The Bible does not list seven planets by name, the way modern astronomy does. However, in ancient times, including in biblical times, people were aware of seven major celestial bodies visible to the naked eye. These were commonly referred to as “wandering stars” because they moved differently than regular stars across the night sky.

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🌍 The 7 Classical Planets Known in Ancient Times

In ancient astronomy (used by cultures like the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans—contexts that influenced biblical times), the 7 classical planets were:

1. Sun (not a planet in modern science, but classified as one in ancient times)

2. Moon (also treated as a planet in ancient thought)

3. Mercury

4. Venus

5. Mars

6. Jupiter

7. Saturn

✅ These were called “planetes” (Greek for wanderers) and were seen as moving lights in the sky that stood out from the fixed stars.

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🌌 Are Planets Mentioned in the Bible?

While the modern names of planets like Mercury or Saturn are not directly mentioned, the Bible does refer to heavenly bodies, stars, and sometimes pagan worship of celestial objects:

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🔹 1. Sun and Moon – Frequently mentioned

• Genesis 1:16 –

  “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.”

• Psalm 104:19 –

  “He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.”

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🔹 2. Stars and “Wandering Stars”

• Jude 1:13 –

  “…wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”
  🔍 Some interpret this symbolically (for false teachers), but the term could reflect ancient knowledge of moving celestial bodies (like planets).

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🔹 3. Worship of the “Host of Heaven”

The Bible often condemns idol worship of the sun, moon, and stars.

• 2 Kings 23:5 –

  “And he put down the idolatrous priests… that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.”

✅ This is the one verse where “planets” is mentioned directly in the KJV, but in Hebrew, the word is “mazzalah”, meaning constellations or astrological signs, not planets in the modern sense.

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🧠 Summary Table: Ancient Planets vs Biblical Language

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❗ Amos 5:26 – Reference to a Pagan Star-God

“But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.”
– Amos 5:26 (KJV)

🔍 Some scholars believe Chiun (also rendered as Kaiwan in other translations) refers to Saturn, which was worshiped in some ancient cultures.

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✨ Final Thoughts

• The seven classical planets were known to ancient people, including the cultures surrounding Israel.

• The Bible doesn’t focus on naming or studying planets but emphasizes that God created the sun, moon, stars, and heavenly host for His purposes (Genesis 1).

• It strongly condemns the worship of celestial bodies, a practice common among Israel’s pagan neighbors.

Biblical Astronomy vs. Astrology: A Clear Overview

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1️⃣ Biblical Astronomy: What the Bible Teaches

Biblical astronomy is the study and understanding of the celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars) as God’s creation—designed to fulfill His purposes.

Key points:

• God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

• The sun, moon, and stars serve specific purposes, like marking seasons, days, and years (Genesis 1:14–18).

• The heavens declare God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).

• Celestial bodies are not gods themselves but created objects.

• The Bible forbids the worship or divination based on stars or planets (Deuteronomy 4:19; Isaiah 47:13–14).

Examples:

• Genesis 1:14 — “Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”

• Psalm 8:3–4 — Reflects awe at God’s creation of the moon and stars.

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2️⃣ Astrology: What the Bible Condemns

Astrology is the belief that the positions and movements of stars and planets influence human fate and events.

Biblical position:

• Astrology is viewed as idolatry and false religion.

• It involves seeking guidance or control from created things rather than from God.

• It was widely practiced by pagan nations around Israel and condemned by the prophets.

Key verses condemning astrology:

• Isaiah 47:13 — “…the astrologers, the stargazers… have not saved you.”

• Deuteronomy 18:10–12 — Lists divination practices, including astrology, as detestable to God.

• Jeremiah 10:2 — Warns not to learn the ways of the heathen (which includes astrology).

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🌌 How Ancient Peoples Viewed the Heavens

• Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans developed complex astrology and star worship.

• They identified the seven classical planets and connected them to gods and human destiny.

• Israel’s neighbors worshiped the sun, moon, and stars, which the Bible calls the “host of heaven”.

• The Bible’s message was a call to worship the Creator, not the creation.

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📜 Biblical Timeline Highlighting Understanding of the Heavens

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✨ Summary