The Star ? of Bethelhem Was it From God?

[Bible Speaks]

The Star ? of Bethelhem Was it From God? 

According to the Nativity story commonly told, God used a star to lead three wise The star of Bethlehem was it from God?,men, or kings, to the stable in Bethlehem and found Jesus, a newly born baby, in a manger. Countless children have even memorized the names of those three kings: Melchior, Caspar, and Baltazar. 

But, who were those men? In the original Greek, the Bible calls them neither kings nor wise men. They were magi, or astrologers. They were practicers of the pagan art of divination based on the stars. 

The Bible record reveals neither the names nor the number of these astrologers. Also, the star did not lead the men directly to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where their inquiries about Jesus reached the ears of King Herod. Herod then “secretly summoned the astrologers,” who told him about the newborn “king of the Jews.” 

Herod then said: “Go make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found him, report back to me.” Herod’s interest in Jesus, however, was anything but noble. Rather, this proud and ruthless ruler was resolved to put Jesus to death! (Matthew 2:1-8, 16) 

Interestingly, the “star” now led the astrologers south to Bethlehem. There “it came to a stop” above the house where Jesus was. (Matthew 2:9, 10) 

Consider, too, when did those men visit? Not when Jesus was a baby in a manger. How do we know that? The Gospel writer Matthew says: “When they went into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother.” (Matthew 2:11) 

Note that Jesus was no longer a newborn baby, but a “young child.” Mary and Joseph were no longer spending nights in a stable; rather, they were, by then, living in a house. Clearly, this was no ordinary star! Religious leaders commonly teach that God sent the “star.” 

Did he really? And why would God, who had used angels to inform humble shepherds of Jesus’ birth, now employ a star to guide pagan astrologers — first to Jesus’ enemy and then to the child himself? The only reasonable conclusion is that the star was a sinister device of Satan, who is capable of such manifestations. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10) 

 Ironically, today, an ornament called the 'Star of Bethlehem' is usually seen at the very top of the Christmas tree. - Bible Speaks

[Ann O'Maly]

A couple of other Scripture- and historically-based perspectives:

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Summary

In this scenario, then, the wise men reached Bethlehem about two years after the birth of Jesus. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were now in a house, not the stable. There could have been any number of wise men, and they were probably representatives of the wise men of Babylon. They were aware of the promised Messiah from their former leader, Daniel, and from the oracle of their founder, Balaam. Under Daniel’s leadership and influence, many of them had no doubt turned from their paganism to the worship of the true God. They were unaware, however, that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, because Micah’s prophecy was received many years later and many miles away, back in Israel. Their intention was to seek the Messiah, in order to worship Him. They knew to make their journey because of an appearance of the Shechinah glory of God. This same pillar of fire led them from Jerusalem to the house in Bethlehem. Herod’s response was to seek to destroy the Messiah by any means possible.

Put into this context, we can see that the events of Matthew 2 are even more significant than the traditional Christmas card scene. And in worshiping the Messiah, the wise men made a prophecy of their own in their choice of gifts.

Gold: A gift for a king.
Frankincense: This is obviously an incense, the burning of which represents prayer. It is used by priests, and indicates the priestly nature of the Messiah.
Myrrh: A fragrant perfume, used in embalming bodies. The inclusion of this gift can be seen as prophetic of the death of the Messiah. The three gifts together also underline the Messiah’s offices as prophet, priest and king.

Our response should therefore be that of the wise men themselves: to worship the Messiah, Jesus Christ — our Prophet, Priest and King.

 

Read the full article here: http://creationtoday.org/the-wise-men-and-the-star/

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What Does All this Mean?

Why does Matthew include the story of the wise men in his Gospel? There were many incidents that he chose to exclude that we find, for example, in Luke's and John's gospels. I see in this account several themes:

1. The King Heralded by a Star. Matthew points to the fulfillment (without saying so) of Balaam's ancient prophecy that "A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel" (Numbers 24:17).
2. The King Honored by Foreign Nations. One of Matthew's themes is that Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Here the prophecy isn't cited, but only alluded to: that of foreign rulers bringing their riches to honor the King of Israel (1 Kings 10:2, 10; Psalm 72:10-11, 15; Isaiah 60:5-6, 11). This account points to Jesus' royalty as King of the Jews.
3. Enemies of Christ Seek His Death. Here in chapter 2 is the beginning of Jesus' enemies. Herod clearly covets Jesus' claim to be Messiah and seeks to kill him before he can become a threat. Later in Matthew's gospel the "chief priests and teachers of the law" who pointed to his birthplace in Bethlehem conspire to take his life. And ultimately he is crucified for this very charge of being King of the Jews (Matthew 27:11, 37; John 18:33-37; 19:19-22).
4. Explanation of Jesus' Infant Sojourns. From Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt, and then back to Nazareth where he was raised -- Jesus' journeys as an infant needed an explanation in the face of Jewish belittling him as a citizen of Nazareth (John 1:45-46), not from the royal city of Bethlehem.
5. The Gospel to the Gentiles. This account also points to another important theme -- that Jesus came to the Jews, but had a mission beyond Israel to the Gentiles (Genesis 12:3; 22:18; 28:14; 49:10; Psalm 22:27; 98:3; Isaiah 49:6; 66:19) In parable (Matthew 21:33-44; 22:2-13), action (Matthew 8:5-13), prophecy (Matthew 24:14), and command (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8), Jesus underscores that the gospel must be preached to -- and will be embraced by -- the Gentiles.

