HYDRA (the
Serpent), CRATER (the Cup), CORVUS (the Raven)
The old serpent destroyed; The cup of divine wrath poured out upon him; The birds of
prey devouring the serpent.
Hydra, Crater, and Corvus are decan
constellations in the Sign Leo.
Ancient names for Hydra, Crater, and Corvus
Hydra (Heb.) He is abhorred.
Crater (?) the cup.
Al Ches in Hebrew or Arabic,
which means the cup.
Corvus (?) the Crow or Raven. In the Dendurah Zodiac it is known as
Her-na. Her means enemy; Na means
breaking up or failing. That is to say, this scene represents the
breaking up of the enemy.
The complementing Scriptures to these constellations will be shown in the text below the stars and the meaning of their names.
Stars in these constellations and the meaning of
their names
Hydra
Al Phard (Arab.) the separated, put away.
Al Drian (Arab.) the abhorred.
Minchar al Sugia (Arab.) the piercing of the deceiver.
Crater
Al Ches (Arab.) the cup
Corvus
Al Chibar (Arab.)
joining together, from the Hebrew Chilba (Num.
23:8), which means accursed. This star, then, tells of the
curse inflicted.
Al Gorab (Arab.) from the Hebrew Oreb, the Raven.
Minchar al Gorab (Arab.) the Raven tearing to pieces.
The following text concerning these three decan
constellations is from E.
Hydra - The time has at length come for the
fulfillment of the many prophecies pictured in the heavens: and in its three
final constellations we see the consummation of them all in the complete
destruction of the Old Serpent, and all his seed, and all his works.
It is
the special work of the Messiah, as "the Lion of the tribe of
It is
an immense constellation extending for above 100 degrees from east to west,
beneath the Virgin, the Lion, and the Crab. It is composed of 60 stars; one of
the 2nd magnitude, three of the 3rd, twelve of the 4th, etc.
The
brightest star, a (in the heart of the Serpent), is sometimes called by
the moderns Cor Hydrae on that account. Its ancient name is Al Phard
(Arabic), which means the separated, put away. Another is called Al
Drian, the abhorred. Another star is named Minchar al Sugia, the piercing
of the deceiver.
There
can be no doubt as to what is taught by the constellation of Hydra, nor is it
necessary to quote the Scriptures concerning the destruction of the Serpent. We
pass on to consider the second.
Crater Pertinent
Scriptures.
"God
is the Judge.
He putteth down one, and setteth up another,
FOR IN THE HAND OF THE LORD THERE IS A CUP,
And the wine is red; it is full of mixture,
And He poureth out of the same:
But the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and
drink them."
Psalm 75:8
"Upon
the wicked he shall rain snares,
Fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest:
THIS SHALL BE THE PORTION OF THEIR CUP."
Psalm 11:6
This
is no fabled wine-cup of Bacchus; but it is "The cup of His
indignation" (Rev 14:10); "The cup of the wine of the fierceness of
his wrath" (Rev 16:19). This is what we see set forth in this
constellation. The Cup is wide and deep, and fastened on by the stars to the
very body of the writhing serpent. The same stars which are in the foot of the
Cup form part of the body of Hydra, and are reckoned as belonging to both
constellations.
This
Cup has the significant number of thirteen stars (the number of
Apostasy). The two--Al Ches (Alpha), which means the Cup,
and (Beta)--determine the bottom of the Cup.
Corvus - Here is the final scene of judgment. We
have had Zeeb, the Wolf; now we have Oreb, the Raven. Her-na is
its name in the Denderah Zodiac. Her, means the enemy; and Na,
means breaking up or failing. That is to say, this scene represents
the breaking up of the enemy.
There are nine stars (the number of judgment)
in this constellation. The bright star Alpha (in the eye) is called Al
Chibar (Arabic), joining together, from the Hebrew
This brings us to the end. There is nothing
beyond this. Nothing remains to be told. We know from the Word of God that
"The eye that mocketh at his father,
And despiseth to obey his mother,
The ravens of the valley shall pick it out."
Proverbs 30:17
We remember how David said to the Giant
Goliath--a type of this enemy of God's people--"I will smite thee, and
take thy head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the
Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the
earth" (1 Sam 17:46).
When the great day of this judgment
comes, an angel standing in the sun will cry "to all the fowls that fly in
the midst of heaven, Come, and gather yourselves together unto the supper of
the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains,
and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on
them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great"
(Rev 19:17,18).
And
after these awful words shall be fulfilled, in the closing words of the prophecy
of Isaiah, Jehovah foretells us how--
"They
shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed
against Me;
For their worm shall not die,
Neither shall their fire be quenched;
And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
This is the teaching of the
whole Sign of LEO! It is all summed up in Jeremiah 25:30-33
"Therefore prophesy against them all
these words, and say unto them,
The LORD shall roar from on high,
And utter His voice from His holy habitation;
He shall mightily roar upon His habitation;
He shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth;
For the LORD hath a controversy with the nations,
He will plead with all flesh;
He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts,
Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation,
And a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the
coasts of the earth.
And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth
Even to the other end of the earth;
They shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried;
They shall be dung upon the ground."
Here is the conclusion of the whole
matter! Here is the final triumph of the Son of Man in the consummated victory
of the Seed of the woman: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour,
and glory, and blessing" (Rev 5:12).