Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius Pisces, Gemini, Aries
Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Leo
What's your sign girl?
Is it compatible to mine?
- Alex Chilton - What's Your Sign Girl?
Mankind has been fascinated by numbers for hundreds of years. However, for some, there is a more than normal fascination with numbers, and, in particular, how the impact the future, their life partner, and daily activities.
Some won't even leave their homes until they listen to the daily horoscope to see what the stars have in store for them.
Christians, too, are guided by numbers; however, from a biblical point of view.
To weigh in on this issue, Family and Religion reached out to Pastor Darren McKoy, national youth director of the Church of God in Jamaica's Youth Ministry.
McKoy sees numerology as not "necessarily biblical", but instead, as something that was made up by men and their own reasoning.
"There is nothing in scripture that can categorically state that the number one represents unity, or that three and seven represent perfection or completion. However, what is done is that persons have taken stories, verses, and theological ideas, and attach numbers to them and have used them to form what we now call numerology," said McKoy.
He stressed that numerology has no bearing on faith, salvation and on how we ought to live our lives.
McKoy points out that they are just numbers.
"Demonology, eschatology, Christology are studies that are biblical and relevant because we see clearly principles and situations in scripture that we can identify with in these areas. Numerology has no scriptural basis," he said.
For those who tie the numbers in with biblical reference, McKoy said no number in the Bible bears any significance.
"The only way a number becomes important is if it can be used to impact the lives of believers and unbelievers alike. There is no factual basis that we can use to suggest that any number is actually relevant," points out McKoy.
Regarding astrology and zodiac signs, he said it is for those who are big on science and mythology.
McKoy said astrology first originated from the Babylonians and then was taken on by the Egyptians and further modified to what it is today by the Greeks.
"The Babylonians would use it to seek information from divine forces as well as to study the minds and intentions of people. However, the Greeks were more practical and philosophical in nature, and so went a little further by using the stars and a form of science to determine the attitudes of people. That is how we get the various zodiac signs and people being able to tell you your personality based on when you were born," he shared.
This practice, according to McKoy, is how the horoscope 'tells' persons what is in the future.
"However, to be honest, the only being that exists that can be all knowing is God Himself. Every other form of prediction and interpretation is based on information that is given to individuals. It is either they get information from those who seek to know their future, or they are calling on (conjuring up) spirits that would reveal all that they know," he said, adding that God is the only One who knows all things without any error.
It is for that reason, McKoy said, Christians should not indulge in astrology.
For him, that would be seeking access to other sources outside of God and His word, as well as devaluing and disrespecting the power of God and the spirit which lives inside.
Comparing the two, McKoy said the major difference is that numerology is strictly about numbers and their alleged significance, while astrology borders on not just science, but also witchcraft/divination.
"Astrology more than numerology is more so drenched into the customs, tradition and religious system of a set group of people. Numerology more so has to deal with man's own interpretation and understanding of the scriptures (or aspects of it) and the attaching of numbers to those ideologies," he said.
McKoy said many persons get tied up with different believe systems and baptise it into the Word of God sanctioning it as gospel or biblical.