Condemnation out of Context

13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

On first reading of this out-of-context quotation from the Bible, it appeared even to me that it was saying that astrologers would be burned, presumably for practising Astrology. Naturally, I was concerned, and resolved to check it out for myself. After a thorough reading of the verses "in context", it appeared to be saying nothing more than that the God of the Israelites was going to punish the King of the Babylonians and his people, and that nothing - not even the Babylonian King's astrologers and other wise counselors - could do anything to save the Babylonians from the wrath of God. (Babylon was located in the region of Mesopotamia now known as Iraq, and it is interesting that there is now another evil "king" in charge there, who has attacked the nation of Israel with modern missiles.)

Remember that the Babylonians had taken the Israelites (God's "chosen people") into "captivity", which really means into "slavery". And Isaiah was an Israelite. To the children of Israel, the Babylonians were evil oppressors and enemies of the Hebrew people. They hoped their God would smite the Babylonians and free them from captivity and slavery.

Here are the verses immediately before AND after the cited passage, in which "thee" refers to the nation of "Babylon", not to "astrologers":

11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.



15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

To assume that this passage condemns the practice of Astrology itself is a misinterpretation of the true meaning of this biblical prophesy. If this is taken to "condemn" Astrology then, by the same misguided logic, one would have to say that it also condemns "merchants". But it does not condemn them, it only says that they cannot save the King from the God of Israel. No human could save the King from God's plan; and later events proved this to be true, according to the account in the Bible.

"Astrology" in the Bible

There are no other passages in the Bible which mention "Astrology", unless you consider it to be included with proscribed pagan practices like looking for signs in the entrails of sheep and fowl. Only the books of Isaiah and Daniel mention "astrologers". In Daniel there are several mentions of "astrologers", but all are in connection with the same issue, the interpretation of a dream of the King. Yet we know that Astrology does not claim to be about the interpretation of dreams.

The "wise men" consulted by the King would also be expected to interpret his dreams, but this would not have been done by using Astrology. Dream interpretation is something practised by modern psychiatrists (who also happen to be licenced medical doctors). When I see these passages being used to condemn Astrology, I wonder why the person is not also condemning dream interpretation and Psychiatry?

Deuteronomy 4:19 condemns the worship of the Sun or Moon or stars. The practice of Astrology does not imply the "worship" of heavenly bodies. Astrology is, in fact, "neutral" when it comes to believing in any particular religious philosophy, or not. You can practice Astrology and be a Christian or Jew or Muslim or Hindu - or an agnostic or an atheist.

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