Astronomers and those who study the stars will tell you that stars are constantly moving. Because the earth rotates from West to East, all stars appear to be moving from East to West in contrast. This is similar to how trees appear to move backward when you are traveling in a car forward. One may conclude therefore, that the stars do not actually move, and that this appearance of movement is only due to the rotation- of-the-earth-effect. But the truth is that the stars do move, but their movement is usually from East to West and difficult to detect with the naked eye as the distance between us and them is very, very great.

However, when we come to the Star of Bethlehem, we see another strange occurrence. This star was also moving, but not in the regular pattern used by all stars. It moved from East to South, a completely different direction. It was this different movement that no doubt caught the attention of the Astronomers or wise men. [Some bible students refer to these wise men (or Magi) as astrologers; Young’s Analytical Concordance refers to them as astronomers]. These wise men researched this star and found in the Prophets (as Daniel had taught them), that there was going to be a special star that would reveal the birth of the Messiah.

Numbers 24:17 states that: “A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” This prophecy was referring to the Messiah who would come forth from the tribe of Judah, who was the son of Jacob. However, more than just a physical star, it was saying that a Mighty King would come forth as the Messiah-Saviour of the world. The star was only an indicator, that something huge and powerful was happening in the galaxies above.

Why did it move from East to South? Because Jerusalem firstly is 800 miles approximately (Southward) from Persia / Babylon where the wise men lived. And Bethlehem was another six miles (Southward) from Jerusalem. Yet, this irregular path of movement could have caused a clash and a crash with other stars in orbit that were moving in their designated positions.

Johannes Kepler (A Christian astronomer) seems to indicate that at the time of Jesus’ birth, there was an unusual conjunction of stars. Clearly God was getting heaven and earth ready for the birth of His Son. As most bible teachers believe, this Star of Bethlehem was most likely to be the Shekinah glory of God, that appeared in mid-air as a star. It would be similar in essence but different in manifestation to what led the children of Israel through the wilderness (See Exodus 40:36-38).

God was not about to use just a star He created to announce the birth of His Son. Oh No! His intention was to reach the Gentiles with this announcement. So, He was going to announce his Son’s arrival by permitting His own luminous glory in the form of a star, His glory being much brighter that any star. One that would cut a pathway across all boundaries set for mere celestial beings, so that the message of the gospel would be made known to all the Gentiles. Praise His Name!