What Nature and Scripture Tell us About the Bethlehem Star

  1. Jews were not searching for Christ…unless you have biblical evidence to the contrary and if you do im keen to see it!

  2. Note the title and contents of Matthew 2 below…

The Pilgrimage of the Magi
(Micah 5:1–6)

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the easta and have come to worship Him.”

3When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,

for out of you will come a ruler

who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’b

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. 11On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

  1. The Magi did not find Christ in a stable. Anyone who reads the narrative in Matthew will know that he was in fact found in a house some time after His birth.
  2. The star clearly appeared miraculously and moved miraculously and on the second occasion it appeared the Magi followed the star to the very house where Christ was.
  3. The Maggi clearly were very well versed in Jewish Religion and given Daniel was an esteemed captive and part of the wise men of Babylon and Persia 4 centuries earlier, that supports the literal historical account of Daniel
  4. The Magi were clearly wealthy and this indicates significant knowledge and insight of these individuals. The fact they brought such gifts as gold, frankincense and myrh across a desert to Judeah is supportive of a dedicated group of individuals who id suggest were probably God fearing and very familiar with Jewish writings.