THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL IN THE MAZZAROTH

The Hebrew way of study: PaRDeS, an acronym formed from the first letters of the four levels of Torah interpretation, means 'orchard' in Hebrew. (The English word Paradise (PaRaDiSe) is derived from the same Persian root).

Peshat: often inaccurately translated as literal, it comes from the root which means simple, although peshat is sometimes anything but simple! Peshat correctly means the intended, explicit meaning.

Remez:  Remez in Modern Hebrew means hint. The alluded meaning reading between the lines.

Derash: Homiletical or interpretative meaning. The word 'midrash' is from the same root. The drash is an interpretation that is not explicit in the text.

Sod: (lit. secret). The mystical or esoteric meaning.

Joseph and his brothers in the Mazzaroth: Joseph had 2 dreams: one about physical matters (binding sheaves), and one about spiritual matters (the sun, moon, and stars, which are heavenly bodies). Nevertheless, both dreams shared exactly the same message. Both had to do with harvest. Sheaves are harvested in spring and fall. The sun, moon, and stars, are the heavenly signs signaling the planting and harvest seasons.

The sun (Jacob), the moon (Rachel) and the stars (brothers of handmaids) represent the tribes of Israel. In the Mazzaroth there are twelve constellations which are signs for seasons, days, and years. The sun, moon, and stars, move through the 12 constellations during the year. The Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes and Summer and Winter Solstices are the signs which mark the four quarters of the year. This is how time is kept in the stars in order to ensure the Feasts of the Lord occur at their “appointed times” or mo’edim. Each of the twelve constellations contain 3 lesser Constellations for a total of 36 + 12 = 48. This is NOT astrology—it is the Witness of the Stars of Elohim’s plan of salvation.

The number 48 relates to the 24 courses of priestly service which King David Established in 1 Chronicles 24 for the Temple of the Lord. Each course of priests served two one week periods of service in the Temple during the year—equaling 48 weeks. During the Feasts of the Lord all the priests served at the same time. This covered the full 52 weeks of a solar year.

In the heavenly tabernacle we see 24 elders worshipping at the throne. As in heaven so on earth! Yahweh is speaking to us in the stars of His Tabernacle in Heaven! The Mazzaroth contains the family of God in the stars and the story told by the constellations is the birth, ministry, and redemption of our Messiah. It is the Gospel Story in the Witness of the Stars—His-story.

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. Gen 37.1-3

Joseph is a lad of seventeen not yet mature. He is keeping watch on his brother’s activities with the flocks and reporting back to their father. The term “evil report” in Hebrew means: mischief, wicked in ethical quality, wretchedness, or wrong.

They must have been carousing rather than tending the flocks. Maybe they were spending too much time in the cities nearby carousing? The Bible doesn’t tell us what they were doing, but Joseph was ratting them out.

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.  And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about and made obeisance to my sheaf.  And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words. Gen 37.5-8

Sheaves are bound together at harvest time. There is a spring harvest and a fall harvest in Israel. Joseph’s dreams were about harvests. In the spring the sheaves of barley are harvested and presented as a wave offering on the day of first fruits during Unleavened Bread/Passover. The fall harvest is focused on harvesting of trees and grape vines. The fall is also the season of the return of the Master of the vineyard (Luke 20.9-19).

And he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father and to his brethren; and his father reprehended him and said unto him, what is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?  And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the word. Gen 37.9-11

This dream was more powerful than the first dream. It dealt with the heavenly bodies, sun, moon, and stars. It represented the entire family of Jacob, Rachel, the hand maidens, and all twelve sons. This is why I believe it connects to the Mazzaroth Witness of the Stars. The sun representing Jacob, the moon Rachel, and the stars (constellations) the 12 tribes. We see this in the Mazzaroth Witness of the stars which includes the sun and moon.

We can also relate this to Revelation 12.1-6 in the vision of “…a woman clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” This represents Israel and the 12 tribes. This vision also points us toward the true season in which Yeshua was born—the Feast of Tabernacles. Using NASA computers of the movement of the heavenly bodies we can determine this constellation appeared in the heavens in 3 BC on September 11^th. (A topic for another study).

Psalm 19.1-7 tells us of the sun moving through the constellations: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows the work of his hands. One day provides a word for the next day, and one night declares wisdom unto the next night. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

• Ethelbert W. Bullinger, Witness of the Stars (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publishers, 1967).

We see the sun annually moving through the 12 constellations which are representative of the tribes of Israel. Any tribe or nation can look up to the heavens and see this story of redemption spelled out in the stars. It doesn’t matter what language they speak. The story in the stars can be understood by all. Their voice is heard everywhere in every language.

The sun is the Father, our bridegroom running His race in the tabernacle that has been set in the heavens. He is a strong man rejoicing in the coming marriage to his bride. Together they will create a family. Elohim will create a family in His image during the coming thousand year Millennial Kingdom of God on earth. Nothing can be hid from the father…His heat is like a consuming fire. This is His-story in the heavens for all the earth to see His glory!

Now let’s take this one step further. As we have seen in Genesis 1.14-19 the sun, moon, and stars are for signs, seasons, days, and years. The four seasons revolve around the Vernal (Spring) Equinox, the Autumnal Equinox, the Summer Solstice, and the Winter Solstice.

They are the signs. The word sign in Hebrew means “a signal”. The signs or signals point to the four seasons. The seasons consist of days which make a year. Planting and sowing take place during the seasons.

The Witness of the Stars in the heavens also reveals to the world the plan of Elohim—the way of salvation. No tribe or nation has an excuse not to “hear” this story. It is a banner spread across the heavens.

All of this points to the end of the age and the second appearance of Yeshua. Joseph’s first dream was a spring dream about barley harvest (sheaves). Yeshua physically fulfilled the spring feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread which includes the spring harvest of Shauvot also called Pentecost.

Yeshua has yet to fulfill the fall harvest which is what Joseph’s second dream was about. In Luke 21.11 and 25 Yeshua said there would be signs in the heavens, sun, moon, and stars when He returns. These signs will be a “signal” in the heavens for us. I believe the Master is giving us a hint concerning the season of His return.

In Matthew 16.3 Yeshua told the people that they could not discern the signs of the times! He is telling us the season in which he will return. No man knows the day, hour, or time, but we can know the signs and season of His return.

Look up into the heavens and you will see. The Master said, “to look up to the heavens.” He will be returning in fulfillment of the Fall Feasts of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles. WE will know because he is tipping us off as to when the season of his return will be.