tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post3493239946695499424..comments2023-10-07T04:07:56.527-04:00Comments on The End Time: What was the "star" of Bethlehem?Elizabeth Pratahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-6630147032609592982015-10-25T08:52:34.924-04:002015-10-25T08:52:34.924-04:00I really enjoyed reading this and agree an angel m...I really enjoyed reading this and agree an angel makes much more sense to me. I have been thinking a lot about this star coming up to Christmas and about how almost 50 years ago when I was at school we always drew Christmas pictures with lots of small stars and then the "big star" as the finishing touch. If you saw a big star with little stars then you automatically associated it with the star of Bethlehem. How sad that this generation of children will most likely associate the brightest and biggest star with...Iggle piggle in the night garden. I watch it with the grandchildren but cringe every time that big star goes up into the night sky.The star and rainbow both hijacked!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-64363727682076842012015-10-25T06:16:44.443-04:002015-10-25T06:16:44.443-04:00Well said. Thank you, Bill.Well said. Thank you, Bill.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-12011806775053239572015-10-24T22:56:17.154-04:002015-10-24T22:56:17.154-04:00I agree that it was an angel, or if not, something...I agree that it was an angel, or if not, something else quite miraculous. The problem with any astronomical object is that anything natural cannot "rest" over Bethlehem, as you point out above, unless it were in geosynchronous orbit. Furthermore, even if something were in geosynchronous orbit, that's 22,000 miles from Earth's surface. At that distance, how could anyone say that the star "rested" over Bethlehem, and not over, say Jerusalem. To be so specific in directing the wise men, considering the angles involved, it could not have been more than around 30 miles from the Earth's surface, and probably a lot closer, or else the possible region under the star would have been too big and indistinct, considering angles. It mystifies me why anyone would not see these objections, unless they have an axe to grind to deny the supernatural.<br />Bill K.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-28373186330651828572015-10-24T15:04:43.741-04:002015-10-24T15:04:43.741-04:00Nothing new here for me. My dad, a humble, ordinar...Nothing new here for me. My dad, a humble, ordinary Christian who loves his bible, always said he thought the star was an angel. He uses the same verses you do. I've always wondered why more people don't seriously consider it. It makes more sense to mebut then I've heard it all my life!Bexterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04948953441064421705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-10535960523174890932015-10-24T06:48:26.996-04:002015-10-24T06:48:26.996-04:00Thanks, Dwight. Good point abut the length of time...Thanks, Dwight. Good point abut the length of time between the birth and the arrival of the Magi. It made me think also of the length of time ti actually took for the magi "from the east" (likely Persia) to make the journey of 800-900 miles. Probably months. Would a comet hang around in the sky for 3 months? A planetary conjunction?...<br /><br />John MacArthur thinks it's the Shekinah glory of God that led them. In any case, I liked your point about Christians who look to worldly evidence. Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-70314240219080123292015-10-23T22:53:48.043-04:002015-10-23T22:53:48.043-04:00Considering the likely large time difference (up t...Considering the likely large time difference (up to 2 years) between when the magi saw the star to start their journey to arriving in Jerusalem as well as the very mobile nature of the 'star' (above the house) I don't really see how this could be fully explained by any natural celestial event.<br />In my opinion, Christians who are always looking for some type of natural event to explain the 'star' are attempting to prove the story of Christ through worldly evidence or to determine the timing of the event. They may be doing more harm than good when their evidence, regardless of the pedigree of the author, is dis-proven or dismissed for not aligning with astronomical or even Scriptural evidence.<br />Why diminish the super-natural abilities of God? Yes, God uses natural events to perform super-natural results (world-wide flood, parting the Red Sea, an awfully sturdy donkey jawbone), but he steps into the super-natural when He feels (the 3 surviving in a kiln, a floating ax, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove or flames of fire).<br />The 'star' could be the Holy Spirit, but you are spot-on in noting the angel/star reference.<br />God may very well have chosen to create some type of natural event, but it didn't need to be one, so these types of studies are wasted on me.<br />DwightAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-27631523350123716692015-10-22T21:58:04.304-04:002015-10-22T21:58:04.304-04:00You have a very good point. And I think your ange...You have a very good point. And I think your angel theory is a good one. I've long fell into the camp of supernatural phenomena (GOD) to explain the star. But the comet book sounds interesting.<br />JenniferAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-72353118394725389402015-10-22T21:34:40.570-04:002015-10-22T21:34:40.570-04:00like astronomy, I took it in college, and I enjoy ... like astronomy, I took it in college, and I enjoy living where there is little ambient light and the astronomical objects are on nightly display.<br /><br />I am sure that the man who wrote the book is as Challies said, scholarly on the subject. I may be off on this, and certainly no disrespect intended to the author, but for Bible matters I don't believe that gaining educational degrees and spending time studying something OUTSIDE of the bible helps us to gain insight to issues IN the Bible. I realize that studying history does help us learn about the empire of Persia, for example, or the history behind the 7 churches in their respective 7 cities. But I don't think knowing astronomy is going to help explain the Star. I think the Bible will help explain the star.Elizabeth Pratahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341086233512507156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2736720231951988221.post-89287700446578120542015-10-22T21:21:53.051-04:002015-10-22T21:21:53.051-04:00I too read the Challies article on the comet book....I too read the Challies article on the comet book. I definitely would like to read that book, and like Tim I would be interested in hearing from someone in the field of astronomy to check the work and see if its solid.<br />JenniferAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com