Rosary Workshop - Handmade rosaries and chaplets -Mazzaroth series
GIVING BACK TO GOD WHAT IS HIS
THROUGH A ROSARY DEDICATED TO EACH BIRTH MONTH OF THE YEAR.
The HEAVENS DECLARE
the GLORY of GOD
WHAT IS THE MAZZAROTH?  ZODIAC?  BIBLICAL ORIGINS?
MAZZAROTH: (Hebrew for Zodiac - see Job 38:31-33) ZODIAC: (Greek: 'The Way' - The 'circle or band  of 12 constellations' or 'crown of stars' created and named by God according to Genesis 1:14-16). Before entering this site one must understand that Mazzeroth (Zodiac) does NOT in any way support or have its roots in the Horoscope or Astrology. Read more:
 MAZZAROTH

'EYE OF GOD' (Hubble  HELIX NEBULA (Aquarius)
The Lord does not see as mortals see, they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. Samuel 16:7

ORIGIN OF THE ZODIAC
(See what a Catholic Scripture Scholar and a Protestant Minister has to say and decide for yourself)
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PSALMS 19:2-6
2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft. 3 One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge. 4 There is no word or sound; no voice is heard; 5 Yet their report goes forth through all the earth, their message, to the ends of the world. God has pitched there a tent for the sun;  6  it comes forth like a bridegroom from his chamber, and like an athlete joyfully runs its course …..

Reread this beautiful word from Psalms. Do you ever think of the symbolism of the sun/Son when you read this? ‘God has pitched there a tent for [his son] 6 [He] comes forth like a bridegroom from his chamber, and like an athlete joyfully runs [his] course …..,  If so, how was this message of the coming Messiah conveyed to the early desert fathers? Could God do that?
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In the UP of Michigan when you look up at the stars on a clear night, you are tempted to reach up and pluck one right out of the sky they seem so close.  And you wonder, if they could talk, what would they say?  The early desert fathers knew. They believed there was a message in the stars and many of the stars still carry the early names as evidence. What did the ancients read in these clusters of stars (constellations) and what was their message?  What was their story? How would they know? Could God have eagerly written this good news of salvation for all to see? Did he? Did he write the message of the coming of his beloved son in the stars by carefully placing and naming each one?  Was it passed down from generation to generation since the time of Adam by word of mouth?
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HOW WOULD ADAM KNOW?
There was no media, no sound, no voice, no written word for God to use to tell his people about the greatest event to come, the coming of the Messiah.  We are familiar with God speaking and Adam hearing: Genesis 3:15  - "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." But was there any other redeeming communication for Adam to pass down to his children? God's unfailing love for his children and for their Hope of salvation to come?  How would they know about the map in the sky and the names of each of the stars? Was this knowledge embraced in God's divine gifts?  Before the fall , Adam possessed  Sanctifying Grace and the Preternatural Gifts of Integrity, Immortality and Infused Knowledge. Could it have been through Infused Knowledge?
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PROVERBS 8:27-31
27 "When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;  28 When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;  29 When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command;  30 Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while,  31 playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men.
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SIRACH 43:1-12
1. The clear vault of the sky shines forth like heaven itself, a vision of glory. 2  The orb of the sun, resplendent at its rising: what a wonderful work of the Most High! 3  At noon it seethes the surface of the earth, and who can bear its fiery heat? 4  Like a blazing furnace of solid metal, it sets the mountains aflame with its rays; By its fiery darts the land is consumed; the eyes are dazzled by its light.5  Great indeed is the LORD who made it, at whose orders it urges on its steeds.  6  The moon, too, that marks the changing times, governing the seasons, their lasting sign, 7  By which we know the feast days and fixed dates, this light-giver which wanes in its course:  8  As its name says, each month it renews itself; how wondrous in this change!  9  The beauty, the glory, of the heavens are the stars that adorn with their sparkling the heights of God,  10 At whose command they keep their place and never relax in their vigils. A weapon against the flood waters stored on high, lighting up the firmament by its brilliance, 11 Behold the rainbow! Then bless its Maker,for majestic indeedis its splendor; 12 It spans the heavens with its glory,this bow bent by the mighty hand of God.
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THE STORY
THE EPHOD - BREASTPLATE OF DECISION
WHAT IS MAZZEROTH?   + GIVING BACK TO GOD
ANCIENT NAMES OF STARS

 THE NUMBER 12   + ORIGIN: BIRTHSTONE
 BEIT ALPHA, (6th C)  SYNAGOGUE TILE FLOOR
WHAT DO SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS SAY?

