JESUS' BIRTH FORETOLD BY A STAR...TRUTH...OR A SUN-MYTH RETOLD?

The evidence is extensive. One has only to look.

"The pathway of sacred history and literature reveals that all the systems of worship which have existed in the past have had a dip in "the halo of the heavenly orbs" so states Kersey Graves (Sixteen Crucified Saviors). This means that the heathen pagan nations and their religions are heavenly influenced by the cosmos and the personifications of it over the history of mankind.

He is so true. Over the years my research has found numerous examples of stars playing significant roles in "marking" and "announcing" the births of several of the false "Crucified Sun-god Saviors" of the nations enmeshed in Sun Worship, besides figuring in some cases by marking important events in their subsequent history. Mr. Higgins, the author of an incredible book entitled Anacalypsis, remarks that:

"Among the ancients there seems to have been a very general idea that the arrival of Gods and great personages who were expected to come, would be announced by a star."

The stars have a clear role at the births of several of the saviours and to mark important events in their subsequent history. The ancients thought the arrival of gods and great people would be announced by a star. A star figured either before or at the birth of Abraham, Caesar, Pythagoras, Yu, Krishna, and Christ. The astrological practice of calculating destinies by the stars had long been popular in the East at the time of Christ's birth.

We have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him (Mt 2:1).

Note, it was his star not just a star or even the star, suggesting an astrological meaning.

Zoroaster, about 1000 BC, prophetically announced to the wise men of that country that a saviour would be born, attended by a star at noonday. Similarly when Nared had examined the stars, having heard of Chrishna's fame, he declared him to be from God—the Son of God. The Roman Calcidius speaks of it as a wonderful star, presaging the descent of a God amongst men. A star foretold of the birth of the Roman Julius Caesar. The Chinese God Yu was not only heralded by a star, but conceived and brought to mortal birth by a star.

Numbers 24:17 is the famous passage: 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 Seth. This is a text often quoted by Christian writers as having a prophetic reference to the Christian Messiah. The same text goes on to say, It shall destroy the children of Seth, a prophecy which is plainly false, if it is meant like the rest, to apply to Jesus Christ.

The star of Jacob or Judah, both being the same, is shown on astronomical maps as prominent in the constellation Virgo, the Virgin, called by the Hebrews, Ephraim. When this "star" was positioned in the "belly" of the constellation Virgo...the virgin was immaculately made pregnant by the Sky God and she would bring forth the Son of God. It was known in the Syrian, Arabian and Persian Systems of astronomy as Messaeil, suggestive of Messiah, and was considered the ruling genius of the constellation It seems to have been the star, Spica. The star of Jacob was evidently a figure from astrology in which the virgin is shown rising with an infant Messiah (Messaeil) in her arms. Messaeil is, when analyzed, Messaeh-el (Messiah-God), and is found in the constellation Virgo, which commences rising at midnight, on the 25th of December, with this star in the east in her arms—the star which piloted the wise men. According to Albertus Magnus, in his Book on the Universe, the sign of the celestial virgin rises above the horizon, at the moment we find fixed for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sir William Drummond adds in OEdipus Judaicus: The anointed of El, the male infant, who rises in the arms of Virgo, was called Jesus by the Hebrews... and was hailed as the anointed king or Messiah.

Early people thought a star was alive, because it appeared to move, and acted as though controlled by a living spirit. In Job 38:9 the morning stars join in a chorus and sing together. An astrological interpretation of the star of Bethlehem makes more sense than the notion of a star leaving the firmament and travelling untold light-years to stand over the young child Jesus, as he lay amongst the oxen and asses in a stable (Mt 2:7). To those who like to see God grossly violating his own laws of nature, they might as well believe, since it would have been much easier, even for God, that the star was a large electric light bulb suspended on a wire from heaven. All nations once believed that the planetary bodies or their inhabitants controlled the affairs of men, and even their births. Such astrology still holds sway over many gullible people today.

We find a counterpart to the story of Matthew's travelling star in Virgil (60 BC) who has a star guiding AEneas westward from Troy. Pliny in his Natural History records that the people of Rome fancied they saw a man they took for a god in a star or comet. The apocryphal book of Seth relates that a star descended from heaven and lighted on a mountain, in the midst of which a divine child was seen bearing a cross. To Jews, pagans and Christian the stars might as well have been flies on a ceiling. They could have had no idea that they were immensely bigger than the earth and even the nearest was untold millions of miles away.

And the cases of Abraham, Caesar, Pythagoras, Yu, Chrishna, and Christ, may be cited in proof of this declaration. We find such phenomena in all of them plus many more. A star figured either before or at the birth of each, according to their respective histories and "legends." The "star" in question is the bright "morning star" which originally heralded the birth of the god Sol, the Sun-god, the beneficent Savior.

