Photo by Massimiliano Morosinotto on Unsplash
“The Star of Jacob“
The trio’s senses strained to absorb the beauty of the night. The constellation Libra ruled the panorama. Stretching above the earths darkened circle, the majesty of the quiet evening spread over them like a warm blanket.
The meteor burst into view! Streaking across the velvety sky; it’s fiery tail a wake of blazing embers.
Exclamations of awe and delight punctuated the night. A lingering glow marked the path of the meteors spectacular demise.
It’s explosive appearance rousted the trio from their revery, reviving conversations on an old familiar subject: The “Star of Jacob” prophesied by Balaam, an ancient rogue prophet of their people; The Moabites.
The strange history of this mysterious prophecy made it even more fascinating.
Baalack, king of Moab, was a sworn enemy of the children of Israel. He pursued a diabolical scheme to recruit Balaam, the Moabite prophet, to place a curse upon the Hebrews.
The conflicted prophet was tempted, but each time he crafted a curse, his words became blessings.
God’s intervention caused Balaam’s continuing efforts to fail; but from this tainted prophet came the inspiring word of a future Israelite king.
“…There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel…”
The stunning utterance from the lips of the mercenary prophet;
Fired the imagination of succeeding generations of Magi.
These were the decendents of those who became followers of the Hebrew God; after the miraculous delivery of the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace.
The future “Star” of prophesy, became known as the “Star of Jacob.” What did it mean? The answer remained a mystery.
Gaspar raised the subject.
“The ‘star’ of Jacob, will it be something spectacular, like the meteor? How will we know?”
“It will be unmistakable!” Melchior declared.
“It is certain, when it appears, there will be no doubt…!”
At that moment, an object with the brilliance of a thousand diamonds appeared in the sky above the Western horizon. Its appearance cut off the discussion in mid sentence, startling the three into silence.
Dangling, as if by an invisible string;
Radiant and unmoving, its bold appearance dwarfed the brightest of the stars. Entranced, the three were plunged deep into thought. What could this mean? Was God speaking?
Was the mysterious prophecy unfolding before their very eyes?
Could this be what generations of Magi had long sought for?
After four hundred years of prophetic silence, God had indeed spoken. The much anticipated appearance of “The Star of Jacob” had come to pass.
Jehovah Jireh, Promise Keeper: Creator of the heavens, gave the sign the prophets foretold!
A mighty king would be born; one whose destiny would bring peace and goodwill to ALL inhabitants of earth! The stars appearance awakened wonder and a deep longing in the hearts of the three friends.
Inspired, they determined to become emissaries to the land their patriarch had taken captive so many years before. The land whose God had driven the mighty king Nebuchadnezzar, to yield his allegiance.
The night drew to a close.
Libra’s scales receded into the vastness of space. The celestial lights grew dim as the first faint rays of the coming sunrise appeared in the East.
All but one.
The magnificent star remained, brilliant, beckoning, unmoving.
The trio agreed to return to their homes to make the necessary preparations and rejoin; this time on pilgrimage to the land God had promised the descendants of Abraham.
They would pay homage to the new king of Israel.
The king whose birth was heralded by the appearance of the heavenly sign; the “Star of Jacob.”
