Why The Star?

[Beetow]

.
The verse below is deliberately misquoted. Watch for the revision.

• Matt 2:2 . . Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have followed his
star from the east

No, they didn't follow Jesus' star from the east; rather, they saw it in the east.

Jerusalem was a logical destination seeing as how it was Israel's capital city.
Personally I think the wise men fully expected to find the new king quartered right
there in Jerusalem rather than elsewhere; so their inquiry "where is he" was
probably not meant for asking directions to another town.

• Matt 2:9 . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star
they had seen in the east went ahead of them.

They likely thought they had seen the last of that star back home, so it was very
reassuring to see it again; and this time as a guiding light rather than a sign.

• Matt 2:10 . . When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

NOTE: As the earth turns, stars appear to move across the sky from the east
towards the west. Here is a star that moved north, and also came to a stop; which
should alert planetariums that it wasn't an astronomical object.

• Matt 2:9 . . It stopped over the place where the child was.

Normal stars are so far out in space that it is nigh unto impossible to tell the exact
spot on earth where one of them is at any given moment without special
instruments; so I think we can be reasonably confident that this star was low
enough that there was no mistaking the exact house where young Jesus was
lodged. In other words; this star wasn't a star, rather, it was a God-given
apparition.

Now this is curious. The shepherds were given no guide. They had to conduct a
house to house search for baby Jesus; and their target was different too. The
shepherds went looking for a savior whereas the wise men were seeking a
sovereign. Plus the wise men were educated, whereas the shepherds likely weren't;
and the wise men were wealthy and privileged whereas shepherds were just cow
pokes; so to speak.
_

 

[complete]

.
The verse below is deliberately misquoted. Watch for the revision.

• Matt 2:2 . . Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have followed his
star from the east

No, they didn't follow Jesus' star from the east; rather, they saw it in the east.

Jerusalem was a logical destination seeing as how it was Israel's capital city.
Personally I think the wise men fully expected to find the new king quartered right
there in Jerusalem rather than elsewhere; so their inquiry "where is he" was
probably not meant for asking directions to another town.

• Matt 2:9 . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star
they had seen in the east went ahead of them.

They likely thought they had seen the last of that star back home, so it was very
reassuring to see it again; and this time as a guiding light rather than a sign.

• Matt 2:10 . . When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

NOTE: As the earth turns, stars appear to move across the sky from the east
towards the west. Here is a star that moved north, and also came to a stop; which
should alert planetariums that it wasn't an astronomical object.

• Matt 2:9 . . It stopped over the place where the child was.

Normal stars are so far out in space that it is nigh unto impossible to tell the exact
spot on earth where one of them is at any given moment without special
instruments; so I think we can be reasonably confident that this star was low
enough that there was no mistaking the exact house where young Jesus was
lodged. In other words; this star wasn't a star, rather, it was a God-given
apparition.

Now this is curious. The shepherds were given no guide. They had to conduct a
house to house search for baby Jesus; and their target was different too. The
shepherds went looking for a savior whereas the wise men were seeking a
sovereign. Plus the wise men were educated, whereas the shepherds likely weren't;
and the wise men were wealthy and privileged whereas shepherds were just cow
pokes; so to speak.

Matthew 2:1-10

Thank you, @Beetow,

Into my mind came the following verse as I read through your OP.

'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:'
( Gen,1:14 )

This star was for a sign, wasn't it? Praise God!

* The One Who named the stars (Psalms 147:4), came to earth, and lay in a manger, a little child!

' For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom,
to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice
from henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.'
(Isa 9:6-7)

I believe it Lord, I believe it.
Praise your Holy Name!
Thy will be done
To the praise of Your glory.

Chris

 

[Beetow]

NOTE: As the earth turns, stars appear to move across the sky from the east
towards the west. Here is a star that moved north, and also came to a stop; which
should alert planetariums that it wasn't an astronomical object.

My bad. The Bethlehem where Jesus was born is actually south of Jerusalem
instead of north.
_

 

[complete]

'Praise ye Him, sun and moon:
praise him, all ye stars of light.'
(Psa 148:3 )

 

[complete]

'I shall see im, but not now:
I shall behold Him, but not nigh:
there shall come a Star out of Jacob,
and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
and shall smite the corners of Moab,
and destroy all the children of Sheth.'
(Num 24:17)

 

[Keithw]

.
The verse below is deliberately misquoted. Watch for the revision.

