The star has a prominent place atop the tree and in carols. The three wise men or magi from afar are included in every nativity scene. That was a mysterious part of the story to me, as a child, and I had no idea what they brought until years later, this frankincense and myrrh. They were astrologers, because they were wise to the stars in motion, as messages from the divine source.
In The Shining Star of Bethlehem, Christian astrologer Carmen Turner-Schott writes, "How did they know to follow this star? Some believe that they were astrologers that saw a conjunction of planets and knew it signaled the birth of a special child. We need to remember that in Luke 21:25, Jesus told the disciples there would be signs in the sun, moon and stars upon his return to earth."
Carmen notes that the astrologers from the East were following a message from God, to find the special child. They were using their knowledge to read the signs, that are all part of the divine creator, or God. They were not, she says, as commonly believed about astrologers, worshiping the stars themselves.
The same misunderstanding is addressed by Kelly Lee Phipps, in a conversation with Christian friends, who wonder how he can "believe" in astrology. He writes, "I tell them, "Astrology is not a belief system, but an archetypal, poetic language." And that, quoting a verse from Psalms, "That sounds to me like the heavens are supposed to speak, to declare insights, reveal knowledge, and that no language even exists that does not contain the voice of the heavens."
He cites scriptures in his article Biblical Insights Into Astrology that show, as he puts it, "we can have a conversation with eternal being through the motions of the heavens."
On the wise men of the Christmas story, Kelly writes, "The three Chaldean Magi followed the star across the Arabian Desert in search of the incoming spiritual master of love. Three astrologers utilized the language of the heavens to discover the long-prophesized Hebrew Messiah."
If all things are part of the creator, God, Spirit or your name for All-That-Is, then the night sky is divine. I'll share now the beginning lyrics of my favorite hymn O Holy Night:
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
You may also want to check out last week's posts:
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
You may also want to check out last week's posts:
Source: http://astrology.about.com/b/2013/12/19/who-were-the-three-wise-men.htm
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