 A BOOK ABOUT THE MESSIAH

~ THE STORY ~

AS WRITTEN IN THE STARS

THE BREASTPLATE

~ THE EPHOD ~

OF DECISION
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EXODUS 28: 6-21
6 "The ephod they shall make of gold thread and of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, embroidered on cloth of fine linen twined.  7 It shall have a pair of shoulder straps joined to its two upper ends.  8 The embroidered belt of the ephod shall extend out from it and, like it, be made of gold thread, of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined.  9 "Get two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel:  10 six of their names on one stone, and the other six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.  11 As a gem-cutter engraves a seal, so shall you have the two stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel and then mounted in gold filigree work. 12 Set these two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod as memorial stones of the sons of Israel. Thus Aaron shall bear their names on his shoulders as a reminder before the LORD. 13 Make filigree rosettes of gold, 14 as well as two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, and fasten the cordlike chains to the filigree rosettes.
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BREASTPLATE OF DECISION
15 "The breastpiece of decision you shall also have made, embroidered like the ephod with gold thread and violet, purple and scarlet yarn on cloth of fine linen twined. 16 It is to be square when folded double, a span high and a span wide 17 On it you shall mount four rows of precious stones: in the first row, a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald; 18 in the second row, a garnet, a sapphire and a beryl;  19  in the third row, a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; 20  in the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. These stones are to be mounted in gold filigree work, 21 twelve of them to match the names of the sons of Israel, each stone engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. (NOTE: stones were often identified by their country or origin and bible translations do not alway identify the same stones or placements. ie: some translations include turquoise (Turkey)

FROM THE HEBREW CALENDER

~ MAZZEROTH ~

THE GOSPEL IN THE STARS

MAZZAROTH – Hebrew for ZODIAC – Represents the band of stars that wrap around the sky containing 12 major signs (constellations), one for each of the 12 tribes of Judah (Israel.) (see book of Job below) – To read the 12 signs of the Zodiac (Greek ‘the way’ or ‘the path.’) and their 36 associated (Decans) constellations correctly, one must go to the Hebrew calendar and start in September and Virgo the virgin. If we start in January as we normally do in the Western calendar, the story of the divine message will not be read correctly.
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'It is believed that the ancient Hebrews were given the names of the ancient Mazzeroth (Zodiac - the band of 12 constellations), the names, figures and their meanings by Yahweh (G_d)  from the time of Adam and the time of creation when he placed and named each one. This story of redemption would have passed from Adam to his children and carried from one generation to the next. It was believed that it was corrupted by the Babylonians during the time they built the tower of Babel (Genesis). Also over time, many of the meanings and root names were lost as the Hebrew language underwent numerous changes.
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And as mentioned above, the Hebrew calendar was used, starting with September and Virgo - the virgin woman, ending with Leo - the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, to reveal the Hebrew Messiah. Job knew, and the book of Job is one of the oldest books in the Old Testament.
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JOB: 38:31-33
31 Have you fitted a curb to the Pleiades, or loosened the bonds of Orion? 32  Can you bring forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or guide the Bear with its train?  33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens; can you put into effect their plan on the earth?

What does this mean? 'can you put into effect their plan on the earth?'  read that again! 'can you put into effect their plan on the earth?'  Remember, we have a tendency to relate the word ZODIAC with Astrology. It does not have its origins in and has nothing to do with Astrology (Astrology has twisted/adopted the word Zodiac to its own purpose and use in an attempt to put other gods before us. This is a perfect example of how evil has tried to destroy the goodness of the word of God)  It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who placed and named every star in the heavens.
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Our purpose here is to give back the heavens and all creation to their creator, as in this he will complete his promise. Think about it, God gives us water. When we offer it back to him through the hands of the Priest who blesses it in his triune name - it becomes very powerful as 'holy water'. And what happens to bread and wine when given back to God in the Apostolic line? The most precious gift of Eucharist. Christ is with us!