• Matt 2:2 . . Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have followed his
star from the east

No, they didn't follow Jesus' star from the east; rather, they saw it in the east.

Jerusalem was a logical destination seeing as how it was Israel's capital city.
Personally I think the wise men fully expected to find the new king quartered right
there in Jerusalem rather than elsewhere; so their inquiry "where is he" was
probably not meant for asking directions to another town.

• Matt 2:9 . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star
they had seen in the east went ahead of them.

They likely thought they had seen the last of that star back home, so it was very
reassuring to see it again; and this time as a guiding light rather than a sign.

• Matt 2:10 . . When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

NOTE: As the earth turns, stars appear to move across the sky from the east
towards the west. Here is a star that moved north, and also came to a stop; which
should alert planetariums that it wasn't an astronomical object.

• Matt 2:9 . . It stopped over the place where the child was.

Normal stars are so far out in space that it is nigh unto impossible to tell the exact
spot on earth where one of them is at any given moment without special
instruments; so I think we can be reasonably confident that this star was low
enough that there was no mistaking the exact house where young Jesus was
lodged. In other words; this star wasn't a star, rather, it was a God-given
apparition.

Now this is curious. The shepherds were given no guide. They had to conduct a
house to house search for baby Jesus; and their target was different too. The
shepherds went looking for a savior whereas the wise men were seeking a
sovereign. Plus the wise men were educated, whereas the shepherds likely weren't;
and the wise men were wealthy and privileged whereas shepherds were just cow
pokes; so to speak.
_

That star lead the 3 wisemen to Herod-first, he wanted Jesus dead, by satans will.. So i dont think it was something from God. Then after their visit, angels told them not to go back to Herod.

 

[complete]

That star lead the 3 wisemen to Herod-first, he wanted Jesus dead, by satans will.. So i dont think it was something from God. Then after their visit, angels told them not to go back to Herod.

'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:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven
to give light upon the earth: and it was so.'
(Gen 1:14-15)

Hello @Keithw,

No. The star was a sign from God, (Genesis 1:14).

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Keithw]

'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:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven
to give light upon the earth: and it was so.'
(Gen 1:14-15)

Hello @Keithw,

No. The star was a sign from God, (Genesis 1:14).

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Then why did it lead the 3 to Herod who wanted Jesus dead?

 

[complete]

' Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews?
for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.'
(Mat 2:2)

Hello @Beetow,

I find the words 'His star' interesting. Why did the wise men associate that particular star with the birth of, 'He that is born King of the Jews'?

In Genesis 37:9 there is recorded a dream which Joseph has, in which there are twelve stars, one for each of the sons of Jacob.
In Revelation 12:1, there is a vision recorded of a woman who had a crown of twelve stars which is also symbolic of Israel's twelve tribes.

Later each tribe had a 'standard' depicting the 'en-sign' of his father's house (Numbers 2:2).
Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33, record the blessings of Jacob and Moses upon the twelve tribes: each tribe is described, and each description identifies it, and becomes part of the ensign.

When the tribes moved during their wilderness journeyings, they were formed into divisions, following the same pattern, at God's instruction. The tribe of Levi took their position around, but at a distance from, the ark of the covenant, and the other tribes with their ensigns took up their positions to the north, south, east and west, Issachar Judah and Zebulon on the east, Gad, Rueben and Simeon on the south, Benjamin Ephraim and Manasseh on the west, and Asher, Dan and Nephtali on the north.

Levi had no ensign for he needed none, for he kept 'the balance of the sanctuary', and had the charge of that brazen altar on which the atoning blood outweighed the nations's sins.

The four great signs which marked the four sides of the camp, are the same four which form the Cherabim : the face of an Ox, the face of a lion, the face of a man and the face of an Eagle, (the Scorpion's enemy, being substituted for the Scorpion) (Ezekiel 1:10). The Cherabim form an expression of the hope of Creation, which, from the very first, has been bound up with the Coming One, Who alone will cause its groaning to cease.

