Lion

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.

The history of the heavenly picture begins with the Lion.

The Lion in all ancient cultures was a natural symbol of strength and royal authority. In Mesopotamia, this constellation was called MUL.UR.GU.LA and even then represented a lion; the Akkadian equivalent is nēšu, 'lion'.[Hunger & Pingree · MUL.APIN][Rogers · Origins][Вавилонские звёздные каталоги][Stellarium · MUL.APIN][Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

In our biblical map, the Great Lion represents God the Father — the King over all that exists.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

He is not one of the kings nor one of the spiritual rulers.

He is the One from whom all authority proceeds.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

King of kings. God of gods. Lord of lords.

And this meaning is especially strongly confirmed by the main star of the constellation.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Regulus — King

The brightest star of Leo is Regulus, located in the Lion's chest.

Already in the Mesopotamian star tradition, this star was called MUL.LUGAL — 'King'. The sources of MUL.APIN directly place LUGAL inside the constellation of Leo.[Hunger & Pingree · MUL.APIN][Rogers · Origins][Вавилонские звёздные каталоги][Stellarium · MUL.APIN][Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Later, the Latin name Regulus also means 'little king', 'prince'.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Thus, in the very center of the ancient Lion is a star with a remarkably consistent royal symbolism:

Lion — King. Heart of the Lion — King.

This fits beautifully with the biblical image of God, enthroned over all creation.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Men may acknowledge or reject His authority, earthly kingdoms may rebel against Him, spiritual forces may try to break His order — yet He does not cease to be King.

Great Lion and Lesser Lion

Beside the Great Lion is the Lesser Lion.

In the overall picture, this is:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Great Lion — God the Father. Lesser Lion — God the Son.

Thus, the Father and the Son are side by side.

At the same time, directly beside the Lesser Lion is the region of Lynx with the star Alsciaukat — 'Thorn'. Therefore, beside the Son appears the image of His suffering: Christ, while remaining the Son of the King, accepts the crown of thorns, wounds, and the cross.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

The sequence is:

Great Lion — the Father. Lesser Lion — the Son. Thorn — the Son's sufferings.

Through the Son, the way to the Father is opened to man.

Lion and Virgin

Directly beside the Lion is the Virgin — the image of Israel, the people of God, through whom the promised Seed was to come.

On the modern map, Leo and Virgo are separate constellations, so to speak literally of their 'common star' is not quite accurate. But the ancient Mesopotamian figure of the Lion indeed extended farther than the modern one: β Virginis, today belonging to Virgo, could in Babylonian marking be called the hind paw of the Lion.[Hunger & Pingree · MUL.APIN][Rogers · Origins][Вавилонские звёздные каталоги][Stellarium · MUL.APIN][Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

This is a very interesting ancient connection between the two regions.

The Lion literally passes into the region of the Virgin.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

In our picture:

The Father gives the promise. The Virgin of Israel receives it. Through Israel comes the Son.

The main star of Virgo — Spica — means 'ear', the fruit of the Furrow. Therefore, beside the King is the Virgin bearing the fruit of the promise.

Thus the history of salvation begins.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Lion over the ancient serpent

But beneath the Lion unfolds a completely different scene.

There lies the huge constellation of Hydra — the ancient serpent.

In our biblical map, Hydra represents Satan and the fallen spiritual powers under God's judgment.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

And the position of the Lion relative to Hydra is extremely expressive: the Lion is above the serpent, and the front part of its figure rises over the head of Hydra.

This continues the very first prophecy of the Bible:

the serpent's head will be crushed.

Therefore the Lion is not merely a static symbol of kingship.

It is the King under whose authority the ancient serpent lies.

The Cup on Hydra

On Hydra's back is the constellation of the Cup — Crater.

In the biblical picture, the Cup represents the cup of God's wrath and judgment.

This is an image frequently encountered in the prophetic books: God gives the nations and the powers of evil the cup of His wrath to drink.

This picture is especially clearly unfolded in Revelation, where the bowls of God's wrath are poured out upon the kingdom of the beast.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Therefore the position of the constellations forms an almost literal scene:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

below — the ancient serpent; above it — the Lion-King; on the serpent itself — the Cup of judgment.

Sin and rebellion will not exist forever.

There will come a moment when the King issues the final sentence.

The Crow over Hydra

Beside the Cup on Hydra's body is the Crow — Corvus.

In the overall composition, it shows the completion of judgment upon the enemy.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Thus, three constellations located directly under the Lion reveal one process:

Hydra — the enemy. Cup — God's wrath. Crow — completion of judgment.

And over this entire scene is the Lion.

This is very important.

The main character of the picture is not the serpent.

Not the Cup.

Not the Crow.

The main character is the King, who has the authority to pronounce and execute the sentence.

True meanings of the stars

Some older popular books attempted to construct a whole prophetic sentence from the names of Leo's stars. But for this, incorrect translations were often used.

For example, Denebola does not mean 'Coming Judge'. The Arabic dhanab al-asad simply means 'Tail of the Lion'.

Algieba comes from the Arabic al-jabha — 'forehead'.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Zosma is related to the Greek word for 'girdle', although historically the star itself was located in the region of the Lion's thigh or loins.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

Therefore we have no need to artificially turn every star name into a separate prophecy.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

The Lion already has a much stronger ancient key:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

UR.GU.LA — Lion. LUGAL — King.

And the surrounding geometry tells the rest.

From the King begins the entire history

Therefore it is natural to begin the whole story of the heavenly map with the Lion.

First we see God — the King.

Then beside Him appears the Virgin of Israel, through whom the promised Seed is to come.

Beside the Lion appears the Lesser Lion — the Son.

The Son accepts the Thorn, suffers, and opens the way to the Father for man.

And under the Great Lion, the final outcome of all history is already shown: the ancient serpent will be crushed and judged.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]

A vast composition emerges:

Great Lion — the Father. Lesser Lion — the Son. Virgin — Israel, through whom the Son comes. Thorn — the sufferings of Christ. Hydra — the ancient serpent under judgment. Cup — God's wrath. Crow — completion of judgment.

History begins with God.

And ends with His victory.

The King was King before history began. He remains King during human rebellion. And in the end, the whole universe will see His kingdom and His judgment.