Full article at http://www.jesuswalk.com/christmas-incarnation/magi-star.htm

Note: It is not generally considered that the 'star' came from Satan - this is reading into scripture an idea that isn't even hinted at. The Magi had only good intentions, and their gifts would have enabled Jesus and his family to flee to and live in Egypt until it was safe to return home.

[Bible Speaks]

3 hours ago, Ann O'Maly said:

A couple of other Scripture- and historically-based perspectives:

Read the full article here: http://creationtoday.org/the-wise-men-and-the-star/

Full article at http://www.jesuswalk.com/christmas-incarnation/magi-star.htm

Note: It is not generally considered that the 'star' came from Satan - this is reading into scripture an idea that isn't even hinted at. The Magi had only good intentions, and their gifts would have enabled Jesus and his family to flee to and live in Egypt until it was safe to return home.

@Ann O'Maly

The “Wise Men”—How Many? Who Were They?

The custom: Guided by a “star” from the east, three “wise men” are portrayed as presenting gifts to Jesus in a manger in a stable. Sometimes shepherds are also shown as being present.

Its roots: Aside from the brief account in the Bible, “everything written about the Wise Men stems principally from legend,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia.

What the Bible says: The Bible does not say how many “wise men” visited Jesus. There may have been two, or there may have been three, four, or more. Although termed “wise men” in some Bible translations, the original-language word is magoi, which means astrologers or sorcerers—professions that the Bible says are “detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) By virtue of their long journey from the East, the astrologers did not arrive in time to visit Jesus in the stable. Rather, after perhaps months of travel, they “went into the house” where Jesus was staying. There they saw “the young child with Mary its mother.”—Matthew 2:11.

(3) What Sort of Star Led the Astrologers?

Clues are provided by what the star actually did. For one thing, it did not lead the men directly to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where their inquiries about Jesus reached the ears of King Herod. Herod then “secretly summoned the astrologers,” who told him about the newborn “king of the Jews.” Herod then said: “Make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found it report back to me.” Herod’s interest in Jesus, however, was anything but noble. Rather, this proud and ruthless ruler was resolved to put Jesus to death!—Matthew 2:1-8, 16.

Interestingly, the “star” now led the astrologers south to Bethlehem. There “it came to a stop” above the house where Jesus was.—Matthew 2:9, 10.

Clearly this was no ordinary star! And why would God, who had used angels to inform humble shepherds of Jesus’ birth, now employ a star to guide pagan astrologers—first to Jesus’ enemy and then to the child himself? The only reasonable conclusion is that the star was a sinister device of Satan, who is capable of such manifestations. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10) Ironically, an ornament called the star of Bethlehem is usually seen at the very top of the Christmas tree.

(4) What Does Santa Claus Have to Do With Jesus and His Birth?

The custom: In many lands, Santa Claus is viewed as the one who brings children gifts.* Children often write to Santa, asking for presents, which, according to tradition, elves help him to make at his North Pole headquarters.

Its roots: According to the popular view, the Santa Claus myth owes its origin to Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor, now Turkey. “Virtually everything written about St. Nicholas is based on legends,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia. The designation “Santa Claus” may owe its origin to the word Sinterklaas, a corruption of the Dutch terms for “Saint Nicholas.” Historically and Biblically, Santa Claus has nothing in common with Jesus Christ.

What the Bible says: “Now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor.” Our closest ‘neighbors’ are our family members. (Ephesians 4:25) The Bible also says that we should “love truth,” “speaking the truth in [our] heart.” (Zechariah 8:19; Psalm 15:2) True, telling children that Santa (or the Christ child) is the bearer of presents at Christmas may seem to be innocent fun, but is it right or wise to deceive little children, even if one’s intentions are not bad? Do you not find it ironic that an occasion that is supposedly meant to honor Jesus becomes a time to deceive children?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102010442?q=jesus+birth&p=par

[Ann O'Maly]

Who were the Magi?

The Greek word "Magoi" in Matthew 2:1-12 is transliterated into English as "Magi" or translated as "wise men". We cannot know for certain exactly who these Magoi were. In recent years people have often simply thought of them as coming from a religious sect that emphasized astrology.

However, let's see what else is known about them. Matthew 2:1 says the Magoi came from the east. Most of the world east of Israel all the way to India was controlled by Parthia from 247 B.C. to A.D. 228. This area would be areas now in present-day Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan. At times they even controlled parts of today's Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. The people of India and China had regular trade with the Parthians.

