The Witness of the Stars


The Witness of the Stars 
E. W. Bullinger

1893

Table of Contents

Preface 
Introduction

The First Book 
The Redeemer

(His First Coming) 
"The sufferings of Christ"



Chapter I 

The Prophecy of the Promised Seed of the Woman 

VIRGO (The Virgin. A woman bearing a branch in her right hand
and an ear of corn in her left). The Promised Seed of the woman. 

1. COMA (The Desired. The woman and child). The Desired of all
nations. 

2. CENTAURUS (The Centaur with two natures, holding a spear
piercing a victim). The despised sin offering. 

3. BOOTES (a man walking bearing a branch called ARCTURUS,
meaning the same). He cometh. 



Chapter II 

The Redeemer's Atoning Work 

LIBRA (The Scales). The price deficient balanced by the price
which covers. 

1. CRUX, The Cross endured. 

2. LUPUS, or VICTIMA, The Victim slain. 

3. CORONA, The Crown bestowed. 



Chapter III 

The Redeemer's Conflict 

SCORPIO (The Scorpion) seeking to wound, but itself trodden
under foot. 

1. SERPENS (The Serpent struggling with the man). 

2. O-PHI-U-CHUS (The man grasping the serpent). The struggle
with the enemy. 

3. HERCULES (The mighty man. A man kneeling on one knee, humbled
in the conflict, but holding aloft the tokens of victory, with
his foot on the head of the Dragon). The mighty Vanquisher
seeming to sink in the conflict. 



Chapter IV 

The Redeemer's Triumph 

SAGITTARIUS (The Archer). The two-natured Conqueror going forth
"Conquering and to conquer." 

1. LYRA (The Harp). Praise prepared for the Conqueror. 

2. ARA (The Altar). Consuming fire prepared for His enemies. 

3. DRACO (The Dragon). The Old Serpent--the Devil, cast down
from heaven. 


The Second Book 
The Redeemed

"The result of the Redeemer's sufferings"

Chapter I 

Their Blessings Procured 

CAPRICORNUS (The fish-goat). The goat of Atonement slain for the
Redeemed. 

1. SAGITTA (The Arrow). The arrow of God sent forth. 

2. AQUILA (The Eagle). The smitten One falling. 

3. DELPHINUS (The Dolphin). The dead One rising again. 



Chapter II 

Their Blessings Ensured 

AQUARIUS (The Water-Bearer). The living waters of blessing
poured forth for the Redeemed. 

1. PISCIS AUSTRALIS (The Southern Fish). The blessings bestowed. 

2. PEGASUS (The Winged Horse). The blessings quickly coming. 

3. CYGNUS (The Swan). The Blesser surely returning. 



Chapter III 

Their Blessings in Abeyance 

PISCES (The Fishes). The Redeemed blessed though bound. 

1. THE BAND--bound, but binding their great enemy Cetus, the sea
monster. 

2. ANDROMEDA (The Chained Woman). The Redeemed in their bondage
and affliction. 

3. CEPHEUS (The King). Their Redeemer coming to rule.



Chapter IV 

Their Blessings Consummated and Enjoyed 

ARIES (The Ram or Lamb). The Lamb that was slain, prepared for
the victory. 

1. CASSIOPEIA (The Enthroned Woman). The captive delivered, and
preparing for her husband, the Redeemer. 

2. CETUS (The Sea Monster). The great enemy bound. 

3. PERSEUS (The Breaker). Delivering His redeemed. 




The Third Book 
The Redeemer



(His Second Coming) 
"The glory that should follow"

Chapter I 

Messiah, The Coming Judge of All the Earth 

TAURUS (The Bull). Messiah coming to rule. 

1. ORION, Light breaking forth in the person of the Redeemer. 

2. ERIDANUS (The River of the Judge). Wrath breaking forth for
His enemies. 

3. AURIGA (The Shepherd). Safety for the Redeemed in the day of
that wrath.

 

Chapter II 

Messiah's Reign as Prince of Peace 

GEMINI (The Twins). The twofold nature of the King. 

1. LEPUS (The Hare), or THE ENEMY trodden under foot. 

2. CANIS MAJOR (The Dog), or SIRIUS, the coming glorious Prince
of Princes. 

3. CANIS MINOR (The Second Dog), or PROCYON, the exalted
Redeemer. 



Chapter III 

Messiah's Redeemed Possessions 

CANCER (The Crab). The possession held fast. 

1. URSA MINOR (The Lesser Bear). The lesser sheepfold. 

2. URSA MAJOR (The Great Bear). The fold and the flock. 

3. ARGO (The Ship). The redeemed pilgrims safe at home. 



Chapter IV 

Messiah's Consummated Triumph 

LEO (The Lion). The Lion of the Tribe of Judah aroused for the
rending of the Enemy. 

1. HYDRA (The Serpent). That old Serpent--the Devil, destroyed. 

2. CRATER (The Cup). The cup of Divine wrath poured out upon
him. 

3. CORVUS (The Crow, or Raven). Birds of prey devouring him. 



For Signs and For Seasons



Such are the contents of this wondrous book that is written in
the heavens. Thus has God been speaking and emphasizing and
developing His first great prophetic promise of Genesis 3:15. 

Though for more than 2,500 years His people had not this
Revelation written in a book as we now have it in the Bible,
they were not left in ignorance and darkness as to God's
purposes and counsels; nor were they without hope as to ultimate
deliverance from all evil and from the Evil One. 

Adam, who first heard that wondrous promise, repeated it, and
gave it to his posterity as a most precious heritage--the ground
of all their faith, the substance of all their hope, the object
of all their desire. Seth and Enoch took it up. Enoch, we know,
prophesied of the Lord's coming, saying, "Behold the Lord cometh
with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment upon all"
(Jude 14). How could these "holy prophets, since the world
began," have recorded their prophecies better, or more
effectually, or more truthfully and powerfully, than in these
star-pictures and their interpretation? This becomes a certainty
when we remember the words of the Holy Spirit by Zacharias (Luke
1:67-70): 

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; 
For He hath visited and redeemed His people, 
And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us 
In the house of His servant David; 
As He spake by the mouth of HIS HOLY PROPHETS 
WHICH HAVE BEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN." 

The same truth is revealed through Peter, in Acts 3:20, 21: "He
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you;
whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of
all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all HIS HOLY
PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN." 

These words have new meaning for us, if we see the things which
were spoken "since the world began," thus written in the
heavens, which utter speech (i.e. prophecy), and show forth this
knowledge day after day and night after night, the heritage of
all the earth, and their words reaching unto the ends of the
world. 

This Revelation, coinciding as it does in all its facts and
truths with that afterwards recorded "in the Volume of the
Book," must have had the same Divine origin, must have been made
known by the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit. 

We now proceed to compare the two, and we shall see how they
agree at every point, proving that the source and origin of this
Divine Revelation is one and the same.