Capricorn in the Ancient Zodiac

If you were born between December 22 and January 20, today’s horoscope says your sign is Capricorn. People use horoscopes to look for advice about love, health, money, luck, and personality.

But where did the idea of Capricorn come from?

Why does it look like a creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish?

Be Warned! Learning the true meaning of Capricorn might surprise you – leading you on a new journey, different from simply checking your daily horoscope…

The ancient Zodiac Story

Capricorn is the fifth sign in the ancient zodiac. The first four signs (Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius) tell the story of a Great Savior and His battle against an enemy.

Capricorn begins a new part of the story. It shows what the Savior’s victory means for us—the blessings we receive.

This new section has four signs: It starts with a Goat (Capricorn),ends with a Ram (Aries), And in the middle are two fish signs (Aquarius & Pisces). Capricorn—part goat, part fish—connects these themes together.

Even if you are not a Capricorn by today’s date system, the ancient meaning of Capricorn is for everyone.

Capricorn Constellation in Astrology

The stars in Capricorn are said to form a creature with a goat’s front and a fish’s tail.

But if you look at the stars—even with lines connecting them—it is very hard to see this shape.

The image of a goat-fish goes back thousands of years, even though these animals are not related in nature. The ancient Dendera Temple in Egypt, over 2000 years old, shows Capricorn in this form.

*Dendera Zodiac with Capricorn circled in red*

This shows us that the image did not come from the stars themselves. The image was placed onto the stars to help people remember a deeper spiritual truth.

But why a goat and a fish? Let’s look at each part.

The Goat of Capricorn: A sacrifice

The picture of the goat in Capricorn shows it bowing down, with one leg folded under its body, as if it is dying, while the tail of the fish is full of life.

*Capricorn Goat dying but fish tail is alive*

From the beginning of human history, the goat (and sheep) were used as the accepted way to offer sacrifices to God.

The Bible tells us the Abel (son of Adam and Eve) gave an animal sacrifice to God, and God accepted it, but not Cain’s. Abraham offered a Ram (male goat or sheep) and God accepted it instead of Abraham’s son. God told Moses to to tell the Israelites to offer a lamb for Passover.

All of these were signs pointing to a greater sacrifice that would come later—Jesus. These signs were teachings to save us from the balance of Libra.

Jesus, in his sacrifice on the cross, died to take the punishment for our sins. He gave His life so we could have eternal life. The goat in Capricorn shows this sacrifice. Jesus is the fulfillment of this sign.

The Fish Tail of Capricorn: Life for Many People

What does the fish tail of Capricorn mean?

In many ancient cultures, fish were a symbol of life, abundance, and blessing.

Even the Chinese New Year, celebrated around the time of Capricorn (January/ February), uses fish in decorations to show wealth and life.

Fishes are used in their New Year Greeting because, from ancient times, fishes were symbols of life, abundance and plenty. In the ancient zodiac, fishes also represent abundance for people who Jesus made His sacrifice for.

In the Bible, Jesus used fish to talk about the many people who would receive His gift of life.

He said:

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
Matthew 13: 47-48

He also said:

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Matthew 4:18-19

So, the fish tail of Capricorn shows the many people who will receive eternal life because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

The Capricorn Horoscope in the Writings

The word “horoscope” comes from the Greek word “horo,” which means “hour” or “special time.”

Capricorn has two parts, so it also has two special hours in the Bible:

1. The Hour of the Goat (sacrifice)

¹⁴When the hour (horo) came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” …
Luke 22:14-16

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Luke 22: 20

This is the ‘hour’ of the Capricorn goat. This hour had been marked by the Passover exodus over 1500 years ago, when the blood of the sacrifice was painted on the doors so that death would pass over. This hour is when Jesus gave His life as the Passover Lamb, just like the goat in Capricorn.

2. The Hour of the Fish (Multitudes of People)

I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the hour (horo) to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
Revelation 14: 14-16

The prophetic writing says that this hour will come when those joined to the Capricorn sacrifice will participate in the harvest to heaven at the end of this age. This is the hour in the parable of Jesus when the fish are brought in the net.

This is a picture of the final harvest, when Jesus will bring His people into heaven, like fish caught in a net.

These two “hours” match the two parts of Capricorn. One hour is the sacrifice, the other is the reward—eternal life for many.

Your Capricorn Horoscope Reading

What can you learn from Capricorn today, and how can you apply it to your life?

Capricorn tells that there is more to life than meets the eye. If you or I were running the universe perhaps all its characteristics would be straightforward and obvious. But you need to accept the fact that neither you nor I are in charge. Just as there are physical laws that govern the motion of planets, there are spiritual laws that govern you. Better accept that reality than continue to fight or try to get around it. Otherwise you will find that going against these laws is just as painful as going against physical laws. Certainly you do not want to be incompatible with the fundamental spiritual horos.
Perhaps a good place to start getting in sync with these spiritual laws is to just express thanks and gratitude instead of first trying to understand it all. After all, if there is Someone who is looking out for you in such a way as to spill some of his own blood on your behalf – why not try saying ‘thanks’. Being thankful is a trait that can smooth out a lot of questions in any relationship. And thanks can be done straight from your heart, anytime and any day. Perhaps then all the puzzling pieces may start coming together to make sense of your life. Be bold, take a new direction, and say ‘thanks’ to Capricorn.

In Summary:

Capricorn shows us that life is deeper than what we see. You are not in control of the universe—God is. Just like we must follow physical laws, we must also follow spiritual laws. If we ignore these spiritual truths, we will face pain and confusion.

So where do we start?

A good beginning is to say “thank you” to the One who gave His life for you. Gratitude can open your heart and help you understand more. Jesus spilled His blood so you could live. Why not thank Him? Even a small prayer from your heart—just saying “thank You, Jesus”—can help you start this journey.

Further in the Zodiac and Deeper into Capricorn

The Goat in Capricorn shows death for a purpose. The Fish shows new life for many people. Fish live in water, which leads us to the next zodiac sign – Aquarius, the man who brings living water.

To start the story from the beginning, go to Virgo.