To better understand who the Magoi (Magi) were, let's see what we can learn about them from the Bible. We'll go back to when Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians had come to Israel and beseiged Jerusalem. The Old Testament book of Daniel begins with Daniel being taken to Babylon. The Magoi appear prominently in the book of Daniel, where Daniel himself is named as Rab-mag, the chief of the Magoi (Daniel 4:9, 5:11). Daniel 2:48 says that Daniel, as chief of the Magoi, was ruler of the entire province of Babylon. These Magoi obviously were powerful men in the very powerful Babylonian and Persian empires. We can see one instance of a power struggle taking place between some of the Magoi in Daniel chapter 6, where God supernaturally steps in to rescue Daniel from the lions' den. Later this same land area came to be ruled by the Parthians.

The Magoi were still influential in Parthia. The Parthian empire was ruled by kings. But there was also a governing body, the Megistanes, which means "the great ones" or "lords". The Megistanes consisted of the Sophoi and the Magoi (or Sophi and Magi). It is very interesting to note that the Magoi were responsible for choosing the kings of the great Parthian empire. They had an unusual amount of power and control for an eastern monarchy in which they were not the absolute kings. In fact, there is a sense they were like kings or lords in terms of power. Little wonder that some of the words or songs written about them over the centuries has referred to them as "kings". Their power was in fact only exceeded by the absolute kings themselves.

Hey wait a minute now! The Magoi are not sounding like three guys on camels that ride quietly into Bethlehem like the story is told in American churches. Notice in the passage in Matthew that there is no mention of the number of Magoi that come to worship Jesus. There are only three kinds of gifts mentioned.

What is known of the Magoi makes them seem like they would have come thundering into the area of Jerusalem on Arabian stallions accompanied by some tough-looking dudes carrying serious weaponry. Their cavalry was known for defeating the Roman army. There could have been scores or hundreds of people accompanying them. Many people have said that the Magi came with a small army. Some think that the normal garrison of Roman soldiers that usually occupied Israel was off fighting the Homonadensian War, leaving them unprotected.

Also, do not overlook the fact that the Magoi had the authority to choose someone as king over the Parthian empire, which was every bit an equal to the Roman empire. It's little wonder that when the Magoi showed up asking about a king, Matthew 2:3 says "When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him." Three ordinary astrologists strolling into Jerusalem on camels would not even disturb King Herod's lowest bodyguard, much less the whole city of Jerusalem. But the arrival of these guys freaked everybody out in Jerusalem!

[...]

What was the Christmas Star?

The following sentence helps us a lot. The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Well, that certainly makes this light seem to be very unique. The phrase until it stopped over the place where the child was tells us that not only could it move, but it could also stop or appear to stop in a way and a situation that would make the Magoi know where Jesus was.

Whoa! It now appears to be right over the place where Jesus was. They did not have to wander around town asking. You get the idea that it really is almost like a beam of light shining down like a spotlight on Joseph's house, or at some point draws so near to the earth that it appears to hover over that exact house. The closer they get to Jesus, the less this thing seems like a celestial body.

At first it was like a star in the eastern sky. Then it takes on the character of a moving, leading light. Then it takes on the character of either a spotlight shining down on Jesus or something like a hovering light over Jesus. And apparently, no one else can see it. Or if they can see it, they do not understand what they are seeing. There had been no discussion with Herod, regarding the star. In other words, Herod and his star-gazers did not say "Oh, yeah, we saw that too." As said before, a good name for this light would be "the Star of the Magi", instead of the Star of Bethlehem.

It is not necessary to try to make the Christmas star be a celestial body of natural origin. It is entirely possible that it was supernatural from start to finish. Or it could have been that the first sighting was natural, (like the aligning of planets,) and later the light was supernatural, something like what appeared to the shepherds on the night of the birth of Jesus. Luke 2:9 says when the angels appeared to the shepherds the glory of the Lord shone around them. The "glory of the Lord" appears many times in the Old Testament as a moving, lighted cloud that manifests the Presence of God. We know with absolute certainty that the Lord was displaying His Presence this way around the time of the birth of Jesus.

However, the text does not say that the "glory of the Lord" appeared and led them. Usually the Bible tells specifically when the Lord appears in a cloud. So it's hard to label this light as the shekinah glory of the Lord, based on the text alone. Nevertheless, this would not prevent God from causing a unique light to be displayed, in order to direct the Magoi to Jesus.

Our belief is that the behavior of the light is hard to match up with any natural phenomenon. We deduce that this light was not a planet or planets, nor any other celestial body, but a special light given as a sign to the Magoi. Since the Magoi would certainly, at the very least, talk about it to a lot of people upon their return to their powerful positions in Parthia, we can also see how the Lord used this as revelation to Asia. In addition their gifts could easily have funded the safe passage of Joseph's family to Egypt and back again in a few years.
 

http://www.christmaspirit.com/christmasstar.htm