As the grandson of rebellious Ham and nephew of the cursed Canaan, Nimrod became the archetypal Child worshipped on the lap of the goddess mother, who was known under different appellations in various cultures as Isis, Nana, Eve, Istar, Demeter, Hecate, Themis, Hera, Astraea, Diana, Cybele, Fortuna, Erigone, Sibylla and the Virgin Mother. According to Hislop, the godly sons of Noah, Shem and Japeth, designated Nimrod an 'apostate' after he 'liberated' mankind from the fear and worship of the true God:

"Thus from Assyria, Egypt, and Greece, we have cumulative and overwhelming evidence, all conspiring to demonstrate that the child worshipped in the arms of the goddess-mother in all these countries in the very character of Ninus or Nin, 'The Son,' was Nimrod, the son of Cush. A feature here, or an incident there, may have been borrowed from some succeeding hero; but it seems impossible to doubt, that of that child Nimrod was the prototype, the grand original.

"The amazing extent of the worship of this man indicates something very extraordinary in his character; and there is ample reason to believe, that in his own day he was an object of high popularity. Though by setting up as king, Nimrod invaded the patriarchal system, and abridged the liberties of mankind, yet he was held by many to have conferred benefits upon them, that amply indemnified them for the loss of their liberties, and covered him with glory and renown...

He is said to have been the first that gathered mankind into communities, the first of mortals that reigned, and the first that offered idolatrous sacrifices. This character can agree with none but that of Nimrod. Now the name given to him in connection with his 'gathering men together,' and offering idolatrous sacrifice, is very significant.

Phoroneus, in one of its meanings, and that one of the most natural, signifies the 'Apostate.' * That name had very likely been given him by the uninfected portion of the sons of Noah. But that name had also another meaning, that is, 'to set free'; and therefore his own adherents adopted it, and glorified the great 'Apostate' from the primeval faith, though he was the first that abridged the liberties of mankind, as the grand "Emancipator!" ** And hence, in one form or other, this title was handed down to this deified successors as a title of honour.***

* From Pharo, also pronounced Pharang, or Pharong, 'to cast off, to make naked, to apostatise, to set free.' These meanings are not commonly given in this order, but as the sense of 'casting off' explains all the other meanings, that warrants the conclusion that 'to cast off' is the generic sense of the word. Now 'apostacy' is very near akin to this sense, and therefore is one of the most natural...

"All tradition from the earliest times bears testimony to the apostacy of Nimrod, and to his success in leading men away from the patriarchal faith, and delivering their minds from that awe of God and fear of the judgments of heaven that must have rested on them while yet the memory of the flood was recent. And according to all the principles of depraved human nature, this too, no doubt, was one grand element in his fame; for men will readily rally around any one who can give the least appearance of plausibility to any doctrine which will teach that they can be assured of happiness and heaven at last, though their hearts and natures are unchanged, and though they live without God in the world. How great was the boon conferred by Nimrod on the human race, in the estimation of ungodly men, by emancipating them from the impressions of true religion..." (156:51-2)

Although Nimrod [aka Orion/Saturn/Tammuz] was a hunter of men, his religious system was based on a deceptive assurances of salvation without any provision for the fundamental problem of sin. As a type of the Antichrist who will soon be revealed, this false messiah was able to draw the multitudes into his one world religion; as Hislop stated, "men will readily rally around any one who can give the least appearance of plausibility to any doctrine which will teach that they can be assured of happiness and heaven at last, though their hearts and natures are unchanged".

Because with lies ye have...strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: (Ezekiel 13:22)

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. (2 Tim. 3:5).

"One of his heads as it were wounded to death"

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;

and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. (Rev.13:1-3)

According to Masonic sources, the missing head and legs of Orion are symbolized by the ‘Skull & Crossbones’, which strongly indicates that the Freemason's veneration of John the Baptist (who was beheaded) is really the worship of Orion (Nimrod/Tammuz).

"The omission of Orion's head and legs in the constellation of Orion, illustrated above, is immediately noticeable. It would seem that Orion has had his legs and his head chopped off!
"A similar practice was observed by the Knights Templar five and a half thousand years later when they were buried. By adopting this practice the deceased Knights Templar became as one with Orion and, by implication, Osiris. The 'skull and crossbones' … Orion's missing head and legs…were also adopted by the Knights Templar as their emblem, their symbol of recognition.
"As we shall soon discover, the severed head of Orion is in fact the Sun. Moreover it is the headless Orion which is the source of legends about severed heads." (903, Ch. 9)

The aforementioned publication, Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, is considered the basic book in its field, which is astrology. Richard Hinckley Allen's dedicatory statement is as follows: "I gratefully dedicate these pages to the memory of Hubert Anson Newton and William Dwight Whitney, senior professors in Yale University who first encouraged me in my work." (927)

Hubert Anson Newton (1830-96) was an American astronomer and mathematician; he was also doctoral advisor to Eliakim Moore, a Skull & Bones member at Yale. William Dwight Whitney was a senior professor on the staff of Yale University when Star Names was published in 1963. William Dwight Whitney is in all probability a direct descendant of a famous American Sanskrit scholar, William Dwight Whitney (1827–94), who became professor of Sanskrit and comparative philology at Yale following his studies in Germany. A ‘William Dwight Whitney’ also shows up on Antony Sutton's list of personages who have held membership in the Order of Skull & Bones. As the date of initiation is not given, we cannot be certain which William Dwight Whitney is on Sutton's list, but it is not unreasonable to speculate that both Yale professors were members of the Skull & Bones. The 19th century Sanskrit scholar/Yale professor would have lived during the period when the Order of Skull & Bones took over the management of Yale University.

"Daniel Coit Gilman ('52), along with two other 'Bonesmen,' formed a troika which still influences American life today. Soon after their initiation in Skull and Bones, Daniel Gilman, Timothy Dwight ('49) and Andrew Dickinson White ('53) went to study philosophy in Europe at the University of Berlin. Gilman returned from Europe and incorporated Skull and Bones as Russell Trust, in 1856, with himself as Treasurer and William H. Russell as President. He spent the next fourteen years in New Haven consolidating the order's power...

