WHO WERE THEY?


  1. Castor and Pollux.
    In Acts chapter 28 when Paul set sail again in verse 11, he set sail, we are told "… in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was CASTOR AND POLLUX". Castor and Pollux were the sons of Zeus in Greek mythology and were looked upon as the special guardians of seamen. This being a Greek ship - "of Alexandria", the figurehead was probably a carving of these twin protectors; or, possibly an image of each was fastened on either side of the ship.

  2. The Rechabites.
    In Jeremiah 35 verses 5 to 10, we are given an account of Jeremiah the prophet setting some pots of wine before "the sons of the house of the Rechabites". These Rechabites refuse to drink the wine, however, and this is to count as a protest against the settled life that the Israelites have now entered into in the land of Caanan. Since leaving the wilderness, the Rechabites believed, the children of Israel had become a corrupt and faithless nation; and so, anything to do with this new settled life was avoided by the Rechabites. The vine growing, of which wine was a product, spoke of settlement, and so they would not touch it. They longed after the nomadic days of the wilderness wanderings and refused to build, or to live in houses, preferring the tents of the desert. Their founder was "Jonadab the son of Rechab". (2nd Kings 10 verse 15)

  3. Arcturus and his Sons.
    When the Lord "answered Job out of the whirlwind" in chapter 38 of the Book of Job, He asked him several questions; one of those questions is contained in verse 32 of that chapter; "Canst thou guide ARCTURUS WITH HIS SONS?" the Lord asks Job. ARCTURUS is the Old Testament name that was given to that constellation that we now call "The Great Bear" or the "Plough". The "sons" are probably the seven main stars in the constellation, or possibly the three stars that form the "tail of the bear", or "the handle of the plough". The American Standard Version of the Bible translates the verse "Canst thou guide the bear with her train?"


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This Page Title – Who were they?
The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness".
Internet Edition number 48 – placed on line May 2004
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