What It Really Was . . . . . 

A very interesting question was sent to us that many people have pondered for centuries:

The Vision?

“I have one question in response to your remark that the stars are not involved in the story of redemption. The magi that came from the East were following a star. The existence of this particular star indicated to them that that the “Sovereign of the Yehudim” has been born Matt 2). What is your understanding of this?”

Many of the questions related to this topic are best understood by looking at what happened, and why, from the perspective of the Magi.

Who were the Magi, and what did they see?  Why were they looking for it, and how did they know its significance?

We need to embrace the concept that the “Magi” (magos, sorcerers (kashaph), or generally “wise ones” chakkim) from the land of Babel had been impacted by the prophet Daniel during Yahudah’s 70 years of captivity.  Daniel’s status was legendary, as he was honored to become “chief of the Magi” by the King of Babel, Nebuchanezzar. The Aramaic term “RAB” literally means “exalted one”, or chief.  The Magi, or chakkim, held Daniel in great eminence, because their lives and position in Babel would have been swept away without the activity of Yahuah within Daniel for accurately recalling and interpreting the dream of Nebuchadnezzar.   Note that Daniel was EXALTED to become “RAB” (from which comes the term “RABBI”)  in the expressions “chief” over the “nobles” and “wise ones”: 

Dan 2:48, 49:  “Then the sovereign made Daniel great and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over all the province of Babel, and chief of the nobles, over all the wise ones of Babel. And Daniel asked of the sovereign, and he set Shadrak, Meyshak, and Abed-Nego over the work of the province of Babel, and Daniel in the gate of the sovereign.”

These “wise ones” in Babel surely investigated the writings of Daniel for generations, and gleaned from other inspired Writings that related to Daniel’s dedication to the Elohim of Heaven and Earth, Yahuah. By studying the prophecies in the Scriptures, they knew a great King was to come, a “Mashiach”, also referred to as “Shiloh” (Genesis/Bereshith 49:10).  Numbers 24:14 reveals “secrets” concerning “latter days”, and while searching-out secrets from these texts, there is a prophecy to be discovered from Bil’am involving a STAR that was to come out of the tribe of Yahudah, in Yisrael (Numbers 24:17).

Malakim (or angels) are referred to as “stars” (Job/Iyyob 38:7), and are manifested with brilliant light on many occasions, such as their appearance to the shepherds the night Yahusha was born.  Those shepherds were surrounded by the “CHABOD of Yahuah” (Luke 2:9) which is the Shekinah.  This radiant light was the SHEKINAH CHABOD, the nesting-place of the Name of Yahuah.  The star seen by the Magi was the physical manifestation of the Presence of the Name coming into the world of men as a man, and it guided them for approximately two years so they could bring their offerings to the newborn King, Yahusha.  It was not a comet, planet, or a sun, since it moved, stopped, and “stood over” where the Child was.  To them, and to any secular student of Ufology today, it would have been an unexplainable phenomenon.  It was a prophesied sign, and they were selected to partake in its fulfillment.  What is even more peculiar is that it seems the Magi were the only ones that could see it!   We know that Elisha could see what His servant could not (2Ki 6:17), and the Sanhedrin could not perceive what Stephen could (Acts 7:56).  The star was a vision, a selective manifestation, seen only by the Magi.

Although they were Persian astrologers, their “science” did not predict this star, it was predicted only by the Word of Prophecy.  Tradition calls this manifestation the “star of Bethlehem”, but Scripture states it was Yahusha’s star, a vision of the Almighty (Numbers 24:16).  You will see this in the question they asked of Herod:

Mat 2:1, 2:  “And Yahusha having been born in Beyth Lehem of Yahudah in the days of Herodes the sovereign, see, Magi from the East came to Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born Sovereign of the Yahudim? For we saw His star in the East and have come to do reverence to Him.’”  (In case some may be confused over direction, the meaning of “in the East” simply means they saw His star while they were in the East.  From their vantage point, the star guided them in a western direction.  This is why the first sentence states they were “Magi from the East”).

The manifestation of the Shekinah Chabod to the Magi had no relationship to any alignments with the zodiac (like Virgo), flocks of birds in flight, prognostication from bones, or any other kind of false wisdom. Their knowledge of what to watch for came solely from the inspired texts written in Daniel chapter 9, Bereshith/Genesis 49, and Bamidbar/Numbers 24.  It did not have to be dark for them to see the star as it guided them.  The star was a heavenly messenger, surrounded by the Shekinah, the dwelling-place of the Name of Yahuah.  Another manifestation of the Name was the pillar of fire which guided and protected the children of Yisrael out of Mitsrayim, and it was also the “strong Arm” of Yahuah manifesting His Presence.

Exo 23:20, 21:  “‘See, I am sending a Messenger before you to guard you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

Be on guard before Him and obey His Voice. Do not rebel against Him, for He is not going to pardon your transgression, for My Name is in Him.’”

The Magi were not the first to be guided by the Shekinah Chabod.  At the appearing of Yahusha when He re-gathers His bride to Himself, the whole world will see “the sign of the Son of Adam”.  It will appear to be like lightning stretching from the east to the west out in deep space along the equatorial region, since “every eye” will see Him coming.  Whatever “fairy tale” many teachers may weave about the second-coming, the fact is established from Yahusha’s Words that it will be “after” the distress that He will send forth His messengers to gather us:

Mat 24:27-37:  “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of Adam be. For wherever the dead body is, there the eagles shall be gathered together.

And immediately after the distress of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

And then the sign of the Son of Adam shall appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Adam coming on the clouds of the heaven with power and much esteem.

And He shall send His messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

And learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that the summer is near.

So you also, when you see all these, know that He is near, at the doors.

Truly, I say to you, this generation shall by no means pass away until all this takes place.

The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall by no means pass away.

But concerning that day and the hour no one knows, not even the messengers of the heavens, but My Father only.

And as the days of Noah, so also shall the coming of the Son of Adam be.”     

Jas 5:7,8:  “So, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Master. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You too, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Master has drawn near.”

It was not the “star of Bethlehem”.

That was where it led the Magi, because it was the star of Yahusha.

Love, brother Lew