"Timothy Dwight, a professor at Yale Divinity School, was installed as president of Yale in 1886. All presidents since, have been either 'Bonesmen' or directly tied to the Order and its interests." 1019

"In 1886 Timothy Dwight (The Order) had taken over from the last of Yale's clerical Presidents, Noah Porter. Never again was Yale to get too far from The Order." 711:93

Rev. President Timothy Dwight (1828-1916) was the grandson of Rev. Timothy Dwight (1752-1817) who was the grandson of the famous Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), president of Union College. Both Timothy Dwights were presidents of Yale University. In 1873, the younger Timothy Dwight was elected to serve on the American Revision Committee which had collaborated with Westcott and Hort's English Revision Committee. The elder Timothy Dwight, who was born in 1752, was a also personal friend of President George Washington, a high-level Freemason. One biography states: "Timothy Dwight was a man for all seasons: an ordained Congregational minister, grandson of Jonathan Edwards, personal friend of George Washington, and Army chaplain." 1018

Orion/Saturn/Tammuz/Nimrod/Horus/Osiris = Anunnaki/Nephilim

Orion lies partly in the Milky Way, the alleged 'Galactic Stellar Womb' from which the rest of the galaxy was conceived and born: "Orion, the giant, Hunter, and Warrior, admired in all historic ages as the most strikingly brilliant of the stellar groups, lies partly within the Milky Way, extending on both sides of the celestial equator entirely south of the ecliptic, and so is visible from every part of the globe." (927:303-4) The pre-flood giants, the Annunaki, were said to travel through the Milky Way by way of a planet ship named Nibiru, also called the Mothership. The Anunnaki, which the Bible calls Nephilim, came to Earth to 'pro-create' the human race (Gen. 6) and conveniently relocated to Orion after the Deluge (Gen. 7). The Bible states that no flesh survived the Great Flood, leaving open the possibility that the fallen angels, the Nephilim/Anunnaki, may have escaped:

"Genesis 7:21-23 stress the theme of universal death: "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth... So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground... They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.'"

According to Laurence Gardner, Noah's son, Ham (who survived the Flood, dishonored his father and was cursed) was Hermes, who taught the Atlantean doctrine to the Egyptians.

"The Tables of Testimony...not to be confused with the Ten Commandments...are rather more associated with the original Table of Destiny of the Anunnaki... This ancient archive is directly associated with the Emerald Table of Thoth/Hermes, and, as detailed in alchemical records of Egypt, the author of the preserved writings was the Biblical Ham, a great Archon of the Grail bloodline. He was the essential founder of the esoteric and arcane 'underground stream' which flowed through the ages and his Greek name, Hermes, was directly related to the science of pyramid construction, deriving from the word herma, which relates to a 'pile of stones'." (348:219)

An alternative spelling for Orion is Arion or Aryan, according to Richard Hinckley Allen: "Catullus transcribed Oarion from Pindar, shortened to Arion and sometimes changed to Aorion..." (927:304) The Aryan race were the demi-gods of Atlantis, the Nephilim/Anunnaki who relocated to the constellation of Orion. The Aryan or 'master race theory', which was popularized in the 19th century by H.P. Blavatsky, provided the philosophical framework for the Nazi Holocaust. "Another source for the master race theory in the early days of the Nazi Party was the occultist Alfred Rosenberg... was convinced that the Aryan race had originated in the lost continent of Atlantis which was the source of all ancient occult beliefs." (25:129-30)

The Aryan race theory claimed a seven step process of human evolution in which successive races evolve from a lower to a higher form of life. Mme Blavatsky called these stages “root races” and identified our current Aryan race as the fifth root race, which followed the fourth race known as the Atlantean. According to the Aryan root race view of history, survivors of the ancient and highly developed lost civilization of Atlantis would one day endow “initiates” with esoteric powers and wisdom. These initiates would use their occult powers to create a new race of Aryan supermen who would eliminate all inferior races. In other words, as the pre-flood Nephilim sired the Merovingian race, demons will again interpose their DNA into the gene pool of humanity by mating with humans. This unhappy prospect was articulated on the website of Dagobert's Revenge:

"Dr. Carl Jung believed that these UFO sightings are a product of our unconscious veiling of an ancient human experience... This 'bringing to earth' of the Sangraal by UFO's is the modern day equivalent of the Nephilim, the Outer Ones, or the Elohim earthing 'knowledge' and siring a new race of 'kingly' beings for this world. Kingly i.e., the Merovingians. The Merovingian blood is the blood of kings, the kings or gods from ancient Sumeria and beyond. ...the Nephilim have been identified as the Fathers of the Merovingians." - 571

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matt. 24:37

Orion/Saturn/Tammuz/Nimrod/Horus/Osiris/Anunnaki/Nephilim = Son of Neptune/Poseidon/Beast out of the Sea

According to Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans by Theony Condos, "Hesiod says that Orion was the son of Euryale, the daughter of Minos and of Poseidon and that to him was granted the ability to walk on the sea as he did on the land." (570:147) Recall that, being a giant, Orion could wade through the sea with only his head protruding from the water. Neptune is the Bistea Neptunis — the Beast out of the Sea and Orion was his son. As the son of the Beast out of the sea, it is interesting that Orion has 17 stars, equaling 7 heads and 10 horns:

"The total [of stars in Orion] is seventeen. Hesiod says this is Neptune's son by Euryale... To him was granted the ability to run on the water as he did on the land." (570:148)

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Rev. 13:1

Scripture says that sitting upon this 7-headed, 10-headed Beast, which is full of names of blasphemy—Orion/Saturn/Tammuz/Nimrod/Horus/Osiris—is a woman, the Great Harlot; and that the 7-heads are the 7 mountains or hills of Rome, which were named after the sun and moon and five planets:

“Tradition says that Rome was founded in 753 BC by twin boys, Romulus and Remus. Romulus and Remus were abandoned by their parents and were then taken into the care of a she-wolf. From looking at archaeology, researchers discovered that the city of Rome began in 753 BC as a series of farmsteads on a group of hills overlooking the Tiber River. There were seven hills and some believe that Romulus and Remus were not only very proud of finding this land with seven hills, but, for the fact that there were seven planets they worshipped: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.” (676)

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great ***** that sitteth upon many waters:... So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns... And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns... And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth... And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast... And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the ***** , and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Rev. 17:1,7,9,12,16

Ignatius Donnelly wrote in Atlantis: The Antediluvian World, that twelve gods originally governed Atlantis: "These deities...were twelve in number: Zeus (or Jupiter), Hera (or Juno), Poseidon (or Neptune), Demeter (or Ceres), Apollo, Artemis (or Diana), Hephæstos (or Vulcan), Pallas Athena (or Minerva), Ares (or Mars), Aphrodite (or Venus), Hermes (or Mercury), and Hestia (or Vesta).' ...Where two names are given to a deity in the above list, the first name is that bestowed by the Greeks, the last that given by the Romans." (635:287)

