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The Star of Bethlehem
Introduction…
God made the stars…for signs and times and
seasons. (Genesis
1:14-16). There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a
scepter shall rise out of Israel. (Numbers
24:17) He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them
all by their names. (Psalm
147:4)
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to
the brightness of thy rising… they shall bring gold and
incense. (Isaiah
60;3,6)
I
am the bright and morning star. (Rev.
22:16)
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days
of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" for
we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him…and,
lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it
came and stood over where the young child was. (Matthew
2:1,2,9)
Surely the most appropriate time in universal history
for the Creator to use celestial bodies, as a "sign" would be when
God Himself became man, incarnate in human flesh, for the redemption
of mankind. Scripture condemns the principles of astrology
and Matthew was not endorsing such practices. While the
Magi were astrologers (with its inherent potential for
misinterpretation), they were astronomers (with
word-leading scientific observation of the heavens) who had been
influenced by Daniel and other Old Testament prophets.
I. DEATH OF HEROD…
Since the nineteenth century the majority of
theologians have placed the birth of Jesus before the Spring of 4
B.C., in spite of the fact that most of the church fathers within
the early centuries placed his birth from 3 B.C. to 1 B.C. This
pre-4 B.C. placement was due to a reference in Josephus that King
Herod died shortly after an eclipse of the moon and
before a Springtime Passover of the Jews.
Astronomers in the last century informed theologians that an
eclipse of the moon, which could be seen in Palestine, occurred on
the evening of March 13, 4 B.C. Herod's death was
arbitrarily placed within the 29 days from that
eclipse until the Passover. Thus, theologians and
astronomers have looked for celestial displays as candidates
for the Star before that date. However, Ernest
Martin builds a convincing case showing that the proper eclipse
occurred on January 10, 1 B.C.
II. CENSUS OF CYRENIUS…
Called Quirinius in Rome historical documents, this
qualified leader had experience in Syria by administering the
census Tertullian referred to in 3/2 B.C. Martin
demonstrates that Cyrenius received special Roman commands
throughout his career, especially in census-taking events, and
acted as procurator. This special census was
one of the most important in history.
This census (or registration) in 3/2 B.C. was
actually an oath of allegiance demanded by Augustus Caesar and
proclaimed during the summer of 3 B.C. Since
both Joseph and Mary were descendants of David, and
could both be considered legitimate claimants of the
throne of Israel, both could be required to make the
trip to Bethlehem. On February 5, 2 B.C., Augustus was given the
title Pater Patriae (Father of the Country) by
decree of the Senate and the people of Rome. The festivities
coincided with his 25the jubilee year of being emperor of Rome and
the 750the year of the founding of Rome.
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III. ATTENTION IN THE HEAVENS…
In 1605 astronomers Johann Kepler suggested that a
conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars was the Star of
Bethlehem. To Persian Magi Saturn represented
Jerusalem and Jupiter represented
royalty. Pisces and Virgo both represented the
Hebrews.
On May 29, 7 B.C. a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occurred
in Pisces. On October 3, 7 B.C. the same thing
happened. |
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Supernovas have been
suggested as candidates for the Star. Visible supernovas have
been reported in A.D. 1054 (the Chinese star), A.D. 1572 (Tycho's
star), and A.D. 1604 (Kepler's star). On a date corresponding
to July 5 B.C., the Chinese astronomical records report a "guest
star", a nova in the constellation Aquilla. |
An excavated Roman garden wall, dating to the time of Augustus
Caesar, shows a painting of a tree with fruit clustered in the
configuration of the star constellations. An "extra" fruit
is shown where this "nova" occurred. It is of interest to
note that this "nova" (X-1 Cygnus) appeared in the Northern Cross,
with star Deneb (meaning "The Lord Comes") at the head of the
cross. Stars Altair ("The Wounding") and Vega ("He Shall be
Exalted") are nearby. Our entire Solar System is moving
toward star Vega. A celestial announcement card anticipating
the birth of a king is again being displayed!
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IV. MAGI'S HEIGHTENED OBSERVATION…
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On
August 12, 3 B.C. Jupiter and Venus united as a "morning star",
then displayed an "evening star" reunion 10 months later… On
September 14, 3 B.C. Jupiter (the royal planet star) came into
union with Regulus (the royal fixed star of the first magnitude)
in the constellation of Leo, the Lion. Regulus is situated
between the feet of Leo (the Royal
constellation). After this first conjunction Jupiter
continued on its normal course in the heavens. Then, on
December 1, 3 B.C., the planet stopped its motion
through the fixed stars and began its annual retrogression.
As it did so, it once again headed toward the star Regulus.
On February 17, 2 B.C. the two were reunited. Jupiter
continued this backward, retrogressive motion
another 40 days and then reverted to its normal
motion through the stars. This movement placed the
planet once again into a third conjunction with
Rugulus on May 8, 2 B.C. To an appropriate observer, it
would appear that Jupiter was making a circling "crown" effect
over and around Regulus. With each of these apparent changes
in direction, the Planet briefly becomes "stationary" within the
background of the fixed stars. On December 25 th,
2 B.C. Jupiter came to a normal stationary position
DIRECTLY OVER BETHLEHEM, as viewed from Jerusalem! At
precisely this time the planet "stopped" in the middle of the
constellation Virgo, the Virgin. The Sun was also "standing
still" in its usual Winter Solstice. |
V. ROMAN INTERPRETATION…
To the secular world devoid of spiritual conscience,
particularly to those in Rome, it seemed like heaven itself was
giving approval for the emperorship of Augustus and that Roman
government had the divine right to world sovereignty. This
was in spite of the fact that they were aware of the
prophecies made by Daniel. Suetonius and Tacitus
confirmed that Rome knew of the belief that the empire of the
world would be given to someone from Judea.
