On the top of many of the fir trees celebrating Jesus' birth, is the Christmas star. It is one of the few remnants left of the Biblical narrative that recalls the story of the mysterious kings, who traveled for 4 months through sand, storm, and cold, to find a prophesied King of Israel. There are images galore of the chosen three “wise men” offering their gifts to the small child lying in a manger. Usually, liberally sprinkled around these three, are animals, shepherds, the occasional angel, and even the beatific adoring Miriam (Mary) and Yosef (Joseph). All seem comfy in the confines of a 1st century cattle stall, with warm candlelight giving off a stirring glow. This picture of seasonal bliss is the ultimate, familial prototype of what Christmas is expected to be - but there is only one problem: it did not happen that way. By the time the reputed three wise men reached the family of Yoseph, Yeshua was about 15 months old, and would have resented being coddled in a feeding trough for donkeys. Miriam (Mary) and Yosef (Joseph) had acquired a house, and were reasonably well situated in Bethlehem where their inheritance through the line of David was located. It was about a year previously that the star had been sighted, that led them to the small village of Bethlehem. These men likely came from the Parthian empire, situated just south of the Caspian Sea.
This empire was the only one that defeated the Romans three times, and it is reputed to be built by the lost tribes of Israel. If these men were wise men !according to the definition of “wise” in the Torah (Pentateuch) they would be those that followed the commandments of the scriptures. There may have been many more of these men than just three, and some of them must have come from Babylon, where the prophet/astronomer Daniel told their ancestors what to watch for in the future.
Stargazers in those days were respected, and held important advisory positions in the countries where they resided. They claimed to see future portents in the sky, and thus affected state decisions. It seems that in the course of their observations and traditions, the conditions that announced the birth of a King of Israel, were noted and acted upon. Since they were important civic people, their plans took a while to form, hence the delay to set out on their journey. Certainly when they entered Herod's Jerusalem, the commotion caused by their arrival would have been like several heads of state arriving in a city now.
It says that all Jerusalem was affected by their arrival. Even Herod was nervous about them, so likely there were several of them with all their servants, animals, and paraphernalia for a 4 month journey.
Now to the star! There are several theories about the nature of this “star”. I tend to believe the following one, since its logic appeals to me. The names of the planets were originally in ancient Hebrew (another thing that the Emperor Constantine changed) and these names described their various meanings and destinies. The largest of the planets was “Tzedek” (meaning the Righteous One, better known as Jupiter). The conjunction of this planet with “Regulus”(the brightest star in the Aries [lion] constellation) signified a king (Leo - the lion constellation). Since the Righteous One conjuncted with Regulus (ruler), this was descriptive of the King of Israel, the Lion of Judah. This star would be regarded as a Messiah Star!
“Behold a star shall come out of Jacob (Israel)”
It is interesting to note that not only was there a king's portents seen in the heavens, but in the constellation of Virgo (virgin), the exact combination of stars and planets (described in chapter 12 of the book of Revelation), were in formation. The virgin has 12 stars in her hair, she is clothed with the sun, and the moon is at her feet. Waiting to gobble up the Child about to be born, is the constellation of Hydra, a long serpent-like star-series, reflective of Satan himself. Everything in the sky at that time was part of a massive light show, illustrating what was happening on earth! It all seems shocking that the courtiers around Herod could tell the wise men where Messiah was to be born, but none of them went to see the personage that the wise men were seeking! It is also significant to note that the last book in the Bible is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ, hence the “heavens declare the glory of God!” (Ps.19:1)
This empire was the only one that defeated the Romans three times, and it is reputed to be built by the lost tribes of Israel. If these men were wise men !according to the definition of “wise” in the Torah (Pentateuch) they would be those that followed the commandments of the scriptures. There may have been many more of these men than just three, and some of them must have come from Babylon, where the prophet/astronomer Daniel told their ancestors what to watch for in the future.
Stargazers in those days were respected, and held important advisory positions in the countries where they resided. They claimed to see future portents in the sky, and thus affected state decisions. It seems that in the course of their observations and traditions, the conditions that announced the birth of a King of Israel, were noted and acted upon. Since they were important civic people, their plans took a while to form, hence the delay to set out on their journey. Certainly when they entered Herod's Jerusalem, the commotion caused by their arrival would have been like several heads of state arriving in a city now.
It says that all Jerusalem was affected by their arrival. Even Herod was nervous about them, so likely there were several of them with all their servants, animals, and paraphernalia for a 4 month journey.
Now to the star! There are several theories about the nature of this “star”. I tend to believe the following one, since its logic appeals to me. The names of the planets were originally in ancient Hebrew (another thing that the Emperor Constantine changed) and these names described their various meanings and destinies. The largest of the planets was “Tzedek” (meaning the Righteous One, better known as Jupiter). The conjunction of this planet with “Regulus”(the brightest star in the Aries [lion] constellation) signified a king (Leo - the lion constellation). Since the Righteous One conjuncted with Regulus (ruler), this was descriptive of the King of Israel, the Lion of Judah. This star would be regarded as a Messiah Star!
“Behold a star shall come out of Jacob (Israel)”
It is interesting to note that not only was there a king's portents seen in the heavens, but in the constellation of Virgo (virgin), the exact combination of stars and planets (described in chapter 12 of the book of Revelation), were in formation. The virgin has 12 stars in her hair, she is clothed with the sun, and the moon is at her feet. Waiting to gobble up the Child about to be born, is the constellation of Hydra, a long serpent-like star-series, reflective of Satan himself. Everything in the sky at that time was part of a massive light show, illustrating what was happening on earth! It all seems shocking that the courtiers around Herod could tell the wise men where Messiah was to be born, but none of them went to see the personage that the wise men were seeking! It is also significant to note that the last book in the Bible is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ, hence the “heavens declare the glory of God!” (Ps.19:1)