Repost: Heaven Came Down: What was "His Star in the East"?

Part 4: An Investigation of the heavenly sign(s) that brought the wise men to see Jesus, Son of God, Man from Heaven

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

² “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:2, NASB1995

⁹ After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

¹¹ After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Matthew 2:9-12, NASB1995

This is a continued investigation of heavenly signs that guided a group of wise men to a small child, the King of the Jews, the Man from Heaven, the Second Adam, and the Son of God born to a virgin. My personal takeaway from preparing this study is unimaginable peace and faith that God’s Word is extremely precise. So put on your astronomical caps, pull out your Bible, and let’s get started on this journey. For review you can read about the magi first as it will dovetail well into this study.

1. December 24th, 2023: Who were the Magi, Wise Men, Astronomers, Daniel's Chaldeans, and King Makers?

2. December 25th, 2023: Heaven Came Down: What was His Star of the East?

What was “His Star in the East”?

The questions can be expanded:

• What was His Star in the East?

• What did it do?

• Why is it His [the King] Star?

• Was the star seen once or more than once?

• Would the magi have understood the significance?

Let’s start with an astronomical timeline:

Astronomical Timeline: June 3 BC to January 1 BC

Using astronomical software (i.e.: Stellarium), the following series of unique alignments, conjunctions, crownings (i.e.: retrograde circles), and a total lunar eclipse (i.e.: blood moon) occurred in this period from 3 to 1 BC.

As an ancient astronomer who watched signs on a nightly basis, they would have seen a storyboard played out like a movie before their eyes, this story was like a billboard advertisement in the heavens:

His Glory is Coming,
there is a virgin birth of a King from the line of Judah, the lion.
Go, find, and worship the blessed King of the Jews.

The astronomical timeline is organized in the following manner.

• X-axis: The months and years between June 3 BC and January 1 BC.

• Y-axis: The Second Heaven bodies and specifically involved Mazzaroth major constellations:

  • Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, Sun, and Moon (excludes Mars)

  • Leo, Virgo (Vir), Taurus (Tau), and Cancer (Can); the majority of signs are in the virgin and the lion.

  • The next row indicates the direction Eastern (E) or Western (W) sky

  • The time when the heavenly event is most visible from the Middle East

To read the timeline above as an example:

• June 3 BC, there is a conjunction between Saturn and Venus in Taurus on 6/13 in the Eastern sky at 4 AM.

• February 2 BC, Jupiter, the king planet, is crowning Regulus, little king, prince, (i.e.: forms a circle in retrograde motion) on 2/16 in the Eastern sky at 8 PM.

All of the time and directional calculations are based on a viewing location of Jerusalem (the Middle East).

Initial Timeline Observations:

• All major astronomical events starting August 3 BC involve Jupiter. Jupiter was tracked very closely by the Chaldeans and it was known as the King Planet.¹

• The King Planet, Jupiter, crowns Regulus (the heart of the lion, little king, prince) in the constellation Leo, the lion.

• There are 5 signs in the eastern sky involving Jupiter and only 1 sign in the western sky for a total of 6 signs before a pause of 5 months. The magi told King Herod, they saw His star in the east. Was “His star”, Jupiter?

• Update 12/26/23: After studying the astronomical timeline, the actual Christmas events in the storyline is speculative, though one can still make an educated guess regarding the actual birthday of baby Jesus. It seems compelling that one option is the birth of the King of the Jews is on 9/11/3 BC. Another option is that 9/11/3 BC is the Divine (Immaculate) Conception leading, 9 months later, to the birth of Jesus 6/17/2 BC. One hint in brainstorming is that the shepherds were out watching their sheep at night. So what time of year is that typically in the Middle East? After reviewing the analysis, feel free to share your thoughts.

  • Updated 10/22/24 - Here is analysis on the Shepherds and the 9/11/3 BC birth of Jesus seems to make sense.

• Notice the greyed-out months. Could it be that after seeing the signs of “His star in the East”, the magi started to prepare camels, servants, soldiers, treasures, water, and food for their journey to Jerusalem from Chaldea in that 5 month's window? Based upon our previous analysis, 5 months would give them time to travel from Chaldea.

• According to scripture, Herod was still alive during the birth of Jesus and the visit from the wise men. Herod’s death has been debated by historians to be between 4 BC and 1 BC. Based upon the astronomical timeline and a blood moon in early 1 BC, Herod’s death looks to be in 1 BC.

Let’s look at the signs that may have been interpreted by the magi.

September 11th, 3 BC: A Great Sign Appeared in Heaven

On September 11th, 3 BC, a virgin woman, clothed with the sun, the moon at her feet, and 12 stars above her head as 2 wandering stars (Mercury and Venus) orbit up to Leo with Jupiter crowning Regulus. This event is visible at sunset and sunrise.

The following was written by Isaiah in approximately 740–701 BC.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14, NASB1995

The following was written by Apostle John the last living apostle on earth 95-96 CE.

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

Revelation 12:1-2, NASB1995

The story in the sky gives us pause as we have seen this before in Revelation 12 on September 23rd, 2017. The differences are slight but meaningful to review:

• Differences between the two signs

  • September 23rd, 2017

    • Jupiter has been in the virgins womb in retrograde (i.e.: turning) for 9 months and exits on 9/23/17.

    • Mercury, Mars, Venus align with Regulus + 8 other stars = 12 stars

  • September 11th, 3 BC

    • Jupiter is crowning (i.e.: making retrograde circles) at the star Regulus (the heart of the lion, the little king, prince).

    • Mars (often means war) is not in the picture, leaving Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter + 9 other stars of Leo = 12 stars. Jesus did not come to make war against the Roman empire as some zealots believed. He came as the prince of peace to shed His blood for our sins.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6, NASB1995

September 11th, 3 BC is a rare conjunction, and supernaturally it pulls words from prophecy as in Isaiah. From the Lion of Judah, a Ruler, a King of Israel, will be born as a child, a prince, a little King and he will shepherd His flock as King David.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah [fruitful], Too little to be among the clans of Judah [Lion of Judah], From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler [King] in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Therefore He will give them up until the time, When she who is in labor has borne a child [little King, prince]. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel [12 tribes of Israel]. And He will arise and shepherd [as King David] His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.  And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.

Micah 5:2-4, NASB1995 

An ancient astronomer, trained by descendants of Daniel, who understood the true meaning behind the Mazzaroth (virgin and lion), would probably watch this alignment with excitement.

“Glory to the New Born King.”

But could it be? Not being sure the wise men would continue to watch for more signs for confirmation…

And there is more…