HOW DID THE MAGI KNOW?
 

By Ron Graff
 

The Wise Men were representatives of the Persian priestly clan, the Magi (originally one of the six tribes of the Medes). Some of their contemporaries believed in astrology and the black arts (the word "magic" comes from the same root as "Magi"). But these men were apparently true believers who knew and honored the Hebrew Scriptures. One can not help but wonder how they knew the Scriptures and why God revealed the "Christmas Star" to them.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Biblical story of Daniel is that this young prophet who was able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream about future world empires (Daniel 2 - See Evil World Empires), was honored by Nebuchadnezzar by making him the chief of his "Wise Men" (Daniel 2:48). From this position Daniel undoubtedly influenced many to believe in Jehovah and the Hebrew Scriptures. They were aware of the prophecies of a coming Messiah through whom all the world would be blessed.

Unlike the Jewish people, the Persians did study the skies to understand the course of the stars. Some believed in astrology - the wrong idea that the stars influence the activities of our day to day lives. Others, like these Wise Men, were true scientists who studied Astronomy. When they saw a fascinating series of conjunctions during a two year period of time, they related it to the Biblical teaching that God would use the stars as "signs" and seasons (Genesis 1:14) and the Messianic prophecy that a "star" would come out of the tribe of Judah. (Numbers 24:17).

Many theories have been proposed about the Christmas Star, but the most reasonable of these is the theory advanced by Ernest Martin in 1980 which was popularized by the Griffith Park Observatory in their popular program "The Christmas Star", and the book by the same name written by John Mosley. It can be shown scientifically that there were nine important conjunctions involving the planets Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and the star Regulus ("the King star") in the years 3 and 2 B.C. The last of these striking events would have been placed in the sky so as to literally lead them from Jerusalem where the Wise Men had met with King Herod, to Bethlehem, just 5 miles away.

ProphecyCentral.com