Astronomy, the study of celestial bodies and the universe as a whole, finds its roots deeply embedded in the biblical narrative. The Bible frequently references the heavens, stars, and celestial phenomena, underscoring their significance in the divine order and human understanding of God's creation.

Creation and Purpose of Celestial Bodies

The Bible begins with the account of creation, where the celestial bodies are established by God. In Genesis 1:14-18 , it is written: "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.' And it was so." This passage highlights the purpose of the heavenly bodies: to serve as markers of time and signs for humanity, reflecting God's order and sovereignty over creation.

Stars as Signs and Symbols

Throughout Scripture, stars and other celestial phenomena are often used symbolically. In Genesis 15:5 , God promises Abraham, "Look now at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able. Then He told him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" Here, the innumerable stars symbolize the vastness of Abraham's future descendants, illustrating God's promise and faithfulness.

The star of Bethlehem, as described in Matthew 2:2 , serves as a divine sign leading the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus: "Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." This celestial event signifies the fulfillment of prophecy and the arrival of the Messiah.

Heavens Declare God's Glory

The psalmists frequently reflect on the heavens as a testament to God's majesty and creative power. Psalm 19:1 proclaims, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." This verse emphasizes the belief that the natural world, particularly the heavens, reveals the divine nature and attributes of God, inviting humanity to recognize His greatness.

Celestial Order and Divine Sovereignty

The Bible also speaks to the order and regularity of celestial phenomena as a reflection of God's sovereignty. Jeremiah 31:35 states, "Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name." This passage underscores the belief that God is the ultimate authority over the cosmos, maintaining the order and function of the celestial bodies.

Prophetic and Apocalyptic Imagery

In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, celestial phenomena often symbolize significant divine interventions or judgments. Joel 2:30-31 describes such events: "I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD." These dramatic images serve to convey the magnitude and seriousness of God's actions in history and the future.

Conclusion

The Bible's references to sidereal phenomena reflect a worldview in which the heavens are not only a part of God's creation but also a means through which He communicates with humanity. The celestial bodies serve as signs, symbols, and testimonies to God's eternal power, order, and divine plan.Joshua 10:12-14
Then spoke Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still on Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
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Job 9:6-9
Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
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Ecclesiastes 1:5
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.
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Isaiah 13:13
Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
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Isaiah 34:4
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
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Ezekiel 32:7,8
And when I shall put you out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
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Matthew 24:29,35
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
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Matthew 27:45
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land to the ninth hour.
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Mark 13:24,25
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
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Luke 21:25
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
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Luke 23:44,45
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
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Acts 2:19,20
And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
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2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
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Revelation 6:12-14
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, see, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
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Revelation 8:10-12
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and on the fountains of waters;
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Revelation 9:1,2
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
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Revelation 10:1,2
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was on his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
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Revelation 12:3,4
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads.
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Revelation 13:13
And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
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Revelation 16:8,9
And the fourth angel poured out his vial on the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
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Revelation 19:11-14
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.
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Revelation 21:1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
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The Refutation of All Heresies
... Air;" His Views of Astronomy and Natural Phenomena. ... Recognises an Efficient Cause;
His Cosmogony and Astronomy. ... System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/

The visit and Homage of the Magi, and the Flight into Egypt
... difficulty, that great catastrophes and unusual phenomena in nature ... ascertained,
that such a sidereal apparition would ... 1059] Jewish astronomy distinguishes the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter viii the visit and.htm

The Contribution of the Natural and Social Sciences
... The astronomy of the seventeenth century had removed the ... this emergence and subsidence
of sidereal systems, of ... All the phenomena of evolution are included in ...
/.../chapter v the contribution of.htm

First Tractate.
... mode of being of all particular phenomena, supposing that ... set another studying
arithmetic or astronomy, lead a ... may be due to the sidereal circuit " therefore ...
//christianbookshelf.org/plotinus/the six enneads/first tractate 3.htm

Mosaic Cosmogony.
... Greeks, in which the powers and phenomena of nature ... say that the Ptolemaic system
of astronomy is not ... universe; the heaven, including the sidereal systems; and ...
/.../temple/essays and reviews the education of the world/mosaic cosmogony.htm

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Creation Basics ' Article Index | GotQuestions.org

Astronomy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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