articlesforchristians

Chapter III. The Sign PISCES (The Fishes)

The Blessings of the Redeemed in abeyance.

In this third chapter of the Second Book we come to the results of the Redeemer’s work enjoyed, but in connection with conflict, as is seen in the last of the three sections (the constellation of Andromeda, the chained woman), which leads up to the last chapter of the book, and ends it in triumph over every enemy.

The Sign is pictured as two large fishes bound together by a Band, the ends of which are fastened separately to their tails. One fish is represented with its head pointing upwards towards the North Polar Star, the other is shown at right angles, swimming along the line of the ecliptic, or path of the sun.

The ancient Egyptian name, as shown on the Denderah Zodiac, is Pi-cot Orion, or Pisces Hori, which means the fishes of Him that cometh.

The Hebrew name is Dagim, the Fishes, which is closely connected with multitudes, as in Gen. xlviii. 26, where Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons, and says, “Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” The margin says, “Let them grow as fishes do increase.” It refers to the fulfilment of Gen. i. 28, “Be fruitful and multiply.” The multitude of Abraham’s seed is prominent in the pronouncement of the blessings, where God compared his future posterity to the stars of the sky, and the sand upon the sea shore. “A very great multitude of fish,” as in Ezek. xlvii. 9.

The Syriac name is Nuno, the fish, lengthened out (as in posterity).

The sign, then, speaks of the multitudes who should enjoy the blessings of the Redeemer’s work.

And here we must maintain that “the Church,” which is “the Body of Christ,” was a subject that was never revealed to man until it was made known to the Apostle Paul by a special revelation. The Holy Spirit declares (Rom. xvi. 25) that it “was kept secret since the world began.” In Eph. iii. 9 he declares that it “from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God”; and in Col. i. 26, that it “hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.” In each scripture which speaks of it as “now made manifest,” or “now made known,” it is distinctly stated that it was “a mystery,” i.e., a secret, and had, up to that moment, been hidden from mankind, hidden “in God.” How, then, we ask, can “the Church,” which was a subsequent revelation, be read into the previous prophecies, whether written in the Old Testament Scriptures, or made known in the Heavens? If the Church was revealed in prophecy, then it could not have been said to be hidden or kept secret. If the first revelation of it was made known to Paul, as he distinctly affirms it was, then it could not have been revealed before. Unless we see this very clearly, we cannot “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. ii. 15). And if we do not rightly divide the word of truth, in its subjects, and times, and dispensations, we must inevitably be landed in confusion and darkness, interpreting of the Church, scriptures which belong only to Israel.

The Church, or Body of Christ, is totally distinct from every class of persons who are made the subject of prophecy. Not that the Church of God was an after-thought. No, it was a Divine secret, kept as only God Himself could keep it. The Bible therefore would have been complete (so far as the Old Testament prophecies are concerned) if the Epistles (which belong only to the Church) were taken out. The Old Testament would then give us the kingdom prophesied; the Gospels and Acts, the King and the kingdom offered and rejected; then the Apocalypse would follow, showing how that promised kingdom will yet be set up with Divine judgment, power, and glory.

If these Signs and these star-pictures be the results of inspired patriarchs, then this Sign of Pisces can refer to “His seed,” prophesied of in Isa. liii.: “He shall see His seed.” It must refer to

The prophecy of this Sign was afterwards written in the words of Isa. xxvi. 15—the song which shall yet be sung in the land of Judah:

“Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord,

Thou hast increased the nation.”

Indeed, this Sign of Pisces has always been interpreted of Israel. Both Jews and Gentiles have agreed in this. Abarbanel, a Jewish commentator, writing on Daniel, affirms that the Sign Pisces always refers to the people of Israel. He gives five reasons for this belief and also affirms that a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn always betokens a crisis in the affairs of Israel. Because such a conjunction took place in his day (about 1480 a.d.) he looked for the coming of Messiah.

Certain it is, that when the sun is in Pisces all the constellations which are considered noxious, are seen above the horizon. What is true in astronomical observation is true also in historical fact. When God’s favour is shown to Israel, “the Jew’s enemy” puts forth his malignant powers. When they increased and multiplied in Egypt, he endeavored to compass the destruction of the nation by destroying the male children; but their great Deliverer remembered His covenant, defeated the designs of the enemy, and brought the counsel of the heathen to nought. So it was in Persia; and so, it will yet be again when the hour of Israel’s final deliverance has come.

There can be no doubt that we have in this Sign the foreshowing of the multiplication and blessing of the children of promise, and a token of their coming deliverance from all the power of the enemy.

But why two fishes? and why is one horizontal and the other perpendicular? The answer is that not only in Israel, but in the seed of Seth and Shem there were always those who looked for a heavenly portion and were “partakers of a heavenly calling.” In Heb. xi. we are distinctly told that Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (v. 10). They were “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (v. 13). Strangers are those without a home, and pilgrims are those who are journeying home: “they seek a country” (v. 14). They desired “a better country, that is, an HEAVENLY: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city” (v. 16). It is clear, therefore, that what are called the “Old Testament Saints” were “partakers of THE HEAVENLY CALLING” (Heb. iii. 1), which included a heavenly portion and a heavenly home; and all through the ages there have been “partakers of the heavenly calling.” This is quite distinct from the calling of the Church, which is from both Jews and Gentiles to form “one body,” a “new man” in Christ (Eph. ii. 15). It must be distinct, for it is expressly stated at the end of that chapter (Heb. xi. 40) that God has “provided (marg. forseen) some better thing for us.” How can this be a “better thing,” if it is the same thing? There must be two separate things if one is “better” than the other! Our calling in Christ is the “better thing.” The Old Testament saints had, and will have, a good thing. They will have a heavenly blessing, and a heavenly portion, for God has “prepared for them a city,” and we see that prepared city, even “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. xxi. 2). This is the “heavenly” portion of the Old Testament saints, the Bride of Christ. The Church will have a still “better” portion, for “they without us should not be made perfect” (Heb. xi. 40).

The fish, shooting upwards to the Polar Star, exquisitely pictures this “heavenly calling”; while the other fish, keeping on the horizontal line, answers to those who were content with an earthly portion.

But both alike were divinely called, and chosen, and upheld. The names of two of the stars in the sign (not identified) are Okda (Hebrew), the united, and Al Samaca (Arabic), the upheld. These again speak of the redeemed seed, of whom, and to whom, Jehovah speaks in that coming day of glory in Isa. xli. 8-10 (r.v.):—

This is the teaching of the Sign; and the first constellation takes up this thought and emphasizes it.