Was there a meaningful stellar sign over Bethlehem?
What did it look like to someone looking up at the night sky?
Was the star a directional, visual guide or simply a celestial sign that announced the Messiah's coming?
Did wise men really come from the East seeking Israel's Messiah sometime after the birth of Jesus?
The biblical account of the wise men and the star that announced the coming of the Messiah of Israel has inspired and puzzled people for two millennia. Important aspects of Babylonian astronomy seem to be involved in understanding the star's appearing. But in addition, The Lion Led the Way also explores the men and events from a profoundly Jewish perspective. The traditional Jewish names of stars and planets, Jewish symbols, as well as Jewish dates, all seem to be keys to unlocking the mystery of the famous star.
The star of Bethlehem was not the brightest of the heavenly lights, nor was it the most spectacular starry manifestation of all time. However, it was part of the most meaningful symbolic set of celestial events in human history. The God of Israel is surprising. His ways are not our ways; his thoughts are not our thoughts. The star gives us a concrete example of God's intervention in the universe.
Who were the biblical Magi? Various wise men were important in the history of the vast region to the east of Judaea. Zoroastrian, Babylonian, Greek and even Jewish wise men all played a role there in several successive empires. The Magi who arrived in Bethlehem seem to have been somewhat influenced by Judaism. And they apparently understood at least part of the meaning of Daniel's sixth-century BC prophecy concerning the 70 "sevens." The prophecy has to do with time. The Babylonian astronomers were uniquely qualified to perceive the connection between time and the heavens. Based on their knowledge and the ancient biblical texts, they could have seen how the "sevens" were related to the birth of the Messiah.
The Magi were seeking God's kingdom centered on the Messiah, the Righteous One. Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, is still making himself known. His ways are as mysterious as ever, and his humility is unsurpassed.
After reading the first edition of this book, an astronomer made the following comment, "The Lion Led the Way is a serious study of what could have been a messianic Jewish perspective concerning the heavens two millennia ago."
Book website: www.star-of-bethlehem.info
