Merry Christmas!

Is the Star of Bethlehem fact or fiction? Pastor Terry Dashner (www.ffcba.com) "...We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:1) NIV. Introduction... Through the years there has been much controversy regarding the Star of Bethlehem. Some say that the story recorded in the book of Matthew (chapter 2) is nothing more than an ancient fable. Some say it was not a star but a comet or a super nova that occurred at the birth of Jesus. Others deny it all together. But, what do you think about the Star of Bethlehem? Excuse the pun but light still shines on the Star of Bethlehem according to astronomers like Dr. Michael Molnar. Dr. Michael Molnar, an astronomer who holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin and author of the book entitled, The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi, says that the Star of Bethlehem directed the Magi from the region of Mesopotamia in modern day Iraq to the land of Israel during the time of Christ. Today I'd like to share some of his findings. It might surprise you what he has discovered about the Star of Bethlehem. I believe you will walk away from hearing this message in awe as to God's message written with the stars. It seems that God wanted to announce to the world the arrival of His new-baby boy 2000 years ago, and He used the stars to do it. God can do things like that. Psalm 8:3 reads, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (NIV) Yes, the heavens declare the glory of God! So let's begin by looking back 2000 years to the town of Bethlehem where the baby Jesus was born. Bethlehem... The Bible scholar William Barclay tells us that Bethlehem was quite a little town six miles to the south of Jerusalem. "The name Bethlehem means The House of Bread, and Bethlehem stood in a fertile countryside, which made its name a fitting name. [...]Bethlehem had a long history. It was there that Jacob had buried Rachel, and had set up a pillar of memory beside her grave (Genesis 48:7; 35:20). It was there that Ruth had lived when she married Boaz (Ruth 1:22), and from Bethlehem Ruth could see the land of Moab, her native land, across the Jordan valley. But above all Bethlehem was the home and the city of David (I Samuel 16:1); and it was for the water of the well of Bethlehem that David longed when he was a hunted fugitive upon the hills (II Samuel 23:14, 15)." Barclay continues to write, "It was in Bethlehem, David's city that the Jews expected great David's greater son to be born; it was there that they expected God's Anointed One to come into the world. And it was so." Micah 5:2 reads, "O Bethlehem Ephratah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days." The Magi... The Bible says that the Magi came from the east to find the baby. What was that all about? Again Barclay writes, "These Magi were men who were skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science. They were soothsayers and interpreters of dreams. In later time the word Magus developed a much lower meaning, and came to mean little more than a fortune-teller, a sorcerer, a magician, and a charlatan. Such was Elymas, the sorcerer (Acts 13: 6, 8) and Simon who is commonly called Simon Magus (Acts 8:9, 11). But at their best the Magi were good and holy men, who sought for truth. "In those ancient days all men believed in astrology. They believed that they could foretell the future from the stars, and they believed that a man's destiny was settled by the star under which he was born." Dr. Michael Molnar... This is where Dr. Molnar's book comes in handy. According to most historians, king Herod died in 4 B.C. If Jesus is alive before Herod died in 4 B.C. and He was, then our Gregorian calendar is off a few years. (Dionysius was a Catholic monk in the sixth century A.D. who invented the western calendar we use today.) So based on the Biblical account of Herod being alive when Jesus was born, we must conclude that Jesus was not born in 0 A.D. So what gives? Again according to Dr. Molnar, "On April 17, 6 BC two years before King Herod died Jupiter emerged in the east as a morning star in the sign of the Jews, Aries the Ram. The account in Matthew refers twice to the Star being in the east with good reasons. When the royal star of Zeus, the planet Jupiter, was in the east this was the most powerful time to confer kingships. Furthermore, the Sun was in Aries where it is exalted. And the Moon was in very close conjunction with Jupiter in Aries. Modern calculations suggest that this was close enough to be an [eclipse]. But the Sun's glare would have hidden that event. Saturn was also present which meant that the three rulers of Aries' trine (Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn) were present in Aries. Saturn and Jupiter were said to be attendants on the rising Sun, another aspect for astrologers. By modern expectations this is trivial, but for ancient stargazers this configuration was truly awesome." Molnar continues, "The lunar occultation [eclipse] of Jupiter on April 17, 6 BC was just one of several astrological conditions pointing to a king's birth. The greatness of a ruler or king was said to depend on the number of regal astrological effects at the time of birth. This distinguished, say, a low level governor from an emperor. Knowing that lunar conjunctions (close approaches) with Jupiter were one condition for a king's birth, I looked for the closest conjunctions, namely occultation's in the time frame biblical scholars claim as likely for the birth of Jesus. I quickly focused on the occultation of April 17, 6 BC after realizing that Jupiter was also 'in the east' in Aries. 'In the east' is mentioned twice by Matthew because astrologers such as the Magi said this was the most important time for Jupiter to produce future kings. Moreover, the Moon's incredible nearness to Jupiter amplified that power. Keep in mind that astrologers of Romans times were making crude calculation of planetary positions to create horoscopes, but when these were likely. But keep in mind that the occultation was the key to finding this incredible day which has many important conditions pointing to the birth of not just the king, but a great king in Judea. Word of application... What does this study say to us? It says this. Before the earth was framed, God had in mind how He would announce His only begotten Son to the world. When He made the earth, He made the fixed orbits for the stars to follow throughout time. In His wisdom, He designated a fixed time that His Son would be born, and He announced it with the stars of heaven. This was no ordinary baby born in Bethlehem of Judea. He is the Son of the Living God. God loved this world so much that He sent His only-begotten Son. And whoever believes on Him--that He is indeed the Son of God--shall have everlasting life. If God can direct the stars to speak for Him, surely He has no problem getting a message of good news to you and me--Jesus is come to free the world from her sin. This is the "merry" in Merry Christmas! Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming again as the Lion of the tribe of Judah...are you ready for Him? Pastor T.