Libra: The Scales of Justice
Libra is the second sign in the zodiac. The word Libra means “weighing scales.” In modern astrology, if your birthday is between September 24 and October 23, you are a Libra.
Today, people use horoscopes to learn about their future, relationships, or health based on their birth date. But is that the original meaning of Libra?
Be Warned! Learning the true meaning of Libra might surprise you – leading you on a new journey, different from simply checking your daily horoscope…
Libra in the Stars
Libra is a constellation, a group of stars that people long ago thought looked like scales.
If you look at the stars in the sky, it’s hard to actually see a scale shape, even when you connect the stars with lines.
Regardless, the image of weighing scales goes back as far as we know in human history.
In ancient Egyptian Zodiac
Here is a picture of the zodiac in the Dendera Temple of Egypt, more than 2000 years old, with the scales of Libra circled in red.
The National Geographic zodiac poster below shows Libra as seen in the Southern Hemisphere. But the triangle does not look like a scale at all.
This shows that the idea of the scales came first and was not created from looking at the stars themselves. People in ancient times already had the picture of weighing scales in mind. They used the stars as a symbol to remember the meaning of justice and balance.
The ancients could point out the Libra constellation to their children and tell them the story of the weighing scales. The stars helped them remember an important truth. This was its original astrological purpose.
The Author of the Constellations
The Zodiac story is written in the stars. But who wrote it?
The oldest book in the Bible is Job, written even before Moses’ books. It tells us that God created the stars and constellations:
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
Job 9:9
The twelve zodiac signs are part of a story written by God, not by people. The story is about the battle between God and His enemy (Satan). The first chapter, – the coming Seed of the virgin Woman – tells about a promised child from a virgin woman.
Libra is the second chapter in this sky story.
Libra Chapter in the ancient Zodiac
Libra represents the sign of God’s justice. The Celestial Scales stand for right and wrong, judgment, order, and the rules of His Kingdom. Libra reminds us that one day, everyone will be brought face-to-face with eternal justice for judgement. The scales weight the penalties of our sins and the price of redemption.
But here is the problem: our good deeds are not enough.
The brightest star in Libra is in the upper side of the scale, which shows that our good deeds are too light.
The Libra Witness of the Psalms
The Bible says the same thing in the book of Psalms:
Lowborn men are but a breath, The highborn are but a lie;
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; Together they are only a breath.
Psalm 62:9
This means that in the justice of the Kingdom of God, when God weighs our lives on His scales, none of us are good enough. We all fall short. Our good deeds weigh almost nothing – only as much as a breath.
Can We Pay the Price?
But we are not without hope. There is a price that can cover our lack of power, but it is not an easy price to pay.
The Psalms says:
“the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough”
Psalm 49:8
We cannot pay this price on our own. But God made a way.
The Libra Horoscope in the Writings
Remember, the word “horoscope” comes from the Greek word “horo” (meaning hour) and “skopus” (meaning to mark). The Bible also talks about a special hour.
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Galatians 4:4–5
This verse marks a special hour (horo) – a chosen time in history. This hour is not based on the hour of your birth but on an hour set at the beginning of time.
In stating that Jesus was ‘born of a woman’, connecting to Virgo and her Seed. He came ‘under the law’.
How did he come?
He came ‘under the law’. He came under the weighing scales of Libra.
Why did he come?
He came to ‘redeem’ us who were ‘under the law’ – the scales of Libra. Those of us who find our scale of deeds too light – he can redeem (save us). This is followed with the promise of ‘adoption to sonship’ so we could become children of God.
Your Libra Horoscope Reading
Here’s how the Libra sign applies to your life today:
Libra reminds us that chasing money can lead to greed, looking for love can make us treat others poorly. We might hurt others while trying to find happiness.
Libra tells us that such traits are not compatible with the scales of Righteousness. Be careful because Libra and the Book tells us to be careful. The Bible says that God will judge everything we do – even the hidden things.
If your scale of good deeds is too light, you will need a Redeemer.
Explore all your options now but remember that Jesus, the Seed from Virgo, came to redeem you. You can use your God-given ability to know right from wrong to seek Him. If you ask, knock, and seek, God will show you the way. This can be done any time, any day, throughout your week.
Libra and Scorpio
Libra’s picture has changed since the beginning of human history. In old star maps, the Libra scales are connected to the claws of Scorpio. The two brightest stars in Libra are named:
- Zubeneschamali – meaning “northern claw”, and…
- Zubenelgenubi – meaning “southern claw”
This shows that Scorpio is grabbing at Libra. This represents a spiritual battle between right and wrong, good and evil.
We will learn more about this struggle in the next sign: Scorpio.
To understand the whole zodiac story from the start, begin with Sign of Virgo.
Learn More About Libra
To go deeper in the written story of Libra see:
- corrupted – Like Orcs of Middle-Earth
- corrupted – and Missing our Target
- What are the Ten Commandments? What are their purpose?
- Is there a difference between The Gospel and Christianity?
- Abraham’s Simple Way to Righteousness