They followed a star to worship a baby. They followed a star to worship the newborn KING. What was it that caught their attention? There are a lot of stars in the sky. Yes, it was a new star. But what was it? I am fascinated with this verse. HIS star. A sign to herald HIS birth. “Hey, hello, THE KING is born! This is what we’ve been waiting for!”
The star—a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter happened in 3-2 B.C. Okay, we know they are planets, but would the ancient astrologers have known that? And Halley’s comet swung by in 11 B.C. Oh, wait, that’s a comet, not a star. And why would they see a comet and say “Oh, hey, let’s travel to Israel to worship the new KING.” Doesn’t explain HIS star too well. And despite the errors in conversion from the Julian calendar to Gregorian, 11 B.C. is too early. Johannes Kepler found that Mars, Jupiter and Saturn joined together in the constellation Pisces, around 7-6 B.C. They say Pisces is normally associated with Israel. Why Pisces (the two fish) and Israel? I don’t know. And another theory discusses Jupiter in conjunction with the star Regulus in 3 B.C. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo (the lion).
“For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Oh, what GOD has done!’ Look, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion; it shall not lie down until it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.” Numbers 23:23-24 NKJV
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that HE can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 ESV
HIS star. But once again, talking about planets and stars in conjunction? It says HIS star, not HIS planets or HIS planets and stars. And it was new. What would make it HIS star? A star for the-already-but-not-yet King. The Messiah. GOD in the flesh—incarnate. Henry Morris had an interesting theory, although there is not much evidence for it. A supernova, an exploding star which can be seen for about a year, occurred in the constellation of the virgin, Virgo.
The LORD himself will give you a miraculous sign. The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called IMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14 NIrV).
What was HIS star? I don’t know. Theorizing is fun but let’s focus on what we know. What do we know? They were wise men—astrologers, sages, advisors, educated men. They were mostly like from Persia. There was more than one. And they had their eyes open. They were looking.
“Therefore I [JESUS] speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘hearing you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing. And their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’” Matthew 13:13-15 NKJV
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 NKJV
King Herod and the rest of his court were not looking. They were caught flat footed when the wise men stopped by to pay their respects. Herod gathered together the priests and scribes of Israel. Herod asked them where the MESSIAH would be born. They did not know HE had been born. Did not know. They did not see scripture had been fulfilled right in their backyard.
After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the CHILD with Mary HIS mother, and they fell down and worshipped HIM. Then, opening their treasures, they offered HIM gifts, gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Matthew 2:9-12 ESV
What do we know? They brought three gifts. Gold, a gift given to Kings. Frankincense, a fragrance used by priests. And Myrrh—a fragrance used in burial. JESUS. The KING of Kings. The high PRIEST. The ONE who defeated death.
What does it mean, HIS star? There was a star. It was HIS star. It showed the way to a group who wanted to worship HIM.
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 24:17 KJV
GOD promised a messiah. HE gave signs that told of fulfillment of HIS promise. Those who were expectant and looking, saw the sign. They believed the promises so they followed a star to worship a baby. GOD in the flesh.
But seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB
Today, we stand between two of HIS promises. We have the risen MESSIAH who ascended into Heaven after defeating death. But there is a promise of HIS second return. While we have the already (CHRIST has come) and the not-yet (HIS second coming), we are still called to seek HIM. Just like the wise men on that first Christmas, we need to be vigilant. Keep our eyes open. And be ready to move when the call come.
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