We Have Seen His Star in the East

We Have Seen "His Star" in the East

Matthew 2:2; Luke 2:8-14

 

The question concerning "the star"

 

For centuries various individuals and religious men, and yes, other than religious groups have searched for an answer as to what the star that the wise men saw in the east might have been. Most of these have sought the answer through natural logical explanations such as the movement of the heavenly bodies and constellations over the centuries. A few may have looked for a spiritual explanation that could be totally supported by the Scriptures, but to my knowledge nothing has been achieved which would include and be supported by all references concerning the event as they are recorded for our learning and understanding from the Bible's perspective.

 

I am a firm believer that the Bible is the literal inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God … ."and that "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). I also believe that God is the author and initiator of all science and therefore would not permit anything to be recorded that was not scientifically correct. I do believe that certain events which we may call "miracles" have occurred that do not have any scientific foundation, but when all scientific knowledge is known, as God knows science, these miracles will be within scientific explanation. We must remember, as with any field of knowledge, man is still learning; and does no have all the answers. We must also remember that God's wisdom and knowledge is so far beyond the realm of human understanding that the Bible has recorded the statement "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God" (1 Corinthians 3:19-21). Many, many other Scriptures carry the same thought and reference.

 

This being an event in the spiritual realm, as well as in the physical, we might well look into the spiritual as well as the physical to find the source of "His Star".

 

The time of the star's appearing

 

 Notice the account in Matthew 2:2 is in the present perfect tense, "We have seen". The wise men had recently seen it (logically thinking toward Jerusalem), as I would assume, low in the western skies before they began their journey. However, it had disappeared and did not reappear until they began their journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:9,10). Had it guided them from "the east", it would have directed them to Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. At that time, when they needed specific directions to the place where the Christ child was, the star re-appeared as guidance for the wise men.

 

When they had first seen the star, while they were still in the east, they recognized it had a special significance. Apparently they were students of world religions. In this respect they knew the Jews, according to their religious writings, believed a king would arise that would be announced by the appearance of a significant star as well as referring to the individual as "a star" (Numbers 24:17). They recognized the significance of the star that they had seen in the east could be the star prophesied in the Jewish sacred writings. Knowing this prophesy they could travel by faith, to the city of Jerusalem where they would naturally assume a "king child" would be born. They had arrived in Jerusalem assuming a child who would one day be the "King of the Jews" would be born in the capitol city of the country.

 

When they arrived and had made inquiry as to where the child might be, Herod enquired diligently as the exact time of the star's appearing – (Matthew 2:7). This would explain that there was definite period of time that had transpired between the appearing of the star they had seen in the east and their arriving in Jerusalem. This would also explain that they found Jesus in a house, not the manger" – 2:11.

 

The identity of the star

 

Why would the appearance of a "star" designate, in their thinking, there would be a king born to the Jews? The answer is found in Numbers 24:17 "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not [near]: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel …"

 

Some suggest this star may have been a nova, an exploding star, which lasts a few months as it burns itself out and disappears.

 

 Could this be a configuration of stars in the solar system that would appear as a super

 star, or could it be a special star of God's origin? Many have sought to retrace the orbits of the heavenly solar system to the time of Christ's birth to see if there might have been a configuration of various stars that could cause the appearance of the brightness of a super star.

 

Because of the change to the Roman calendar, years later, there was an apparent discrepancy that placed the birth of Jesus to what would be considered 4-5 BC. There was such an alignment of Mars, Mercury, Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and Venice between 3 And 5 B.C., Some have suggested this happened in 7 B.C., but that is before other events related to Jesus' birth and would discredit such an early date. There was a taxation registration that took place during this period of time when certain officials must be added into the mix. There have been no such configurations during the most accepted years of Jesus' birth, which is 3-5 BC. These are all discrepancies with the information in the Bible that would discredit such an assumption of an early birth.

 

What kind of star would "His Star" resemble?

 

Because this was the eternal Son of the living God, and this was His only begotten Son, this was "His Star" could this not have consisted of a representation of God's glory itself? As the son of the Living God, might this star be a radiance of God's presence at this special event if not the whole sum and substance of the phenomenal spectacular?

 

How great is His glory? In the Old Testament it is called "the Shekinah glory".

 

Let us consider such a radiance. God's glory is so spectacular that "No man can see God at any time and live" (Exodus 33:18-23).

 

Let us consider some of the appearances of God recorded in the Scriptures.

           

When Moses received the law on Mt. Sinai – Exodus 34:29-35

When God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock – Exodus 33:18-23

God's presence at the completion of the tabernacle – Exodus 40: – Exodus 34:29-35

When the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement - Leviticus 16:1-3 ff.

Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1,2 ff.

Paul on the road to Damascus – Acts 9:1-9;26:13-18

God's presence in heaven – Revelation 5:8-14;21:22-22:5

These are but a few of God's recognized appearances to men, but they are representative of all such appearances.

