The Bethlehem Star
( An introduction to “The Glory’s Return”)

God has given us a mind with which to think and to attempt to understand what He has written for our instruction in His Word. Far too often, it seems, we fall into the trap of accepting tradition as fact rather than comparing it to the clear teaching of Scripture by adhering to the principles of Bible study laid down in those Scriptures.

Each year at “Christmas” time Christians give special attention to the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and to the marvellous events that accompanied His birth. One of those “secondary” events, for all such events are secondary to the birth itself, was the sudden appearance of the mysterious “star” which guided the Magi to the house where the baby reposed in the town of Bethlehem.

That “star” has puzzled many for centuries for there are no astronomical records of any kind of any strange or unusual heavenly bodies appearing at that time, not withstanding the fact that accurate astronomical records were kept as a matter of course by astrologers in many lands long before that time, Various attempts have been made either to explain the “star” or to explain it away, none of which attempts is satisfactory or in complete accordance with the Scriptural record. It has been labelled a very bright “comet”, some have even suggested Halley’s. It has been explained as a periodic conjunction of several planets, similar to one which we observed just a few years ago. Some have even said that it was an angel.

Whatever it was, it constituted what C. S. Lewis describes as a Supernatural event, something from outside of the realm of nature that enters into it, and is accommodated by it because it is made to do so, since both have the same Creator.  Because it was supernatural, it is therefore useless and futile to look to Nature or to Science, the explorer and material explainer of nature, for a satisfactory explanation of its occurrence. Instead we must go to the only Source of explanation that the Creator has given us for Supernatural events - His own Holy and inspired Word.

Have a look at the poem...

The Glory’s Return

On a night long ago, in Bethlehem town,
The LORD of creation to this earth did come down
To be born as a Babe in the kingdom of men,
And to die on a cross to save them from sin.

To poor shepherds a-watching their flocks on that night
God’s angels appeared - what a glorious sight -
And the ‘GLORY OF GOD”, the Shekinah of old,
Shone ‘round about them as the Good News was told.

For it had returned, that marvellous light
That signalled God’s presence in Judea that night,
As it had to the Hebrews as from Egypt they fled,
In the Pillar of Fire by which they were led.

Around Moses on Sinai that Glory did flood
And his face, in its presence, did shine as he stood
To deliver to Israel the Law that was given,
With a brilliance of glory directly from heaven.

In the wilderness Tabernacle it also did dwell,
Between the two cherubim to show all was well
Between God and His people with whom He would meet
When the blood of the bullock stained the gold Mercy Seat.

It dwelt in the Tabernacle throughout David’s reign,
And King Solomon’s Temple it did not disdain,
But as Israel’s people to idols did turn
And of God’s promised judgment of captivity learn.

The prophet Ezekiel saw it depart
From between the two cherubim, then saw it start
To exit the Temple, yet hovering near,
Until over Mount Olivet it did soon disappear.

Under the Old Covenant ‘tis not again to be found,
For the Light of God’s Presence no more did abound;
God had withdrawn it and ‘twas not seen again
‘Til arrived “God’s due season” on Bethlehem’s plain.

Could this be the “aster” the Magi did see
As they waited and watched for the great King-to-be?
Was this the Great Light that guided them far,
Which men have mistakenly labelled a “Star”?

For no star could accomplish what this light had done,
For it guided those Magi so unfailingly on
That at last it did bring them to the place they did seek -
Where lay Baby Jesus, so tender and meek.

Emmanuel, “God with us”, as Isaiah foretold -
The Light of God’s presence we now do behold
In JESUS, God’s Son, His image expressed,
God in man’s form; by Him man is blessed.

And when, as transfigured, the LORD Jesus did stand
Before His disciples on the mountain so grand,
His Glory, kept hidden, shone forth as the sun,
And God’s voice from the cloud declared Him His Son.

And with mankind still that Glory doth dwell
In the form of God’s Spirit, the o’erflowing Well
Of the water of Life, God’s Breath of His Word,
Sent by Jesus to dwell in the saved of the Lord.

a. franklin staples

December 17, 1988

© 1988 by Allison F. Staples