This week Cepheus (The Crowned King) will reach its highest point in the Northern sky in the early evening hours.
Cepheus is one of the constellations associated with the Zodiacal constellation Pisces (The Fish) which represents the Church Age. The two fish, an early symbol of the Church, represent the Jewish and Christian believers who joined together to form the Church. The other constellation associated with Pisces, Andromeda (The Chained Woman), represents the suffering of the Jews who rejected Christ. Exactly 40 years on the Jewish calendar after Christ was crucified (Luke 21:32) the Romans surrounded Jerusalem and it was destroyed (Luke 21:20).
Cepheus shows us what Christ is doing during the Church Age. For, as He Himself said (Luke 23:69), He is sitting at the right hand of God in Heaven, and has been placed in the highest place as ruler of Heaven and Earth (Phil 2:9-11). The star name Alphirk, the Redeemer, reminds us that Christ has redeemed us by his blood. The star name Alderamin, Coming Quickly, reminds us that after he was taken up to Heaven on the Mount of Olives the angels promised that He would return suddenly (Ac 1:11). And the Star name Alrai, “Who Breaks” reminds us that Christ is the one was broke open the way (Mk 2:13) and breaks the Seven Seals in Revelation 5.
Interestingly, the first four of the Seven Seals, popularity known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, appear to be based celestial models. The white horse is Sagittarius, the symbol of Christ’s coming, but the horseman is a false Christ representing the God-King claims of the Roman Emperors who persecuted the Church. The red horse is a false Centaurus, representing the false religion of Islam and its persecution of the Church. The scales of the black horse, Libra, are reminiscent of the scales of the atheistic French Revolution, and represent persecution of the Church by Secularism. Finally, the pale horse is a false Pegasus, carrying New Age spiritualism instead of the Holy Spirit and warning of persecution by New Age leaders such as Adolf Hitler.
We live in the age of the fifth Seal, when the Christians ask when God is going to bring an end to the suffering of the Church. The answer given is that God is waiting for the number of the martyrs, and by extension the Church, to be complete. Only then will sixth and seventh seals be opened by Christ.
So Cepheus remains in the Heaven, but we must know that Christ’s Return is very near as we wait for Him to “break” the last seal and then be “coming quickly” to our rescue. You can find His stars about halfway between the North Star and the Zenith Point.
Interestingly, this week we also celebrate the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (Also known as Rosh Hashanah), which represents the Second Coming of Christ on the Jewish Feast Calendar.
Even so, come Lord Jesus.