Welcome to a firm foundation presented by Princeton Ministries with Dr. Ken Smith. This is Carol Smith, Ken’s wife. Please enjoy.

Before I read the scripture this morning, usually, as is the custom and practice at Princeton Presbyterian Church, we will read a portion of scripture and that then becomes the basis for the sermon this morning. 

The scripture, which is taken from Isaiah, chapter 47, verses ten through 15, is a portion of scripture that introduces to us a topic. The topic is that of astrology. Those who would say that they are able to tell the future by looking to the skies. The sermon will attempt to take a number of portions of scripture that talk about this subject and also to focus on many areas that are coming to light over the past years that have been done in the scientific community in looking at the field of astrology.

And the reason that I am departing in this way is because the topic of astrology is growing with increasing interest on the part of our culture. And if were to wait to talk on this topic until some verse in scripture talked about it will be a very long time before we ever talk about that topic. 

And I feel as christians, it is very important that much of the material that I’ll be addressing this morning is in your hands and that you be thinking and have an understanding about something that every one of us, on a day to day basis comes face to face with. I asked in the Sunday school class this morning, is there anyone here who does not know their astrological sign? There was a baby who couldn’t raise his hand.

Everyone knows their sign, and everyone finds themselves in settings where someone is talking about a horoscope or a reading or what do you think? So I hope that as we look together at this topic, that this will be very helpful to you as you leave from this place and go and spend time with a world that is increasingly being covered in the darkness of the occult. From Isaiah, chapter 47, verse ten. For you have trusted in your wickedness. You have said, no one sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you. And you have said in your heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me. 

Therefore, evil shall come upon you. You shall not know from where it arises, and trouble shall fall upon you. You will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know. Stand now with your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries in which you have labored from your youth. Perhaps you will be able to profit. Perhaps you will prevail. You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels let now the astrologers, the stargazers and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from these things that shall come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble. The fire shall burn them. They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, nor a fire to sit before. Thus shall they be to you with whom you have labored, your merchants from your youth. They shall wander, each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.

Our God and our father, we ask, as we consider the stars, that you would help us to have a christian understanding of that which is above us to the end, that Jesus Christ, the bright and the morning star would be glorified. For we pray in his name. Amen. The world of astrology is a dark and mysterious world. It’s covered in the shadows of the zodiac. There are mysterious circular marks and angular lines that are used by these prognosticators who would tell you of your future in the darkness of astrological readings. And in the midst of that mystery, the phases of the moon become important. The placement of the sun, the constellations become increasingly vital for a person to understand the forces of the sky upon their life.

Now, astrologers say that it is increasingly important for a person to understand under what sign they were born, the particular events that were in the celestial clouds, so that you might be more complete in understanding yourself and your personality. I think it’s very important for these high priests of astrology to maintain darkness and mystery to their ancient art, lest light should flood in upon that darkness. And the scripture has a great deal to say about astrology, and particularly the word divination. Divination is used in the scripture for any procedure that a person would use, whether it is the sectioning of an orange, the looking at a dead bird, or gazing at the skies, in sectioning any part of creation and dividing it so that you might be able to know the future. Scripture speaks a great deal about divination, the occult, the stargazers.

Now, over the past years, astrology has gained great interest. 35 years ago, there were only 100 newspapers in the United States that published a daily horoscope. Today, out of some 1750 daily newspapers, 1200 of them have a daily horoscope. I went to several bookstores to find an astrological section of commercial bookstores. You’ll find titles by the scores. You’ll find astrology for every day astrology made practical. Astrology answers your questions. Your baby’s first horoscope. Astrological guide for cooking in a class all by itself. Astrology for your dog. Astrology and the gambler and the racetrack sold over 100,000 copies. In the US today, there are some 10,000 plus full time astrologers. In addition to those who make their full employment through astrology, there are some hundred and 75,000 part time astrologers. Astrology comes from two Greek words, Astra and logos. Astra meaning star, logos word.

And so astrology means the word of the stars. Now the question very quickly, why is there such an interest now in astrology? You see, astrology comes and goes like waves at the beach. Sometimes it’s in and sometimes it’s out. We are living at a time where it is very chic and very much in to know your astrological charts. Well, I think there are a number of reasons. Briefly, one of them is that scripture tells us that men’s hearts are failing them for fear. And that when there comes a time in the course of a nation where there is great anxiety about the future, about finances, economics, family health, there seems to be a corresponding interest in the part of a nation in the occult. This was found during World War II. We usually don’t think of the English as being particularly superstitious.

However, during World War II, one out of three Englishmen after the war said that they did carry a good luck charm, that they never would have left home. During the course of the war. Those same Englishmen during World War II said that they read their daily horoscopes. Three out of four would read every day their horoscope. During World War II, also. They found that during World War II, one out of two Englishmen consulted an astrologer or a medium to understand their future. Now, as soon as the fears are removed from a nation, then astrology is discredited. There’s another reason which I think for christians ought to be far more of concern, and that is that the church has not taken any stand or given any teaching on the field of astrology and the occult, and that it is seldom ever mentioned, let alone investigated.

