Tonight at about 10:00 the Constellation Cancer will be just South of the Zenith point in the sky.

            Cancer, the Eleventh Chapter of the Star Bible, means “The Crab”, but this name was the result of an ancient linguistic error. The ancient name of the constellation in Egypt was “Cattlefold” and in Hebrew it was “To Hold”.  Apparently the Arab words “Khan” for “Inn” and “Cer” for “Encircling” were mistranslated as “Crab.” The actual name, meaning “The Holding Place” is supported by Star names Acubene (The Sheltering Place) and Tegmine (Holding). Cancer represents the Holding Place of God’s People, popularity known as Heaven.

To the North East of Cancer are its affiliated constellations Ursa Major, meaning “Big Bear”, and its cousin Ursa Minor, meaning “Little Bear”, which also received their current names through an ancient linguistic accident. The Greeks substituted the Hebrew word for bear, “Dohv”, for the word for Sheepfold, “Dovhen”, thus creating the “Bear” names. The ancient names for the constellations were the “Greater” and “Lesser” Sheepfolds. We also call Ursa Major the Big Dipper.

Ursa Minor (The Lesser Sheepfold) represents the holding place for the sheep, or believers, who lived before Jesus came. This understanding comes from the Star named Kochab which means “Waiting on Him Who Comes”, as those ancient Hebrew and other believers had to look forward for the Messiah. Another important Star in Ursa Minor is Polaris (Turned Upon) which is the North Star. Polaris is actually being pulled toward the North Pole by the precession of the equinoxes, and will arrive in 2102 AD. This ascendancy to the dominant celestial Polar position is one of the signs of Christ’s Return in the Sun, Moon, and Stars reminding us that those who waited on Him Who Comes will rule the Earth when Jesus returns.

Ursa Major, also known to the Hebrews as “The Assembled Together” represents those believers who came after Jesus, the Church. The Star named Dubheh Lachar, “The Latter Herd”, points to this meaning. And, in addition, the name of the star at the end of the handle of the Dipper, Alkaid, also means “Assembly”, the very name of the Church in Greek. The two stars on the other end of the Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star, and their names, Dubhe, meaning “Flock”, and Merek, meaning “Purchased”, show that both the Greater and Lesser Sheepfolds were a flock purchased by Christ.

The Holding Place and the two Sheepfolds shining overhead tonight remind us that God has set aside a place for His sheep which we call Heaven. So tell someone about the pictures of Heaven in the Heavens above, and invite them to join you on your path to Heaven.