By Pat Ridpath– Guest Columnist
The Magi found him by way of the star, which was the “meeting” of 3 stars: Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. They followed the star until it rested on where he was, and they began to worship him. In a time where it was dark, Light was brought into our world. Jesus stepped into the chaos and brought peace. From the quoted star story which I used last week. The following is from another source explaining the star a little differently so you can consider it if you want to study about that special star of the East. (https://www.ellenwhite.info/…/ellen-g-white-book-desire…)
The wise men had seen a mysterious light in the heavens upon that night when the glory of God flooded the hills of Bethlehem. As the light faded, a luminous star appeared, and lingered in the sky. It was not a fixed star nor a planet, and the phenomenon excited the keenest interest. That star was a distant company of shining angels, but of this the wise men were ignorant. Yet they were impressed that the star was of special import to them. They consulted priests and philosophers and searched the scrolls of the ancient records. The prophecy of Balaam had declared, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17. Could this strange star have been sent as a harbinger of the Promised One? The magi had welcomed the light of heaven-sent truth; now it was shed upon them in brighter rays. Through dreams they were instructed to go in search of the newborn Prince.
By the time you get this Pat’s Chat, Christmas 2020 is here, or maybe over. I read the following story and it reminded me that Jesus’ birth had been predicted in Biblical and ancient history and tells us that He was born as predicted. In John 14:3 He promised to come again. This story emphasizes that He keeps His promises.
“A little boy about five years old, whose grandfather loved him greatly. He took him everywhere he went and sometimes he would take him on trips up into the Rocky Mountains, where he used to go trapping. When the little fellow’s legs would wear out, the grandfather, a strong man, would put him on his back and carry him for miles.
“One evening they were in the mountains miles away from home; and, although it was after sunset, the grandfather had to go farther up the canyon to look after some traps.
“He found a large rock with a hole in it about five feet from the ground, just about the size of the little boy. So, he put him in it and said, ‘Now, don’t be afraid; nothing can get you up here. You can go to sleep if you want to; nothing will harm you. And I will come back in an hour and take you home.’
“The little boy lay there. The night closed in, dark, the wind moaned around that big rock, and the coyotes began to howl. And if there is anything on earth that is mournful, it is that. And the boy ad an imagination which had often gotten him into trouble; but his grandfather had said, ‘I will come bac,’ and on that promise he fell asleep.
“Grandfather did come back, and he carried the boy home. “I know how the little boy felt; I know how scared he was, because I was that boy. But Grandfather said he would come back, and he had never told me a lie. Neither my grandfather nor my father ever told me anything that was not true, so I believed every word they said. I always found it to be true.
“Jesus has told us, ‘I am coming back.’ He didn’t do it to fool us; He didn’t do it to calm us and then leave us alone forever—for eternity. Oh, no, He is coming back. ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
The little boy was H.M.S. Richards, the author of my devotional, Walking Through the Bible with H.M.S. Richards, that I have used for years. It was copyrighted 2003 by Pacific Publishing Association, printed in the USA. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! MARANATHA (means Our Lord Comes or The Lord is coming)
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