Star Light Star Bright

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."(Matthew 2:10 ESV)

For me and many others, I have been intrigued by the star that led the wise men. Science has made several possibilities, but to me, they just miss the mark. I guess my faith tells me otherwise. Sinclair mentions several things about the star that are of interest to us. I wonder what that star looked like to the wise men. Was it colored, was it just a star, or did it have a unique shape?

One suggestion is that it may have been a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. The message is that a king (Jupiter) is coming in the west (Saturn). Such a conjunction took place around 7 BC, which would be around the year Jesus was born. We do know Herod died in 4 B.C. By this time, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus had spent time in Egypt.

A second suggestion is that it was Haley’s comet. This comet would have appeared around the same time. Comets can come and disappear for thousands of years. May this be the case?

A third possibility is that it was a supernova or a nova resulting from an explosion in space. This is not a one-time modern theory. A famous astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1517-1630), suggested it as well. Kepler said, “I was merely thinking God’s thoughts after Him. Since we astronomers are priests of the highest God in regard to the book of nature, it benefits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory in our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God.” What beautiful words.

These are simply theories. What we do know is that God used His creation to guide these wise men on what in fellowship, Brother Ben called a journey of faith. Scripture tells us that the star was not the object of interest but its significance that drew the men from the East. With the star as a guide, the three wise men left Jerusalem. They set off towards Bethlehem, which lay to the South. I dusk fell, and the lesser light replaced, the greater; the star was waiting for them. I can only imagine how much they rejoiced as the star went before them to the place where the child lay.

Marketers and illustrators portray the star hanging over the place where the Son of God lay, but Matthew's Gospel indicates otherwise. There was no GPS accuracy here, but if you have ever looked at a bright start at night, you can make out the things between you and the horizon. This is what Matthew was suggesting.

This is an interesting suggestion as there are other destinations that would have to lay in that route, such as Hebron. The wise men were traveling blind. But God, in his sovereignty, guided them to Jerusalem, where the priests and scribes gave them the final clue: Bethlehem, the city where King David had been born. Not a coincidence, friends.

Sinclair makes a great point the key for the wise men is the same key for everyone. Whether we read it for ourselves or it’s passed on by someone else, we can have no knowledge of Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, without the key. Without testimony, we could never find Him.

Someone told you, or you read about Christ, and you found Him. When I wake in the middle of the night thinking about those who may never know Him, it prevents me from closing my mouth. Whether we are ridiculed, hated, spit on, cursed, or loved, without our testimony, the lost can never find Him.

We know the gate is narrow, and many may never find it. Listen, I have a possible resolution. Beside the gate is a large stone. That stone belonged to a borrowed tomb, a tomb that led to the resurrection, a resurrection that opened that narrow gate. If we climb up on that rock and shout out the glory of the Gospel of the Christ until we can shout now more, someone just might hear it. Can you be bold in Christ? Can you be fearless in His armor? Can you carry a cross or a bear with a few thorns in your side? Someone once asked me, "If you could be anyone in the Bible, who would you be?" My answer was Simon of Cyrene. There would be no greater honor than to carry that cross for my Savior. If you know Christ, you have been covered in His blood. He died for you and you alone; shouting until you lose your voice is a small price to pay, would you not say?

Peace and Grace!

Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021.