HA KOCHAV THE STAR
One of my most favorite things to do in school was going on field trips. My favorite field trip was to the Manor Bakery in Kansas City, mostly because of the treats they gave to us after our visit. But second favorite was going to the planetarium. We got to sit in comfortable seats while the science teacher would have us lean back, look up and note the different constellations above us. The room was dark, the ceiling was dark and I loved looking up and learning about the celestial formations. These days, one does not even have to leave the comfort of one’s home as visiting the planetarium is as easy as clicking a mouse (http://www.neave.com/planetarium/)
However, it was more of a fun experience than a learning experience because I only know three constellations, Orion, the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. The second brightest star in the Little Dipper is called Kochav. It is so bright that it is 130 times brighter than the sun, but because it is so far away (126 light years away), one does not notice its brightness. It is sometimes known as the Guardian of the Pole, because of its northern location.
Over two thousand years ago, another Star appeared in the sky. This was the true Star, Ha Kochav, THE STAR. There was never a Star like it before its appearance; there has never been a Star like it since its appearance. Scholars have debated for centuries what this celestial appearance was: could it have been a comet? Was it a supernova? Was it a planet? Was it a UFO? Through scientific calculations, no theory has ever confirmed what this Star was.
However, God gave some clues. "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) This Star rose in the east. The sun begins its rise in the east; this Star rose in the east, its appearing was like the first rays of the morning. Its rising denotes a new period of time.
“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. (Matt. 2:9) The Star went before them, guiding them to their desired destination.
Many astronomers know that following stars at night is difficult because their movement always changes. The earth’s rotation makes everything in the skies change position. Yet what was it about this Star that guided these men, and directed them to the Messiah?
Liberal scholars and scientists would balk at the reality of this occurrence. Why were the wise men of the East able to discern this Star, yet even brilliant scholars could not and have not been able to determine what was this Star?
Yeshua, Jesus is the Or Ha Olam, the Light of the World. God took a visual event, a star and He magnified it to let us know that this was no ordinary night, this was no ordinary event, this was no ordinary star.
God often keeps us in suspense. His ways are to reveal knowledge a small amount at a time. God keeps His children guessing; we never really know what is going to happen in the future. Every child of God is trusting God for the future, God has each of us ‘in a state of suspense’. Just like the children of Israel, every morning there was fresh manna for them to eat. No use in storing manna for the next day; it spoiled. Yet God was faithful, day after day, week after week, He fed His children in the wilderness. We are no different than the children in the wilderness. We must also be willing to walk in the darkness, to believe and trust in the LORD, and then we shall see.
We must be willing to be led, just like those wise men. They had an amazing Star that led them. But we have an even more amazing Star to lead us, the Light of the World, the Or Ha Olam, Jesus. All He asks is that we have a minute-by-minute dependence upon Him to go where He says, to follow where He leads.
In this world of darkness, Jesus is still the Light of the World.
Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. Dan 2:20-22
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."John 8:12