V. JEWISH INTERPRETATION
Martin aptly notes that the spectacular astronomical
signs from May, 3 B.C. to December 2 B.C. would have caused
wonderful interpretations, by astrologers, on behalf of Augustus
and the Roman Empire, but the Magi decided instead to go to
Jerusalem with gifts to a newborn Jewish king. On
August 12, 3 B.C., Jupiter rose as a morning star, which soon came
into conjunction with Venus. That started Jupiter off on a
journey in which six conjunctions with other planets
and the star Regulus took place. The final planetary union
was the massing of the planets, which occurred with Mars, Venus,
and Mercury on August 27, 2 B.C., Jupiter then became "stationary"
for a brief time over Bethlehem on December 25, 2 B.C. At
the inception of this scenario, here was Jupiter (the King
Planet), which had just united with Venus (the Mother), now
joining itself with the King star Regulus (the star of the Jewish
Messiah) in Leo (the constellation of Judah), while the Sun (the
Supreme Father of Ruler) was then located in Virgo (the Virgin).
VI. CHRONOLOGY…
1) Joseph and Mary began their journey to Bethlehem for the
"census" at the close of the Jewish civil year in 3 B.C.
2) Near this time on August 12, 3 B.C. Jupiter and
Venus united as a "morning star", then Jupiter continued its
phenomenal progression through the starry heavens.
3) Jesus was born in a stable on the twilight
period of September 11, 3 B.C., the Day of
Trumpets.
4) On September 14, 3 B.C. Jupiter came into union
with Regulus and began the circling "crown" effect,
which took place during the early months of Jesus'
infancy.
5) Eighteen months later, when Jesus was a "young
child" in a house the Magi arrived on December 25, 2 B.C., when
the King planet Jupiter came to its stationary point in
mid-Virgo, the Virgin. The star would have been seen as
"stopped" over Bethlehem, as viewed from Jerusalem.
One conclusion that can be drawn is that that star in the east,
which that Magi saw was this progression of Jupiter through the
heavens. Thus, the star was not "standing" over the
manger at the time of Jesus' birth (even though it was
already in its divinely-appointed historic progression), but
instead, at the appropriate time "stood" over Bethlehem at the
time the Magi arrived to visit in the house.
1. Isaiah 47:13, Daniel 1:20;
2:27
2. Daniel 5:11, Numbers
24:17
3. Earnest L. Martin, The star that
Astonis
the World, 121
4. Josephs,
Antiquities XVII. 218
5. Martin,
ibid.
6. Ibid., 183
7. D.
Ronald Allen, The Stars of His Coming, 15
8.
Robert Faid, A Scientific Approach to Biblical Mysteries, 62,
63
9. Genesis 49:10
10.
Martin, ibid., 14
11. Ibid.,
26
12. Ibid., 47-51
13.
Matthew 2:9
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Places To Visit in Bethlehem
As the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the charming town of Bethlehem has a
sweeter meaning to Christians than any other place on earth. Its origins are
lost in history. Being the birthplace of Christ has thrust this small,
rose-coloured city onto a world stage. Modern Bethlehem is a major tourist
attraction with all the accompanying commercialism that this implies.
Bethlehem's real charm can be found in the side streets away from the square and
pilgrim sites. The town and souq are a heady mix of ancient and modern, Muslim
and Christian.
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Curriculum
Vitae
Kristina Kauffman, M.A
District Faculty
Development Coordinator, Riverside Community College, 2000 to the present.
Responsible for District-wide faculty development programs including FLEX, new
faculty orientations, technology training, hybrid
course development, college Discipline Councils (facilitates discipline
communication in the three campus district), and management of the Faculty Innovation
Center. Chair of the Faculty Development Committee which oversees part of
the travel request process and plans for district faculty development.
Project Director 4faculty.org, a grant project funded by
the Fund
for Student Success and the Fund for the Improvement
of Post Secondary Education to create an online professional development
for new adjunct faculty program and follow-up workshops. The project was
launched in September 2000 and is ongoing.
Title III Academic
Activity Director, Riverside Community
College, 1998 to 2000: Responsible for management of the academic
component of a $1.7 million, five year grant to promote the use of technology,
remediation and retention. Provided leadership, planning for the establishment
of Faculty Innovation
Center and currently assist with its management. Current projects include
providing training and organization for the "Hybrid Course Project" which will
develop classes that have both face-to-face and online components.
Online Faculty
Advisor, Riverside Community College, 1999 to the present: Responsible for
training all online faculty, created the Online Faculty Academy Online,
and the Online Course
Sample. Work with Open Campus
team on planning and development for online credit courses.
Associate Professor of
Political
Science, Riverside Community College, 1979 to the present: Duties
include teaching at least five courses in Political Science per semester,
serving on various campus committees and, until 1993, advising the Model
United Nations program.
(Editor's note: Kristina Kauffman is now the Interim Dean of Faculty at the Riverside Community College.)
Memberships:
Riverside Seventh Day Baptist Church
(choir member) (1995 - present)
Center for the Study of
the Presidency (1982 to 1988) (1994)
Model United Nations
Alumni Association, 1978 to the present.
California Teacher's
Association, 1979 to the present.
Society for Historians of
American Foreign Relations, 1983 - 1985.
Pi Sigma Alpha, Political
Science Honor Society, 1975 - 1984.
Hobbies
Gardening & Watercolors (click on pictures for larger sizes):
 
-reprinted from Riverside Community College Faculty Web Page
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Season to Share
Denise Wolff, 38, left, lost her job as a security technician in July. With the help of the Emergency Family Assistance Association, Wolff got food Nov. 2 from a food bank at the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Boulder. She is being helped by volunteer Dena Hauser. EFAA helps families in crisis with such necessities as food and housing.
5/6
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