What is very interesting is that a knowledgeable glance at a geography of the heavens will show the "chaste, pure, immaculate Virgin, suckling an infant," preceded by a Star, which rises immediately proceeding the Virgin and her child. This can truly be called "his Star," which informed the "Wise Men," the "Magi," who were the Astrologers and Sun-worshippers of their day. Let us not also forget the "shepherds who watched their flocks by night," who by noticing this "announcing star," knew that the Savior of Mankind was about to be born. Such a story makes a Christian think of "Jesus," but the sad fact is that although such stores are recorded in a Christian's "infallible and inerrant New Testament," they can be found told about the pagan's god-men since time immemorial. And it is a historical fact that should be noted here that the practice of calculating nativities by the stars was in vogue in the era and country of Christ's birth, and had been for a long period previously in various countries: "We have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him." (Matt. 2:1)

Now mark, here, it was not the star, nor a star, but "his star;" thus disclosing its unmistakable astrological features.

In the history of the Hindu Savior Chrishna, we are told that "as soon as Nared, who, having heard of his fame, had examined the stars, he declared him to be from God; i.e., the Son of God.

Mr. Faber (Origin of Idolatry, vol. ii. p. 77) reports Zoroaster (600 B.C.) as prophetically announcing to "the wise men" of that country that a Savior would be born, "attended by a star at noonday."

The Roman Calcidius speaks of it a wonderful star, presaging the descent of a God amongst men." (Maurice, Indian Skeptics Refuted, p. 62.)

SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The prevalence of such "star" stories announcing the births of pagan Savior-gods laid the foundation for the wise men of Jesus' birth. Such a "star "apprised the wise men of Christ's descent from above. But such "an announcing star" was previously said to have foretold the birth of the Roman Julius Caesar. The Chinese God Yu was not only heralded by a star, but conceived and brought to mortal birth by a star.

It is stated in Numbers 24:17, that there is a star..."The star out of Jacob" which is to come out of Jacob." This is a text often quoted by Christian writers as having a prophetic reference to the Christian Messiah.

Answer for yourself: Have you read the passage for yourself, of have you let your Pastor use scissors on it before he quoted it to you?

You need to look at the context to determine if it applied to Jesus or not. But the same text declares further, "It shall destroy the children of Seth," a prediction which no rational interpretation can make apply to Jesus Christ.

Upon study one finds that such nonsense originates with astrology. What should be of importance to you is that such "copying of lies and fables" is written in a document touted by millions to be "God-breathed." Hardly!

We find this "star of Jacob" or" Judah" (the same) represented on astronomical maps as a prominent star in the constellation Virgo (the Virgin), fancifully termed by the Hebrew "Ephraim" no less . Remember that the prophecy given to Ephraim means he was to become "a multitude of Gentiles" (captivity and assimilation of Norther Tribes) and it is from these mass of non-Jews who lost their Biblical heritage that they also incorporated Sun-Myths due to the pagan influence upon them.

Gen 48:19 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. (KJV)

The Hebrew word for "nations":

1471 gowy rarely (shortened) goy- as a noun, masculine: nation, people a) nation, people 1) usually of non-Hebrew people 2) used of descendants of Abraham (remember Abraham was a non-Jew) 3) Goyim? = "nations"

Answer for yourself: Has that happened to you as well?

Answer for yourself: Do you think that there is any remote chance since reading of the "Virgin" and the sign of "Virgo" that a "star" in the constellation Virgo would be in the slightest way connected to the birth story of "Virgo" or the "Virgin?"

Answer for yourself: Is this a coincidence that the star in the constellation Virgo would be connected with birth of the Virgin?

Even a blind man could see this; excuse the pun. It was known in the Syrian, Arabian and Persian Systems of astronomy as Messaeil (suggestive of Messiah), and was considered the ruling genius of the constellation.

The "star of Jacob," then, was simply a figure borrowed from the ancient pagan systems of astronomy, in which they fancifully represent a virgin rising with an infant Messiah (Messaeil) in her arms. Messaeil is, when analyzed, is nothing more than the bright "morning star" which originally heralded the birth of the god Sol, the Sun-god, Messaeh-el (Messiah-God), and is found in the constellation Virgo, which commences rising at midnight, on the 25th of December, with this "star in the east" in her arms -- the star which piloted "the wise men."

As you can see it was standard and established practice among all ancient people to use the changing positions of the stars as a means of predicting (prophesying) the change of the seasons. The positions of the starts in the night sky changed by approximately one degree every twenty-four hours. This is caused by the difference in the stellar year (366 1/4) days) and the solar year (365 1/4 days). The ancients measured the shift of the seasons by tracking the stars and the time they (stars and constellations) crossed the meridian at night. The position of the circumpolar stars (in the night sky, at a particular time) was also a standard method of tracking the seasons.

Therefore the Biblical statement that the birth of the Sun (Son) was predicted by the appearance of a star, was actually quite commonplace. It was the standard method of the Era.

The constellation of Orion has for millennia been recognized as a group of stars which herald the coming of {short description of image}winter, on Dec. 22, and the birth of the Sun (Son) God, three days later. It is the most glorious constellation in the sky! The legend of the three wise men has, for ages, been connected with the three stars in the Belt of Orion, Mintaka (the belt), Alnilam (string of pearls), and Alnitak (the girdle). These three stars (three wise men) sit proximate to the celestial equator and are easily recognizable, by all.

