Legend Of The Christmas Star
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The colorful Christmas stars hung on the trees and
houses have now become a prominent symbol of Christmas. Available in a
range of sizes, colors and patterns, these adorable decors bring the
flavor of festivals along with them. Have you ever thought how these
stars became the symbol of Christmas? Christmas star, also known as the
Star of Bethlehem, is associated with the birth of the Son of God, Jesus
Christ. Christians all over the world believe that it is this star
which revealed the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and the magi and led
them to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. This symbol of birth of the
king of kings appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew.
The wise men asked King Herod who, upon interpreting the verse from the
Book of Micah and as if by prophecy, directed them to Bethlehem, a
nearby village. The Star of Bethlehem led them to Jesus's birth place in
Bethlehem.
The Story Of Star Of Bethlehem
A new star was seen in the sky, along with other stars, one fine night and this star was so radiant that its bright rays spread light as bright as day on the gray hills of Bethlehem. The shepherds, who were resting after a hectic day, saw this strange, bright star and were frightened because of the unusual shine. Immediately, to their surprise, an angel came to them and said: "Do not be afraid; the star has come to bring you good tidings of great joy, and to show you the place where a little baby is born,--a little babe whose name is Jesus, and who will give peace and joy to the whole world." The angel disappeared after saying this and the shepherds decided to go and see the child. They left their flock of sheep resting on the hillside and took their crook.
The shepherds started towards Bethlehem, following the bright star and reached the stable where Jesus Christ was born. They bowed the baby who was cradled in a manger. It was the same star that appeared before the three wise men who noticed the star moving. They understood that it was some omen and began to follow it. These wise men too, reached Bethlehem and bowed down before the baby and presented him with the various gifts that they had got with them. The star, which casted the bright light and led the shepherds and wise men to Bethlehem, then went back to heaven.
The Christmas star is not just a colorful decor; it signifies peace and high hopes. It gives you the ray of hope that the Son of God will help you confront and conquer every difficult situation you come across. It shows that every good thing comes from within and that there is a silver lining in every dark cloud.
The Story Of Star Of Bethlehem
A new star was seen in the sky, along with other stars, one fine night and this star was so radiant that its bright rays spread light as bright as day on the gray hills of Bethlehem. The shepherds, who were resting after a hectic day, saw this strange, bright star and were frightened because of the unusual shine. Immediately, to their surprise, an angel came to them and said: "Do not be afraid; the star has come to bring you good tidings of great joy, and to show you the place where a little baby is born,--a little babe whose name is Jesus, and who will give peace and joy to the whole world." The angel disappeared after saying this and the shepherds decided to go and see the child. They left their flock of sheep resting on the hillside and took their crook.
The shepherds started towards Bethlehem, following the bright star and reached the stable where Jesus Christ was born. They bowed the baby who was cradled in a manger. It was the same star that appeared before the three wise men who noticed the star moving. They understood that it was some omen and began to follow it. These wise men too, reached Bethlehem and bowed down before the baby and presented him with the various gifts that they had got with them. The star, which casted the bright light and led the shepherds and wise men to Bethlehem, then went back to heaven.
The Christmas star is not just a colorful decor; it signifies peace and high hopes. It gives you the ray of hope that the Son of God will help you confront and conquer every difficult situation you come across. It shows that every good thing comes from within and that there is a silver lining in every dark cloud.
The Christmas star has traditionally been associated with the spirit of the celebration. What is so special about it?
ReplyDeleteThe stars that appear in the sky today are the same ones that were there two thousand years ago.
Was there a nova at the time of Jesus' birth? The exact time of His birth is not known, but astronomers cannot place a new star appearance anywhere near the possible time. Could it have been a shooting star? Again, the astronomers say it was not likely. A meteor lasts only a few seconds or minutes at best. The wise men followed the star for weeks looking for Jesus. We can rule out comets as well. They can be seen by the naked eye for a week or months. But modern astronomers know which comets were close enough to earth hundreds and thousands of years ago and there was no comet visible to humans around the time of Christ's birth.
Some star gazers suggest that if we move the birth of Jesus to the springtime of 6 B.C., we can attribute the star to the time the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were close together in the heavens. They formed a triangle in the group of stars known as Pisces.
