STAR OF BETHLEHEM - What Star Did the Magi See?

What Star Did the Magi See?

Dr. Ray Pritchard

Matthew 2:2 adds a detail that has baffled and intrigued Bible scholars and astronomers for 2,000 years: "We have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him." 

What was "his star in the east"?

Over the years there have been four main theories:

1.  Halley's Comet: Unfortunately, the nearest appearance was in 11 B.C., which is simply too early for the birth of Christ.

2.  Supernova: This is an exploding star that suddenly fills the sky with light in a brilliant, blinding flash of light. These are unpredictable and very rare, and there is no record in any astronomical records of a supernova in the years surrounding the birth of Christ.

3.  Conjunction of Planets: This is probably the most popular theory. One version suggests that in 7 B.C. Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn came together in a very rare conjunction that only occurs once every 125 years. Another possibility is a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in 2 B.C. (This last possibility is the one suggested by the "Star of Wonder" presentation at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.) The conjunction theory has this to favor it: It would explain why the

Magi saw it and the people of Israel didn't. Conjunctions don't attract the attention of people who don't normally watch the skies. They aren't highly-visible phenomena like comets or supernovas or meteor showers. But to anyone who watched the stars regularly, a "triangular" conjunction like the one in 7 B.C. would certainly attract extraordinary attention.

4.  A Supernatural Light: This theory suggests that the "star" was not a natural phenomena at all, but rather was a light placed by God in the atmosphere especially for the Magi to see. Those who hold this view (which I myself lean to) point to the shekinah glory of God in the Old Testament. At certain points in history God revealed himself as a bright light in order to guide his people. In this context, we might think of the pillar of fire with which God led Israel in the wilderness.

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Excerpted from "We Three Kings" from Keep Believing Ministries (used by permission).                                                   

http://www.jesus.org/birth-of-jesus/star-and-magi/what-star-did-the-magi-see.html  

- Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness  

Thomas Chisolm

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNZS5H9aNlYGaitherVEVO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-HszBrTGfAWomenofFaithJohn Calvin Villa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cACqcURyvJAisBaptistToronto     

    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI_3KqWQ6OAWordofGodSpeak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60o3UP4KjwgCeceWinansWordgersomclark

lyrics

Refrain:

Great is Thy faithfulness! 

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.”(Psalm 89:1) 

Great is Thy Faithfulness

The Song and the Story

Composer Thomas Chisolm Writes Great is Thy Faithfulness

Thomas Obadiah Chisolm (1866-1960) had a difficult adult life. His health was so fragile that there were periods of time when he was confined to bed, unable to work. Between bouts of illness he would have to push himself to put in extra hours at various jobs in order to make ends meet.

After coming to Christ at age 27, Thomas found great comfort in the Scriptures, and in the fact that God was faithful to be his strength in time of illness and provide his needs. Lamentations 3:22-23 was one of his favorite scriptures: “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”

While away from home on a missions trip, Thomas often wrote to one of his good friends, William Runyan, a relatively unknown musician. Several poems were exchanged in these letters. Runyan found one of Williams' poems so moving that he decided to compose a musical score to accompany the lyrics. Great is Thy Faithfulness was published in 1923.

For several years ,the hymn got very little recognition, until it was discovered by a Moody Bible Institute professor who loved it so much and requested it sung so often at chapel services, that the song became the unofficial theme song of the college.

It was not until 1945 when George Beverly Shea began to sing Great is Thy Faithfulness at the Billy Graham evangelistic crusades, that the hymn was heard around the world. 

Thomas Chisolm died in 1960 at age 94. During his lifetime, he wrote more than 1,200 poems and hymns including O To Be Like Thee and Living for Jesus

sharefaith.com 

Happy New Year! - Saying “Happy New Year!” Around the World

Happy New Year!

Saying “Happy New Year!” Around the World

Language	Happy New Year!
Afrikaans	Voorspoedige nuwe jaar
Arabic	Kul 'am wa antum bikhair
Basque	Urte Berri on
Bengali	Shuvo noboborsho
Chinese (Cantonese)	Sun nien fai lok
Chinese (Mandarin)	Xin nian yu kuai
Czech	Stastny Novy Rok
Danish	Godt NytÅr
Dutch	Gelukkig nieuwjaar
Esperanto	Bonan Novjaron
Finnish	Onnellista uutta vuotta
French	Bonne année
German	Ein glückliches neues Jahr
Greek	Eutychismenos o kainourgios chronos
Hawaiian	Hauoli Makahiki hou
Hebrew	Shana Tova
Hungarian	Boldog uj evet
Indonesian (Bahasa)	Selamat Tahun Baru
Italian	Felice Anno Nuovo or Buon anno
Japanese	Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
Korean	Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo
Laotian (Hmong)	Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tshiab
Latin	Felix sit annus novus
Nigerian (Hausa)	Barka da sabuwar shekara
Norwegian	Godt Nytt År
Philippines (Tagalog)	Manigong Bagong Taon
Polish	Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Romanian	La Multi Ani si Un An Nou Fericit
Samoan	Ia manuia le Tausaga Fou
Spanish	Feliz año nuevo
Swahili	Heri za Mwaka Mpya
Swedish	Gott Nytt År
Thai	Sawatdee Pi Mai
Vietnamese	Chuc mung nam moi
Welsh	Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

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IN HIS TIME

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God Will Make A Way  

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Be Fed and More! 

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"My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less"                

    Edward Mote  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMapZB8qMkRomans1:16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqnbLkSgMOYAmazingWorship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n5w_2IXvuATheIslandSing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWdNgXSd46YisBaptistToronto

lyrics

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0923039.html