People tend to scoff at this Biblical record of the star of Bethlehem, saying “this star is doing things a star cannot do.” We mean Matthew 2:9:
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
“How does a star “stand over,”or stop,” people say. So they assume this story is a fable. Well, science has the answer to that question. Of course, even if we can "prove" it, they would ask another question: “Why do you think you can introduce some new facts now, when we haven’t heard anything convincing in all of history?” Science has a reason for that too.
A little background: The author of the CD this is taken from is Professor Larson. He follows astronomy—movements of stars and planets and constellations. (Not the same as astrology, which claims to be predictive, often telling you how to run your life). On the one hand, Scripture praises astronomy: it insists the stars tell us things from God. But Scripture condemns astrology. Note Job 9:9:
He (God) made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south.
And Psalm 19:1-2:
The heavens declare the glory of God…2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
Thus, the stars communicate. God wants us to study the heavens; on occasion they have something important to tell us. Prof. Larson found some proof of the Bible (see also his website, bethlehemstar.net), and God blessed his impact so that he is now requested to speak even overseas on this subject. Now you’ll surely ask, “Why isn’t he supported by reputable scientists?” Well, why do most of our scientific minds believe in evolution instead of creationism? And what happens to scientists who believe in creationism? They often don’t get promoted, and they have no world-class media outlet (which are owned by non-Christian money). The fact is: The world’s idea of “truths” are often anti-God. If those in worldly power are rational, why did they kill Jesus?
Final background: Johannes Kepler in 1619 discovered the math behind the movements of the solar system. With hundreds of hours of effort, he could map how the sky appeared, where every important star was, on any date, past or future, since all movements of everything in the sky are totally patterned--and predictable. But the effort required was ponderous for math and science geniuses of his generation. Now we have the advent of computers; so these movements have been incorporated into software programs. How the sky will appear from any location on the planet for any given date can now be found in seconds—in fact, the computer can even animate their movements through a period of time. So we are only now able to answer the big question: “Which of them is the star of Bethlehem—if any?” There are, it is estimated, 100 billion galaxies, and 100 billion stars in each—how can you find the Bethlehem star in such a crowd?
Here is the relevant Bible passage, Matthew 2:1-9, from which we will draw necessary characteristics for the Bethlehem star:
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
From these verses, the Star of Bethlehem has to fulfill 9 qualifications:
a. Has to indicate birth (2:2)
b. Has to indicate Kingship ( 2:2)
c. Has to be Jewish (2:1)
d. Rising in east (2:2)
e. Appears at an exact time
f. Herod didn’t know when it appeared ( 2:3)
g. Endured over a considerable period of time while the magi were with Herod (2:2, 9)
h. Went ahead of magi as they traveled south to Bethlehem ( 2:9)
i. The star has to Stop! Over Bethlehem ( 2:9)
It couldn’t be a meteor, which doesn’t rise in the east, and it isn’t long-lasting. It couldn’t be a comet because omens they give off are perceived as foretelling doom. But Jesus’ birth is good news. Also, there were no comets in 3-2 BC (those were the conception/birthdate, see below). It couldn’t be a nova—a spectacular exploding star--Herod would have heard about it—his scientific advisors (who may also have been astrologers) would’ve already told him—along with their “interpretation.” Also, there were no novas for 3-2BC.
Based on what we just excluded, and from (f) above, the “right star” wasn’t spectacular—but it must have been moderately bright. It so happens, a conjunction of planets, or planet/star, would fulfill that. Why not look at the King Planet, as Jupiter is called—after all, it is the largest in the planet system. If Jupiter is involved, it would help us meet requirement (b) above as well. As it so happens, Jupiter, the King planet, was conjoined to Regulus (the King Star, how “coincidental”) in September of 3 BC. Since a magus had likely seen this 2-3 times before (this conjunction happens every 12 years), that by itself is not a big enough deal to get the Magi to pack up their camels and travel. Nor is it a big enough deal for Herod to hear from his scientific advisors. But it is moderately bright.
A scientific note here: planets sometimes reverse (“retrograde”) motion (like passing a car on the freeway, it seems to move backward, so when earth swings past a planet, that planet seems to move backward). It so happens, Jupiter is in retrograde in 3-2BC in a very peculiar path—it passes Regulus, then reverses course, passes again, then reverses course, passes in retrograde a third time! This would have been exciting by itself, but additionally, if you draw this movement, it forms a halo above Regulus! Thus we have a triple-proof coronation of a king! (King planet, king star, and halo). Item “b” above is definitely solved, and we have a base star for further study.
