Daniel, The Magi, and the Star of Bethlehem

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Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,453
113
#1
Daniel 2:48
English Standard Version
48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.


Daniel was taken captive to Babylon in the year 605 BC and by 602 BC had been made ruler over the wise/magi men of Babylon. The magi were astrologers who charted the stars with religious beliefs they thought it to be a way to divine guidance. Typically, it was of pagan origin but something astrological happened that led the Magi to King Herod and then to Jesus.


Daniel 9:25-26
New International Version
25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.


In Daniel 9 we learn that Daniel received a prophetic message that predestined the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the arrival of Jesus and His death, and the 7-year tribulation to come. Without bogging you down in the math, history, and ancient to modern calendar changes, we know this prophecy to be as accurate as knowing the anointed one would be cut off in 32 AD same age as Jesus when He died.


The Magi being influenced by Daniel must have been looking in expectations of this anointed King. They could do the math and knew the time was ripe for the prophecy to reveal the King.


Matthew 2:1-2
English Standard Version
2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Footnotes
[a] Matthew 2:1 Greek magi
Matthew 2:2 Or in the east


Both theologians and scientists debate over what the star of Bethlehem was due to the fact there are documented historical astrological signs that took place leading up to Jesus's birth but no one can really know for sure. It very well could have been a miraculous event but either way, something related to astrology happened to lead the Magi to Jesus.


Of Daniel's prophecy, 483 years have been fulfilled. We are between 483 and the last 7 to come which equals,


Daniel 9:24
New International Version

24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

70x7= 490 years

483.................7 years to come


You are here

Let us be like the wise men and be wise enough to look in expectation for Christ to return. For those who believe in the pretrib rapture then nothing is left prophetically to occur. God is patient and slow to anger. One day is like 1000 years to God so let us not grow weary or apathetic in His coming. The apocalyptic clock is on pause for the full forknown amount of people to come to salvation.

Choose right now before it's too late.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#2

Thought you might be intrested and for whomever.
 

GRACE_ambassador

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2021
2,985
1,415
113
Midwest
#3
For those who believe in the pretrib rapture then nothing is left prophetically to occur.
Precious friend, respectfully disagree:

The seventieth week of Daniel is currently on hold, awaiting The End Of
God's Current Dispensation of Grace, and our Great Grace Departure * to
heaven...
Mystery/Grace (Romans - Philemon)

Rightly Divided (2 Timothy 2:15) From “Things That Differ” (online)

prophecy/covenants (Daniel, Matthew, Revelation)
...Upon Which God's prophetic program resumes with Much left to
prophetically occur...
---------------------------------------
*
Pre-Trib Great GRACE Departure I
+
Pre-Trib Great GRACE Departure II
--------------------------
Grace, Peace, And JOY In Christ, And In His Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided
(+ I and II)!
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,453
113
#4
Precious friend, respectfully disagree:

The seventieth week of Daniel is currently on hold, awaiting The End Of
God's Current Dispensation of Grace, and our Great Grace Departure * to
heaven...
Mystery/Grace (Romans - Philemon)

Rightly Divided (2 Timothy 2:15) From “Things That Differ” (online)

prophecy/covenants (Daniel, Matthew, Revelation)
...Upon Which God's prophetic program resumes with Much left to
prophetically occur...
---------------------------------------
*
Pre-Trib Great GRACE Departure I
+
Pre-Trib Great GRACE Departure II
--------------------------
Grace, Peace, And JOY In Christ, And In His Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided
(+ I and II)!
So what do you disagree with? I do not see anything in your post that contradicts my post.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,600
13,017
113
#5
It very well could have been a miraculous event but either way, something related to astrology happened to lead the Magi to Jesus.
There is nothing to say that the magi (Gk magoi) who would have been astrologers originally did not give up their paganism and became Jewish proselytes and were justified by grace through faith. Then they became astronomers (free from pagan ideas) . They would have been familiar with the Torah, and with the prophecy in the book of Numbers (24:16,17) regarding a supernatural star and its connection to the King of the Jews.

He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 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.

We know from the Gospel of Matthew that the magi had come to WORSHIP the Christ child. Which means that God had been working on their hearts and minds, and had given them insight into the significance of the Star of Bethlehem. The fact that they traveled hundreds of miles (probably from Persia) with costly gifts for Jesus shows their devotion to the true God, to His Messiah, and to the truth. They could even tell Herod that they had come to see "the King of the Jews" (which corresponds to the Sceptre which should arise out of Israel). So this Star was no ordinary star but created by God specifically to lead these men to Bethlehem and to also fulfil the prophecy of Balaam (which was given in spite of himself). And then it was God who sent an angel (or even appeared Himself) to these magi to redirect them back home so that they would avoid Herod.
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,453
113
#6
There is nothing to say that the magi (Gk magoi) who would have been astrologers originally did not give up their paganism and became Jewish proselytes and were justified by grace through faith. Then they became astronomers (free from pagan ideas) . They would have been familiar with the Torah, and with the prophecy in the book of Numbers (24:16,17) regarding a supernatural star and its connection to the King of the Jews.

He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 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.

We know from the Gospel of Matthew that the magi had come to WORSHIP the Christ child. Which means that God had been working on their hearts and minds, and had given them insight into the significance of the Star of Bethlehem. The fact that they traveled hundreds of miles (probably from Persia) with costly gifts for Jesus shows their devotion to the true God, to His Messiah, and to the truth. They could even tell Herod that they had come to see "the King of the Jews" (which corresponds to the Sceptre which should arise out of Israel). So this Star was no ordinary star but created by God specifically to lead these men to Bethlehem and to also fulfil the prophecy of Balaam (which was given in spite of himself). And then it was God who sent an angel (or even appeared Himself) to these magi to redirect them back home so that they would avoid Herod.
I agree. I never said they we're pagans. But we are also never told either. God isn't beyond working in pagan places to still bring about His will.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,600
13,017
113
#7
I agree. I never said they we're pagans. But we are also never told either. God isn't beyond working in pagan places to still bring about His will.
You seem to be missing the point. God would NEVER use idol-worshipping pagans to worship His Christ. So there must have been repentance and faith in the true God and the true Christ before the magi were sent to Bethlehem. It is truly amazing that Gentile converts worshipped Jesus before any Jew, and that the faith of the Roman centurion was deemed to be greater -- by Christ -- than that of any Jew in Israel. The Jews were trusting in their own righteousness.
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,453
113
#8
You seem to be missing the point. God would NEVER use idol-worshipping pagans to worship His Christ. So there must have been repentance and faith in the true God and the true Christ before the magi were sent to Bethlehem. It is truly amazing that Gentile converts worshipped Jesus before any Jew, and that the faith of the Roman centurion was deemed to be greater -- by Christ -- than that of any Jew in Israel. The Jews were trusting in their own righteousness.
It very well could be that or simply like the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. They knew a King was to be born and was prepared to show their respects.

I'm not saying your wrong but simply saying the Bible doesn't say. So we may assume. Just like I can not say with 100% knowledge that the Magi were influenced by Daniels's 9 prophecies. It is an assumption. I normally try not to make assumptions but the only reason I supported this assumption was to show how prophecy should have us all looking in expectation.