Regarding "Stars" in Qumran texts.
We find in astrology, as used by Qumran settlers, two
sides:
1.- Prediction. That is, the study of the position of
stars and planets in someone's day of birth, to deduct
his/her personal traits of personality and character.
2.- The symbol of stars and planets as God or Gods or,
hence the "Sons of God (gods)". These are not so
obvious, since it was most likely a deep felt belief,
rather than a new trend.
To anyone who has studied astrology to a certain
depth, the "Sons of God"; that is the plural "Elohim",
are nothing more than the other six planets or
"stars", sons of the "One": Adon, Athon or the Sun:
"King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords"; referring to that
"Kingdom of Heaven" that to the ancients appeared at
night in the heavens above. This is the hidden
symbolism of the Menorah with its seven curved "arms"
or "branches" that represented the orbit of the stars
(planets), with the Sun in the center. We would
greatly benefit by substituting the word "God" we've
been using in the DSS translations and commentaries,
for the original "Athon" or "Adon" ("The Lord")
because the word "God" is certainly misleading.
After studying 4Q186, 4Q534 and 4Q561 I may even
venture the hypothesis that Qumram settlers very
likely selected their adepts by casting their
horoscopes and interpreting them. This allowed them to
stablish, not only their physiognomies, as they
obviously did and as a good modern good astrologer can
do today too, but also a ponderated analysis on the
degree of "light" and "darkness" possesed by the given
candidate. That is the manner by which many ancient
people appointed their high priests and kings. From
Tibetans to New Zealanders, and from Inuits to Tierra
del Fuego natives, regardless of their bloodline.
Whenever bloodline and horoscope matched all the
better, but horoscope came first, that may be the
reason for quite a few commoners becoming high
priests, kings and emperors.
We are aware that astrology was not in the Mosaic law
(Deut. of course), but we fail to notice that most of
the events in the Bible were "adjusted"
to numerological roots, such as the 40 days and 40
nights of the rain for the Great Flood, the 40 days of
Moses in mount Sinai, the 40 days of Jesus in the
desert, the 40 years of war from the War Scroll
(Vermes 5th Ed., pags. 161+), even the javaliners and
slingers are each to throw their weapons seven times,
the army is to be formed in seven lines; and also the
twelve Apostles, the twelve tribes etc. Everywhere we
find numerological symbolism derived from astrology,
with such numbers as 52, 40, 7, 12, 4, 3, etc., that
are structural figures of astrological cycles repeated
incesantly. Nothing to do with Guematria or Notarikon
which come far later.
The symbolism is there for a wider interpretation to
find, no matter what the outer text reads. And just as
it is done today in most mystery schools, astrologers
are admonitioned NOT to tap predictive astrology as to
avoid the powerful temptation of ending up riveted to
dangerous superficial witchcraft as average
astrologers usualy do. That's why ancients did not
(nor do wisemen today) recomend predictions, nor
sorcery, nor astrology to adepts (as in Mosaic law)
UNTIL they were mature enough to treat it with due
respect and wisdom. Let's here remember the heavy and
long testing Qumram settlers required of the aspiring
candidates to be admitted. Hence Deut. prohibition.
In Q4Enoch Col. II (García Martínez) we read in the
very first line ["...they (the stars or planets)
appear in their constellations] and they do not
overstep their order". No doubt it refers to the
planets not jumping their orbits, nor overtaking nor
backstepping in their path. Which means that the
features they ponit out and give to the native is,
according to their interpretation, unchangeable. In
4Q318 (Vermes, 5th Ed., pag. 362) we find a text
similar to my reply to Orion #74 of monday 28; they
USED astrology, not just fumbled with it, nor merely
explored it as a curiosity; see 4QHoroscope, and
4QAramaic Horoscope etc. Qumram settlers were deadly
serious about their endeavors, so let us not mistake
their motivations. They were up to preparing nothing
less than the FINAL DEFEAT OF THE SONS OF DARKNESS and
the advent of the New Jerusalem under the New
Covenant. They left everything behind to do this, the
odds at stake were real high. It meant, no doubt, the
final, definitive, ultimate succcess for the "Remnant
of Israel", after centuries of humiliation and
oppresion. For them it was the final advent of the
Kingdom of God prophecised by the Neviim. Astrology
WAS most certainly their guiding compass to choose
their brothers and to pinpoint "the signs of times".
Ancients BELIEVED in it so much that most of them did
nothing without first checking up at least the main
luminary's position for any given day.
In Bereshit we find: "And God made the two great
luminaries; the greater luminary (Sun) to lighten the
day, and the lesser luminary (Moon) to lighten the
night" (Gen. 1:16). In most initiatic rituals an adept
travels around the temple through the "four corners"
(East, South, North, West which we find all over
antiquity) to go from the later (The Moon, symbol of
sentimental blabbery, motherhood, watery feelings) to
the former (The Sun, power of reason, light, science).
In 4Q209 frag. 23, (García Martínez), we read: "The
South they call the South because The Great One lives
there, and in him (he) lives blessed for ever". This
is repeated in 4Q210, frag. 1, col II, adding "...and
in it he lives since eternity". In astrology the South
is the place of cosmical NOON, the place of "clear
skies" and full light, the place of "summer" in which
the light of the (God) Sun shines in its fullness. It
corresponds to the house of Saggittarius, the House of
Jove (Jehova) the House of Jupiter. This is so,
because Jupiter's bolt of lightning clears up the
atmosphere just as He usually does in December when
the (God) Sun travels Jupiter's house. "The Great One"
is obviously Jupiter. "The Almighty", "The Most High",
"The Father of All Gods" as different from "The Son,
(Sun) The Ruling King".It is difficult not to notice
the striking similarity of 4QEnoch (201) Col. II, and
Akhen-Athon's "Hym to Athon" and "Psalm 104"
Reynaldo
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