Later, Atlantis was comprised of ten regions which were ruled by ten kings. In Shambala, Victoria LePage states that Atlantis' "ten districts...were ruled by ten kings." (167:200) This is verified by Donnelly who elaborates on the sacred numeral 'ten' as the number of rulers in ancient empires:

"...The ten kingdoms of Atlantis are perpetuated in all the ancient traditions. 'In the number given by the Bible for the Antediluvian patriarchs we have the first instance of a striking agreement with the traditions of various nations. Other nations, to whatever epoch they carry back their ancestors...are constant to the sacred number of ten... In Chaldea, Perosus numerates ten Antediluvian kings whose fabulous reign extended to thousands of years. The legends of the Iranian race commence with the reign of ten Peisdadien (Poseidon?) kings.... In India we meet with the nine Brahmadikas, who, with Brahma, their founder, make ten, and who are called the Ten Petris, or Fathers. The Chinese count ten emperors, partaking of the divine nature, before the dawn of historical time. The Germans believed in the ten ancestors of Odin, and the Arabs in the ten mythical kings of the Adites.' (Lenormant and Chevallier, 'Anc. Hist. of the East,' vol. i., p. 13.)" (635:26-7)

Orion, although a son of Poseidon/Neptune, did not become a ruler of Atlantis. The first ten kings of Atlantis were the TWIN sons of Poseidon/Neptune, the Bistea Neptunis, or 'beast out of the sea':

Atlas and Eumeleus 8, Ampheres and Evaemon 3, Mnesus and Autochthon, Elasippus 2 and Mestor 4, and Azaes and Diaprepes. "Poseidon and Cleito 2 had five pairs of twins who, along with their descendants, ruled the ten provinces in which Poseidon had divided Atlantis. The island and the ocean were called after Poseidon's first-born Atlas, who was also king over his brothers. The brothers, and the descendants of their ten royal houses ruled over many other islands, and also over the Mediterranean peoples living west of Egypt and Tuscany." (1022)

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea,

having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns,

and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Rev. 13:1

Orion as the 'Soul of Osiris'

All young ancient Egyptians were taught that Osiris, the male human aspect of the One Supreme God, lived and reigned as the first king of Egypt. However, Osiris was slain by his evil brother, Seth, who with Osiris, Isis, Nepthys, and the elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water, formed the One God of the Egyptians, called an Enniad, i.e. nine gods in one. As Nimrod became the constellation Orion after his demise, the Egyptian sun god, Osiris, whose untimely death was mourned by Isis and all of Egypt, is also universally identified as the 'soul of Orion'.

Richard Allen Hinckley, Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning

"Egyptian mythology laid to rest in this constellation the soul of Osiris...and, again, in the Book of the Dead we read: 'Osiris N is the constellation Orion;' In this connection, Orion was known as Smati Osiris, the Barley God...

"In astrology...[the name] Tripater applied to him.

"Saturnus has been another title, but it's connection here I cannot learn, although I hazard the guess that as this divinity was the sun-god of the Phoenicians, his name might naturally be used for Uruanna-Orion, the sun-god of the Akkadians." (927:308)

Colin Wilson, The Atlantis Blueprint: Unlocking the Ancient Mysteries of a Long Lost Civilization

"In Atlantis to the Sphinx (1996) I pointed out that...'[David] Frawley points out that the Hindu Varuna, the Egyptian Osiris and the Greek Ouranos, are all symbolized by [the constellation of] Orion..." (767:165-6)

The esoteric interpretation of the myth of Isis and Osiris is disclosed in Spiritual Politics: Changing the World From the Inside Out: "Like the goddess Isis, who found and restored all of the lost pieces of her husband, Osiris, many are restoring the unity of all life, bringing together the separate parts of humanity — different races, religions and cultures." (42:62) From this understanding, we may infer that Osiris was Nimrod—the great hunter of men and unifier of mankind under a pagan religious system—who, as stated by Hislop, 'was the prototype, the grand original'. Nimrod was simply venerated in various cultures under different names: Osiris, Tammuz, Wotan, Viracocha, Quetzalcoatl, Varuna, etc. All were priest-kings who taught mankind the ancient mysteries as well as academic disciplines. By reason of the supernatural powers and intellectual prowess of these divine beings, the civilization of mankind was greatly advanced. All are expected to return to earth to revive the ancient pre-flood mysteries and culture.

Orion = Viracocha

There is, in addition to Saturn, Tammuz and Nimrod, a correspondence between Osiris and Viracocha, the sun-god of the Incas: "Several authors have speculated upon the mythological connection between the Egyptian god Osiris, and the god Viracocha, of the people of Central Andes. Osiris is believed to have traveled around the globe bringing civilization to many nations... He was tall, of pale complexion, bearded and dressed in a long white robe." (606:286)

Osiris, who ruled over the 'First Time,' was able to walk over (or in) the oceans and 'traveled around the globe bringing civilization to many nations'. Thus, we may conclude that Viracocha = Osiris = Adam = Orion. Viracocha is also analogous to Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs; to the Queshua, Aymara, and other tribes of South America, he is known as Ameru, which means 'serpent'. It will come as a shock to many Americans that the name 'America' is probably derived from 'Ameru', the serpent-god, and not the Italian voyager 'Amerigo' Vespucci!

As a celibate demi-god, Quetzalcoatl invented the Mayan and Aztec calendar and bequeathed the secret doctrine to his priests, who were also celibate. Quetzalcoatl was driven away on a serpent boat by his evil twin, Tezcatlipoca (the black twin), but is expected to return from the East (where he spread his knowledge of science and the arts) to reclaim his power among the Mesoamerican people. Does Quetzalcoatl not compare to Osiris, who was also murdered by his evil twin, taught the Hermetic doctrines to the Egyptians, and is regarded as Egypt's 'once and future king'? A promo for a book titled The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom, by Mark Amaru Pinkham, reveals that the various supreme deities were all indigenous serpent-gods!

“According to ancient records, the patriarchs and founders of the early civilizations in Egypt, India, China, Peru, Mesopotamia, Britain, and the Americas were the Serpents of Wisdom—spiritual masters associated with the serpent—who arrived in these lands after abandoning their beloved homelands and crossing great seas. While bearing names denoting snake or dragon (such as Naga, Lung, Djedhi, Amaru, Quetzalcoatl, Adder, etc.), these Serpents of Wisdom oversaw the construction of magnificent civilizations within which they and their descendants served as the priest kings and as the enlightened heads of mystery school traditions. The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom recounts the history of these 'Serpents'—where they came from, why they came, the secret wisdom they disseminated, and why they are returning now.” 1023

In The Two Babylons, Hislop elucidates the reason for the lamentation for Osiris/Tammuz/Nimrod et al. The untimely death of this false messiah, known in other cultures as Tammuz, Nimrod, Wotan, Viracocha, Quetzalcoatl and Varuna, meant the dissolution of the global religious system established by this demi-god. Because God put an end to Nimrod's 'unity in diversity' experiment, He is forever labeled as the Scorpion in the Zodiac.