ASTRONOMY?

~ GIVING BACK TO GOD ~

ASTROLOGY?

 ROMANS 1:20
understood in what he has made
20 Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.

WISDOM 13:1-2
The scripture firmly condemns 'Astrology' ...
13:1. But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God: and who by these good things that are seen, could not understand him that is, neither by attending to the works have acknowledged who was the workman: 2. But have imagined either the fire, or the wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the great water, or the sun and moon, to be the gods that rule the world.

JOB 38: 13-15
... and warns those who search in the wrong places.
13 You wearied yourself with many consultations, at which you toiled from your youth; Let the astrologers stand forth to save you, the stargazers who forecast at each new moon what would happen to you. 14 Lo, they are like stubble, fire consumes them; They cannot save themselves from the spreading flames. This is no warming ember, no fire to sit before. 15 Thus do your wizards serve you with whom you have toiled from your youth; Each wanders his own way, with none to save you.

PSALMS 148:1
... but does tell the stars to praise the Lord and gave them tasks
1 Hallelujah! 1 Praise the LORD from the heavens; give praise in the heights. 2 Praise him, all you angels; give praise, all you hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; give praise, all shining stars. 4 Praise him, highest heavens, you waters above the heavens. 5 Let them all praise the LORD'S name; for the LORD commanded and they were created, 6 Assigned them duties forever, gave them tasks that will never change.

STARS STILL CARRY

~ THEIR ANCIENT NAMES ~

IS THIS THE PROOF?

Early imagery confirms the recognition of the coming of the Jewish Messiah
by reading the stars (constellations) and their original names.
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ARE THESE ANCIENT NAMES PROOF?
Various stars in each of the 12 constellations (signs), plus the smaller constellations clustered around them continue the story of the coming of the Messiah adding to the richness of the following ‘CHAPTERS’ if you will - in this great story written in the heavens by the hand of God. Some of those ancient stars that still carry their original names are mentioned below and under each month. They have their origins in the Hebrew (H), Arabic (A), Greek (G), Chaldean (C) and Egyptian (E) languages. But is believed originally to have been given to Adam by Yawheh (God) himself as those who followed knew the story, certainly  it was not a mystery to Job. We will point out some of the 3 constellations (decans) that are associated with each of the 12. (36 + 12 = 48) There is much more to study but our intention here is to unearth that which has been hidden by other agendas, not of God and bring it back into his glory.
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WHAT WAS THE SHEEPGATE?
A beautiful example is in the constellation Big Dipper/Ursa Major or the more ancient name of 'Sheepgate'. The stars in the handle of the 'dipper' still carry the names of wandering sheep leaving the ancient fenced in 'Sheepgate'.  The sickle (from the constellation Bootes (Christ the Shepherder) is pointing towards the stars of the sheepgate handle – the handle stars are lost sheep coming out of the gate. The stars still carrying the ancient names of lost and wandering sheep are: DUBEH: 'flock', ALIOTH: 'she goat', MIZAR: 'separate', AL COR: 'the lamb', AL KAID: 'the assembled' . Read on there is much more under individual months. It gets better!
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TELLING OF THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH!
So, before we begin to read the Gospel as written in the stars thousands of years ago (3500 to 5000 years ago), it is important to remember that some of the stars have been read and changed since ancient times by many cultures, local myths and peoples. (including Astrology/Horoscopes) Here we concentrate on a very simple overview of the Judeo/Christian message given to us by the desert fathers who, we learn carried it very carefully by word of mouth - rote - from one generation to the next, probably from the time of Adam.  Is it true or just a coincidence? You decide.

