Scorpio: The Sign of the Struggle
Scorpio is the third sign in the zodiac. It is shown as a scorpion, a dangerous creature with poison. Scorpio is linked with three other small constellations (Decans): Ophiuchus, Serpens, and Corona Borealis.
In today’s horoscope, if you are born between October 24 and November 22, you are called a Scorpio. People today read horoscopes to find help in love, luck, health, or to understand their personality.
But is this how ancient people saw Scorpio?
Be Warned! Learning the true meaning of Scorpio might surprise you – leading you on a new journey, different from simply checking your daily horoscope…
Where Did Scorpio Originate?
Look at the stars in the sky that make up Scorpio. Do they look like a scorpion? Not really.
Even when lines are drawn to connect the stars, it’s still hard to see a scorpion.
In ancient Egypt (more than 2,000 years ago), the scorpion was already part of the zodiac. The image below shows the scorpion in this zodiac, circled in red.
This National Geographic poster of the zodiac shows Scorpio as seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Even though National Geographic connected stars forming Scorpio with lines, it is still hard to ‘see’ a scorpion in this star constellation.
Even though the shape of a scorpion is not clear in the stars, people added the idea of a scorpion to them.
The picture came first, not the stars. People used the stars as a way to remember a story. Parents would point to the stars and tell their children the story of the scorpion.
The ancient Zodiac Story
The zodiac signs are not just about personality or daily advice. Together, they tell a story written in the stars. Scorpio is the third chapter of twelve in this story.
In the chapter Virgo, the Bible says that God made the stars and constellations.
So this story in the sky belongs to God. It was meant to help people remember His plan from the beginning of human history.
The original zodiac was not a horoscope to guide your daily decisions to good luck, health, love and fortune based on the date of your birth and the movement of the planets. God placed it as a guide to show us His Way.
Virgo was the first sign: the promise of the seed of the virgin.
Libra was the second sign: it continued with the weighing scales of Libra and showed that our good deeds are not enough to enter God’s Kingdom.
Now comes Scorpio, showing the enemy who wants to stop God’s plan.
Scorpio: The Conflict in the Stars
Who is asking for the price of our redemption? Scorpio reveals the conflict between the Seed of Virgo (Jesus) and the scorpion (the enemy).
The story becomes clearer when we look at Scorpio’s connected constellation: Ophiuchus.
The constellation shows Scorpio (a giant scorpion) trying to sting a mighty man, Ophiuchus, in the heel. Ophiuchus is stepping on the scorpion while wrestling a snake (Serpens). The scorpion’s tail is ready to strike in anger.
This is a picture of a life-and-death battle.
In Scorpio we begin to learn the nature of redemption from Libra, the scales of justice. Scorpio and Serpens represent Satan, God’s enemy. They are fighting against the promised Seed of Virgo — Jesus Christ.
This sign in the stars repeats the promise given to God’s adversary in the Garden and recorded in Genesis when the LORD told the serpent concerning the Seed of Virgo.
“And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.“
Genesis 3:15
This verse shows the battle: Jesus was struck in the heel when He was crucified on the cross. But Satan (the scorpion) was crushed and defeated when Jesus rose again after three days. The constellations Scorpio, Ophiuchus, and Serpens showed this truth long ago, placed in the sky by God Himself.
Conflict with Scorpio remembered by others
Many ancient people remembered the beginning of this conflict in the garden struggle. The ancient Chinese even recorded the beginning of this struggle within their very script.
The images above show how the Egyptians and Babylonians remembered the story of Adam, Eve, and the serpent. The Greeks saw the same story in Scorpio.
…you can trace the starlit Ophiuchus himself: so brightly set beneath his head appear his gleaming shoulders. … his hands … firmly clutch the serpent, which encircles the waist of Ophiuchus, but he, steadfast with both his feet well set, tramples a huge monster, even the Scorpion, standing upright on his eye and breast.
Aratus quoting exodus 4th Century BCE Greek poet
The Greek poet Aratus, over 2,000 years ago, described this battle in the stars. He said that Ophiuchus holds the serpent and tramples the scorpion, showing the fight between good and evil.
Serpens and the Crown in Corona Borealis
The third constellation (Decan) connected to Scorpio is Corona Borealis, which means “crown.”
In the sky, both Ophiuchus and Serpens are reaching for the crown. This shows that the battle is not only about life and death, but also about who will rule.
Serpens (Satan) wants to take the crown.
Ophiuchus (Jesus) fights to win it.
This tells us that the fight is about who will be King. The winner will have the right to rule. The Bible says that “Christ” means the anointed ruler.
The Story of Scorpio – for you and me
Scorpio is not just for people born between October 24 and November 22. It is a message for all people.
Scorpio does not guide you to riches or romance. Instead, it tells how God paid a great price to save us. That price involved a struggle to the death between Jesus and Satan.
The one who wins the battle will become King, and the rightful ruler. Jesus is that King — and ‘ruler’ is the meaning of ‘Christ’.
The Scorpio Horoscope in the Writings
The word “horoscope” comes from the Greek word “horo,” which means “hour.” The Bible also talks about an important hour in the fight between Jesus and Satan. The Scorpio horo is…
Now is the hour (horo) for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
John 12:31–33
I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,
John 14:30
Here, Jesus says the hour (horo) had come. The battle was ready. Scorpio tells us about the conflict over who will rule.
Jesus calls Satan “the prince of this world” because he had control over people.
But Jesus said confidently that he had ‘no hold over me’ meaning that the power of sin and death had no hold over him. That horo would test this statement as these two adversaries confronted each other.
This was the final fight between Jesus and Satan. And Jesus won.
Your Scorpio Reading from the ancient Zodiac
You can apply the message of Scorpio to your own life with this advice:
Scorpio tells us that you have to serve somebody. Someone has the claim to the crown of your heart. It is not a lover, spouse or relationship that has the ultimate claim to the crown of your heart. It is either the ‘prince of this world’ or the ‘Christ’ – the one who will rule the Kingdom of God. Take stock now of who has your crown. If you live to save your own life then you have given your crown to the ‘prince of this world’ and you will lose your life. Since Scorpio’s traits are to kill, steal and destroy, he is not compatible for you if he has your crown. Examine yourself to see if you need to ‘repent’ as Jesus so clearly taught. You can find some good examples to get a better idea of what this means. It is not the planets but your heart that will determine the outcome for you. Good examples to follow are not holy saints but ordinary people with regular traits who repented. Repentance can be done any day of the week and probably to turn it into a habit should be done on a daily basis.
In Summary:
Someone in life will rule your heart. It’s not your romantic partner, but the one who rules is either: The prince of this world (Satan), or Christ, the King of God’s Kingdom. If you live only for yourself, you give your crown to Satan. But he comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Instead, you must repent, like Jesus taught. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God. You don’t need to be a “holy” person to repent. Many ordinary people in the Bible repented and were saved. You can repent any day, and it is good to do it daily.
The battle between Christ and Satan continues in the next sign: Sagittarius.
To understand the whole story go back to the beginning with Virgo.
To go deeper in the written story of Scorpio see:
To go deeper, check out these articles:
- The adversary Corrupts man
- The Challenge issued in the Garden between God and His adversary
- Why would a Good God make a bad Devil
- Jesus tempted in the desert
- Day 5: Through treachery Satan coils to Strike