Are Horoscopes Okay for Christians? What the Bible Says about Astrology

Open almost any newspaper or magazine and you’re likely to find a horoscope. Claiming to be able to predict the events of your life based on the position of the stars, horoscopes are written by people who study astrology, seeking to gain information about the future from the alignment of the stars.

Harmless Fun?Accurate or not, horoscopes are wildly popular and are read by millions of people daily. Life would be easier, after all, if we knew what the future holds for us. It would be nice to know what the results of our decisions might be, who would make the perfect spouse, which job to take to ensure our success, etc. Many people live by the horoscopes, swearing their efficacy. For most people though, reading their horoscope is just a bit of harmless fun, along the same line as fortune cookies, perhaps. But is it merely harmless fun? Should Christians read horoscopes?

Two Kinds of ProphetsAstrologists and fortune tellers of all sorts, may be considered to be different types of prophets, people who claim to be able to predict the future. God certainly has His prophets for the church to prepare a people to be ready for His soon coming. But the Bible talks about other prophets as well. There are those who speak for Him, and there are false prophets who seek to deceive.

Prophets of the Lord or False Prophets?

Jesus warned that in the last days, false prophets would arise. “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24: 24 (NKJV) It’s important to know the difference between true prophets of God and false prophets whose mandate is to deceive even the people of God.

Oct 5, 2008 11:55 PM

Guest :

Deuteronomy 4:19
And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Nov 25, 2008 2:07 PM

Guest :

These days there are many voices speaking to us but is it God?becareful

Dec 8, 2008 5:33 AM

Guest :

So the wise men who followed the star to Jesus are sinners are they?

Dec 8, 2008 2:28 PM

Tammie Burak :

Of course they were sinners. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

I know what the commenter meant though. He or she is asking whether I thought the wise men sinned by following the star. No, I don't. Here's why.

It's a very different thing to study the scriptures and watch for the fulfillment of prophecy in the world around us or in the sky, for that matter.

Balaam, while under the Holy Spirit's influence, prophesied, "A Star shall come out of Jacob" (Number 24:17). The wise men looked for a literal and symbolic fulfillment of this prophecy. Having studied the writings of Daniel (especially Daniel 9:25), they were aware of the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah.

It's no sin to study the scriptures and watch for their fulfillment. In fact, Jesus told us to watch the skies for signs of His return (see Matthew 24: 29, 30). This is very different from studying the alignment of the stars for some kind of portent or omen about future events apart from Biblical prophecy (as astrologers supposedly do). This latter form of star-watching is condemned by God.

Tammie Burak

Feb 28, 2009 9:40 PM

Guest :

So the wise men who followed the star to Jesus are sinners are they?
Actually they were. They were not on Jesus's side they had came to bring news back to herold to kill him. It was not God that led them to the star but it was Him who told his angel to direct the three ASTROLOGERS not to go back and tell the king were Jesus was.
That is why I cannot understans why christians put the star on the tree like it was honoring Jesus that star was marked to have him killed it was not a start from God.

Mar 1, 2009 11:09 AM

Tammie Burak :

I think the wise men were used by God to draw attention to the fact that His Son had been born. When they arrived in Jerusalem asking where to find Him, Herod called the priests and rabbis and interrogated them about the Messiah. It was the priests and rabbis who should have welcomed Christ at His birth. The questions of these foreigners, the wise men, were a witness against those who should have been first in line to welcome their Messiah.

Matthew 2:12 tells that the wise men listened to God and did not return to Herod with the news of Jesus' location.

The murder of the innocents at Bethlehem only demonstrates that Herod was evil. Why did God allow those infants to be killed? I don't know for sure, but Israel generally, rejected Him. When we live a life apart from God's control, He does not always prevent evil from overtaking us. On the other hand, bad things do happen to good people. From it we can see that Satan hates God and His people and wants to bring both God and His children misery.