The Great Bear symbolizes God's Church — the great flock gathered by God and led by one Shepherd. The seven main stars of the Dipper remind us of the seven churches of Revelation, constituting one Church. In the overall heavenly picture, the Great Bear is connected with the Little Bear as two flocks of God's people — the Church and Israel, and the path to the Great Lion through the Little Lion reflects the biblical principle: one can come to the Father only through the Son.
Full interpretation
Verifiable historical, etymological and topographical statements are accompanied by sources. The theological conclusions are the project’s interpretation according to its published methodology.
In the book of Job, this constellation is called Ash, or Aish, and God speaks of it as a group that He Himself leads: 'to lead Ash with its children'. This image already fits well with God's people — a multitude that does not exist on its own but has One who leads it.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
The seven most prominent stars of the Great Dipper form a single whole. This agrees well with the image of the seven churches in the book of Revelation. There are seven churches, but Christ addresses them as one people of God. Therefore the seven stars of the Great Bear can convey the image of many local churches constituting the one Church of Christ.
The ancient astronomical tradition also preserved around this constellation an explicit pastoral symbolism. Especially interesting is the name of the star Alioth, associated with the Arabic designation for the fat tail of a sheep. Around the Great Bear were stars that ancient Arabs associated with gazelles and herd animals. This makes the image of the heavenly flock even more natural.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Next to the Great Bear is Boötes — the Shepherd and Guardian. His connection with the Bear reinforces the overall meaning: beside the flock stands the One who leads, guards, and shepherds it. In biblical fulfillment, such a Shepherd is Jesus Christ, who speaks of His sheep and promises that there will be one flock and one Shepherd.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Another important part of the celestial composition is the connection between the Great and Little Bears. In the symbolic system, they represent two flocks of God's people — the Church and Israel. In the region of Cancer, they come together into a single picture of gathering God's people. This corresponds to the numerous biblical prophecies that God gathers the scattered and brings them under the authority of one Shepherd.
Especially expressive is the direction toward the constellation of the Lion. The Great Bear comes to the Great Lion through the region of the Little Lion. In biblical imagery, this reflects the Church's path to the Father through the Son: 'No one comes to the Father except through Me.' Therefore the heavenly picture of the flock ends not with the flock itself, but with its movement toward the King.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Thus the Great Bear represents not just a multitude of believers, but the gathered flock of God, led by the Shepherd, united with God's people of Israel, and directed through the Son to the Father and King.
