Read: Matthew 2:2, 9
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:10
Let’s look again at the visit of the Magi, specifically at the appearance of a star. We said yesterday that these men from the East may have been influenced by a legacy of information from Daniel, one of their respected predecessors. One Scripture they may have been aware of is Numbers 24:17, part of which states: “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” Also, Jesus will later tell John in Revelation that He is “the bright Morning Star” (22:16).
The Magi see this star on at least two occasions. They had already seen it rise in the East (the Greek means in the direction of the rising sun). This was prior to their arrival in Jerusalem and meeting with Herod. This second time they see the star rising ahead of them “until it stopped over the place where the child was.” It is this moving and stopping that has created disagreement.
We’re not going to delve too deeply into this; instead, we will paint with a broad stroke and then focus on application. There are various theories in the Christian world as to the true nature of this cosmic event from the first decade BC. Was it a star, comet, or supernova? Or was it a rare alignment of planets such as Jupiter and Saturn?
We have already established the practice in this devotional of going to the Greek, the original language of the New Testament. The word used here is astēr, which means star. Seems simple enough, but it doesn’t rule out any of the possible explanations mentioned, as they all would look like stars to the naked eye.
Perhaps the question is, Is this a natural but rare occurrence for a heavenly body? Or is it some special cosmic event directly created by God to direct the Magi? I believe it is not important to know for sure, because ultimately it is God who orchestrates everything in the heavens anyway. After all, God created the stars and calls them each by name (Genesis 1:14–19; Psalm 147:4).
When I think about the so-called “Star of Bethlehem,” I think of God’s guidance. He is always there showing us the way. This, of course, usually takes the form of His Word, the Holy Spirit, and other believers. However—and this is crucial—we need to pay attention and look for the signs of God’s leading. Like the Magi, we need to be ready for action, so that when God directs, we can be on the move.
Take a few moments now to look back on your life and recall the moments when God gave you a “star,” a marker in your path that brought clarity of decision and direction. God gives you these moments to draw you closer to Him and to accomplish His will. Thank Him today for His sovereign guidance and intervention in your life.