[meteorite-list] Star of Bethlehem Was Two Brilliant Meteors

From: Joe Mann <lionlamb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:48:55 2004
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.20010901172426.00834990_at_popserv.wolfenet.com>

     The wise men had seen a mysterious light in the heavens upon that
night when the glory of God flooded the hills of Bethlehem. As the light
faded, a luminous star appeared, and lingered in the sky. It was not a
fixed star nor a planet, and the phenomenon excited the keenest interest.
That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men
were ignorant. Yet they were impressed that the star was of special import
to them. They consulted priests and philosophers, and searched the scrolls
of the ancient records. The prophecy of Balaam had declared, "There shall
come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel." Num.
24:17. Could this strange star have been sent as a harbinger of the
Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent truth; now it
was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were instructed to
go in search of the newborn Prince.

     As by faith Abraham went forth at the call of God, "not knowing
whither he went" (Heb. 11:8); as by faith Israel followed the pillar of
cloud to the Promised Land, so did these Gentiles go forth to find the
promised Saviour. The Eastern country abounded in precious things, and the
magi did not set out empty-handed. It was the custom to offer presents as
an act of homage to princes or other personages of rank, and the richest
gifts the land afforded were borne as an offering to Him in whom all the
families of the earth were to be blessed. It was necessary to journey by
night in order to keep the star in view; but the travelers beguiled the
hours by repeating traditional sayings and prophetic utterances concerning
the One they sought. At every pause for rest they searched the prophecies;
and the conviction deepened that they were divinely guided. While they had
the star before them as an outward sign, they had also the inward evidence
of the Holy Spirit, which was impressing their hearts, and inspiring them
with hope. The journey, though long, was a happy one to them.

You will see that in every place God works after the manner that He can
best reach the people. When He came to reveal Christ to the Magi, He did
not come to them as He did to the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem. The
wise men were reading the works of God in the heavens. "The heavens declare
the glory of God," and God comes to them to educate them in the very manner
that He could best reach them. He has a star, a wonderful star, to appear
to them. Angels of God hover in the heavens in the shape of a star, and
they see the star; and as they begin to understand that something strange
is taking place, they begin to move, and the star moves before them.

And the rest...as they say...is history. Wonderful, marvelous history!

Joe Mann
<www.steeple.tv>
Received on Sat 01 Sep 2001 08:24:26 PM PDT