2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
That three men from different countries across the Middle East should converge on Jerusalem, at the same time to search for a new born king per their astrological research might well suggest there is more to astrology than most of us would care to investigate.
That it is written in the stars might well suggest that the Bethlehem Star was a figment of the imagination invented by the authors of Biblical story telling to add some mystery to their texts. On the other hand reality often appears in forms that defy our rational understanding.
Many years ago when a student living in London a close friend David hailing from Cardiff, Wales invited me to dinner at his home to meet an amateur astrologist who had impressed David with his "observations". The astrologist asked me for my birth date, and place of birth. Steve told me things about my life that none but I could have known. I remained silent, preferring not to appear ignorant. I was impressed.
Life's mysteries teach us that while it is wise to attempt to rationalise that which at first glance appears beyond our comprehension there is the thought that the divine mystery, and His plans are best understood within our awareness that we can decipher only that which our senses can interpret. Biblical stories are poetic conveying truths best understood in a manner addressing our easy understandings.
The three wise men received counselling (from within their interior life?) that they should not return to Jerusalem to meet Herod Antipas reporting on the birth of a king born in a cave stabling animals. The visitors returned to their home countries avoiding Jerusalem.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
~ Matthew 2
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