Was The Star Of The Magi Really A Star?

The sequence of events I'm about to describe concerning the Wise Men and the star does not contradict any scripture found in the Bible. However, it is much different than what is commonly thought regarding the star. Some think the star was an alignment of the planets -- not a supernatural phenomenon, but a natural one. I disagree.

Unfortunately, the details regarding the story of the Wise Men, also referred to as Magi, is very brief as found in the Bible, limited to only twelve verses (Matthew 2:1-12). However, when comparing the events of the Wise Men to the other events surrounding the birth of Jesus, logical deductions can be made.

After many years of rethinking how the Bible account of how the Wise Men story unfolded, I've settled on what I think really happened. It may not be the only correct scenario, but it is one that certainly is plausible.

The Magi were experienced sky-watchers—astrologers—so they always monitored the night time sky. But on the night Jesus was born, the most peculiar, bright light in the sky appeared to them. This star was like none ever seen before. It had a dazzling radiance. I picture it with rays shooting out, and pointing downward.

To the Wise Men, this so called star, or bright light in the heavens, appeared to be exactly in the direction of Jerusalem, the city which was the Jewish religious center, hundreds of miles to the west of them. As they were noticing this unique star, most likely from Persia, it suddenly went out! 

The Magi concluded that this star was a sign announcing that a new king of the Jews had just been born in or near Jerusalem. They were right—sort of. Rather, the King who was born was much more than the King of Jews. He was the King of Glory, the King of Heaven and Earth, the King of all kings—Jesus. 

In response to the sign in the sky that they saw, the Magi decided that they must make the long journey to Jerusalem in order to acknowledge and honor the new king. It would take much planning. After all, a journey of hundreds of miles would require an entourage with food, water, and protection. I believe it was God's providence and the Holy Spirit's influence that prompted them to go. 

What was the "star" that they saw? I propose that it wasn't a star at all, but was actually the same brilliant radiance of God's glory that surrounded the angels and the shepherds on the very night Jesus was born, seen from a distance by the Magi (Luke 2:8-15).

The shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem had been engulfed in this brilliant, supernatural radiance of light when the vast armies of angels appeared with them. Can you imagine how huge this column of light had to be? How tall in order to include the vast army of angels? I picture it as a bright, white spotlight from the heavens shining down like a beam around the shepherds and the angels. Suddenly though, the angels disappeared along with the brilliant radiance and darkness returned to the scene. 

Once the Magi were prepared for the journey, they headed toward Jerusalem. There was no star in sight—they didn't need one because they already had decided Jerusalem was their destination. If they were guided by a star, they would have been led to Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. Their trek must have lasted months before finally arriving, expecting to find the new born king of the Jews.

By this time Jesus had left the manger in Bethlehem, gone into Jerusalem to be consecrated (after Mary's days of purification were over—40 days), and returned to Bethlehem to live in a house, probably with relatives of Joseph. 

In order to find the new king of the Jews, the Magi thought that the most logical thing to do would be to ask King Herod. And that's what they did, although Herod was very disturbed about the idea of the existence of a king other than himself. So he asked the religious leaders where the prophesied Messiah was to be born. The Jewish priests knew the scriptures which told them that the Messiah would be born in the town of Bethlehem. 

The Magi told Herod how they had seen this "star" back in the east where they were from. To calculate how old this new king of the Jews was, Herod asked the Magi when they first saw the "star". They most likely told him it had been several months. Herod then sent the Magi on their way to Bethlehem, telling them to come back and report where they found the new king so he could worship him as well (right).

As the Magi left Jerusalem, heading toward Bethlehem, a second supernatural beam of light suddenly appeared that was similar in design to what the Wise Men first saw back in the east. They recognized it immediately and were overjoyed. I picture this beacon a column of light resembling a helicopter's searchlight peering down out of the night time sky, only much more intense. The Bible says that the miraculous beacon not only guided them to Bethlehem, but "went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was" --the exact house where Jesus was staying! It was a supernatural, miraculous guiding light. It's obvious that God wanted the Wise Men to find Jesus.

When the Wise Men entered the house, they bowed down and worshiped Jesus, then presented Him gifts. Then God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod, but to go home a different way. That very night an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph telling him to gather his family and flee to Egypt, which they did. 

When Herod found out that the Wise Men outwitted him, he was furious. In an attempt to kill the new king, Herod decided to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem, figuring that Jesus had to be one of them. Since he calculated that the new king was probably several months to a year old based on what the Wise Men had told him, he added a safety factor just to make sure, extending the age at two years old and under. That way, he was sure to include the new King. 

An angel warned Joseph in a dream to escape with his family to Egypt. The Wise Men were also warned to escape. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph safely lived in Egypt until Herod died before finally settling back in Nazareth. 

As you can see, God's hand was at work in many ways during the time of the birth of Jesus. The "star" was actually two separate supernatural events, not a physical star at all. It's obvious that God wanted the Wise Men to go to Jesus. Why? Because their valuable gifts would later be needed as provisions for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to escape to Egypt, live there for an extended time, and return to Nazareth later on. The Wise Men may not have realized it, but their role was a crucial one in the Christmas story. 



Matthew 2:1-18

The Wise Men -- How It Really Went Down