The Star of Bethlehem

[zippy2]

I would like to start a discussion on the Star of Bethlehem. Everything we know about it and so forth.

I picked the Baptist forum because you guys are some of the few that allow talk of Christmas it seems! So many are against it! How can we be against Christmas?

Anyway, I ran across this:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jupiter-venus-to-converge-in-star-of-bethlehem-moment/

It talks about what scientist think is the star of Bethlehem being seen this last June.
Could this be the STAR OF BETHLEHEM? What do you think?

 

[JackRT]

I would like to start a discussion on the Star of Bethlehem. Everything we know about it and so forth.

I picked the Baptist forum because you guys are some of the few that allow talk of Christmas it seems! So many are against it! How can we be against Christmas?

Anyway, I ran across this:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jupiter-venus-to-converge-in-star-of-bethlehem-moment/

It talks about what scientist think is the star of Bethlehem being seen this last June.
Could this be the STAR OF BETHLEHEM? What do you think?

If the Star of Bethlehem is actually historical then it could very well have been an astronomical conjunction or even a supernova. However, this somewhat begs the question. Just how does one follow a star and how does a star stand over a particular identifiable location? The birth narratives of Matthew and Luke, aside from being contradictory are likely quite symbolic.

 

[zippy2]

And then there is this which might be an interesting read:

http://www.eclipse.net/~molnar/

Has anyone read this book?

 

[zippy2]

Could the recent sighting of the Star of Bethlehem (June 2015) be prophetic evidence for Christ's soon return?

The Star heralded the First Coming of Christ. Could it be doing the same thing for His Glorious Return?

We are told there will be signs in the moon and stars. We have seen so many now.

How close are we? Only God knows, but we are told to watch. Maybe for another star?

 

[Job8]

If the Star of Bethlehem is actually historical then it could very well have been an astronomical conjunction or even a supernova. However, this somewhat begs the question. Just how does one follow a star and how does a star stand over a particular identifiable location? The birth narratives of Matthew and Luke, aside from being contradictory are likely quite symbolic.

More denial of Bible truth. The birth narratives are DEFINITELY NOT contradictory, and if they are merely symbolic then all the Gospels are fables instead of being Divine revelations (which would be what theological liberals and those who reject the Bible as the Word of God believe).

The Star of Bethlehem was a specific and special star to indicate precisely where Messiah -- the King of the Jews -- was be born. Indeed this star was prophesied about 1,500 years before it appeared, and was accepted as a genuine star (not some conjunction of stars and planets as has been proposed by those who reject the supernatural).

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?... He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 23:19; 24:16,17).

The Magi (wise men) were evidently astronomers who knew the contents of the Torah. That is why they mentioned the Star to Herod (Matthew 2:1-6):
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

 

[Goodbook]

um ok. Thanks for the compliment of us baptists.
Although all of us are christians here baptists like to search scriptures.

We can discuss the star of bethlehem.
What I've heard is that it was a conjunction of several stars or maybe like a comet. And actually some historians have dated to when it happened, so we can actually know the time and day of Jesus birth if we do some research and it is NOT december 25th.

I don't know for sure exactly but Jesus was born around the time of the feast of tabenacles, which you can date on the Jewish calendar. It's different from our calendars that we go by. We know this through inference of scriptures. I can't give you all the details but some scholars have researched this. Also we can go by the census, when it happened.

My dad is an amateur astronomer and they do keep records of conjunctions and comets etc and can date them and predict future ones. It all goes in cycles.

 

[Goodbook]

Well. I've heard it was conjunction as thats what the Stardome planetarium claimed. But it could have been just one star. I guess it depends on your historical sources and the type of astronomy you are looking at. There's so many stars in the night sky but this one MUST have been special so I'm leaning toward a conjunction as it was much brighter than the rest, cos have you seen stars at night? so many...

 

[miamited]

Hi zippy,

I'm always saddened by 'christians' who attempt to explain the miracles of God with natural explanations. The star of Bethlehem was a created body. Created by God to hang in the heavens for a time to put the whole earth on notice that something special was about to happen. It was created for a time and then God removed it. The star no longer exists in the heavens.

