The Rising Star

Numbers 24:17a – I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel. (ESV)

Matthew 2:2 – Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him. (NASB)

One year, my husband and I gave our children a telescope for Christmas. It was a gift that the whole family enjoyed as we took turns observing the beautiful night-lit sky. This experience reminded me of King David's words:

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (NIV)

Then, I thought about a specific star, the one that declared God's glory to the wise men, leading them to the Messiah, the King of Israel.

Several weeks ago, I watched a thought-provoking documentary entitled "The Star of Bethlehem". It examined the early writings of Josephus and other historical data to investigate the time of Christ's birth, as well as the appearance of the mysterious star. According to this theory, the star was a natural phenomenon, albeit no less miraculous, since the chances of it recurring are practically zero. The program was amazing. Using the precise astronomical calculations of Johannes Kepler, the computerized software created a visual map of the sky as it appeared over Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago. The images were incredible to see in a real-time presentation.

Nevertheless, what I found most thought-provoking is the prophecy cited in today's verse from Numbers; the Bethlehem star was predicted in God's Word about 1500 years in advance. Yet, it is only one of many prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ. To me, this part of the Christmas story is particularly meaningful because it reveals God's infinite wisdom as He painstakingly prepared the finest details of Christ's first coming. It also reveals His unfailing love as He went to such great lengths in providing the precious gift of His Son, the hope of our salvation. Moreover, the fulfillment of this prophecy and others demonstrates that Jesus is still on His throne, even when circumstances seem otherwise. Undoubtedly, God knows the end from the beginning and has a purpose for each of our lives.

Thus, as we celebrate our Lord's birth once again, consider the following thought:

Revelation 22:16 – I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. (ESV)

If Jesus Himself is the rising star, then we must keep looking heavenward to follow His leading.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when we look at the heavens, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, we are in awe of Your glory. We thank You for the special star which led the wise men to worship the King of kings. As the heavens are higher than the earth, we acknowledge that Your ways are higher than our ways and Your wisdom is contrary to the world's. We praise You for the plan of salvation which was in Your mind even before the foundation of the earth that we may be reconciled to You through Your Son, our precious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in Whose holy name we pray. Amen.

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