Here Comes Boötes

The constellation Boötes (boh OH teez) lies north of Virgo and is fairly easy to identify by its kite shape and its bright star, Arcturus.

Boötes’ name means Coming, and he reminds me of this scripture:

“Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” —Psalm 96:12-13 KJV

Notice the sickle in Boötes’ left hand. Before modern machinery, a farmer cut grain with a sickle or a scythe. He carried the stalks to a threshing floor to be trampled until the grains fell out. Finally, the farmer gathered up the good grain to store, and burned up the chaff. Jesus used that figure to illustrate the angels at the end of the world gathering up and separating God’s children from God’s enemies.

The Bible says that all nature is in bondage to decay and is waiting for its liberation when the sons of God are revealed:

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21 NIV

We experience relief and satisfaction when righteousness prevails—that is, when the bad guy gets caught, when the guilty is punished, when stolen goods are returned to the rightful owner. Imagine the immensity of that relief and satisfaction when the Lord judges the whole earth and all evil is expunged. All nature will rejoice because the curse on the earth will be lifted. Truly the fields will laugh and the trees sing.