The Magi

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From the East

Most likely from Media or Persia.
Could have been as short as 500 but if they came for Persia it was probably around 1000.
Camel’s can travel 25 miles a day with a heavy load. That would be pushing it but with 25 miles a day it would have taken around 40 days. If they had to go by foot or didn’t want to kill their camel’s the speed might have been closer to 10 miles a day which could have been 100 days journey. Either way, substantial.

King of the Jews

This is substantial. It gives us a clue into what they saw in the stars.

Stars

This is the question that Sarah was asking. What was it that made them take on such a substantial journey?
Astrology is wrong,
Isaiah 47:13–14 ESV
13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!
Those who look to the new moons and signs. They will be burned.
Daniel 2:27–28 ESV
27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:
Looking to the skies you won’t find answers. Only God gives answers.
We should not be looking to the skies for guidance, but the skies do reveal how amazing our God is.
God used a wrong thing to reveal himself to these men.

Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces

Professor David Hughs who lectures in astronomy at Sheffield University in the UK.
The constellation Pisces had a special meaning in ancient Persian astronomy and astrology.
It was the sign of Israel and of Kings.
Jupiter was the Royal planet and Saturn represented old rulers.
A new star being made of Jupiter and Saturn in this constellation could have meant a great deal!
There was a “triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in 7 BC.

Jupiter and Moon in Aries

This theory was proposed by Dr. Michael Molnar, an astronomer from New York.
In Romans astrology, Aries is the symbol of Israel. (which would have been known by the Magi)
Dr. Molnar found a ‘new star’ made of Jupiter and the moon in Aries.
Jupiter once again was the king planet and it was coupled with the moon which means birth (especially of kings).
This occured at dawn, April 17th, 6 B.C.

Jupiter, Venus and the Star Regulus

Rick Larson a lawyer from Texas (the Bethlehem star movie).
A conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Leo (August, 3 BC), followed by three conjunctions of Jupiter and the star Regulus (in the constellation of Leo). followed by a second conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in Leo nine months later.
Six months after that Jupiter “stops” (goes into retrograde) in Virgo.
So to break this down we have the King planet uniting with the mother planet, in the constellation of the lion (Lion of Judah).
Then the the King planet does a triple conjunction over the king star.
Nine months later (the length of a pregnancy) the King planet unites again with the mother planet in Leo.
Six months later on December 25th the King planet “stops” in the virgin constellation, where if you were in Jerusalem it would have stopped in the direction of Bethlehem.

Which Star?

It could have been multiple stars, God to announce His coming, why not do it in a big way?
Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces- There is going to be a new ruler in Israel.
Jupiter and Moon in Aries- A new king over the Roman world (which was considered the whole world)
Jupiter and Venus- The king has been born, GO NOW!!

Looking at Stars

We are not to be looking to the stars for guidance on how to live our lives or what to do. But God has declared His glory in the heavens and has used that to even reach the gentile nations.
In the end God desires to be praised. He used this time to point out His goodness to the magi, and they praised Him.

They Weren’t at the Birth

v.11
They entered the house.
Joseph and Mary had stayed in Bethlehem long enough to now be staying in a house.
v.9
The Child
Paidion, this is a different word than used in Luke for baby.
This is not a newborn, but could be anything from 6 months to 5 yrs old.
v.16
Herod kills all the kids under 2, so he wasn’t older than that.

3 Wise Men?

We always speak of 3. This wasn’t the case. They wouldn’t have traveled with only 3 members. It would have been to dangerous.
We think of 3 because of the 3 gifts.
Gold- Symbolizing royalty or wealth.
Frankincense- An incense that was used in to burn in the temple. The incense that was a veil between the priest and God.
Myrrh- an embalming oil.
Did they know more than they let on?
Sometimes our traditions can veil the truth of what happened. It is important to study out scripture. For the truth is far more interesting than the traditions.
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