"The name of a scorpion in Chaldee is Akrab; but Ak-rab, thus divided, signifies 'THE GREAT OPPRESSOR,' and this is the hidden meaning of the Scorpion as represented in the Zodiac. That sign typifies him who cut off the Babylonian god, and suppressed the system he set up. It was while the sun was in Scorpio that Osiris in Egypt 'disappeared' (Wilkinson, vol. iv., p.331), and great lamentations were made for his disappearance. Another subject was mixed up with the death of the Egyptian god; but it is specially to be noticed that, as it was in consequence of a conflict with a scorpion that Orion was 'added to the stars,' so it was when the scorpion was in the ascendant that Osiris 'disappeared'." (156:57)

In Fingerprints of the Gods, Graham Hancock draws attention to the fact that the Giza Plateau and Nile River were representations of the constellation of Orion and the Milky Way respectively. It seems that, after the flood and their expulsion from the earth, the Nephilim left the Sphinx, pyramids and Nile River as markers indicating their whereabouts in the heavens. As the three pyramids of Giza correspond to the belt stars of Orion, there are also three pyramids in Mexico which correspond to the Giza pyramids. This design would give credence to speculation that Osiris and Quetzalcoatl were same god, whose soul is claimed to now reside in Orion.

"...archaeo-astronomers making use of the latest star-mapping computer programmes had recently demonstrated that the three world-famous pyramids on Egypt's Giza plateau formed an exact terrestrial diagram of the three belt stars in the constellation of Orion. Nor was this the limit of the celestial map the Ancient Egyptian priests had created in the sands on the west bank of the Nile. Included in their overall vision...there was a natural feature—the river Nile—which was exactly where it should be had it been designed to represent the Milky Way.

"The incorporation of a 'celestial plan' into key sites in Egypt and Mexico...,...the monuments of Teotihuacan, like those of the Giza plateau, played important religious roles in the lives of the communities they served.

"The Central American traditions...gave eloquent expression to a widespread belief that Teotihuacan had fulfilled at least one specific and important religious function in ancient times. According to these legends the City of the Gods was so known because 'the Lords therein buried, after their deaths, did not perish but turned into gods...' In other words, it was 'the place where men became gods'. It was additionally known as 'the place of those who had the road of the gods', and 'the place where gods were made'.

"Just as at Giza, three principal pyramids had been built at Teotihuacan: the Pyramid/Temple of Quetzalcoatl, Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon....

"Could all this be coincidence? Was it not more logical to conclude that there was an ancient connection between Mexico and Egypt?...

"...that the pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of Teotihuacan might express the technology, the geographical knowledge, the observational astronomy (and perhaps also the religion) of a forgotten civilization of the past..." 236:168

As above, so below

In November of 1983, Masonic author Robert Bauval claimed to have discovered that the ground plan of the main three pyramids at Giza were a replica of Orion's Belt in the Constellation of Orion. In a 1994 book, The Orion Mystery, Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert claimed that the shafts of the Great Pyramid were pointed directly at key stars in Orion in a way that reflected the configuration of Orion in ancient times. Using astronomical data about stellar movement, Bauval and Gilbert contended that the Orion stars correspond precisely to the pyramids' positions in approximately 10,400 B.C. This period was called by the Egyptians the 'First Time', when the god Osiris ruled the Earth.

"According to a theory by Robert Bauval, the positions of the Giza pyramids on the ground are a reflection of the positions of the stars in the constellation Orion circa 10,500 B.C. (Graham Hancock, Keeper Of Genesis, pp.354-355 ) Five of the 7 brightest stars have pyramid equivalents: The 3 great pyramids of Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura for the belt of Orion, the pyramid of Nebka at Abu Rawash corresponds to the star Saiph and the pyramid at Zawat al Aryan corresponds to the star Bellatrix. The Nile river corresponds to the Milky Way. The principal Giza monuments formed an accurate terrestrial map of the stars of Orion and Sirius as these constellations appeared in 10,500 BC. (1036)

"The celestial counterpart of Osiris was Orion—a constellation that the ancient Egyptians knew as Sah, the 'Far-Strider' and most frequently depicted by means of the three characteristic belt stars. And since Osiris was said to have ruled in the 'First Time' we wonder whether this could be the reason why the three great Pyramids of Giza depict the three stars of Orion's belt as they looked 12,500 years ago at what might reasonably be defined as their astronomical 'First Time'—i.e. at the beginning of their current upwards precessional cycle?" (132:81)

As previously stated, Orion represented to the ancient Egyptians the 'soul of Osiris', his body having been mummified and interred in the Giza Plateau in a mysterious location called 'the House of Sokar'. The departed soul of Osiris ruled in specific place in the heavens called 'The Duat' which is the constellation of Orion. As king of the Realm of the Dead, Osiris was the means by which men attained ‘eternal life’!

"We find Horus firmly in possession of the earthy 'Kingdom of Osiris' (which had of course been founded in the 'First Time') and we find the body of Osiris himself safely installed in 'the House of Sokar'. Under these ideal conditions, according to the texts, the spiritualized form of Osiris was freed to depart to the sky—and to a specific location in the sky that we have already identified: 'the place where Orion is'. There it was held that he had established the Duat—the cosmic 'Otherworld' on the right bank of the Milky Way—as a sort of 'Kingdom of Osiris' for the Dead.

"Selim Hassan actually calls the Duat 'the Kingdom of Osiris' and shows how 'Osiris is styled 'Lord of the Duat' and the Osiris-King [i.e. the deceased Pharaoh] 'a companion of Orion'..." 132:147

The Great Pyramid was built as a monument to Orion, who, as Osiris was centerpiece of Egyptian worship. Freemasonry, which is also centered on the worship of Osiris and Orion, aspires to revive the pre-flood civilization of Atlantis. The ancient wisdom texts of Hermes Trismegistus, specifically The Book of What is in the Duat, instructed the Egyptian priests that whatever exists in the heavens must be replicated on earth if mankind would restore the ancient pre-flood civilization of Atlantis. On The Message of the Sphinx, Masonic writers Hancock and Bauval have presented detailed information on the Egyptian monuments—a modern 'Book of What is in the Duat' for Neo-Atlanteans.

