Astrology in Synagogues?
Biblical Archaeology Review of May/June 1984 reported the discovery of well-preserved mosaic work during an archaeological dig at the site of an ancient synagogue. It is located at a place known as Hammath Tiberias, on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. The level of the dig is vaguely dated anywhere between the second and fifth centuries C.E. As the article states: “There is extraordinary scholarly disarray concerning the dating of ancient synagogues.”
But what makes the mosaic so unusual? “It consists of the Greek god Helios [the sun god] surrounded by a zodiac. . . . The signs of the 12 months are depicted in a band around the circle of Helios.” After discussing the question of whether the work was executed by a Jew or a non-Jew, the article states: “The larger problem, however, is, What are a zodiac and a Greek god doing in a synagogue? . . . The problem is compounded by the fact that the zodiac and Helios comprise a theme repeated in several ancient synagogues, of which Hammath Tiberias is only the earliest.”
But would this be the first time that the Jews of ancient times had mixed pagan symbols and gods with their worship? No, for the Bible shows that by the time of King Manasseh (716-661 B.C.E.), astrology had already crept into Jewish worship. The Bible account tells us: “So he built again the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and set up altars to Baal and made a sacred pole, just as Ahab the king of Israel had done; and he began to bow down to all the army of the heavens and to serve them.”—2 Kings 21:3.
Later, the zealous reformer King Josiah cleaned out these false practices. “And the king went on to command Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the doorkeepers to bring out from the temple of Jehovah all the utensils made for Baal and for the sacred pole and for all the army of the heavens. Then he burned them outside Jerusalem on the terraces of Kidron, and he brought the dust of them to Bethel. And he put out of business the foreign-god priests, whom the kings of Judah had put in that they might make sacrificial smoke on the high places in the cities of Judah and the surroundings of Jerusalem, and also those making sacrificial smoke to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations of the zodiac and to all the army of the heavens.”—2 Kings 23:4, 5.
What are the lessons taught by these historical events? First, that there is no room for astrology, horoscopes, and other spiritistic practices in the worship of the true God, Jehovah. Second, that it is very easy to slip into these practices if one neglects one’s relationship with Jehovah and pays attention to human philosophy and so-called wisdom. Then it is easy to ‘venerate and render sacred service to the creation rather than to the One who created.’ The barrier to such practices is to ‘hold God in accurate knowledge,’ really to know the Sovereign Lord of the universe, Jehovah, and his Son, Christ Jesus.—Romans 1:20-25, 28; John 17:3.