ability was given to him by God (Dn 2:17-23).

Specific reference to astrological prognostication is found in Isaiah 47:12-13 in an oracle dealing with the fall of Babylon. In that oracle the prophet Isaiah referred to a number of features that characterized that great empire. He spoke of enchantments practiced in Babylon. In an ironic tone he told the Babylonians to continue with their sorceries—they might bring success. He singled out the astrologers and referred specifically to the division of the heavens, evidently meaning the Babylonian division of the celestial sphere into segments (possibly the zodiac). He made reference as well to their custom of predicting the future at the time of each new moon. The point of the passage is that destruction will come to Babylon, and even its eminent astrologers will not be able to save it.

The prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites not to be dismayed by signs in the heavens (Jer 10:1-3). Those signs were evidently unusual celestial phenomena like eclipses, comets, and conjunctions of planets, all of which inspired dread in the hearts of most ancient people. The passage in Jeremiah indicates that it is wrong for God’s people to attribute mystical influence to such phenomena or to see in them portents of the future. Prognostication on the basis of such celestial phenomena was considered futile (Jer 10:3, KJB).

The book of Daniel refers to a group of soothsayers, frequently understood to be astrologers (Dn 2:27; 5:11). The meaning of the word, however, is uncertain. It is derived from an Aramaic root meaning “to cut” or “divide” and hence may be a reference to the Babylonian practice of dividing the heavens into zones. The fact that the group is mentioned along with various kinds of diviners makes it quite likely that they were astrologers. The passage in Daniel demonstrates that those who use various “mantic” arts to predict the future are ineffectual.

The magi, who figure prominently in the account of the birth of Christ (Mt 2:1-16), may have been astrologers, although the word “magi” has broader connotations. It is possible that an unusual conjunction of planets at the time of the infancy of Christ was interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of the Jewish king. The magi could have learned about Jewish messianic belief from the book of Daniel or from the many Jewish officials in the Persian Empire. A tradition may have arisen from Numbers 24:17 that a star would be associated with the birth of the messianic king. Any unusual stellar phenomenon in the western sky might have led the magi to follow it to Palestine. The biblical account definitely does not validate astrological principles.