Morning Star

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion!

Job 38:31

This beautiful and graphic language, together with much that is said in connection with it, seems to have been designed to impress man with an awful sense of divine power, when contrasted with human weakness. The Pleiades is that cluster of stars noticed by all, commonly called the seven stars. The sun comes into this cluster about the middle of May, or at the "time of flowers," and to this the question evidently refers. This being the constellation that may be considered as presiding over this delightful season, God wishes man to answer whether he can control the heavenly bodies, so as to prevent the regular return of seasons, or direct the sweet influences of Spring. Orion is a noted constellation, which comes to the meridian about the middle of Jan. It is represented on the celestial globe by a man preparing to make an assault upon a neighboring cluster of stars, denominated Taurus, or the Bull. There are three large stars placed in order around his waist, called the "belt and yard," hence the 'bands of Orion.' As this is a constellation visible in winter, the question means, can you direct this season, or break the influences of winter? What power has man to control the stars or change the seasons? The inference is, God can do it, he can turn—change, or destroy at pleasure.

J. F.