"...the 'Hermetic Texts' were believed to have been the work of the ancient Egyptian wisdom god Thoth (known to the Greeks as Hermes), who makes the following remarks to his disciple Asclepius: 'Do you not know, Asclepius, that Egypt is an image of heaven? Or, so to speak more exactly, in Egypt all the operations of the powers which rule and work in heaven have been transferred down to earth below?' The purpose to which these powers were harnessed, in the Hermetic view, was to facilitate the initiate's quest for immortality...

"...In one of these texts, Shat Ent Am Duat — the Book of What is in the Duat — we find what appears to be an explicit instruction to the initiate to build a replica on the ground of a special area of the sky known as the 'hidden circle of the Duat': 'Whosoever shall make an exact copy of these forms...and shall know it, shall be a spirit and well equipped both in heaven and earth, unfailingly, and regularly and eternally.'...

"...it is a fact that the Duat sky-region described in the ancient Egyptian texts was dominated by the constellations of Orion and Leo — both of which appear to have been 'imaged' on the ground at Giza (with the former additionally targeted by the southern shaft of the King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid) — and by the star Sirius, which was targeted by the southern shaft of the Queen's Chamber...

"...there are repeated references in the Book of What is in the Duat, and in numerous other funerary and rebirth texts, to Zep Tepi, the 'First Time' — the remote epoch when the gods were believed to have come to earth and established their kingdom in Egypt. These gods included Thoth-Hermes, the 'Thrice-Great' master of wisdom, the goddess Isis whose celestial counterpart was the star Sirius, and Osiris, the 'once and future king', who was killed, revenged by his son Horus, and then reborn to live for ever as the 'Lord of the Duat'." (132:65)

The myth of Osiris, of course, is Satan's attempt to counterfeit the death, resurrection and future reign of Jesus Christ, with the promise eternal life for his disciples, who were called the 'Followers of Horus'. Eternal life for the pharaoh meant that he was reborn as a star in Orion.

"...the constant affirmation, repeated over and over again in these ancient compositions [the Pyramid Texts], was that of life - eternal life -...was to be achieved through the pharaoh's rebirth as a star in the constellation of Orion. ...there were several utterances which voiced this aspiration explicitly:

"'O King, you are this Great Star, the Companion of Orion, who traverses the sky with Orion...you ascend from the east of the sky being renewed in your due season, and rejuvenated in your due time...'" (236:367)

To the followers of Isis, Osiris became the Lord of Eternity after his death and resurrection and thus is able to guarantee them eternal life in Duat, the next world. "Sirius was also of great importance for this star was seen as the stellar domain of Isis, for it was actually giving birth to the infant Horus!... The new Pharaoh had to accompany his predecessor to Orion for the assimilation with Osiris and then be re-born twelve hours later via Isis through Sirius! This was the twelve hours of the Am-Dwat, the twelve hours after death, so the new king dies and is born again in the human form of Horus, the divine son of Osiris." (1032)

To aid their ascent to the Duat, 'the place where Orion is', a hymn was sung at the funeral of deceased pharaohs, who aspired to attain to godhood in the celestial 'Kingdom of Osiris'.

"...Osiris himself, Egypt's 'Once and Future King', died and was then restored to immortal life as Lord of the sky-region of Orion. This region...was known as the Duat. In it all the Pharaos of Egypt hoped that they would reside eternally after their own deaths:

"The gate of the earth is open for you...may a stairway to the Duat be set up for you to the place where Orion is...

O king...the sky conceives you with Orion...the sky has borne you with Orion...

O king, be a soul like a living star...

The gate of the earth-god is open...may you remove yourself to the sky and sit upon your iron throne...

The aperture of the sky window is opened for you...

The doors of iron which are in the starry sky are thrown open for me, and I go through them..." (132:109)

By "gate of the earth-god", "aperture of the sky window" and "doors of iron", the hymn would seem to be referring to a specific place in the Duat as the portal through which Osiris and the pharaohs passed. This portal was called a 'star gate'. As well, state Hancock and Bauval, it was a 'time gate' where the departed souls attained immortality.

"What seems to be envisaged here, taken literally and reduced to the basic common denominators running through all the above utterances, appears to be nothing less than an iron 'stargate' intended to admit Osiris, and all the dynasties of dead kings after him, into the celestial realms of the belt of Orion. But if the Pyramid Texts are describing a stargate then they are also describing a timegate — for they express no doubt that by passing through the iron-doored portals of the sky the soul of the deceased will attain a life of millions of years, navigating eternity in the vessels of the gods." (132:109)

The specific portal through which the pharaohs passed is located in Orion's belt of three stars. Specifically, the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid was aimed at the belt star, Al Nitak, the brightest belt star. Al Nitack was the Stargate when visible.

"The Great Pyramid has numerous features which leave us without any doubt that its designers paid careful attention to the stars and tracked their transit at the meridian... Most conclusive of all...is the fine accuracy of the four shafts. Recent investigations have established beyond a shadow of a doubt that in circa 2500 BC — the era recognized by Egyptologists as the 'Pyramid Age'— each one of these shafts targeted a special star as it culminated at the meridian.

"From the Queen's Chamber, the northern shaft is angled at 39 degrees and was aimed at the star Kochab (Beta Ursa Minor) in the constellation of the Little Bear — a star associated by the ancients with 'cosmic regeneration' and the immortality of the soul. The southern shaft, on the other hand, which is angled at 39 degrees 30', was aimed at the bright star Sirius (Alpha Canis Major) in the constellation of the Great Dog. This star the ancients associated with the goddess Isis, cosmic mother of the kings of Egypt.

"From the King's Chamber, the northern shaft is angled at 32 degrees 28' and was aimed at the ancient Pole star, Thuban (Alpha Draconis) in the constellation of the Dragon — associated by the Pharaohs with notions of 'cosmic pregnancy and gestation'.

"The southern shaft [of the Great Pyramid], which is angled at 45 degrees 14', was aimed at Al Nitak (Zeta Orionis), the brightest (and also the lowest) of the three stars of Orion's belt — which the ancient Egyptians identified with Osiris, their high god of resurrection and rebirth and the legendary bringer of civilization to the Nile Valley in a remote epoch referred to as Zep Tepi, the 'First Time'." (132:65)

There is considerable controversy over whether the pyramids today reflect the configuration of Orion's belt. There is also controversy over the dating of the pyramids, whether they were built by the pharaohs in the dynastic era circa 3,400 B.C. or much earlier in 10,500 B.C. The early daters solve the configuration discrepancy by claiming that the pyramids were precisely aligned with Orion's belt in 10,500 B.C., but not in 3,400 B.C. Moreover, the Sphinx conjuncted with the constellation Leo in 10,500 B.C., but not in 3,400. This point of view conveniently supports the New Age belief that the pyramids were not built by men, non-existent in 10,500 B.C., but by the Anunnaki (Nephilim), the gods who visited Egypt in the 'First Time'.