SYMBOLISM IN NUMBERS

~ THE NUMBER 12 ~

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

 A crown of 12 stars – what does it all mean? The number 12 is significant in scripture - Our first thoughts may go to Mary and her crown of 12 stars. Revelations 12 tells of the woman with the crown of 12 stars. Why 12? Do they represent the 12 tribes of Israel? Or we may think of 12 months in the year, the 12 constellations called forth during our birthday. Jesus was 12 when he went to the Synagog and spoke to the elders. AND WHAT IF: the 12 stars around Mary's head, were the 12 'signs' that told the story of the coming birth of her son, Jesus? Does that remind you of the rosary itself which tells the story of the Life of Jesus?
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But also think of the way God works through man: 12 tribes of Judah (Israel) (12 thrones) and the 12 Apostles. The Heavenly Jerusalem has 12 pearls, 12 foundations and the measurements are 12,000 furlongs and the wall, 144 (12x12) cubits.  Also considered to be ‘the governmental perfection’ or the’ mystical number of God’s chosen people’.
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In Exodus 28, God showed Aaron how to make the ephod and breastplate for the garment of the high priest and his descendants. One stone was assigned to each of the 12 tribes of Israel. It was believed each stone carried not only the name of the tribe but also the attributes of that tribe. And that each stone had special healing powers - for that tribe - from heaven. (see background image below)

FROM THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL ...

~ 12 BIRTHSTONES ~

 ... TO TODAY'S CELEBRATION

With the thought that maybe, just maybe the 12 stars around Mary's head told the story of the coming of her son Jesus through the 12 signs, we carry the story telling one step further by dedicating the 12 birthstone rosaries to the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus.

 SEPTEMBER SKY (VIRGO)

 SEPTEMBER SKY - RBS.2609
Antique matte midnight blue Ave beads with Paters of antique flowers framing a faceted
crystal bead with a brush of deep sapphire on one side. Very rich and Very limited
Read about the constellations and how it points to the Virgin Mary and
her son, Jesus - also see Lapis (alternate stone for September) and Wood rosary.
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'EYE OF GOD'

~ HELIX NEBULA ~

 HUBBLE - NASA

Beneath His watchful eye His saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard His children well.
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 from 'How Gentle God's Commands
P Doddridge (1912)

DEUTERONOMY  32:10
10 He found them in a wilderness, a wastland of howling desert. He shielded them and cared for them, guarding them as the apple of his eye. 11. As an eagle incites its nestlings forth by hovering over its brood, So he spread his wings to receive them and bore them up on his pinions. 12. The Lord alone was their leader, no strange god was with him.

HUBBLE SPACE SHIP
The image we call 'THE EYE OF GOD' is actually called the Helix Nebula. It isdescribed by astronomers as "a trillion-mile-long tunnel of glowing gases." At its center is a dying star. This sun-like star is ejecting masses of dust and gas to form 'tentacle-like filaments' stretching toward an outer rim composed of the same material.  The Sun itself may look like this in several billion years.  NASA
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'Because the nebula is nearby, it is nearly one-half the diameter of the full Moon.', Shares NASA. Between Hubble and the Kitt Peak's Mosaic Camera, it was necessary to take several images to get the image above.
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During the November 2002 Leonid meteor storm, the mirror of the Hubble space craft was in jepardy so the team turned Hubble around, aft end into the stream for protection. What would face them almost head on - would be the Helix Nebula. A wonderful find! The remarkable shape of the Helix truly appears to be a blue eyed God who keeps us under his wing. It is 650 light years away and is nearly three light years across. Glowing hydrogen and nitrogen shows as red and oxygen as blue.

To see more of the wonders of creation as spoken by the mouth of God,
caught by the Hubble Space Ship visit:

HUBBLE GALLERY
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/
EUROPEAN SITE
http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/bestof/
VATICAN ASTRONOMER
Dr. (Brother) Guy Consolmagno
http://www.astrobio.net/news/article966.html

PSALM 147: 2-5
2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem, gathers the dispersed of Israel, 3 Heals the broken hearted, bind up their wounds, 4. Numbers all the stars, calls each of them by name. 5 Great is our Lord, vast in power, with wisdom beyond measure
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EARLY MOSAIC (6c)

~ BEIT-ALPHA ~

SYNAGOGUE FLOOR

Mosaic pavement (6th century) synagogue at Beit Alpha, Israel.

Signs of the Mazzeroth surround the central chariot of the Sun.
12 Constellations of the Zodiac
 

WHERE DOES IT

~ CATHOLIC SCRIPTURE SCHOLAR ~

COME FROM?