As to how, as a Christian, should I understand this topic? One of the prominent astrologers named Constella says many of astrology’s converts are refugees from religion. Well, in the next few minutes, I would like first, for us to look at what the Bible says about astrology. Secondly, how accurate are these readings? And third, what has science uncovered about astrology? Well, what does the Bible say? Well, we find again and again that God’s people are warned against any involvement in divination, to remain as far away from any involvement in the occult, especially in astrology. In the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses ten through twelve, we read, there shall not be found among you those who practice witchcraft, soothsayers, one who interprets omens, sorcerers, mediums, spiritists. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.

Isaiah spoke about God’s judgment on all of those who are involved in forms of divination. He said, let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save you from the things that shall come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble. The fire shall burn them. King Josiah in two kings, chapter 23, verse five, initiated a reformation. Once he discovered the Old Testament and those scriptures were read to the people, Josiah initiated a reformation, and he said that all should be burned and all who burn incense to the sun, to the moon, to the planets, to the host of heaven, all of these were to be deposed. And part of the reformation that occurred in Josiah’s reign was the removal of this pagan practice of understanding the future by gazing to the skies.

Jeremiah, chapter ten, verses two through five, gives an interesting perspective for a Christian on those who are involved in astrology. He simply says, do not be afraid of any omens, curses, spells or incantations. Have you ever been frightened because someone said to you what your astrological reading was? Or that they had a word from a wizard about what will happen to you? Or if you don’t send this chain letter along, your house is going to burn down? Did it ever occur to you that you might be frightened at that moment? Jeremiah says, don’t be afraid of these false curses and incantations. As we look at the book of Daniel, it was filled with a court of astrologers who the king called to see if they could interpret dreams and give insight. It’s interesting that never were the astrologers able to predict the future.

As a matter of fact, Daniel seems to speak about these astrologers as though they are involved in some type of futile incantation. And when they’re asked to decipher a dream without knowing what the dream is, they simply say, that’s impossible. Who can do that? Daniel says, the God of heaven can do that. And so the astrologers, as we look in scripture, were incredibly inaccurate, and by prophets of the Lord, they were looked at as foolishness, as darkness, as ignorant. Not only does the Bible condemn those who would seek to learn their future through astrology, but it also seems to belittle those who think that in some way their future is related to the stars. Which raises the question, how accurate are the astrologists today? It is true that Gene Dixon predicted the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

It’s also true that Maurice Woodruff claims that he predicted the election of Richard Nixon. It is also true that Jean Dixon does not and is very cautious about the predictions that she writes that are going to come true in the future. As a matter of fact, over the years, Jean Dixon uses a personal friend who she tells the predictions to if those predictions come true, it is that friend or a series of friends who comes forward and says, yes, she made that prediction to me. And the reason for that is that on many occasions, Jean Dixon has made predictions that have been grossly in error. For example, in 1965, she wrote five predictions for that year. One of them was that the Vietnam War would end. None of those five occurred, and they were in writing.

And suddenly it was being brought to her attention. In October of 1968, on the 20th day of that month, Jean Dixon said, I stand on my New Year’s prediction and see no marriage for Jackie Kennedy in the near future. On that same day, in the same newspapers across the country, were pictures of Jackie Kennedy announcing her marriage to Aristotle Onassis. And Jean Dixon was very busy on that day trying to get to as many newspapers as possible to withdraw her article for that day. In April of 1969, she predicted that half of California would slip into the ocean. It’s interesting that governor, then Governor Reagan had planned a vacation during that month, and he had to give a news release because all of California was aware of Jean Dixon’s prediction. Well, where did Jean Dixon receive her gift of prophecy?

There is a book written entitled the gift of Prophecy. She says, back in 1952, I had a vision of a serpent slithering into my bedroom and promising me, quote, all wisdom of the ages if I’d only follow him. Well, back in 1952, someone asked her, who do you think the serpent was? She said, why, that was Jesus. And they asked her, are you not familiar with the opening chapters of Genesis, where the serpent is Satan? And she was unaware. And after putting that into print, she then very quickly removed that so that you have to look at older copies of those books to find her interpretation of what had happened on an evening in 1952. And yet I cut out from this morning’s newspaper horoscopes by Jean Dixon, and they are to be found in literally hundreds of our newspapers.

Well, how accurate are these prognosticators? I have for the past six or seven years, been keeping a record of the astrological fortune tellers and what they predict for the coming year. And at the end of the year, rather than look to see what they predict for the coming year, I simply look back from what they had said the year before to see how accurate they have been. And over these past six years, they are less than 1% accurate. And that is giving them the benefit of the doubt. There was one that I read recently, and I wonder how accurate this is. Neptune and Saturn say that time spent today with family will be profitable. Rest will bring renewed vigour for the coming week. For how many of you would that be an accurate prediction of the activities for today? Would you raise your hand?

