THE BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE
SIGN OF KESHET (SAGITTARIUS), “The Archer”
Joshua’s conquest of Canaan and the children of
Israel taking possession of the Promise Land.
“Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the
oaths of the tribes, even thy word.” (Hab. 3:9)
Keshet is represented by the 7th letter of
the Hebrew alphabet and has a value of 7.
Zayin
Modern
Hebrew
7
Paleo
Hebrew
The letter Zayin represents a sword, a weapon and implies warfare and division. Spiritually it represents the Word of God.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
This is the theme of Sagittarius (Keshet, the Archer) and relates to Joshua’s conquest of Canaan.
Sagittarius follows after the sign of Scorpio and represents the next great milestone in the history and redemption of the children of Israel, Joshua’s conquest and division of the land of Canaan and given to the children of Israel as their inheritance.
After wandering in the wilderness with scorpions and serpents for 40 years because of their unbelief and rebelliousness, an entire generation had passed away. Even Moses because of his sin at Meribah was not able to enter the land. (See Num. 20:8-12)
“And the Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord. Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” (Dt. 1:34-38) KJV
The LORD then spoke unto Joshua, the son of Nun saying:
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.” (Jos. 1:5-7)
The Hebrew name for Sagittarius is Keshet, meaning “bending: a bow, (for hunting, battle, shooting), rainbow” H7198. The bow is symbolic of both physical and spiritual warfare, and represents the word of God.
“Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word...” (Hab. 3:9)
The first mention of a bow in scripture relates to the bow the LORD set in the cloud as a token and promise to mankind and every living creature that he would never again bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh. He had given his word. (See Gen.9:8-17)
Likewise, the bow of Sagittarius relates to a promise the LORD made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in giving them the land of Canaan as an inheritance.
JOSHUA’S “BOW”
In Deuteronomy 33, Moses gives his farewell address to the children of Israel before passing the torch on to his successor Joshua, who will lead the armies of Israel into the Promise Land. Joshua’s ancestral father was Joseph. The blessing of Jacob over his son Joseph was:
“His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob...” (Gen. 49:24)
YESHUA AS THE ARCHER
Both Joshua and Yeshua (Jesus) share the same Hebrew name: yeh-ho-shoo'-ah” which means, “Jehovah is salvation.” As Joshua led the children of Israel into the earthly Canaan, so Yeshua (the second Joshua) will lead his people into the heavenly Canaan at his second coming. (John 14:1-3) He shall send forth his angels to gather together his elect from the four corners of the earth. The principle is “first the natural then afterwards that which is spiritual.” (1 Cor. 15:46).
Further solidifying from Scripture that the rider on the horse with the bow signifies Christ, notice the crown at the feet of the Archer. Though the Greeks have Sagittarius as a Centaur, the Hebrew has it simply as “The Archer.” The Telescope (or Telescopium) is a modern invention added in the 18th century).
Thus we have a rider on a horse with a bow and a crown, just as we have in the book of Revelation:
“And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” (Rev. 6:2)
This identical white horse with its rider is seen in Revelation 19 and unmistakably points to Jesus Christ:
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” (Rev. 19:11-15)
Here, the rider on the horse is identified as The Word of God. As we saw earlier the bow signifies “the Word of God.” (Hab. 3:9 KJV)
As Jesus (or Joshua), who’s name is called “The Word of God” symbolized by the bow, will return riding upon a white horse into battle with a crown upon his head to lead his children into the heavenly Canaan, so it is likely that Joshua also lead the children of Israel into battle into the earthly Canaan riding on a white horse, armed with a bow and a crown upon his head as the leader of the armies of Israel.
Another striking parallel between the two Joshua’s and the two Canaan’s is the inhabitants of the land that were driven out.
Concerning the earthly Canaan we read:
“And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.” (Dt. 4:37-38)
In like manner, Lucifer and his host of confederate angels were driven out from the heavenly Canaan whose land will be given over to the faithful of all ages as a promised inheritance. Is it any wonder then at the animosity displayed by Satan and his host of evil angels towards those who will take their place?
Now let’s turn our attention to the spiritual significance of the Archer aiming his arrow at the Scorpion.
The Hebrew word for arrow is “chets”, and it means: “a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound.” H2671
As the bow is symbolic of the Word of God, so also is the piercing arrow:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
The arrow of Sagittarius is aimed directly at the Scorpion, a symbol of rebelliousness. (See Ez. 2:6)
The seven nations that Joshua overthrew in the land of Canaan were “rebels” against God and for this reason they were dispossessed of their land and it was given to the children of Israel.
In like manner, Lucifer the chief rebel led an uprising with a third of the angels in heaven to rebel against the authority and government of heaven, seeking to usurp the Creator from his throne. This led to them being dispossessed of their home in the heavenly Canaan. Taking the place of these rebels in heaven will be all the saved of the children of Israel. History repeating itself!
PROMISES
As the Great Archer, Christ himself used his bow, i.e. the Word of God, to defeat tempter (i.e. the Scorpion) Lucifer both in heaven and in the wilderness with the word of God, so may we do the same for we have been given the promise:
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Lk. 10:19)
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
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