What was the Star of Bethlehem?

Post by **_STEVE7150** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:01 am

Since this "star" led the magi from the Persia to not only Bethlehem but down the streets of the town and then hovered above the house where Jesus was, it's doubtful that it was a star way up in the sky but more likely a radient angelic being of some sort.
These magi who came bearing gifts may have been the first gentiles to worship the Messiah fulfilling Psalm 72 and the birth of Jesus fulfilled two prophecies about the scepter passing from Judah to "Shiloh" or the one who had the right to hold it.
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah , nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes" Gen 49.10
"I see him , but not now I behold him , but not near. A star shall come out of Jacob . A scepter shall rise out of Israel" Num 24.17
The Magi being persian new of Daniel's writings and were probably aware of Dan 9.24-27 which gave the approximate time of the Messiah's arrival therefore when this star appeared to them it was not necessarily unanticipated. Of course Satan was aware of all these things also and it is his livelihood to destroy the kingdom of God therefore since Paul said he can appear as an angel of light. Herod also was aware of these jewish expectations of a coming king but like them he must have expected a political king who would set up an earthly kingdom and he would lose his authority. Could it be that this Star of Bethlehem was Satan disguished as a shining angelic being who used the wise men and used Herod to try to destroy the baby Jesus?

Post by **_mattrose** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:54 am

I've never heard that theory before. I think it is very doubtful. But, just like most things, satan did seem to use the star for his own purposes. Thankfully, though, the purposes of God were ultimately accomplished.

Also, I don't think we should dismiss the idea of the star involving actual cosmology. The language certainly does make it sound that way when it talks about it leading them directly to the place where Jesus was, but that could simply be the best way humans could describe the phenomenon. For instance, perhaps they were walking through Bethlehem and a supernova, of sorts, suddenly ceased its brightness right as they walked past the future King. Seems reasonable to me. It could have even been a combination of planetary allignments and supernovas (which we know for a fact occurred around that time) that brought them to Jesus.

In saying that, I'm not implying, by any means, that it was simply a random natural phenomenon. Quite the opposite. I'm saying I think it's probable that God used the order of His creation to bring the wise men to Bethlehem. Miraculous? Yes. Completely seperated from nature? I don't think so. Miracles often involve nature (mud/spit/hands/water/etc) Of course, it could have simply been a miracle/angel as has been suggested.

Post by **_Randall** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:52 pm

The Star of Bethlehem has to be more spiritual than something seen in the cosmos. I'd say it was a miracle from God, much like the pillar of fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness in Ex 13. The Shekinah Glory is what I have in mind as I read of the magi.

Post by **_STEVE7150** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:45 am

The Star of Bethlehem has to be more spiritual than something seen in the cosmos. I'd say it was a miracle from God, much like the pillar of fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness in Ex 13. The Shekinah Glory is what I have in mind as I read of the magi.

I think it was a supernatural object since it was so precise in leading these magi to exactly to where Jesus was. The thing that strikes me is that the result of this was that Herod was alerted about Jesus and learned what town he was in and that many children died as a result of this. These magi were not christians they were astrologists, they may have known something was up because of Daniel's writings which the Persians had and something leads them to Jesus and manages to alert Herod. As a result Jesus's family has to flee to Egypt until Herod dies. It's not like the magi arrived at Jesus's birth, apparently they did'nt arrive until he was two and the end result was Herod got the opportunity to try and kill the real King, and who may have orchastrated all this?

Post by **_mattrose** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 2:29 pm

Technically, the Magi weren't 'Christians' since the name hadn't been invented yet. Nevertheless, I have no problem calling them 'Christians'. They were pursuing Jesus so that they could worship Him.

And I still say there were some cosmological events being used by God in a miraculous way. I'm not saying a 'miracle' wasn't involved, I'm simply saying God seems to, quite often, use nature miraculously by His providence. Even a literal understanding of the phrase "the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was" it could refer to a real phenomenon called "zodiachal light"

Post by **_TK** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:08 pm

one problem (from YE perspective) with the supernova theory is that it takes several million to a billion years for a star to go supernova. per the YE view, the universe wasnt nearly this old at the time of Jesus' birth.

FYI, Hugh Ross feels it may have been a "recurring nova," which might explain the phenomenon of the star appearing, disappearing, and appearing again. he admits he is only guessing, and of course Ross is an OE'er.

TK

Post by **_Rae** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:08 pm

I would love to get you guys' thoughts on this website:

http://www.bethlehemstar.net/

The guy who put this together is a business law professor at the college my husband and I went to. We went to the presentation a few years back (before kids) and it was AMAZING! Anyway, well worth the time to look at.

Look to the right of the page when you get to the site and start with 1: Setting The Stage and then go to the next sections after that.