The Zodiac and the Gospel - Chapter 11 Cancer

✵✵CANCER (THE CRAB)✵✵

Corresponds with the tribe of Issachar

Greek - carcinos - meaning holding or encircling

Latin meaning is cancer

Picture the Zodiac making one big circle with all the constellations hugging the outside perimeter. As we started in Virgo, at the top of the circle, we have nearly come full circle to Cancer. The only constellation left to make the circle complete is Leo (the lion).

A crab is an odd thing to liken to the gospel, but once you hear its meaning I think it will excite you and keep your eyes open to what is right around the corner for us prophetically.

The crab has many legs, or members. As the body of believers we too are made up of every tribe, tongue and nation. The Bible talks very clearly about the body of Christ having many parts Click here :

 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 

Crabs grow by exchanging smaller shells for larger ones; Christians look forward to a day when they will exchange their small, weak bodies for stronger, heavenly ones. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tells us, "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day." Therefore, a crab symbolized the redeemed who hold fast to the promise of eternal life.

The crab has two claws for grasping and holding tightly. This parallels such verses as:

18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:18

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

What About Donkeys?
Within the constellation, Cancer, are two stars named Northern Donkey Cold and Southern Donkey Colt. The tribal standard in the tribe of Issachar portrays two donkeys. This reflects what Jacob told his sons (who later became the 12 tribes of Israel), "Gather together that I may tell you what may befall you in the last days. Binding his donkey to the vine and his donkey cold to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes" Genesis 49.  Issachar was a strong donkey lying down between two burdens. He saw rest was good and that the land was pleasant. He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden. Jesus is our Issachar. He has shouldered our unbearable burden and ushered us into a pleasant land of rest. Just as Cancer nearly completes the perfect circle of the Zodiac, He encircles us in our eternal home now and forever.