When They Saw the Star, How Big Did It Appear?

On Christmas cards, some artists enlarge the star the wise men saw. If it had been that large, wouldn’t King Herod have seen it?

“Just what was this star, and how could it possibly lead them [the wise men] . . . to just the right location, especially since every one else in the city of the promised Messiah seemed unaware of it?” asks Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.

The Bible says, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:1-2).

The wise men traveled to Jerusalem, located 5.52 miles from Bethlehem. They almost found Jesus on their first try.

The “wise men” were scholars called “the Magi” (from which our word “magic” comes). They hailed from countries such as Iran (part of ancient Persia, that extended from Egypt to India). The Magi studied stars (astronomy) and our physical universe. The wise men who looked for Jesus probably researched the Old Testament and found prophecies about the Messiah.

“There is even an ancient tradition that Balaam, the notorious prophet from Mesopotamia, was an early member of the Magi, perhaps even their founder,” Dr. Morris says. “If so, this fact would at least partially explain why the Magi at the time of Christ were aware that a special star would be used by God to announce the Savior's birth to this world. It was Balaam's prophecy, of course, as recorded in the Bible, that spoke of this future star. Here is his prophecy, actually constrained by God to be uttered against the prophet's own will”:

“I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth, and Edom shall be a possession. Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city” (Numbers 24:17-19).

The Bible does not say there were three wise men or that they were kings.

“Some assume they were three kings because of the number and types of gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh – brought to Jesus,” Dr. Morris says. “The gifts reflected aspects of Christ's nature: gold to a king; myrrh to one who will die; and incense, as homage to God.”

King Herod (who had been appointed “King of the Jews”) consulted scholars and sent the magi to Bethlehem.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

“Then, as they headed toward Bethlehem, they suddenly saw the Star again,” Dr. Morris says. “Though they had not been able to see it while traveling to Jerusalem, it had been going before them and now appeared once again, probably in the early morning sky.”

“ … the star … went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. … they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him” (Matt. 2:7-11).

“Some scholars say the magi found Jesus just after his birth or within 40 days of it, Dr Morris says. “Others say they found Jesus two or three years later. Some say Jesus was living in a house in Bethlehem, as a young child, when magi brought gifts. Some believe Jesus was born in the autumn, during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. The Bible certainly records this fact: the magi found Jesus!”

Dr. Morris seems to believe that the star the wise men followed was a nova or supernova, “a sudden, rare, entirely unpredictable explosion” of an existing star. “Somehow what seems to be an ordinary star suddenly increases tremendously in brilliance, continuing so for several months until it finally fades away.”

“The Biblical account does not say that the star stood above the actual house, of course, but it would be easy enough to find out from the townspeople where the babe was, for the town was not large,” Dr. Morris says.

The Star didn’t appear in the sky as large as artists draw it on Christmas cards, but it appeared large enough for wise men to find Jesus.