Star

Star to what has been said concerning stars under LIGHT, may be added the following remarkable dream explained by the Arabian writers, and to be met with in Herbelot, tit.-"Toumenahkan and Timour."

Toumenahkan, prince of the Moguls or Oriental Tartars, had, by one of his two wives, twin sons, Kilkhan and Fagiouli. This Fagiouli dreamed one night that he saw, proceeding out of his brother’s bosom, three stars which arose successively, after which a fourth arose more glorious than the rest, whose rays enlightened the whole surface of the earth. From this star came out others, which had a bright light, but far inferior to the other. This great star being set as well as the three others, gave place to those less stars, which cast their beams upon several particular parts of the earth.

Fagiouli having had this mysterious dream, and awaking, thought upon it in his mind; and was again overcome with sleep, and dreamed a second time, and saw seven stars, which came out of his own bosom, following one another, and taking each a particular turn in heaven. These seven were followed by an eighth, whose greatness and light far exceeded the rest, and indeed enlightened all the parts of the world, and produced a great number of other stars, which took their several turns, after the great one had finished° its course. Having consulted his father thereupon, well skilled in Oneirocrisy, he called his son Kilkhan, and explained them thus: That according to the first dream, out of the progeny of Kilkhan should arise three princes which should possess the empire of the Moguls, and should transmit it to a fourth, who should subjugate a great part of the world, and divide it amongst his children. And accordingly these were Coblaїkhan, Bortan Behadir, and Jesukaї Behadir, and the fourth. Ginghizkhan; who accordingly divided his kingdom and conquests to his children.

As to the second; that out of Fagiouli should arise seven princes possessing an absolute command in the armies under the authority of the then reigning Mogul emperors; after which an eighth should arise in direct line, who should be the greatest conqueror in the world, and leave a numerous posterity, whose princes should reign to the end of the world. Now these seven were accordingly the chief captains of the Moguls: and the eighth was Timour, or Tamerlane, that great conqueror, whose posterity still reigns in the Indies under the name of the great Moguls.

Upon this exposition the two brethren agreed, that the empire should remain in propriety to the posterity of Kilkhan, the elder, and that the command of the armies should always be in the hands of Fagiouli, the younger. And this was so exactly observed by their successors till the times of Tamerlane, that, notwithstanding his vast power, he long refused the title of Khan, or Sultan, and only took that of Emir, or Commander, until the death of Soїourgatmischkhan, sultan of Cathaї, descended from Ginghizkhan.

I should not have paused over this word which we meet with in the bible, had it not been that among the numberless names, by which the Lord Jesus is distinguished in Scripture, he condescended to be called the bright and morning Star. It is always profitable to eye the Lord Jesus Christ under any, and every name, by which the Holy Ghost reveals him. And there is somewhat very gracious and interesting in this similitude of a star, and particularly in that of the bright and morning star. The Hebrews called the Star Chocab. Andthat memorable prophecy the Holy Ghost extorted from the mouth of Balaam, no doubt had an allusion to Jesus the bright and morning star. And so again in the instance of Caiaphas. Let the reader compare Num. 24. 17. with John x. 49. - 52. Those united views of Balaam and Caiaphas will shew how the Holy Ghost, by his sovereign power, overrules the minds of men to say and predict sometimes the very reverse of what they intend, and makes them the unwilling instruments of proclaiming his precious truths.

It is very blessed to behold how the Lord Jesus is distinguished in Scripture by his different names, and offices, and characters. And it is doubly blessed to behold how JEHOVAH delights to hold him forth to his church’s view under every sweet and endearing manifestation, by which he may be brought home to the warmest affections of the heart of his redeemed, and formed in them the hope of glory. All, and every name, and perfection and grace, ascribed to the person of the Lord Jesus, shews that JEHOVAH’S great intentionhath been from everlasting to exalt and glorify his dear Lord. And if the reader, as he reads his Bible, would remark it, he would discover that whenever the Lord speaks of any thing of eminency, or greatness, or glory, it is by way of introducing the Lord Jesus. Hence, he speaks of himself as the light and the life of men, the light of the world, the sun of righteousness, the bright and morning star. Hail! I would say for myself and readers, hail the blessed brightness of thy Father’s glory, and the express image of hisperson! Do thou in mercy arise, morning by morning, upon my soul, to chase away all the remaining darkness of my poor wintry, cold, and cheerless heart, and give me grace to be hold thee, and accept thee, as the sure pledge of that everlasting day, whose sun shall no more go down, but the Lord himself will be "my everlasting light, and my God, my glory." (Isaiah lx. 19.)

in Hebrew, בוכב . Under the name of stars, the ancient Hebrews comprehended all the heavenly bodies, constellations, and planets; in a word, all the luminaries, the sun and moon excepted. The number of the stars was looked upon as infinite. And the Psalmist, to exalt the power and magnificence of God, says, that he numbers the stars and calls them by their names; and so are they put to express a vast multitude, Gen 15:5; Gen 22:17; Exo 33:13.

