“Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; WANDERING STARS, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 13)

“Wandering” derives from the Greek noun πλανήτης (planétés, Strong’s 4107), and is only used in the Bible in Jude 1:13, where we can read about wandering stars. About this word we can read in Biblehub that it derives from the verb πλανάω (planáo, Strong’s 4105) with the meaning of go astray, deceive, get off course, wander or cause to wander. This verb is used 39 times in the KJV. It can be used to signify a star that is wandering (a planet), and in a figurative sense it could mean a false teacher exploiting other aimless people leading them to go astray. This verb is also used to describe the Israelites’ wandering around in the desert during the Exodus.

Matt. 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive (planáo, Strong’s 4105) you.⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive (planáo, Strong’s 4105) many. — ¹¹ And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

2 Tim. 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,(planáo, Strong’s 4105) and being deceived (planáo, Strong’s 4105).14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

Ja. 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err (planáo, Strong’s 4105): from the truth, and one convert him;20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

2 Pet. 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray (planáo, Strong’s 4105), following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

This is where the English word “planet” is coming from, and it is a word which we can also recognize in numerous other languages (with minor differences in spelling).

Planets in the Bible?

Many have asked why planets are not mentioned in the Bible, but only the earth, the sun and the moon. Should they not get a mention? If the planets are in fact “stars” they are already mentioned. The Bible seems to refer to the planets (what we today understand as planets) as wandering stars in Jude 13, in contrast to the other stars in the sky. Most stars are not wandering at all but are fixed in their proper places – many of them belong in certain star constellations which can be seen from earth – yet certain stars are considered to be wandering. The planets/the wandering stars are seven in number just like our weekdays: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are all tied to various gods in ancient times.

The earth is described as being created prior to light on the first day and is a place which God intended to be inhabited (Isa. 45:18), which means that he did not wait to accomplish this goal for billions of years. The stars (the fixed stars and the wandering ones) on the other hand were created on the 4th day, and they are something entirely different than our unique earth.

The purpose of the earth was to be inhabited with human beings, animals and vegetation. The purpose of the sun and the moon (each described as lights) was to divide the day from the night, to be signs (for certain seasons, days and years) and to give light on the earth. The purpose of the stars was apparently to help out providing light and signs for the inhabitants of earth. We can read about the stars “he made the stars also” just after describing the purpose of the sun and the moon, and the author goes on to say “God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness” which works out well for all the celestial lights. 

Based on the book of Enoch and the Bible, the sun is referred to as He, and the moon as She.

Is. 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Ez. 32:7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.

Judg. 5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Seven stars?

Amos 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:

The above could of course signify an open star cluster called the Pleiades (the seven sisters), in the constellation of Taurus. It is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the sky. Orion is, like Taurus, a star constellation. Maybe it could also refer to the seven wandering stars.

Gen. 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.—14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Fallen angels

The Bible mentions angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation. Jude also compared with the unnatural way that the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha lived their life with sexual perversion (homosexuality):

Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Jude ¹⁴ And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Jude refers to Enoch as “seventh from Adam”, showing that he understood the history in Genesis as being literal (Enoch is indeed the seventh generation from Adam). Jude had no reason to doubt that the description of the sons of God (angels) was literal as well:

Gen. 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Also the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher confirm this story and provide even more details.

The sun (or the stars) were not needed to illuminate the earth the first 3 days (the sun was created on Day 4), and we know from the book of Revelation that the lamb of God (Jesus) will be the one to give us light in the new Jerusalem where a sun will not be needed.

Satan, a beautiful star

Satan, a beautiful star, fell from heaven due to his rebellion. Now he walks about it trying to deceive people.

Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

1 Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, WALKETH ABOUT, seeking whom he may devour

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (also Job 2:1-2) 

The prince of Tyrus and the prince of the air (Satan) show a similar life pattern to each other as can be seen below. Satan was indeed a bright star:

Ez. 28:2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:—  12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

According to Christian flat earth supporters, they believe the stars are smaller and closer to earth, placed in (not above) the firmament. (Read about the Biblical meaning of “firmament” – raqia – in this blog article.) If the stars were larger, they would not be able to fall down to earth but they would cause the earth to burn up long before approaching. This means that we would not be able to read about various events taking place on earth AFTER the stars had fallen down on it since the earth would then have become non-existent. Still, according to the Bible the life on earth goes on even after the stars will have fallen down on it.

Rev. 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Rev: 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Rev. 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. — ⁹ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Mark 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. See also Matt. 24:29

Dan. 8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

Ps. 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

The book of Enoch explains that seven particular stars, who were disobedient to God, will receive a terrible punishment in the future:

1 Enoch 21:1. And I proceeded to where things were chaotic. 2. And I saw there something horrible: I saw neither a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. 3. And there I saw seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and burning with fire. 4. Then I said: ‘For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in hither?’ 5. Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over them, and said: ‘Enoch, why dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth? 6. These are of the number of the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.’ 7. And from thence I went to another place, which was still more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending columns of fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture. 8. Then I said: ‘How fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!’ 9. Then Uriel answered me, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: ‘Enoch, why hast thou such fear and affright?’ And I answered: ‘Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of the pain.’ 10. And he said unto me: ‘This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.’

Why do stars twinkle? It actually looks like they are placed in a layer of water. “God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament:—And God said, Let there be lights IN the firmament of the heaven.” Read about “the circle of the earth” (not translated as a ball, globe, or sphere) in Is. 40:22 here. If you want a list with all Bible verses in chronological order which support a geocentric flat earth model, please see this list with comments. 

Stars as they really are, without using CGI the way NASA does: