The first is Sagitta, the swift and lethal arrow. It appears bare and solitary, having left the bow and speeding toward its target. It is a heavenly arrow, and the one who shoots it is unseen. There is a grandeur and enigma surrounding it, evoking both shock and awe.
The Death-Arrow of Divine Justice
It is the death-arrow of divine justice, launched from the throne against all unrighteousness and sin. It is the deadly instrument that strikes with unstoppable force and precision against a world entrenched in sin, ultimately piercing the unblemished Son of God, who stands in the place of the guilty and condemned.
The arrow's execution is exemplified by the fallen and dying goat. It is the arrow of divine justice and condemnation upon sin, penetrating the body and soul of the gentle Lamb of God, who agreed to bear our sins and be held accountable for them.
Psalm 38
In the thirty-eighth Psalm, we witness this very arrow of God lodged firmly in the body of the mysterious Sufferer, wounding His flesh and bones, and utterly overwhelming Him. He is burdened and bent under the crushing weight, his heart pounding, his strength failing, and the light in his eyes dimming. He is not only the object of man's hatred but also confined within the strong bars of divine judgment. It was divine grace that prepared and unleashed that arrow against the person of the blameless One; however, being found in the place of sinners, God's holy wrath could not restrain from sparing even the only-begotten of the Father, so full of grace and truth. Christ came into the world to die for it, and towards this lowest depth, His steps led Him daily, as He gazed upon the harvest sown amidst these tears. It seems almost as if the Psalmist's song had been directly inspired by the imagery presented in these signs.
The Spiritual Piercing and Slaying
But this Arrow undoubtedly encompasses a broader concept. There is a spiritual piercing and slaying in the case of those who find new life in Christ, akin to the piercing and slaying of Christ Himself. Sharp and hurtful words are likened to arrows. And of this nature are the words of God as they pass judgment and condemnation upon the wicked for their sins, bringing them down from their lofty self-assurance, and extinguishing the vain illusions in which they exist. Isaiah refers to this type of shaft or arrow in the Lord's quiver - the arrow of the Word, the arrow of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment - a wounding and deadly arrow that penetrates people's souls, turning them into humble penitents, so they may discover life in Christ.
The Death of Christ for Our Sins
The death of Christ for our sins also takes the form of a word, preaching, testimony, and argument, even the preaching of the Cross, to extinguish the life of sin and cause individuals to die unto it. Thus, the very arrow of supreme justice that consumed the life of Christ as our Substitute and Propitiation passes through Him to also pierce those whose sinful lives cost Him all this degradation and suffering, thereby killing them to that wicked and condemned existence so they may live the Christ-life as His renewed, justified, and redeemed children.
The Connection to Capricornus
In this way, the Arrow embodies precisely the same ideas that we find symbolized in the sign of Capricornus.