Under the name of stars, the Hebrew comprehended all the constellations, planets, and heavenly luminaries, except the sun and moon. The psalmist, to exalt the power and omniscience of God, says, "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names," Psa 147:4 ; God being described as a king taking a review of his army, and knowing the name of every one of his soldiers. Christ is called "the Morning Star," which is the brightest of the heavenly train, and ushers in the day, Jer 22:16 . Compare Num 24:17 . To express increase and multiplication, Scripture uses the similitude of the stars of heaven, or of the sands of the sea, Gen 15:5 22:17 26:4 Exo 32:13 . In times of disgrace and public calamity, it is said the stars withhold their light; they fall from heaven, and disappear. These figurative and emphatic expressions, which refer to the governing powers of nations, are only weakened and enervated by being explained.\par In the pure atmosphere of Judea and the East the stars shine with peculiar brilliancy, and seem as if hanging midway in the heavenly canopy, while the eye penetrates the ether far beyond them. The beauty and splendor that men observed in the stars; the great advantages they derived from them; the wonderful order apparent in their return, in the production and preservation of animals, fruits, plants, and minerals, have induced almost all heathen nations to impute to them life, knowledge, power, and to pay them a sovereign worship and adoration. The Israelites also needed to be warned against this sin. "Learn not the way of the heathen," says God, "and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them," Jer 10:2 . See IDOLATRY.\par

STAR

1. Introductory.—Occasional reference is made in the NT to a star or stars, and, in most cases, an extraordinary significance of some kind is associated with the mention of such.

Two Greek words are employed, viz. ἀστήρ and ἄστρον. The latter also bears a collective meaning (= a group of stars, a constellation), but not in the NT. ἀστήρ is often applied metaphorically (see below). ἄστρον occurs in Luk 21:25, Act 7:43 ‘the star of the god Rephan’ (a quotation from Amo 5:25 f.), Act 27:20, Heb 11:12. Elsewhere (exc. 2Pe 1:19, where φωσφόρος, ‘day-star,’ occurs) ἀστήρ is used.

Sometimes these references are without any special significance (e.g. Act 27:20, Heb 11:12 ‘as the stars of heaven in multitude’), but more often some definite symbolical application is apparent, as, for example, when a period of calamity marking a Divine visitation is described as a time when the light of the sun and the moon is withdrawn and ‘the stars fall from heaven’ (Mat 24:29, || Rev 6:13; Rev 8:10-11; cf. Eze 32:7). In Rev 9:1 the image of the ‘fallen star’ has a personal reference, Satan apparently being denoted by it (cf. Luk 10:18 ‘I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven’); on the other hand, by the figure of ‘the seven stars’ which Christ holds in His right hand (Rev 1:16; Rev 2:1; Rev 3:1) are signified the angels of the seven churches under the direction of Christ; cf. Rev 1:20 (Grimm-Thayer). In Rev 12:1 the ‘crown of twelve stars’ may be intended to symbolize the twelve tribes (or the twelve Apostles ‘regarded as the crowning ornament of the Jewish Church’). A mythological allusion is apparent in Rev 12:4 (‘a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars’). One passage (Rev 22:16) identifies Christ with ‘the bright, the morning star’ (ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ λαμπρός, ὁ πρωινός), in accordance with which also Rev 2:28 (‘I will give him the morning star’) and 2Pe 1:19 (‘until the day-star [φωσφόρος] arise in your hearts’) are probably to be interpreted (see, further, below).