"In 2500 BC... the southern shaft of the King's Chamber aligns perfectly with Al Nitak (Zeta Orionis) at an altitude of 45 degrees. But at this point in time the other two stars of Orion's Belt and the Milky Way do not align directly with the other two pyramids and the Nile.
"If we 'shift' the sky around..., continually going back in time, we find a perfect match between the pyramids and the three stars of Orion's Belt and the Nile and the Milky way at 10,500 BC !
"As 2500 BC marks the zenith of Al Nitak (i.e.. when it is at its highest point above the horizon), 10,500 BC marks Al Nitak's nadir (i.e., when it is at its lowest point above the horizon). Is this simply coincidence?

"The Sphynx (about half a mile away from the pyramids) points due east and in the pre-dawn of 10,500 BC it would have pointed directly at its celestial counterpart - the constellation of Leo.
"Therefore, at the moment of sunrise on the vernal equinox in 10,500 BC there would be a conjunction involving the three Pyramids and the Orion's Belt and a conjunction involving the Sphynx and the constellation of Leo. This conjunction marks the beginning of the 'Age of Leo' and the beginning of the upwards precessional cycle of Orion's Belt.
"Can all this be accidental?
"It seems unlikely that such engineering and astronomical precision can be purely coincidental. Either the Pharaohs had much more knowledge than we even thought remotely possible or, perhaps, a civilisation more ancient than the Egyptians (circa 10,500 BC, maybe?) once existed and was endowed with great knowledge.
"Either way, it seems that the epoch of 10,500 BC is being commemorated by the Pyramids and the Sphynx for some reason." (1024)

Adrian Gilbert maintains that, at the summer solstice in the year 2000, the sun was directly over the outstretched hand of Orion, a phenomenon which last occurred in 10,880 B.C. at which time Atlantis was destroyed. Moreover, when Gilbert held an Ankh cross over the Great Pyramid on June 21, 2000, the sun formed a perfect 'Eye of Horus' over the pyramid.

"...the Pyramid Khafre on 21st June and in time to see it crowned by the sun.

"As the sun climbed higher in the sky, so the shadows departed and standing back a little we could see its reflection on the casing stones. Immediately this brought to mind the Masonic image of the eye in the triangle or pyramidion. This glyph is used in the Great Seal of the United States of America. One wonders if Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had the seal of the United States put on the dollar bill had any idea of the significance of its symbolism. As he was a 33rd degree Freemason, one may suspect that he did. However he probably did not realise that the eye of God (to the ancient Egyptians the Eye of Horus, i.e. the sun) would sit upon the Khafre Pyramid in this way precisely at the summer solstice...

"To see the sun rise and set behind the capstone of a pyramid..." (1017, "Opening the Stargate," Part 4)

To Gilbert, this signaled the opening of a 'stargate' in heaven through which mortals may pass into immortality:

"Today all this has changed. Because of precession the sun is no longer in Leo at the solstice but on the cusp of Gemini and Taurus. In fact it now stands on a position in the zodiac exactly over the outstretched 'hand' of Orion. Curiously enough this position (which I call the 'shake-hands position') is where according to the ancients there exists one of the gates of heaven. There were in fact two of these imaginary gateways at the points where the ecliptic, or pathway of the sun, crosses over the Milky Way. One of these gates was in Gemini over the hand of Orion and the other in Sagittarius over the sting of Scorpio.

"This gateway seems to be what is symbolised by the Sahu (Orion) figure as inscribed on the Benben stone of Amenemhet III at the Cairo Museum. He is depicted as a small walking figure holding a sceptre in one hand and cupping a star in the other. This star or 'S'ba' to give it its Egyptian name has a dual meaning as a hieroglyphic. On the one hand it means 'star' but on the other it means 'gateway'. Thus Orion is correctly shown holding in his hand what we might call a 'stargate'.

"Now the positioning of the sun at the solstice at a stargate is a very extraordinary phenomenon and unique to our present age. It has not happened since around 10,880 BC at around the time when many believe the destruction of Atlantis occurred. The fact that this is now occurring and is somehow linked with the Khafre pyramid seems to me to be an important portent and to symbolise the 'opening of a gate in heaven'. This I don't take in some sci-fi way as symbolising the arrival of aliens or some such but it is, I believe, symbolic of the birth of a new age of mankind. I take it so symbolise the beginning of a new era and a new cycle of possibilities." (1030)

Osiris means 'place of the eye'; his place is in Orion. When the sun directly over Orion at high noon, the Stargate opens, through which Osiris and the pharaohs ascended to the heavens. This is the meaning of the all-seeing eye in the capstone of the pyramid on the dollar bill. According to David Calvert-Orange, author of Isis, Osiris, Divine Kingship and Resurrection, '...the Great Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops...was nothing more than an elaborate Stargate to effect the transmutation of the soul of the dead Pharaoh into the essence of light to enable its assimilation to Osiris in his heavenly abode of Orion." (1032)

Returning to Adrian Gilbert, just as Osiris and the pharaohs ascended through a stargate, Gilbert avers that Jesus Christ ascended in like manner: "Whilst writing Magi he stumbled upon something else, which is that the Ascension of Jesus, which according to the Bible took place 40 days after the Resurrection, would have happened on the precise day that the sun was placed in the northern stargate position: that is to say over the upstretched right-hand of Orion." Curiously, there is no mention in the Bible of stargates, pyramids, cartouches, Orion, ankh crosses or even the position of the sun at the scene of Jesus ascension. (Acts 1) No matter. Mr. Gilbert prefers to expound the Hermetic doctrine of the soul's journey after death instead of the Biblical testimony on this subject: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27)

"Having traversed the planetary spheres, before the ascending soul could get back to God, it had to pass through the sphere of the fixed stars, known today as the 'Celestial Sphere'. This represents the 'Higher Heaven' and lies beyond the jurisdiction of our local solar system with its governors the sun, moon and planets. To get to this Higher Heaven, which could in any case only be approached if it had successfully passed through the spheres of the Lower, the soul had to find its way to a gate. According to the ancient cosmology there were two of these: one was in the northern hemisphere and the other was in the southern. These 'stargates' were positioned at the points in the sky where the ecliptic, the pathway of the sun, crosses the Milky Way. Therefore one of these positions was in Sagittarius, above the sting of Scorpio, and the other was in Gemini, above the outstretched arm or 'club' of Orion." (1017, "Opening the Stargate," Part 1)

