The Strong Man (Ophiuchus) and the Alef

Is the First Hebrew Letter in the Sky?
As I explained in my March 2 blog, Gibbor and Nachash (the strong Man battling the snake) are two decans of Aqrab (the scorpion). Already there have been two connections with the constellations and the Hebrew language and/or alphabet. Consider the constellation Adom (the cross), which is portraying the Hebrew letter Tau, as I explained in my February 8 blog. Consider also the constellation Aqrab which is the Hebrew word for "scorpion". 

With this precedent, it probably won't come as a big surprise that Gibbor and Nachash also have a connection with the Hebrew letters - specifically the Alef (or Aleph) (the Hebrew letter "A").

In its original, proto-Canaanite form, the Alef looked like the head of an ox, or bull. The lower ovalish shape outlined the head of the ox and the raised curves at the top of the letter formed its horns. 

As Frank Seekins explained in his book Hebrew Word Pictures (pp 12-15):

The first letter of the Hebrew Alef-Bet is called Alef. The ancient way this letter was drawn agrees with the meaning of the name of the letter. Alef, in ancient Hebrew means an ox. The meaning is related to the words for tame and for leading.

The picture of an ox can be seen in the ancient symbols used for this character. (See image above)... The pictograph of an ox symbolizes: 1) strength 2) a leader, or 3) what is first...  

In Hebrew, a word gets its meaning from adding the individual meanings of each letter that forms the word. The most important letter is the first letter of a Hebrew word. Considering this, we can get a greater understanding of the Hebrew letter Alef, by looking at words which begin with an Alef. Two keys words starting with the Alef are:

FATHER - The Hebrew word for father is ab or av. The word picture tells us that a father is the leader of the strength of the family.

GOD - The Hebrew word for God is El (which also starts with the Alef, even though its written with an "E" as the first letter in English). This word picture tells us God is the First or the Strong Man and the highest Authority. 

Certainly, as you may already suspect, the ox of the letter Alef is in the constellations in the bull constellation - which is now called Taurus (we'll get to that much later in this blog). But long before the bull constellation family, the Alef is found right here in the Aqrab star-family. 

The strong Man who battles the serpent which is the constellations of Gibbor and Nachash shows the Alef and its message. Even the constellation asterism suggests the proto-Canaanite Alef shape. It would have been an Alef in the ancient world. Consider the following image:

In the current asterism (connect-the-dots of the brightest stars in the constellation) we can still see the roundish ox head and the serpent's ascending head and tail form the upward horns. 

The asterism is shown in red on the above image. But it is easy to see why the ancients associated these constellations with the Alef. Even now, after all the changes of time, the suggestion of the Alef is still present. And, as we study this star-family, the Message of Alef is definately present. Yahweh is First, He is Strong. And it is through His Power and Leadership that we find hope, healing, and victory.

Are you loving God's Star Messages? Now you can go deeper with God's Amazing Star Secrets!

Get Shauna Manfredine's book! 
For more information about the Mazzaroth (God's constellation tapestry) and His Messages in the 48 original constellations, request your own copy of Shauna Manfredine's book, God's Amazing Star Secret (book trailer).

Turn your Church or Venue into a Planetarium for a Night (or Weekend)! Now you can share God's Amazing Star Secrets with your whole family, church, or gathering! Request Shauna Manfredine to give her inspiring and well-researched, planetarium-style God's Amazing Star Secrets presentation. 

In her presentation(s), Shauna shows the meaning of Psalm 19:1-4 and the original names of the stars based upon earth's first recorded language(s). She shows archaeological evidence of the original constellations and the amazing connection between the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 primary constellations. And she explains the Plan of Redemption in the original star and constellation names. More information...