What does the Bible say about astrology? The Bible warns against astrology. Scripture praises the stars as God's creation, but it forbids using them to predict the future or guide your life, because our wisdom and direction come from God, not the stars.
"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD."
"Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame."
Is astrology a sin?
Astrology is the belief that the stars and planets influence human destiny. The Bible treats looking to the heavens for that kind of guidance as a form of divination, which God forbids: "Let no one be found among you who... practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens" (Deuteronomy 18:10). In Isaiah 47:13-14, God mocks the "stargazers who make predictions month by month," saying they cannot even save themselves. In Daniel 2, the astrologers of Babylon admit they cannot tell the king his dream, while Daniel says that "there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries" (Daniel 2:28).
Many Christians who read a horoscope "just for fun" don't intend to worship anything. But because astrology is built on the claim that the stars shape your destiny, the Bible's concern is where you place your trust. For more, see Why Does the Bible Warn against Witchcraft?
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What does the Bible say about the stars? (astrology vs. astronomy)
The Bible speaks about the stars with wonder. "The heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1), and He "determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name" (Psalm 147:4). God gave the sun, moon, and stars "to serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years" (Genesis 1:14), and He used the stars to promise Abraham countless descendants (Genesis 15:5). The stars are a testimony to the Creator, but they are not a source of guidance. God warns Israel not to bow down to "the sun, the moon and the stars" (Deuteronomy 4:19), and Israel's worship of "the starry hosts" brought judgment (2 Kings 17:16).
What about the Star of Bethlehem and the Wise Men?
In Matthew 2:2, Magi from the east say, "We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." Some point to this as proof that astrology is biblical, but the passage doesn't say that. The star was a sign God used to lead the Magi to Christ, and they came to worship Him, not to read the future.
What about the zodiac and horoscopes?
The Bible never mentions horoscopes or the twelve zodiac signs as a guide for life. Job 38:32 refers to the "Mazzaroth," usually translated "constellations," and some believe this refers to the zodiac. Even so, the verse presents God as the One who brings the constellations out in their seasons. It doesn't say they carry a hidden message about your life. After the gospel spread in Ephesus, new believers publicly burned their scrolls of magic arts (Acts 19:19).
Read more Bible verses on astrology, the stars, and the heavens below.