God can make water stand as a sentinel dozens of feet tall. God can make the sun to go backwards in its course across the sky. God can make the sun stop in its course across the sky. God can make it pitch black over an entire section of a city and in another section only a few hundred feet away people enjoy a normal bright sunny day. God can make a woman who has never had sperm introduced into her womb pregnant with child. Neither the star of Bethlehem, nor any of the above mentioned miracles or any of the dozens more accounted in the Scriptures find their explanation and understanding in the natural processes of man's scientific method.

God bless you
In Christ, Ted

 

[zippy2]

Hi Everyone. Thanks for the welcome.

I understand and believe that God can and does all the miracles Ted mentioned. But that does not mean that He can not or would not use the natural world, which He made, to perform miracles as well, does it? He said the Star of Bethlehem was a 'created body'. Well, so were all the stars and planets! So that doesn't help me, Ted.

I think Goodbook is right in that it could have been a conjunction of stars that led the Magi. Who's to say God did not purpose that? Would that make it any less miraculous? Just sayin.

 

[Goodbook]

Yes its just as miraculous. Conjunctions are rare.
They only happen at certain times when all the stars are aligned. And of course God sets everything in motion so He just timed it right.

 

[Goodbook]

I find it interesting that the star of bethlehem reminds me of the promise God made to abraham. That his descendants would be as many as stars in the sky.

Also, that Jesus was the light of the world.
Another thing about stars is that Jesus is mentioned or prohesied as the rising or morning star. But satan is the one who fell like lightening and was also, in the heavens, but appearing disguised as an angel of light.

Anyway thanks for this thread it has me wanting to search scripture for more about stars. God created all the heavenly bodies and the lights were for US as signs and for seasons. We navigate the oceans by starlight. Before roads and traffic lights, we had stars. And we still do, if we care to look.

 

[zippy2]

I find it interesting that the star of bethlehem reminds me of the promise God made to abraham. That his descendants would be as many as stars in the sky.

Also, that Jesus was the light of the world.
Another thing about stars is that Jesus is mentioned or prohesied as the rising or morning star. But satan is the one who fell like lightening and was also, in the heavens, but appearing disguised as an angel of light.

Anyway thanks for this thread it has me wanting to search scripture for more about stars. God created all the heavenly bodies and the lights were for US as signs and for seasons. We navigate the oceans by starlight. Before roads and traffic lights, we had stars.

I am glad it peaked your interest. Please share your findings or thoughts, please!
That is one of the reasons, you're right, that I came to the Baptist forum, you guys search the Scriptures like a dog with a bone.

I love it!

 

[Goodbook]

My dad sees venus all the time. To me it looks like a star in the sky but we categorise it as a planet. In the bible, stars and planets are the same things, heavenly bodies and lights. You can see venus in the sky with the naked eye and it is very bright it looks like a star. It does rise in certain times and travels through the sky.

Unlike the stars that only come out at night in the darkness, which are more or less fixed in their positions. What would be unique as the star of bethlehem was that it was traveling so you could see it over bethlehem. I think it would be a conjunction to make it brighter so we All could see it without the aid of a telescope. And of course would be brighter than any other light in the sky aside from the moon and sun.

 

[Goodbook]

What i mean is you can see venus during the day.
When theres an eclipse of the sun you can see all the stars in the 'daytime'.

 

[zippy2]

What i mean is you can see venus during the day.
When theres an eclipse of the sun you can see all the stars in the 'daytime'.

So would it be reasonable to say that any conjucntion with venus could be related to the 'morning star' spoken of in Rev?
Or is that a bit of a reach?

 

[zippy2]

This verse is interesting:

1Co 15:41
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

What do you guys think?

 

[JackRT]

So would it be reasonable to say that any conjucntion with venus could be related to the 'morning star' spoken of in Rev?
Or is that a bit of a reach?

No reach at all. In Latin language bibles "Lucifer" is the word for Venus or "bright morning star".

 

[zippy2]

No reach at all. In Latin language bibles "Lucifer" is the word for Venus or "bright morning star".

Then how do we take this:

Rev 22:16

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

So which is it?

 

[JackRT]

Then how do we take this:

Rev 22:16

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

So which is it?

As I just said. Describing Jesus as Lucifer (bight morning star) is very poetic or symbolic language. A light in darkness.

 

[zippy2]

As I just said. Describing Jesus as Lucifer (bight morning star) is very poetic or symbolic language. A light in darkness.

Yeah, well I am not buying that line of thinking. I don't think the Word of God just uses pretty language for no reason. Jesus is not Lucifer. No way no how.But thanks for replying.