Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The Christmas Star
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NKJV
The star that led the wise men to Bethlehem has been a mystery to men. Where did this star come from? Was it a natural phenomenon or a miracle star? No one knows for sure, but the Bible definitely records about the star guiding the wisemen to the baby Jesus.
“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” Matthew 2:7-10 NKJV
The star went before the wise men who had traveled from far away. It stopped over the location of the young child and the wise men rejoiced when they realized the star had reached its destination.
“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 NKJV
The star was a sign to the wise men of the birth of a Savior. They had studied the stars and were trained students. This unexplained phenomena in the sky was interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of Christ. When they reached the child Jesus, they fell down and worshipped Him.
A Rare Event
Tonight, December 21, 2020, what is called the Christmas Star will appear. It is a rare event of the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn. The two planets will look like a double planet and produce a significant amount of light. The star will be seen, I have read, in the Southwestern horizon about an hour after dark. This alignment of the two planets or something similar has not occurred since the 1200’s. A rare sight indeed. It can be seen other nights as well, but tonight is the best viewing if your sky is clear. Take time to go out and view the ‘Christmas Star’.
Why Exciting
Why is this so exciting to us as Christians?
- It is a visible reminder of the birth of Christ. Even though I have read it will not be anything as bright as the star depicted in the story of Christ’s birth, it will be brighter than a normal ‘star’.
- The alignment reminds us of the second coming of Christ. We do not know when Christ will return, but the signs of the time give us hope that it will be soon.
- It gives us an opportunity to tell our non-believing friends about Jesus. We have a story to tell and relate to others.
Seek the Star
Hopefully, you will take the time to seek the star. Read the story of Jesus’ birth before going out so it will be fresh on your mind. Praise God for subtle reminders of His Son who was God and became man so that we might be saved.
Merry Christmas!
Paula Wallace
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