The Star of Bethlehem

It was said that Caesar Augustus one night consulted his personal sibyl (fortuneteller) and asked her if a prince greater than he would ever be born. As she searched for an answer in her sacred books, the place was lit up by a meteor that flared in the dark sky. She put down her book and told him that he had just received his answer.

"It is a sign of the future which is revealed to you," she said. "One world is ending and another is beginning." What it meant was that the age of Aries the ram had just ended and the age of Pisces the fishes had begun.

The sibyl went on to tell Augustus that a child had been born who is the king of future millennia and the true god of the world. "He is of humble birth and obscure race. His divinity is unrealized; when he at last makes himself known, he will be persecuted. He will work miracles, he will be accused of dealing with evil spirits, but I see him victor in the end over death, rising from the place where his murderers entombed him. He will unite all nations."

It is not known whether Augustus believed the sibyl's vision, but it was told to the Roman Senate, recorded and placed in the state archives, from where Constantine drew his information and became a firm believer in astrology.

Every Christmas the Yuletide card portrays a silver star in a navy blue sky and every year the same heavenly object sparkles from the top of the decorated evergreen. At season's end the three wise men and their fellow shepherds gather at a hastily set up manger for the familiar nativity scene. Though it shimmers on the greeting card and its brilliance lights up the tannebaum, it wasn't a star that erupted into a supernova on that dark Judean night. The star that shone so brightly two thousand years ago was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

"...There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel...." (Numbers 24:17)

The moment that he was born, he lit up the whole world. The wise men of that era were not the kings of song and legend, but men of renown who counseled kings, and many a crown trembled when they spoke words of doom. They were professional astrologers, mathematicians and clairvoyants, wise to the movements of the stars and the rhythm of the heavens and able to interpret dreams and visions.

The countries that the wise men came from or how many there were is not known, but they brought expensive and lavish gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, which is found in Arabia and Eastern Africa. The quality of their gifts can only mean that they were fully aware of the importance of their journey and that this foreign child was somebody very special to the world. There had been prophecies of his coming for centuries and when the sign in the heavens manifested itself, "they came to worship him."

The general consensus has been that Jesus was born in the year 7 BC, and there have been heavenly phenomena to support the theory. One astronomer, Michael Molnar from Rutgers University in New Jersey, after studying star formations and astrological signs on ancient Roman coins and the writings of Ptolemy, discovered that in March 20, 6 BC, the moon occulted Jupiter. Only a month later a second occultation occurred. Molnar believes that the first one would have signified a major event in astrology which would have sent the wise men on their way to search for the new king, and the second event would have been in the direction of Bethlehem. To the wise men, this could have been significant, as Jupiter was considered the symbol for kings in Middle East astrology, and Pisces was the House of the Hebrews. Molnar's speculations seem to be the closest of any so far, and places the time of the birth of Jesus only two years before the death of King Herod.

There was that other phenomenon in the sky that has been overlooked by astrologers, astronomers and Bible readers in general. All of the supernovas, planetary conjunctions, comets and occultations do not fully explain the bright, visible light that led the wise men to the Christ child. Maybe the word star was used by translators for something they couldn't explain. It was a bright object which they believed to be a star; and it was, indeed, a very bright light that must have hovered lower than any star.

An astrological sign of the Zodiac in the heavens does not move, is barely visible to the naked eye and is not noticed at all by someone who does not know what to look for. The astrologers saw "his star [zodiac sign] in the east" and that was where it remained when they set out on their journey. They were then led by something that did move, however, and it brought them in the direction of Jerusalem.

The star "?which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."

This was no supernova, conjunction or comet.

Our neighbors in the cosmos were aware of the blessed event in our world and escorted the men of renown to meet the Lord of Lords. He was the Christ of all the Lords and the Son of the Highest.

When Jesus was born, they came from near and far to worship him. There were the Jews (shepherds) and the Gentiles (wise men). There were the illiterate, and those who read the stars, the poor who tended their sheep on the hillside, and the rich who counseled kings in their palaces.

Why did he come? There are many waters throughout the universe, more than can be numbered. Has he visited all of them? He is the Lord of the worlds and cosmos and perhaps when a world becomes conscious of its humanity, he comes and teaches each one personally the cosmic union of body and soul.

Lauretta Lueck is the author of the book, The Many Waters, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The Many Waters is a scientific interpretation of the creation story in Genesis, which is corroborrated by other ancient manuscripts.

http://www.rosettastonepress.com

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..
In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.
The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.
Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.
New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.
The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.
TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.
Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.
San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.
Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.
A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.
Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.
Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.
Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.
Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.
Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.
A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.
Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.
Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.
OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.
A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.
The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.
Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.
Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.
The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

GOD Loves Us All

God, what a wonderful spirit. He, is our ever present... Read More

Reasons to Fast and Pray

Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the... Read More

Resisting Temptation - The JESUS Way

One thing that Jesus was NOT - was flashy. When... Read More

Spiritual Healing: In The School of Christ

Spiritual healing of the sick in Christ has many Christians... Read More

Life as the Ultimate Psychedelic Experience

Life is just a journey. Princess DianaWhether we are... Read More

People Fail in Life Because They Do Not Plan

Life is growth. For many people life is like a... Read More

Tibetan Singing Bowls - Learn More Before You Buy

I recently had the pleasure to interview Richard Rudis, a... Read More

Recognizing Self

I come face to face with self whenever you come... Read More

5 Shortcuts to a Life of Charity

Charity isn't the easiest virtue to master. And with St.... Read More

You May Be A Ghost-Host

... Read More

Why Isnt God Helping Me?

Have you ever felt like throwing up your arms and... Read More

Spirit and the Law of Cause and Effect

Most of our troubles are bought about by exercising our... Read More

When We See Jesus As He Is

You know that the Bible tells us a lot about... Read More

Traveling Out Of Body

I can see the cops coming! They're a good thousand... Read More

Spirit Guide Communication ? Get the Answers You Seek

There are many energy beings available to assist us in... Read More

God Versus the Gods

Aristotle referred to happiness as the most we can achieve.... Read More

Hold On!

Job was a spiritual man who loved and obeyed God... Read More

Are you Addicted to ?NO?? Locating the YES! of the Heart

It seems to me that our moment to moment relationship... Read More

Pray Off Your Debts in 10 Days or Less - A Short Case Study

Last Friday night, I met a Christian at a prayer... Read More

Kundalini Symbology

While study and pursuit of the Kundalini is considered part... Read More

Spiritual Friendships

As we walk along our paths in life, we will... Read More

Spiritual Healing - The Hidden Truth and Misconception

Throughout history, what is portrayed in all religions as being... Read More

Selling Spiritual Stuff

Spiritual stuff is a hard sell Roy and one of... Read More

Stress Strategy: Flex Your Spiritual Muscles

In his book, Stress Without Distress, Dr. Selye suggests that... Read More

AD33Today: A Search in Modern America

We, a group of ordinary people who believe in Jesus... Read More

on demand house cleaning Arlington Heights ..