Last month we began to consider the possibility of the planet Jupiter as the star mentioned in the gospel of Matthew 2.
Matthew 2:1-2 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
The star that the wise men observed was seen by them twice according to Matthew 2.
Matthew 2:1-2 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
The first time they noticed his star, they were in their homeland diligently observing the night sky. As learned astronomers, they noticed a series of celestial announcements in the heavens that convinced them to travel to Jerusalem.
What did they see that night that eventually persuaded them that a Judean king had been born? Whatever it was, it appeared once again some 15 months later. This time they were in Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:7-10 7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Now a star doesn't really move or travel through the night sky. It may move a fraction or so but this would not be noticeable to the naked eye. Understanding that the ancients called many luminous bodies stars, we can now begin to consider the possibility that his star was not a fixed star but, perhaps, a planet.
In January's issue I listed several significant facts about the planet Jupiter and its symbolic meaning, biblically. Thus, Jupiter has characteristics that would associate it with the Messiah, the Christ. Now according to the computer based tables compiled by Bryant Tuckerman on Planetary, Lunar, and solar positions, (regarded by many as the most accurate source for such calculations) this is what we have found:
On august 12, 3 B.C. at 5 AM., the planet Jupiter came into a very close conjunction with Venus in the eastern sky.
The spiritual significance of this was that Jupiter, a planet of royalty, the king planet, was in conjunction with Venus, a planet that is biblically used for the Messiah in the expression, "The bright and morning star."
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Furthermore, this conjunction was in the constellation, Leo, the sign of the lion which is associated with the tribe of Judah.
We know from Genesis 49 that the messiah was to come out of Judah as the ruler of Israel and that Judah was associated with the a lion.
Genesis 49:8-10 8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. 9Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
If you can get your hands on a computer program of the night skies facing east, near the latitude of Palestine or Persia on august 12, 3 B.C., you will see that the royal planet, Jupiter, was not only in conjunction with Venus, the bright and morning star, but also in the constellation of Leo, the constellation which represented the rulership of Judah. This was the first of several celestial announcements the magi began to observe.
I have listed below, six major celestial signs given in the heavens that the Magi would have been able to see with the naked eye, prompting them to make the journey to Jerusalem.
The first would have been the king planet, Jupiter, in conjunction with Venus, the bright and morning star, in the constellation of Leo, symbolized as the lion on Aug 12, 3 B.C .
Almost a month later on Sept 14, 3 B.C., Jupiter came into conjunction with the star, Regulus. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo. Regulus was known as the king star associated with rulership and dominion, just as Jupiter is known as the king planet.
Five months later on Feb 17, 2 B.C., Jupiter and Regulus came into conjunction once again in Leo . This conjunction was not only an astronomical phenomenon but this time the moon moved slowly into position between Jupiter and Regulus and covered Regulus in a phenomenon called an occultation.
On May 8, 2 B.C., Jupiter and Regulus came into yet another conjunction in Leo. This was the third time Jupiter, the king planet, came into conjunction with the king star, Regulus in Leo within the space of 8 months.
By this time the magi were beginning to realize just what was taking place. On June 17, 2 B.C., Jupiter and Venus came into conjunction in Leo. Between their initial conjunction ten months before in August and this one, Venus had disappeared into the light of the sun, but reemerged in the west as an evening star, and slowly began progressing east toward Jupiter, which was slowly traveling west.
The two planets were on a remarkable course toward each other, as if for a planned rendezvous. Thus, on the evening of June 17, 2 B.C., Jupiter and Venus met in the western sky. The conjunction occurred at the same time the full moon appeared in the eastern sky. This Jupiter-Venus conjunction was rare indeed, for the two planets were separated by only .04 degrees.
To the human eye they appeared to merge into one as a brilliant, dazzling star. Thus, the two brightest planets in the heavens, the king planet and the bright and morning star planet, both of which are scripturally symbolic of the Messiah, had joined together in what was a truly spectacular celestial event. And, as the final crowning point, the conjunction occurred in the constellation of Leo, the lion, the ruler of Israel.
Finally on August 27, 2 B.C., Jupiter came into conjunction with Mars in Leo at the same time that Mercury and Venus were visible in that constellation. This is known as a massing of planets.
This last celestial announcement prompted the magi to leave their home and travel to Jerusalem to look for the one who was born king of the Jews. What a remarkable series of signs our loving heavenly Father has placed in His Word and the heavens so we could be aware of the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our savior, our promised seed, Jesus Christ.
May God bless you in this upcoming year and may we stay thankful for all he has given us in our lord Jesus Christ. ÿ