ZODIAC DOES NOT HAVE ROOTS IN HOROSCOPES
What we know as the star constellations pictures in the night sky are often called in English the "signs of the Zodiac" is known in Hebrew as "the Mazzeroth", star constellations placed by God Himself, Job 38:31; Isaiah 13:10; Amos 5:8. This placement of the stars by God was done to tell the Gospel plan of redemption before the Bible was put into writing. The word Zodiac is a term used in astronomy, Job 9:9 (lb).  God’s message in the stars where the book of creation speaks to man of God's awesome power, Psalm 19:1–6 (Note words “speech,” “language,” “voice” in the text. Then compare verses 7–13.).
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THE BIBLE CONDEMNS ASTROLOGY
The science of Astronomy is NEVER to be confused with ASTROLOGY which is fortune telling and the Bible condemns.  ASTRONOMY is the science dealing with the phenomena outside the earth’s atmosphere but especially concerned with the observable arrangements, motions, and characteristics of the heavenly bodies planets, stars, asteroids and universes in space. The word “astronomy” is based on two Greek words meaning “the law of the stars.”
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ASTRONOMY AND ITS VALUES
Astronomy is by no means a modern science. Human beings have always been preoccupied with the heavens. The concern of the earliest civilizations with the universe appears to have been mainly intellectual curiosity and the need for navigational orientation were certainly additional factors.
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WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
The Bible provides some interesting insights about astronomy. According to Genesis 1:14–19 the sun and moon, along with the stars, have the function of giving light on the earth, determining the seasons, and functioning as “signs.” The word “season” may denote festal seasons as well as the annual seasons. The Hebrew calendar was a lunar-solar calendar similar to that of the Babylonians. Hebrew festal seasons were based on the phases of the moon. The function of the heavenly bodies as signs seems to relate to their delineation of the heavens, permitting human beings on earth to orient themselves, navigate land and the high seas and know the stars were created by God.

 ANCIENT SIGNS

~ DR KENNEDY, PROTESTANT ~

 OF THE ZODIAC

'THE REAL MEANING OF THE ZODIAC'
by Dr James Kennedy
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In his book, The Real Meaning Of The Zodiac, Dr. James Kennedy echoes such ideas, pointing out that the ancient signs of the Zodiac record a singular and original revelation­a kind of Gospel in the stars­and that the message of the stars, although converted into astrology after the fall of man into sin, originally recorded the Gospel of God. He writes:
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There exists in the writings of virtually all civilized nations a description of the major stars in the heavens­something which might be called their "Constellations of the Zodiac" or the "Signs of the Zodiac," of which there are twelve. If you go back in time to Rome, or beyond that to Greece, or before that to Egypt, Persia, Assyria, or Babylonia­regardless of how far back you go, there is a remarkable phenomenon: Nearly all nations had the same twelve signs, representing the same twelve things, placed in the same order....The book of Job, which is thought by many to be the oldest book of the Bible, goes back to approximately 2150 B.C., which is 650 years before Moses came upon the scene to write the Pentateuch; over 1,100 years before Homer wrote the Odyssey and the Illiad; and 1,500 years before Thales, the first of the philosophers, was born. In chapter 38, God finally breaks in and speaks to Job and to his false comforters. As He is questioning Job, showing him and his companions their ignorance, God says to them: "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?" (Job 38:31,32).
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We see here reference to the constellations of Orion and Pleiades, and the star Arcturus. Also in the book of Job there is reference to Cetus, the Sea Monster, and to Draco, the Great Dragon. I would call your attention to Job 38:32a: "Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?" Mazzaroth is a Hebrew word which means "The Constellations of the Zodiac." In what may be the oldest book in all of human history, we find that the constellations of the zodiac were already clearly known and understood....Having made it clear that the Bible expressly, explicitly, and repeatedly condemns what is now known as astrology, the fact remains that there was a God-given Gospel [universally acknowledged original revelation] in the stars which lays beyond and behind that which has now been corrupted.
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In his book Dr. Kennedy strongly condemns the practice of astrology, while asserting his view that the constellations of the zodiac were likely given by God to the first man as "record-keepers" of the original revelation of God.