We have mentioned in a previous section, Capricorn, that in the Age of Aries the Gates of the Sun were Capricorn and Cancer but, due to the precession of the equinoxes, those gates, whereby souls descend and ascend to heaven (they say), are now, in the Age of Pisces, Gemini and Sagittarius. In other words, the constellations of Gemini and Sagittarius are on the point where the ecliptic (path of the sun) intersects with the Milky Way (the Galactic Stellar Womb). In Hermetic doctrine, the Orion factor determines when the stargate opens. According to Adrian Gilbert and Graham Hancock, the Stargate opened in the year 2,000 with the sun at the stargates at the solstices, the northern stargate being Orion. This event has not happened since the 'First Time' some 12,880 years ago.

"The northern stargate over the upstretched 'hand' of Orion is exactly at the cusp of Gemini and Taurus; the southern stargate is at the cusp of Sagittarius and Scorpio...

"Today the sun stands exactly between Sagittarius and Scorpio at the winter solstice and over the hand of Orion at the time of the summer solstice. In other words the positions of the stargates correspond with the sun's positions at the solstices. This is the first time this has happened since c.10,880 BC when the gates were in the opposite positions, with the Orion gate in the south and the Scorpio gate in the north. This latter date, c.10,880 BC, corresponds closely with the ending of the last ice age and the legendary destruction of Atlantis [According to Plato, the Greek philosopher, the last phase of this destruction took place around 9500 BC]. Thus we can say with some assurity that last time the Sun was positioned at the stargates at the solstices corresponded with major changes in the earth's climate. (1017, Adrian Gilbert, "Opening the Stargate," Part 2)

"...Curiously the epoch of the year 2000, which figures in these Christian prophecies [of Edgar Cayce], also coincides with the Last Time (or highest point) in the great upwards cycle of the belt stars of the Orion constellation, just as the epoch of the eleventh millennium BC coincided with the First Time (or lowest point) of that cycle." (Graham Hancock) (236:500)

STARGATE

In the 1994 movie, Stargate, a magical portal is opened to "the other side of the known universe" through the alignment of symbols on an ancient Egyptian device. The central character, an Egyptologist played by actor, James Spader, is hired to unlock the mysterious hieroglyphs on an Egyptian artifact consisting of a number of symbols enclosed within a circular frame. Spader discovers that the images on the outer frame are not hieroglyphs (Egyptian writing characters) but star constellations. The final symbols to be deciphered turn out to be the constellation of Orion and a pyramid with the sun directly overhead and two priests praying before it. The sun over the pyramid means that the Stargate opens when the sun is over Orion at high noon. This Stargate apparatus to transport human beings through time to another world is described in the following synopsis of the movie.

"Daniel Jackson is taken to a converted missile silo in Creek Mountain, Colorado. There, Catherine, another Egyptologist and a physics professor show Jackson a large circular artefact with two main sets of writing; one on an outer track around the artefact's circumference, and another on an inner track which has symbols which also appear on a cartouche in the centre. Jackson says only the inner track contains hieroglyphs, which when translated describe how Ra, the Egyptian God of the sun, was banished for all time when an object called a Stargate was buried...
"Jackson researches ancient languages to try and find the meaning of the outer track, but his extensive search is in vain. However, looking at the astrology section of a newspaper he realises that one of the symbols on the outer track matches the constellation Orion. The symbols on the outer track, he realises, are not a written language but star constellations. Jackson presents his discovery to General West and the team of Air Force officers, explaining the seven symbols on the cartouche denote a course. Six symbols show a destination; to specify a particular point within a three-dimensional object, one requires six different points on the surface of that object. Two points on both sides of the object's length draw a straight line, which intersects with similar lines along the width and depth provide one particular point. The seventh symbol, Jackson says, is a point of origin.

"The cartouche contains six specific constellations, but one which is separate from the others is a picture of two priests praying before a Pyramid with the sun over them, which Jackson says is most likely the point of origin. One scientist rejects Jackson's claims, saying the point of origin isn't on 'the device'. Asking what the device is, the military personnel show Jackson the large ring which was found in the film openings. Catherine explains 'It's your Stargate.'
"The group go into the control center of the Stargate, where Catherine explains the object which her father found is made of a material not found anywhere else on Earth. The Stargate contains all the symbols which were present on the outer circle of the artefact, and Jackson identifies the point of origin; previously undetected as it does not contain as much detail as the symbol on the cartouche.
"Entering the now complete sequence of seven symbols, the Stargate opens in a blaze of energy, creating a portal. A probe is sent through, which records the other side of the portal is on the other side of the known universe and is capable of sustaining human life. The Stargate closes a short time after the probe is sent through." (1033)

To make a long story short, a reconnaissance team was transported back in time to "the other side of the known universe" where it remained stranded until James Spader deciphered the code which transported them back to earth. Predictably, this mediocre production was a prelude to even more noxious science fiction concerning ancient gods who descended to earth from the star system Sirius in the constellation of Orion. A retired CBS director, Mark Roberts, revealed the real Stargate agenda in Stargate: The Real One:

"The word Stargate has become a merging point between fiction & reality. The cinema Stargate was an ancient time-dimensional doorway to the cosmos ~ with knowledge of ancient writings & star constellations as the keys to opening the gate... The reality Stargate is an ancient depiction of a cosmic-portal painted at the entry to a cave containing one of the most ancient representations of the constellation known as the Pleiades. The star map and other ancient paintings & features within the cave have provided the keys to connect over four decades of study involving: decades of field archaeology linked to an ancient alphabet; Egyptian hieroglyphs; ancient symbols for the star system known as Sirius, revered as the Star Goddess Sothis by the ancient Egyptians; and links to an even more ancient culture ~ with a directional key to a prime base of the cosmic visitors who had arrived on earth at the very dawn of antiquity." (1035)

A primetime TV series based on the film features the discovery of a giant cartouche covered in hieroglyphics which is a map of other Stargates throughout the galaxy. This important find makes it possible for the U.S. Air Force to "battle evil throughout the universe for the good of planet Earth." In the final episode of the Stargate series, which will air in March 2004, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force will make an appearance:

"8/26/2003 - VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper stars as himself here Aug. 26 on an upcoming episode of the Sci-Fi Channel's primetime television series 'Stargate: SG-1.' Jumper performed a handful of lines during the day of filming. The scenes will appear in the internationally syndicated show's season finale in March. The series depicts a fictional Cheyenne Mountain-based, top-secret Air Force command, which battles evil throughout the universe for the good of planet Earth." (997)

The implications of government sanction of the 'Stargate conspiracy' are staggering considering verses in the Bible which foretell that the 'kings of the earth' will wage war against Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. For detailed information on this defining moment of the Tribulation period, when the occult societies will misrepresent Jesus Christ as Satan, being cast out of heaven (Rev. 12) or the bottomless pit (Rev. 20), please refer to our report Heeding Bible Prophecy: Armageddon: War Against Jesus Christ: Star Wars Program

Cheers,

------------------
~*Silverstone~*

Symbolism of Orion's Belt

29. Orion (the Glorious One)

This picture is to show that the coming one is no mere animal, but a man: a mighty, triumphant, glorious prince.