Each tribe had it's ensign, and each were designed to preserve, expound, and perpetuate the one great promise and prophecy of Genesis 3:15, that all hope for Man, all hope for Creation, was bound up in a coming Redeemer; One who should be born of a woman; who should first suffer, and afterwards gloriously triumph; One who should first be wounded by that great enemy who was the cause of all sin and sorrow and death, but who should finally crush the head of 'that Old Serpent the Devil'.

These ancient star-pictures reveal this Coming One. They set forth 'the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow'. Altogether there are 48 of them, made up of twelve signs, each sign containing three constellations.

Issachar = Cancer; Judah = The Lion (Leo); Zebulon = Virgo (Eastward)
Gad = Aries; Reuben = The man; Simeon = Pisces (Southward)
Benjamin = Gemini; Ephraim and Manasseh = The Bull (the two horns of Taurus) (Westward)
Asher = Sagittarius; Dan = The Scorpion; Nephtali = Capricornus (Northward)

* Though not a direct quotation, this information is taken from 'The Witness of The Stars' by E.W. Bullinger.

'Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call His name Immanuel.'
(Isa 7:14)

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Witness of the Stars by Ethelbert William Bullinger

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[complete]

Then why did it lead the 3 to Herod who wanted Jesus dead?

Hello @Keithw,

It is of no consequence that it lead to Herod, all was foreseen and foretold in prophecy, God was not ignorant of His devises, and proved Himself capable of thwarting any plan that Herod conceived. It followed the pattern that prophecy foretold. All was of God.

Praise His Holy Name!

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[complete]

Hello @Beetow,

The brightest star in virgo (the constelation) is Tsemech (Hebrew) or Al Zimach in Arabic, which means 'the branch'.

'Behold, the days come , saith the Lord,
That I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH (ie., a Son),
And a KING shall reign and prosper.'
(Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

* This can be found in the link. There is so much more of interest there, which I cannot possibly record here, but it is worth taking a look. The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Witness of the Stars by Ethelbert William Bullinger - free downloadable e-book.

 

[Keithw]

' Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews?
for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.'
(Mat 2:2)

Hello @Beetow,

I find the words 'His star' interesting. Why did the wise men associate that particular star with the birth of, 'He that is born King of the Jews'?

In Genesis 37:9 there is recorded a dream which Joseph has, in which there are twelve stars, one for each of the sons of Jacob.
In Revelation 12:1, there is a vision recorded of a woman who had a crown of twelve stars which is also symbolic of Israel's twelve tribes.

Later each tribe had a 'standard' depicting the 'en-sign' of his father's house (Numbers 2:2).
Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33, record the blessings of Jacob and Moses upon the twelve tribes: each tribe is described, and each description identifies it, and becomes part of the ensign.

When the tribes moved during their wilderness journeyings, they were formed into divisions, following the same pattern, at God's instruction. The tribe of Levi took their position around, but at a distance from, the ark of the covenant, and the other tribes with their ensigns took up their positions to the north, south, east and west, Issachar Judah and Zebulon on the east, Gad, Rueben and Simeon on the south, Benjamin Ephraim and Manasseh on the west, and Asher, Dan and Nephtali on the north.

Levi had no ensign for he needed none, for he kept 'the balance of the sanctuary', and had the charge of that brazen altar on which the atoning blood outweighed the nations's sins.

The four great signs which marked the four sides of the camp, are the same four which form the Cherabim : the face of an Ox, the face of a lion, the face of a man and the face of an Eagle, (the Scorpion's enemy, being substituted for the Scorpion) (Ezekiel 1:10). The Cherabim form an expression of the hope of Creation, which, from the very first, has been bound up with the Coming One, Who alone will cause its groaning to cease.

Each tribe had it's ensign, and each were designed to preserve, expound, and perpetuate the one great promise and prophecy of Genesis 3:15, that all hope for Man, all hope for Creation, was bound up in a coming Redeemer; One who should be born of a woman; who should first suffer, and afterwards gloriously triumph; One who should first be wounded by that great enemy who was the cause of all sin and sorrow and death, but who should finally crush the head of 'that Old Serpent the Devil'.

These ancient star-pictures reveal this Coming One. They set forth 'the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow'. Altogether there are 48 of them, made up of twelve signs, each sign containing three constellations.

