The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), yet fallen humanity has repeatedly exchanged the worship of the Creator for the worship of creation. Nowhere is this clearer than in the history of Judah’s most wicked king, Manasseh, who devoted himself to sorcery, divination, and the astrological worship of “all the host of heaven” (2 Kings 21:3-6). His reign illustrates how astrology and star worship corrupted the covenant people of God, bringing them under judgment.

We see this same idolatry in Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar’s astrologers and sorcerers failed to interpret the king’s dream (Daniel 2), proving the futility of idolatry and divination. By contrast, Daniel received wisdom directly from God, revealing that only His divine revelation brings truth. The Bible consistently shows that worshiping or trying to receive messages from the stars and planets leads to darkness, while true light comes only from the Lord.

Today’s obsession with horoscopes, zodiac signs, and astrology apps is sadly a revival of this ancient rebellion. What Manasseh embraced in the palace and Nebuchadnezzar employed in his court, millions now consult on their phones. The deception is old, yet God’s Word still stands as a condemnation of astrology as a powerless and dangerous practice.

Manasseh’s Sin: Worshiping the Host of Heaven

Manasseh, the son of the godly King Hezekiah, reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem from 697 to 642 BC, making his the longest reign of any king of Judah. Yet his legacy is one of unparalleled wickedness that warns us all to stay upon the narrow path. Scripture records: “He rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah . . . and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them” (2 Kings 21:3 truncated).

The term “host of heaven” in the context of 2 Kings 21, refers to the heavenly bodies of the stars, planets, constellations, and other celestial phenomena (c.f., Deuteronomy 4:19). The pagan nations surrounding Israel worshiped the stars and planets as the dwelling places of their false gods. By worshiping the host of heaven, Manasseh was essentially reenacting the rebellion of Babel and the lie of the serpent.

The passage continues with chilling detail: “He built altars in the house of the Lord . . . for all the host of heaven . . . and he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers” (2 Kings 21:4-6 truncated). Manasseh not only embraced idolatry personally but he also institutionalized it, and then horrifyingly he embedded condemned occult practices in God’s temple!

By worshiping the host of heaven, Manasseh embraced the astral religion of surrounding pagan nations which worshiped the sun, moon, and stars personified as deities. This was a direct violation of God’s law: “Beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them” (Deuteronomy 4:19).

As a result of his egregious apostasy, Manasseh’s legacy was catastrophic. 2 Kings 21:9 says, “Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.” His reign sealed Judah’s path toward exile (2 Kings 23:26-27).

Archaeological discoveries confirm the prominence of astrology in the ancient Near East. Babylonian and Assyrian records contain extensive star catalogs, planetary omens, and divination texts. Constellations were identified with false gods, and celestial movements were read as messages from their deity idols. Temples were built to align their direction with solstices and equinoxes, which embedded astronomical movements into architecture and ritual.

Small astral amulets and cylinder seals show how individuals relied upon these false celestial deities for protection and guidance. In Egypt, for example, horoscopes inscribed on papyri or carved in temples show that astrology was a widespread cultural practice.

Manasseh’s embrace of astral worship signaled Judah’s surrender to the pagan worldview of the nations, tragically erasing their distinct identity as God’s obedient people.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Astrologers: The Futility of Astrology

The book of Daniel gives another window into the folly of astrology. When King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, he demanded that his court astrologers and sorcerers describe his dream(without the king telling them anything about the dream) and interpret his dream. Their response reveals the incompetence of astrology: “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand” (Daniel 2:10). The court diviners, who claimed access to heavenly secrets, confessed their inability.

In contrast, Daniel prayed to the Lord, and God revealed the answers in a vision. Daniel responded in worship: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things” (Daniel 2:20-22).

When brought before the king, Daniel gave all glory to God: “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:27-28).

Daniel’s success in describing and interpreting the king’s dream demonstrates that true wisdom comes from God who created the stars.

From Manasseh’s sin to Daniel’s triumph, the Bible consistently condemns astrology as worthless idolatry. The prophet Isaiah warned that trusting the stars leads to ruin: “Let your astrologers stand up and save you, those who divide the heavens and gaze at the stars . . . Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them” (Isaiah 47:13-14 truncated.

Astrology diverts trust from God to creation. It downplays God’s sovereignty and human responsibility by claiming that the stars dictate our destiny.

New Age Astrological Deception

Today’s fascination with astrology is Manasseh’s sin repackaged. Daily horoscopes in newspapers, zodiac-themed social media accounts, and astrology apps with millions of users reflect a culture captivated by the same ancient deception. Surveys show that many (especially younger generations) sadly consult astrology for identity, relationships, and life decisions.

Like Manasseh’s devotion to the stars, modern astrology substitutes creature for Creator. It offers identity in zodiac signs rather than in Christ, guidance from planetary movement rather than from God’s Word, and comfort in divination rather than in the Gospel.

Astrological charts and horoscopes may be used by the devil to deliver a combination of accuracies with lies in order to point people away from Jesus. Horoscopes cannot predict the future or provide true wisdom. They often deliver vague, generic statements that could apply to anyone, confirming their fraudulent nature. What they cannot do is cleanse sin, heal the heart, or reveal God’s plan of salvation.

Some argue that the Bible endorses astrology because the magi in Matthew 2 followed a star to find the newborn Christ. Yet this misreads the text as the passage never says that the magi were astrologers. The star was God’s miraculous fulfillment of the prophecies in Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, 60:1-3; and Micah 5:2.

The magi bowed to the Savior, not to the star. Far from promoting astrology, this passage demonstrates God’s power to call even pagan magicians out of deception and into the light of Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies as the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16).

Christ is the True Light

Against the backdrop of astral idolatry, Scripture points us to Christ as the true light. God’s Word says, “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:9). Unlike the stars, which only reflect created glory, Christ reveals the Creator Himself who holds the future in His hands.

At the cross, Jesus triumphed over the rulers and powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). At Pentecost, God poured out His Spirit to guide His people by His living presence. The destiny of believers isn’t written in constellations but secured in Christ, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13).

The stories of Manasseh and Nebuchadnezzar’s astrologers expose the futility and danger of worshiping the host of heaven. Manasseh’s devotion to the stars plunged Judah into deeper darkness than the nations around them. Nebuchadnezzar’s astrologers, when tested, admitted their impotence. By contrast, Daniel’s reliance upon God shows that wisdom belongs only to Him.

Astrology, whether ancient or modern, is powerless, dangerous, and idolatrous. It may appear harmless, but it’s a counterfeit that points people to trust in the stars instead of in the Gospel.

As Isaiah proclaimed, “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name” (Isaiah 40:26). The stars are merely servants of the Creator, who calls us to worship Him alone.

For more from Doreen please visit her page at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.