Note that each one of these appearances is accompanied with some form of spectacular light.

 

A Special Star's appearance – His Star

 

 "The angel of the Lord came upon them" Luke 2:10-12

 From where had the angel just come? God's presence!

"The glory of the Lord showed round about them", the radiance of God's presence was with him as he spoke to the shepherds. Having just left the presence of God he would have carried God's radiance with him as he appeared to the shepherds.

 "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host."

 

 A multitude of the heavenly host joined the angel in praise to God. cf. Revelation 5:11-14; Phil. 2:8-11. According to Revelation 5 there are billions of angels in glory. It states that there was a "multitude of the heavenly host"  that had joined the angel who had brought the good news. How many are there in a multitude? With God's extravagance who can know? The writer states that "The glory of the Lord shone round about them". How much of God's radiant glory did they bring with them? Only God can express that, but I am certain there was an abundance of God's glory and grace present. This would not have been any ordinary glory or radiance. This was "the glory of the Lord". This was the "Shekinah" glory seen by Moses in the tabernacle, on the Day of Atonement, Paul on the way to Damascus.

 

"The "Shekinah" glory of the Lord." Was this "His Star" that appeared to the shepherds?  "We have seen his star in the east and are come to worship Him?"

 A logical question may be, "if this were true, why didn't others see this radiance?" This was the middle of the night; most people would have been asleep. Most houses had shuttered doors and windows for fear of burglaries so little light from outside would have entered the house. Those who may have been out at that time of night may have seen the radiance, questioned what it was, and then because of lack of interest ignored it. Remember we did not see a large migration rush to the manger when the shepherds told the people of His birth (Luke 2:18,19).

 

The wise men were eastern astrologers; they would have been searching for new heavenly messages nightly. After they had seen the star the wise men must have time to prepare for such a journey of this magnitude. They knew the expectation of what they saw. By faith they would travel to Jerusalem. Their faith would guide them as far as Jerusalem. Why would they not have gone directly gone to Bethlehem? They assumed a king child would be born in the capitol of the country. Arriving in Jerusalem they would need further information concerning the king's birthplace, the birthplace of the Christ Child – (Matthew 2:3-6)

 

Was the "star they had seen in the east" the Shekinah Glory that accompanied the presence of the Lord in the Old Testament?  It was seen when the tabernacle was completed in the Old Testament; and also at the dedication of Solomon's temple – Exodus 40:34,35, cf. 1 Kings 8:10,11."

 

The reappearing of the star would have been at least a year after the shepherds had seen God's presence that night. The Scriptures state specifically they entered "a house" (not the stable) "where the young child was" Jesus, by this time was no longer an infant, (2:1). Assuming they left Jerusalem during the day light hours (it was a journey of only five or six miles) could they have seen such a glory cloud (Shekinah glory) during the daylight hours - Acts 9:3; cf. 26:13. The radiance surrounding Paul at his conversion was "brighter than the noon day sun".

 

In Matthew 2:10 we read, "And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy". Why were they so exceedingly joyful?  The star that led them to Bethlehem was so distinct they knew it was the same star they had seen in the east. They were reassured their travels had not been in vain. Soon they would see the quest of their journey, "The King of the Jews".

 

Questions remaining unanswered from other explanations.

 

The question that this star might have been a nova brings four questions before us.

 

1.  This might answer the first appearance when the wise men saw "the star in the east" but would not students of astrology and astronomy recognize a Nova Star? Would such an appearance have given them enough credence to prepare for such a journey?

 

2.  They probably would have seen such a phenomena before this occasion; why did they not associate other such appearances with such a prophesy before this time? Numbers 24:17?

 

3.  Would a burned out star reignite and reappear in the same location approximately one year to a year and a half later?

 

4. Could such an appearance be so precise that it would direct the wise men to the exact "house where the young child was"?

 

The question concerning this being an alignment of the planets raises as many, if not more, questions.

 

Would an alignment of the planets remain in tact for a period of one or more years before again re-appearing as separate planets each in its own orbit?

 

Would an alignment of the planets appear for a short season, disappear, and then rearrange a second time approximately a year or so later?

 

Would such an alignment be specific enough to identify the exact house in which the Christ child was?

 

I have spent sixty years of teaching the Christmas story and the question of the star has been raised almost annually.  Since I was a young pastor, this question has intrigued me. There must be a logical explanation; after many years of study, research, comparing scripture with scripture this satisfies my own question. If this has caused you, the reader, to search the Scriptures more diligently, PTL! If you have a better explanation that can be supported by all Scripture, please advise me, I am ready to know the depth of God's truth.

 

Might this be a possible explanation of "His Star"? If you agree, I will rejoice; if not, I trust it will cause you to search deeper into the scriptures for a fuller explanation of this divine phenomenon.