Issachar = Cancer; Judah = The Lion (Leo); Zebulon = Virgo (Eastward)
Gad = Aries; Reuben = The man; Simeon = Pisces (Southward)
Benjamin = Gemini; Ephraim and Manasseh = The Bull (the two horns of Taurus) (Westward)
Asher = Sagittarius; Dan = The Scorpion; Nephtali = Capricornus (Northward)

* Though not a direct quotation, this information is taken from 'The Witness of The Stars' by E.W. Bullinger.

'Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call His name Immanuel.'
(Isa 7:14)

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Witness of the Stars by Ethelbert William Bullinger

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

If the magi knew the king was born they knew as well where he was born and did not need a star to direct them, It did however direct them to Herod who wanted Jesus dead.

 

[Beetow]

The stars spoken of by Genesis 1:14-15 are celestial objects whereas the wise
men's star was terrestrial; i.e. it was down low enough in the earth's atmosphere to
point out the exact house where Jesus was lodged.

"Stars" is a nondescript category of shining objects that includes planets, meteors,
meteorites, asteroids, and super hot plasma spheres like our solar system's Sun.

Objects in the "star" category range in size from little bitty shooting stars no bigger
than a grain of sand to massive red giants like Betelgeuse out there in the
constellation of Orion. That being the case, then it's quite possible that the wise
men's star was no bigger than a basketball or an SUV; who really knows for sure?

But I strongly suspect that the wise men's star was visible to themselves alone, viz:
no one else in their country back home saw it nor did anyone in Israel but
themselves see it, i.e. it was a private viewing intended for their eyes only. (Note
that I am not alleging this; only suspecting it)

The question often arises about how the wise men knew their star was associated
with the Jews. Well; Matt 2:12 strongly suggests to me that the whole event was
micro-managed by God from beginning to end so that when they picked up on the
star back home in the east, they were at the same time informed by God as to its
purpose. (Note that I am not alleging this; only suggesting it)
_

 

[Beetow]

Then why did it lead the 3 to Herod who wanted Jesus dead?

Personally; i don't believe the star led the wise men all that much. I suspect that
they spotted it in their homeland and didn't see it again till they got on the road
down to Bethlehem where they found it hovering over the exact house where Jesus
was lodged. (Note that this is not a claim; only a suspicion.)
_

 

[Beetow]

.
FAQ: Could the wise men's star be the one predicted in the book of Numbers;
where it says: "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there
shall come a star out of Jacob" (24:17a)

A: The star in that verse isn't astronomical, rather, it's human.

• Rev 22:16 . . I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning
star.

By comparing Isa 14:12, Luke 10:18, and Rev 2:26-28; it can be readily seen that
the Bible's morning stars are in positions of political power.

• Num 24:17b-19 . . A scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of
Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy,
will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and
destroy the survivors of the city.

• Ps 2:7-9 . . I will proclaim The Lord's decree. He said to me: You are my Son;
today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your
inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron
scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.
_

 

[complete]

Hello @Beetow,

The star which led the wise men to the place where Jesus lay was a miraculous event, a happening of God's making and therefore no star in the heavens may be attributed to it. It certainly behaved like no star in the heavens. Yes?

I thank you for the verses you have quoted (Numbers 24:17-19; Revelation 2:16; Isaiah 14:12; Luke 10:18; Revelation 2:26-28; Psalm 2:7-9)

Looking again at Numbers 24:16-17,

;He hath said, which heard the words of God,
and knew the knowledge of the most High,
which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
I shall see Him, but not now:
I shall behold Him, but not nigh:
there shall come a Star out of Jacob,
and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
and shall smite the corners of Moab,
and destroy all the children of Sheth ... .'

" The word 'star' in verse 17, is translated from the Hebrew word, 'kokab' (H3556) meaning a star (shining or blazing): or figuratively a Prince (or star gazer), referring to the Messiah. See Luke 1:78-79:-

'Through the tender mercy of our God;
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.'

'We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:'
(2Pet. 1:19)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Beetow]

I took an interest in astronomy back in 1971 and anon began grinding a 10" mirror
intending it for a home-made reflecting telescope; and along with the mirror a Léon
Foucault device for testing it. But had to abandon the project for certain reasons.