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN....THIS SHOULD REALLY BOTHER YOU!

The whole thing, then, is evidently an astronomical legend. What gets me is that the New Testament is purported to be a Divine Revelation; a unique Revelation from God. Evidently it is not! Any thinking believer can see that there is severe problems with such a belief.

What is even worse is when one contemplates what other "errors" are presented as "truth" in the New Testament which goes without one's detection.

When we die I guess we all find out, right? I prefer to know now! Do you?

Albert the Great, in his Book on the Universe, tells us, "The sign of the celestial virgin rises above the horizon, at the moment we find fixed for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ." Sir William Drummond, (CEdipus Judaicus, p. 27), states:

"The anointed of El, the male infant, who rises in the arms of Virgo, was called Jesus/Yeshua by the Hebrews, ... and was hailed as the anointed king or Messiah"

This is further proof of the astrological origin of the story.

Dr. Hales, (Chronology) calls Christ "the star of our salvation, the true Apollo, the sun of righteousness" -- all of which are astronomical terms.

This is not as strange as it may look when we factor in the fact that the early inhabitants of the earth regarded a star as a thing of life, because it appeared to move, and therefore was believed by them to to move and act though the animation of a living spirit. And this idea we observe lurking amongst the borrowed orientalisms of the Jewish Old Testament.

The representation of the morning stars joining in a chorus and singing together (Job 38:9), is an instance of this kind. And then we find a much stronger and more conclusive case in the New Testament, where Matthew represents a star as breaking loose from its orbit, and traveling some millions of miles, in order to stand over the young child Jesus, as he lay amongst the oxen and asses in a stable (Matt. 2:7). It is as if the "star had a mind of its own and was alive;" thus explaining its defiance of the laws of science.

"All nations," says Mr. Higgins, (Anacalypsis), "once believed that the planetary bodies or their inhabitants controlled the affairs of men, and even their births." Hence the states, "My stars," "He is ill-starred," etc., in use then, and still in use at the present day. The good or ill luck of a person was attributed to the good or evil stars which it was believed ruled at the hour of his birth. Astrology today is a big business. Nothing new under the sun. (forgive the pun).

We find a counterpart to the story of Matthew's traveling star in Virgil's writings, who declares (60 B.C.) that a star guided AEneas in a journey westward from Troy. In the days of Pliny (Pliny, Natural History, Book II.), the people of Rome fancied they saw a God in a star or comet in the form of a man. The Apocryphal Book of Seth relates that a star descended from heaven and lighted on a mountain, in the midst of which a divine child was seen bearing a cross. Now when you understand that "crosses" are a big part of Sun-Worship then such a comment is not surprising.

LET US NOT MAKE JESUS "STUPID"...BUT THE WRITER OF MATTHEW DOES

The writers of the Gospel of Matthew paints Christ in a bad light when they portray him with profound ignorance of astronomy, when he speaks of "the stars falling from heaven to the earth." (Matt. 24:29) For if there could be any falling in the case, the falling would be in the other direction and the earth would fall to the stars, as larger bodies always attract smaller ones.

As shown above, the stupendous orbs of night were represented by Jew, Pagan and Christian as breaking away from their orbits, and running hither and thither. Today we benefited by the vast progress of science which teaches that the stars are stupendous orbs, some of them a thousand times larger than the planet on which we live, and that they could not depart one rod from their accustomed orbits without breaking up the whole planetary system, and destroying the universe. God gave us illusions to himself in the stars and planets, but not prophecy. Early man knew the planets were all circular, they all moved in circular orbits, and even today we understand that our universe is moving in a circular orbit as well. Geometry teaches us that there is no more "perfect creation" than a "perfect circle." Thus, in this God reveals to us Himself; perfection. The "cosmic designer" give order to the universe and it, properly understood it pictures the "perfect God." This was understood by early man as we find in the Assyrian Triad which has as its center the "perfect circle," representing to them God is the center of all things.

Now read the Gospel of Matthew again with understanding. Observe the absurdity in Matthew's story, which teaches that the wise men followed the star in the east, when they, coming from the east, were, as a matter of course, traveling westward, which would place the star to their backs. That must be a pilot or guide which follows after, instead of going before. Omitting further citations from history, we will only observe further that the ancient Hindus, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Syrians, Mexicans, etc., took great account of stars, and employed them on all important occasions, especially on long journeys and at the births of Gods and great personages -- a circumstance which aids in explaining the star chapter in the gospel history of Christ.

IN CLOSING

Another absurdity in Matthew's story, is that the wise men followed the star in the east, when they were coming from the east. Unless they circumnavigated the world or walked backwards so that they pretended they were travelling East because that was the way they faced, they must have been travelling westward, which would place the star to their backs.

But as we close this article, although a lot of data is presented, understand that the New Testament, touted to be a "Divine and unique revelation" is anything but that. Star stores are not important, but if other things can be found within it just as suspect as this "star story" then we at Bet Emet hope your love for God will drive you to know the truth about a Jewish Jesus and his real message before you die and meet God face to face. Shalom.