We saw that the Zodiac was originally based on twelve constellations from the stars. It originally was not simply the cycle of twelve animals in twelve years. We seek now to go through the original story which that zodiac portrayed.
Libra is the second zodiac constellation and means ‘weighing scales’. So, in today’s horoscope if you are born between September 24 and October 23 you are a Libra. Today’s horoscope guides your fortune and blessing as determined by the date of your birth in relation to the twelve Zodiac Signs and gives insight on your personality. Modern astrology uses the horoscope to guide us to true love (love horoscope), or decisions towards good luck and success in relationships, health and wealth. But was that its original meaning?
Be Warned! Answering this will open up your horoscope in unexpected ways – embarking you on a different journey then you intended when just checking your horoscope sign…
Libra Constellation
Libra is a constellation of stars forming scales or balances. Here is a picture of the Libra stars. Can you see ‘weighing scales’ in this photo of the stars? No.
In fact, even if we connect the stars in ‘Libra’ with lines it is still hard to see the scales. But this sign of weighing scales goes back as far as we know in human history.
Here is a picture of the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, from ancient history, with the scales of Libra circled in red.
The National Geographic zodiac poster below shows Libra as seen in the Southern Hemisphere. The triangle does not look like a scale at all.
So this means that the Libra constellation of the weighing of heavenly scales was not created from the stars themselves. Rather, the idea of weighing scales came first. The first astrologers then overlaid this idea onto the stars as a recurring sign for a memory aid. The ancients could point out the Libra constellation to their children and tell them the story associated with the weighing scales. This was its original astrological purpose.
The Author of the Constellations
The Zodiac constellations together form a Story – written in the stars. But who wrote this story?
The oldest book of the Bible, written even before Moses’ books was Job. Job also mentions constellations, affirming that God made them:
He made the Bear and Orion,
Job 9:9
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;
The twelve Signs of the Zodiac form a Story given by the Creator. This Story is that of the Cosmic struggle between Him and His Adversary. Virgo is the Story’s first chapter – the coming Seed of the Virgin Woman – written in the night sky for all peoples to see.
Libra Chapter in the Ancient Zodiac
This is the second chapter in our Story. Libra painted another sign in the night sky for all peoples. In it we see the sign of God’s Justice. The Celestial Scales picture righteousness, justice, order, government and the institutions of the rule of His Kingdom. So in Libra we are brought face to face with eternal justice, the weighing of the penalties of our sin and the price of redemption.
Unfortunately, the verdict is not favourable for us. The brightest star is in the upper arm of the balance – the balance of our good deeds is shown to be light.
Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
Psalm 62:9
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
So the astrological Sign of Libra reminds us of the insufficiency of our balance of deeds. In the justice of the Kingdom of God, all of us are found to have a balance of good deeds that weigh only as much as a breath – deficient and insufficient. This is another way to say that our deeds accumulate bad karma.
But we are not without hope. As in matters of debt payments and obligations, there is a price which can cover our lack of merit. But it is not an easy price to pay. The Psalms declares
No man can ransom even a brother,
Psalm 49:8
or pay to God his own ransom.
As the Job knew his redeemer who would balance his debt before heaven, so also the Zodiac Signs show us how we can know this same redeemer who can help us in our need.
Your Libra Horoscope from Ancient Zodiac
Since Horoscope comes from the Greek ‘Horo’ (hour) and the Prophetic writings mark important hours for us, we can note their Libra ‘hour’. The Libra horo reading from these writings is:
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.
Galatians 4:4-5
In stating ‘the set time had fully come’ the Gospel marks a special ‘horo’ for us to read. This hour is not based on the hour of your birth but on an hour set at the beginning of time. In stating that Jesus was ‘born of a woman’ it alludes to Virgo and her Seed.
How did he come?
He came ‘under the law’. He came under the weighing scales of Libra.
Why did he come?
He came to ‘redeem’ us who were ‘under the law’ – the scales of Libra. Those of us who find our scale of deeds too light, and our karma too heavy – he can redeem. This is followed with the promise of ‘adoption to sonship’.
Your Libra Horoscope Reading
You and I can apply the Libra horoscope reading today with the following:
Libra reminds us that your pursuit of wealth can easily become greed, your pursuit of relationships can quickly cause you to treat others as disposable, and are likely to trample on people as you seek happiness. Libra tells us that such traits are not compatible with the scales of righteousness. Take stock now of what you are doing in life. Be careful because Libra and the Books warn us that God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing.
If your balance of deeds is too light on that Day you will need a Redeemer. Explore all your options now but remember that the Seed of Virgo came so that He can redeem you. Use your God-given characteristic to sense the right and wrong in your life. What ‘adoption’ means in the Libra horoscope reading may not be clear at this point but if you continue to daily ask, knock and seek He will guide you. This can be done any time of any day, throughout your week.
Libra & Scorpio
Libra’s picture has changed since the beginning of human history. In early astrological images and names given to the stars in Libra we see the claws of Scorpio reaching to grasp Libra. The two claws of Scorpio are grasping at Libra. This reveals the great struggle that is underway between these two opponents. How this struggle unfolds we explore next in Scorpio. To understand the Zodiac story from its beginning see the Introduction to the ancient Zodiac.