Chapter III. The Sign SCORPIO

The Redeemer’s Conflict.

We come now right into the heart of the conflict. The star-picture brings before us a gigantic scorpion endeavouring to sting in the heel a mighty man who is struggling with a serpent, but is crushed by the man, who has his foot placed right on the scorpion’s heart.

The Hebrew name is Akrab, which is the name of a scorpion, but also means the conflict, or war. It is this that is referred to in Ps. xci. 13:

“Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder.

The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”

David uses the very word in Ps. cxliv. 1, where he blesses God for teaching his hands to war.

The Coptic name is Isidis, which means the attack of the enemy, or oppression; referring to “the wicked that oppress me, my deadly enemies who compass me about” (Ps. xvii. 9).

The Arabic name is Al Akrab, which means wounding him that cometh.

There are 44 stars altogether in this sign. One is of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2nd, eleven of the 3rd, eight of the 4th, etc.

The brightest star, α (in the heart), bears the ancient Arabic name of Antares, which means the wounding. It is called by the Latins Cor Scorpii, because it marks the scorpion’s heart. It shines ominously with a deep red light. The sting is called in Hebrew Lesath (Chaldee, Lesha), which means the perverse. The stars in the tail are also known as Leshaa, or Leshat.

The scorpion is a deadly enemy (as we learn from Rev. ix), with poison in its sting, and all the names associated with the sign combine to set forth the malignant enmity which is “set” between the serpent and the woman’s Seed.

That enmity is shown more fully in the written Word, where we see the attempt of the enemy (in Exod. i.) to destroy every male of the seed of Abraham, and how it was defeated.

We see his effort repeated when he used Athaliah to destroy “all the seed royal” (2 Kings xi.), and how “the king’s son” was rescued “from among” the slain.

We see his hand again instigating Haman, “the Jews’ enemy,” to compass the destruction of the whole nation, but defeated in his designs.

When the woman’s Seed, the virgin’s Son, was born, we are shown the same great enemy inciting Herod to slay all the babes in Bethlehem (Matt. ii.), but again he is defeated.

In the wilderness of Judæa, and in the Garden of Gethsemane the great conflict is renewed. “This is your hour and the power of darkness,” He said to His enemies.

The real wounding in the heel was received at the Cross. It was there the scorpion struck the woman’s seed. He died, but was raised again from the dead “to destroy the works of the devil.”

To show us this; to prevent any mistake; to set forth the fact that this conflict only apparently ended in defeat, and that it did not really so end, we have the first two constellations belonging to this sign presented in one picture! Indeed, the picture is threefold, for it includes the sign itself (as shown on the cover)!

If these pictures had been separated, then the conflict would have been separated from the victory; the deadly wound of the serpent’s head from the temporary wound in the Victor’s heel. Hence, three pictures are required, in which the scorpion, the serpent, and the man, are all involved, in order to present at the same time, the triumphant issue of the conflict. Hence, we must present, and consider together, the first two sections of this mysterious chapter: 1 and 2. SERPENS and OPHIUCHUS.