Star ornaments originated as a symbol of guidance and faith. They represent the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Maji to the manger where the Christ Child was born on that night so long ago. The Christmas Star, sparkling like a diamond in the night sky, symbolizes high hopes and high ideals — hope for good fortune, hope for reaching above oneself and hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteThere are many legends associated with Christmas holiday and the legend of Christmas Star is one among them. The biblical accounts in Mathew and Luke tell about astronomical events and occurrence in the night sky on the day Jesus was born in the stable amongst the cattle and horses at Bethlehem. The Roman Emperor Augustus had sent Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They set on a 125 Km journey by foot, on the back of a donkey. The travel was tiresome for Mary as she was in her 9th month of pregnancy and when they arrived at the destination, Bethlehem was teeming with people that they did not find room to stay at the inn. So, Mary delivered baby Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem. According to the legend, the strange star appeared before the birth of Jesus. The wise men interpreted it as a sign of a great event in the land of the Jews.
ReplyDeleteThe Legend of the Christmas Star
ReplyDeleteA diamond shines no brighter
Than that lovely Christmas star,
It shines in all its brilliance;
It’s seen from near or far.
A symbol of the Christ child
As He lay upon the hay,
It tells to all the waiting world
A King was born that day.
O’ Bethlehem Star keep shining –
Give us faith and hope and love.
Keep our thoughts forever turning
To the Savior up above.
Give us strength and hope and courage
To do our best by far
And never falter in our faith
As we watch that Christmas star.
'The Christmas Star'
ReplyDeleteIsaac's head began to nod. His hand slowed down scratching the dog's head. It was hard for a boy of ten to stay awake all night in the field. The dog licked his face. "What? Oh, good boy," Isaac said. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. The sky was clear and full of stars. Isaac was glad his father thought he was old enough to help with their flocks of sheep.
Isaac's father and his uncle soon came by to check on him. The three of them sat to share a loaf of bread and some cheese. Suddenly a bright light washed over the shepherds from above. They were scared. They looked up to see a host of beautiful angels. One of the angels spoke to them. "Do not be afraid," the angel said. "I bring you good news of great joy! Today a savior is born in Bethlehem. He is Christ the Lord. Go to the city. You will find the baby lying in a manger. Follow the brightest star."
Hundreds of angels appeared and sang praises to God. As suddenly as they appeared, the angels returned to heaven. Only one bright, shining star over Bethlehem was left in the sky. The shepherds were amazed. "We must go to the city and find this savior," said Isaac's father. "We must hurry!" said Isaac.
The shepherds began to round up their flocks and herd them toward home. Once the sheep were penned up, Isaac and his father and uncle walked quickly to Bethlehem, where the star was shining down on the stable behind the inn. There they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby in the stable.
Jesus was bundled in clean cloths and sleeping in a feeding manger full of fresh hay. The light from the star shone back from the baby's face. The shepherds fell to their knees.
Isaac knelt by the manger and said a prayer, thanking God for giving a savior to the world. Isaac's father thanked Mary and Joseph for letting them see the baby. When the shepherds left, they told everyone they saw about the miracles they witnessed that night.
The star shone over Bethlehem day and night. One night a large caravan made its way past the shepherd's field. Isaac went to the edge of the field and called out to the men. "Did you see the one they call Jesus?" he asked. "We did!" the men replied.
These men were not like any men Isaac had ever seen. They were the three Wise Men. "We saw the star from our lands very far away. We have traveled a long time to see this child called the Savior. The kings from our countries sent precious gifts to give to him."
Isaac said to the Wise Men, "You did not come by my fields when you came to Bethlehem." "You are right," said the tallest man. "We asked King Herod where to find this savior." "The king did not know," continued the man, "but he told us to find out so he might worship him also."
"We followed the star to the house where young Jesus was staying," said the shortest man. "We gave our gifts of gold and frankincense, to scent the air, and myrrh, a costly oil."
"Then we were warned in our dreams by an angel not to return to Herod but to go home another way," said the oldest man. "So that is what we have done. And now we have met you, my young friend." "I am Isaac," said the young shepherd. "I'm telling everyone about God's glorious star lighting the way to the King of Kings."
A Christmas Star Topper
ReplyDeleteA tree topper is a decorative star, angel, santa or other item which is placed on the crown (top) of a Christmas tree. The most popular tree topper is the angel, followed by the star. If viewed in a Christian context, the tree topper usually signifies the Christmas Star (Star of Bethlehem) or angelic hosts which proclaimed the news of the birth of Jesus to the world on the eve of his birth.
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