Now, what about Jewishness--(c) above? A little Scriptural background: Gen 49:9 says, in summary, (1) out of tribe of Judah would come a King of all kings. (2) God compares Judah to a lion. Well, why not look and see if anything is happening in the constellation Leo the Lion? Further, look at Revelation 12:1-5, an important bit of prophecy imagery: a “great sign appeared in heaven;” a woman “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet,” who was pregnant and due to bear a child, who was “to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” She is threatened by a dragon wanting to kill her child. This is, of course, about Jesus and the Virgin Mary—and opposed by a dragon--Satan working through Herod. It So Happens that as Jupiter begins to crown Regulus, this event happens in the constellation Leo—and behind Leo is—guess what—the constellation Virgo (Virgin). And Virgo is rising, clothed in the sun. The moon at the time (within September, 3 BC, see below) is new, so it was under her (Virgo’s) feet! An amazing prophecy come true in many "coincidental" points! You must see the DVD to appreciate this amazing point!
As it turns out, this was the Conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. How do we know? Because 9 months later, in June of 2 BC, Jupiter is finished crowning Regulus; and has moved to conjoin with Venus, making the brightest conjunction in the world (planetariums love to show this conjunction). This was the only time in those magi’s lifetime for this conjunction. If the magi were thinking about all the activity just noted from September, this combo practically screamed out, “Mount Up!”
Thus, Jesus was born in June, 2 BC.Yes, it "should have been" 0 BC/AD. Medieval scientists who tried to set the calendar into BC and AD, and tried to guess when Jesus was born were good, but not that good. They didn't compute the date right.
So from June, the magi began planning a trip.
The next several months are speculative, as opposed to the Keplerian rock-hard scientific facts above. Let’s assume the magi were, within a few months, starting their trip. We’re assuming the magi, from the East, were located at Babylon, a home base for the best astronomers. After a couple more months, they would arrive at Jerusalem asking “where?” They tell Herod the details about September, 3 BC and June, 2 BC, then get sent south to Bethlehem—only 5 miles away, please note that.
It So Happens that in December of 2 BC (thus allowing 6 months from Christ’s birth to their arrival at Jerusalem), Jupiter, it so happens, is in the sky south of them from Jerusalem-- thus it continues leading them now toward Bethlehem.
This means 8 of 9 requirements above are fulfilled:
a.The September conjunction signified birth by its appearance in Virgo, the Virgin, “birthing” the new moon at her feet (in the tradition of the day, a woman typically gave birth downward).
b.The Planet of King’s halo-coronation of the Star of Kings signified kingship.
c.The triple conjunction began with the Jewish New Year and took place within Leo the Lion, showing a connection with the Jewish tribe of Judah (and prophecies of the Jewish Messiah).
d.Jupiter rises in the east.
e.The conjunctions appeared at precise, identifiable times.
f.Herod was unaware of these things; they were astronomical events which had significance only when explained by experts.
g.The planet/star events took place over a span of time sufficient for the Magi to see them both from the East and upon their arrival in Jerusalem.
h.Jupiter was ahead of the Magi as they traveled south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem
But Jupiter somehow stopped, since it stayed over Bethlehem for the time they traveled there. (This is what brings the scoffers out). As we'd be pleased to remind you, when a planet (or star) goes to the end of an arc and begins to retrograde, it has to “stop” briefly. (Picture an elliptical arc, say the outline of the end of an egg, and the egg is standing up—as you draw this in your mind, from the left, the arc, or egg outline, is moving down. At the right, it moves upward. But for a brief period, at the bottom, it isn’t moving up or moving down—so it seems to stop). It So Happens that Jupiter was “at the bottom”—just before retrograde, it “stopped”—and that day, praise God for His accuracy, was December 25, BC 2! That must’ve been the date of their arrival to the toddler Jesus, in the house. That’s a Significant date—not for the birth (by which we mistakenly celebrate it), but for the celebration of worship and presenting gifts to Our Lord. (Would that we would actually do that at Christmas).
Thank You, God, that your planets, stars, and constellations speak of Your great Immanuel! With perfect prediction. Jews knew the night sky well (they had no light pollution, no real air pollution, they slept on their roofs a lot—knew the constellations).
AT EASTER: WE GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATE OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST—FROM THE STARS. (Same CD and author's online notes).
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