The fortune teller was Ken Smith. It’s interesting that as we look at the accuracy rate of these astrologers, that we seem to forget what about last year and the year before? The scripture in deuteronomy, chapter 18 says that if anyone is God’s prophet and they would make a forecast about the future, that their accuracy rate must be 100%. Well, what does science say about astrology? Those who have looked with no bias, just simply to understand, is astrology truthful? Is there a mechanism at work here that we need to investigate? Well, perhaps one of the most thorough projects done on astrology was done by a Frenchman named Michael Guaguelin.

And he examined the birth records of some 25,000 celebrities, doctors, artists, military people, athletes, believing that if he knew when they were born the placement of the stars, that he would be able to prove that there was a relationship between various occupations and personality types that would be drawn to those occupations and the stars. And having completed that most exhaustive study, his conclusion was that he could find no relationship between a particular zodiac sign and any qualities of personality. During World War II, Adolf Hitler made use of astrologers, and a person who followed very closely the predictions made by those astrologers, concluded that not one of the inputs by those soothsayers of the skies was ever accurate.

And by the end of World War II, Adolf Hitler would place all of his stargazers in a concentration camp, declaring that there had come no truth from them. In 1949, the German Astronomical Society said bluntly, whatever hides behind the title of astrology is nothing more than a mixture of superstition, duplicity and business. An american commission under the chairmanship of an astronomer from Harvard concluded, and I quote, not a single one of the influences attributed to the stars by so called serious astrologers can be demonstrated. The same was found in a commission done in Belgium. In America, Society for Psychological Research said, there is no evidence that astrology has any value whatever in revealing the past, the present or the future fate of any human being. We might ask the question then, where did astrology come from?

And as you read, it is interesting to find that there are several theories about the beginning of astrology. One of the most common is that it began in Babylon and Mesopotamia through pagan religions, as they looked to the skies and created the houses of the zodiac. But there is also another theory that many christians have supported, and that is that the beginning of astrology did not start for the purpose of forecasting the future, but rather that the beginning of astrology, some believe, began as the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel took to themselves reminders in the skies of God’s faithfulness to them. And so the tribe of Dan would take to themselves the sign of a scorpion, and Zebulun would take another sign.

And as they go and they look at the tribes, it is the suggestion of some that astrology simply began as godly people would look to the heavens as a reminder of what God had done. And so those who would wander throughout the Middle east would look, and they would see their star, and they would remember the faithfulness of God to them as a people. And then there are some who believe that was corrupted and taken over by foreign countries, that would then breathe into them a pagan interpretation, and then begin to say that your future can be told by looking to the stars. Well, we know so often in scripture that the heavens declare to us the handiwork of the Lord. And as christians, it is good for us to look to the stars and to remember the God who has made those stars.

Psalm 97. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. We know that there is a picture in scripture of Jesus being a bright and morning star. We know that the heavens were created by God as an evidence to us of his mighty hand of creation, never to be looked at with the sense of knowing our future, but only to remind us of the faithfulness of what God our father has done through Jesus Christ. Throughout the age of the church, there have always been superstitions that have crept into the church. One time, Martin Luther was asked this question. If you take away from the church superstition, amulets and beads and the crucifix, what will you leave in their place?

And Martin Luther replied, Jesus Christ, that the heavens would declare to us the might of our God, and that they would remind us that he has made this world. And in so fashioning from a mighty hand this world, he has also made each of us. And he calls us to come to understand his son, Jesus Christ, that we might know Jesus Christ, that we might know that bright and morning star in our own life, and that we might know through Jesus Christ our future. Perhaps the most important parts of our future are foretold. As in faith, we would trust in Christ and know that our future has been sealed by him and that he has prepared a place for all those who love him and for all those who by faith will accept his gift of grace.

It’s important as christians that when we look to the stars, we see the hand of God and his son, Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Our God and our Father, we thank you for your handiwork. We thank you for what you have done in creation. And Father, as we even would gaze to the skies, let us not be foolish and think that our future therein lies. But rather, let us look to the eyes of your son, Jesus Christ, and by faith that we would trust him with each day, that we would not be anxious for tomorrow, that we would trust in you today, and that we would give you thanks in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you for listening to a firm foundation presented by Princeton ministries. This programming is supported by you, the listener. You may go to our website, princetonministries.org, or send your donation to Princeton Ministries Post office Box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 8543. That’s Princeton Ministries Post Office Box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 8543. The Lord bless you and Dr. Smith looks forward to hearing from you. We would like to thank Rones web development company for making this webcast possible. You can find their link at the bottom of our website, princetonministries.org.