He is so pictured in the ancient Denderah Zodiac, where we see a man coming forth pointing to the three bright stars (Rigel, Bellatrix, and Betelguez) as his. His name is given as Ha-ga-t, which means this is he who triumphs. The hieroglyphic characters below read Oar. Orion was anciently spelt Oarion, from the Hebrew root, which means light. So that Orion means coming forth as light. The ancient Akkadian was Ur-ana, the light of heaven.

Orion is the most brilliant of all the constellations, and when he comes to the meridian he is accompanied by several adjacent constellations of great splendour. There is then above the horizon the most glorious view of the celestial bodies that the starry firmament affords; and this magnificent view is visible to all the habitable world, because the equinoctial line (or solstitial colure) passes nearly through the middle of Orion.

ARATUS thus sings of him:

"Eastward, beyond the region of the Bull,
Stands great Orion. And who, when night is clear,
Beholds him gleaming bright, shall cast his eyes in vain
To find a Sign more glorious in all heaven."

The constellation is mentioned by name, as being perfectly well known both by name and appearance, in the time of Job; and as being an object of familiar knowledge at that early period of the world's history. See Job 9:9; 38:31, and Amos 5:8 (Heb. Chesil, which means a strong one, a hero, or giant).

It contains 78 stars, two being of the 1st magnitude, four of the 2nd, four of the 3rd, sixteen of the 4th, etc.

A little way below i (in the sword) is a very remarkable nebulous star. A common telescope will show that it is a beautiful nebula. A powerful telescope reveals it as consisting of collections of nebulous stars, these again being surrounded by faint luminous points, which still more powerful telescopes would resolve into separate stars.

Thus beautifully is set forth the brilliancy and glory of that Light which shall break forth when the moment comes for it to be said, "Arise, shine, for thy light is come."

The picture presents us with "the Light of the world." His left foot is significantly placed upon the head of the enemy. He is girded with a glorious girdle, studded with three brilliant stars; and upon this girdle is hung a sharp sword. Its handle proves that this mighty Prince is come forth in a new character. He is again proved to be "the Lamb that was slain," for the hilt of this sword is in the form of the head and body of a lamb. In his right hand he lifts on high his mighty club; while in his left he holds forth the token of his victory--the head and skin of the "roaring lion." We ask in wonder, "Who is this?" and the names of the stars give us the answer.

The brightest, a (in the right shoulder), is named Betelgeuz, which means the coming (Mal 3:2) of the branch.

The next, b (in the left foot), is named Rigel, or Rigol, which means the foot that crusheth. The foot is lifted up, and placed immediately over the head of the enemy, as though in the very act of crushing it. Thus, the name of the star bespeaks the act.

The next star, g (in the left shoulder), is called Bellatrix, which means quickly coming, or swiftly destroying.

The name of the fourth star, d (one of the three in the belt), carries us back to the old, old story, that this glorious One was once humbled; that His heel was once bruised. Its name is Al Nitak, the wounded One. * Similarly the star k (in the right leg) is called Saiph, bruised, which is the very word used in Genesis 3:15, thus connecting Orion with the primeval prophecy. Like Ophiuchus, he has one leg bruised; while, with the other, he is crushing the enemy under foot.

* The star z (in the belt) is called Mintaka, dividing, as a sacrifice (Lev 8:2).

This is betokened by other stars named Al Rai, who bruises, who breaks (as in Cepheus); and Thabit (Hebrew), treading on.

Other (Arabic) names relate to His Person: Al Giauza, the branch; Al Gebor, the mighty; Al Mirzam, the ruler; Al Nagjed, the prince; Niphla (Chaldee), the mighty; Nux (Hebrew), the strong. Some names relate to His coming, as Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, as above; Heka (Chaldee), coming; and Meissa (Hebrew), coming forth.

Such is the cumulative testimony of Orion's stars, which, day after day, and night after night, show forth this knowledge. That testimony was afterwards written in the Book. The Prince of Glory, who was once wounded for the sins of His redeemed, is about to rise up and shine forth for their deliverance. Their redemption draweth nigh; for--

"The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man,
He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war;
He shall cry, yea, roar;
He shall prevail against His enemies.
I have [He says] long time holden my peace;
I have been still, and refrained myself:
Now will I cry like a travailing woman;
I will destroy and devour at once."
Isaiah 42:13, 14

Then it will be said to His people (and the setting of the prophecy in its beautiful introverted structure shows us the beauty and glory of the truth it reveals): *

a: Arise,
      b: Shine; for thy light is come,
            c: And the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
                  d: For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
                  d: And gross darkness the people;
            c: But the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.
      b: And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,
a: And kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)

* Note that--
In a and a, we have the rising of Israel;
In b and b, the light that is come upon her;
In c and c, the glory of the LORD; and
In d and d, the darkness of the world.

This is "the glory of the God" which the heavens constantly declare (Psalm 19:1). They tell of that blessed time when the whole earth shall be filled with His glory (Num 14:21; Isa 11:9); when "the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (Isa 40:5), as all see now the beauty of Orion's glory.

But side by side with the glory which the coming Light of the world shall bring for His people, there is "that wicked," whom the Lord "shall destroy with the brightness of His coming." Hence, as in the concluding chapter (4) of the First Book (of which this Third Book is the expansion) we had in LYRA (the harp), as 1, Praise prepared for the Conqueror; and in ARA (the burning pyre), as 2, consuming fire prepared for His enemies: so in the first chapter of this book, we have in ORION, as 1, Glory prepared for the Conqueror; and in ERIDANUS, as 2, the River of wrath prepared for His enemies. This brings us to--

http://www.levendwater.org/books/witness/chap31.htm