The Star of Bethlehem

The Reverend Dr William Chadwick, otherwise known as VP Bill, was our speaker on December 22^nd.  He presented a topical and interesting program that was a prophetic and scientific examination of the Star of Bethlehem. He examined several quotes from scripture in conjunction with re-creations of astronomical phenomena in the night sky. In addition, he discussed prophecies familiar to the magi of Babylon which tie in with many aspects of the Christmas story.

 

The Babylonian magi were religious scholars who combined astronomy and astrology in interpreting dreams, visions and cosmic events which lead them to look for and eventually follow a bright conjunction of planets (Venus & Jupiter) towards their west in 2BCE.  Likely, there was a triple conjunction (two planets coming close together three times in a short period of time), making the cosmic event even more significant to the magi.  Interestingly, Venus has been called the Mother Planet and Jupiter the King Planet.

 

Johannes Kepler, a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer discovered laws of planetary motion around 1609.  Using those laws, he could calculate sky maps for any day in history and set out to recreate the night sky at the time of the Jesus’ birth, using the death date of King Herod as a guide. These re-creations found that there were significant planetary and star conjunction events in both 3 BCE and 2 BCE which would explain the magi’s intense interest in the skies over Judeah and their belief that something important was happening in that direction (the birth of a King). Of course, their journey led them to Jerusalem and ultimately to Bethlehem, a small village that was known for raising lambs to be used in the Passover sacrifices each year.