I picked up on retrograde motion almost right away. I also picked up on parallax,
refraction, sidereal time, hour angle, right ascension and declination, and even
taught myself some rudimentary spherical trigonometry so I could calculate the
best times to view my favorite celestial objects. The math came in handy when I
took an interest in the use of a sextant.

This was all prior to hand held calculators, personal computers, and astronomy aps
like Starry Night. I did all the heavy math with a Frederick Post Co. versalog slide
rule. In point of fact, I still have that very slide rule. Of course it's obsolete now;
just a sentimental curio retained from a bygone era.

Anyway, some night, when the moon is clearly visible; raise your arm and point at
it while an associate positioned some distance away to your left or your right does
the same. Your friend will appear to be pointing in the wrong direction; in fact your
arm and his will seem aimed at two different moons instead of the same one and
that's because the distance to the moon is so great that your respective lines of
sight are virtually parallel.

You can also try walking with the moon to your left or right. You'll notice that the
moon appears to be moving with you instead of staying back where it was when
you began walking. This is really noticeable from a car. No matter how fast it goes,
the moon easily keeps up.

The reason for this phenomenon is that the moon is so far away that the angle it
subtends between two nearby locations on the ground is too small to detect without
instruments. This is true of all objects lying at great distances; especially stars.
Ergo: had the wise men's star been millions of miles out in space instead of close
enough to the ground to be easily seen right above Jesus' house, the men would've
had to knock on every door in Bethlehem.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
It's sometimes suggested that the wise men's star was an angel.

That's a reasonable possibility. Angels are depicted as stars at Job 38:7, and when
it's taken into consideration the amount of angelic activity relative to Christ's
appearance-- e.g. Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds --then it shouldn't
surprise anybody that the glowing object guiding the wise men was an angel too.

Angels have interacted with people in a variety of forms, e.g. human, wind, fire,
voices, and smoke.
_

 

[complete]

.
It's sometimes suggested that the wise men's star was an angel.

That's a reasonable possibility. Angels are depicted as stars at Job 38:7, and when
it's taken into consideration the amount of angelic activity relative to Christ's
appearance-- e.g. Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds --then it shouldn't
surprise anybody that the glowing object guiding the wise men was an angel too.

Angels have interacted with people in a variety of forms, e.g. human, wind, fire,
voices, and smoke.
_

Hello @Beetow,

The objection I have to that is that in the case of Zacharias, Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds, there was no doubt that it was angels that were seen: and so the same thing would have applied to the wise men, we would have been told so if it were an angel, and not told it was a star, and left to our own imaginings to know the truth. Angels have interacted with people in a variety of forms, Yes, but for us to know that it was angelic we had to have been told so. I do not believe that God leaves anything to our imagination.

We are told to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding. So to leave us uninformed on any Scriptural matter, that God wishes us to know, would be against His known will and manner of operation.


Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Beetow]

.
FAQ: There are some excellent astronomical explanations for the wise men's star.
What's so bad about Christians buying into them?

A: I really don't think we should go about alleging that God lined up constellations
and/or planetary conjunctions in a manner to signal the birth of a king; primarily
because it makes Christ's followers appear to be superstitious kooks.

I think most Christians-- and much of the world too --is/are comfortable with
regarding the wise men's star as the miraculous appearance of something
remarkable and/or unexpected; hung not out in space but instead up in the sky.

FAQ: How did the wise men know their star was associated with the Jews?

A: Matt 2:12 strongly suggests that their entire odyssey was supervised from start
to finish so that when the men spotted the star back home in the east, they were at
the same time informed by God as to its purpose and urged to pack up and head
for the land of Israel; specifically the city of Jerusalem because that's always been a
sort of Washington DC for David's dynasty.

FAQ: Doesn't Luke 21:25 prove that Jesus condoned astrology; at least to some
extent?

A: That passage speaks of unusual activity in the stars as signs relative to Christ's
return, which at first glance appear to be astrological signs, but when we examine
those activities as they are spelled out in Isa 13:9-13 and Matt 24:29, it's readily
seen that Luke 21:25 actually depicts real-life calamities rather than astrological
sign language and/or mystic messages. I suspect that the unusual activity planned
for the stars will both frighten and fluster professional astrologers because they
probably won't have a clue how to chart them.

NOTE: Back in Jesus' time, the planets were stars too, a.k.a. wandering stars, so
they're included in Luke 21:25.
_