2. The star of the Magi (Mat 2:1-12).—In its main outlines the story of the visit of the Magi to Jerusalem and Bethlehem is probably based upon what the compiler of the First Gospel believed to be facts. It rests upon a historical basis. The widespread expectation of the coming of a World-Redeemer, about the time of the beginning of the Christian era, and the interest of Eastern astrologers in His advent in the West are well attested, and may well have led to some such visit as is described in Mt.* [Note: See esp. the admirable discussion in W. C. Allen’s ‘St. Matthew’ (ICC), pp. 11–15.] (See, further, art. Magi). It must be remembered, however, that Mt.’s narrative is governed by an apologetic purpose. It was written for the special object of meeting the needs and objections of Jewish readers. One influential motive at work in Matthew 2 seems to be a desire on the part of the Evangelist to suggest a likeness between the Divinely guided career of Moses, the instrument of Israel’s redemption from Egypt, and the Messianic Redeemer who saves His people from their sins. ‘Thus the story of the Magi and the star has a striking parallel in the Midrash Rabbâ to Exodus in the section which deals with the birth of Moses. There we are told that Pharaoh’s astrologers (האסטרולונין) perceived that the mother of the future redeemer of Israel [i.e. Moses] was with child, and that this redeemer was destined to suffer punishment through water. Not knowing whether the redeemer was to be an Israelite or an Egyptian, and being desirous to prevent the redemption of Israel, Pharaoh ordered that all children born henceforth should be drowned.’† [Note: See an art. by the present writer in The Interpreter (Jan. 1906) on ‘The Gospel Narratives of the Nativity and the alleged influence of heathen ideas.’] But perhaps the leading motive in Mt.’s narrative in this section of it is to suggest the homage of the Gentile world, and the selection of the gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) may have been influenced by passages from OT Messianic prophecy which predict the allegiance of the nations (Isa 60:1 f., Isa 60:5, Psa 72:11-12; Psa 72:15).‡ [Note: Notice esp. Isa 60:3 ‘And the Gentiles shall come to thy light.’] A contrast may also be intended to be suggested between the spiritual Kingship of the Messiah, and the earthly kingship of secular rulers (like Herod) who are instinctively hostile to the new force that has entered the world.

It is noticeable, however, that Mt. here does not cite any proof-passages from the OT (in Mat 2:5-6 the quotation from Micah is placed in the mouth of the Sanhedrin). If the compiler had in mind the passage in Num 24:17 (‘There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,’ etc.), as has been sometimes supposed,§ [Note: E.g. by Wünsche, Neue Beiträge zur Erläuterung der Evangelien, p. 12.] his failure to cite it would indeed be surprising. But it is to be observed that in Numbers the star is identified with the Messiah, and would hardly be applicable in this story. (See, further, below).

It may be, as Zahn* [Note: Das Evangelium des Matthäus (1903), p. 101.] suggests, that Mt. regards the episode of the visit of the Magi to render homage to the newborn King not so much in the light of a fulfilment of ancient prophecy, as a new prophecy ‘which indicates that the Messiah Jesus, who has been born to save His own people from their sins (Mat 1:21), will be sought out and honoured by heathen, while the leading representatives of the religious thought and worship of Israel ask no questions concerning Him, and leave it to the tyrant, who enslaves them, to concern himself about the true King of the Jews, and then only with the object of compassing His destruction.’ On this view the star and the astrologers—the Magi—become significant as proof that God uses even such imperfect means as astrology for bringing the heathen to the knowledge of the truth.

The ‘star’ of the narrative doubtless refers to some particular star, or to some unique astral phenomenon which the Magi were led to connect with the birth of the World-Redeemer in the West. The detail about the star ‘which they saw at its rising’ going ‘before them, until it came and stood still above (the place) where the child was,’ is, doubtless, not intended to be understood literally. It is merely a poetical description of the illusion which makes it appear that a luminous heavenly body keeps pace and maintains its relative position with the movement of the observer.

Various attempts have been made to identify the ‘star’ of this narrative with some exceptional heavenly phenomenon, and to fix its occurrence by means of astronomical calculation. The most famous of these is that of Kepler (1605), who thought of a close conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation Pisces,—a rare combination which takes place only once in 800 years, and which occurred no less than three times in the year 747 a.u.c. (= b.c. 7). See Edersheim, LT [Note: T Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah [Edersheim].] i. p. 212 f. But the data are too indefinite to allow of any certain conclusion in the matter. Moreover, the ignorance displayed by Herod and ‘all Jerusalem’ as to the nature of the star hardly suggests that its appearance would strike any but practised astrologers.

The association of the birth of great men with such phenomena was a common feature in the ancient world where astrology was held in high esteem. Thus, e.g., ‘on the birthnight of Alexander, Magi prophesied from a brilliant constellation that the destroyer of Asia was born’ (cf. Cic. de Dirinatione, i. 47, cited by Allen, op. cit. p. 12). On Jewish ground we have already seen the same idea at work in connexion with the birth of Moses in the Midrash passage cited above. Edersheim (op. cit. i. p. 211 f.) also cites some late Midrashic passages which connect the coming of Messiah with the appearance of a star. But these are of very uncertain value.

3. The star of the Messiah.—Sometimes the Messiah Himself is metaphorically referred to as a Star,† [Note: The same word is used metaph. in Arabic for a ruler.] a description which is based, apparently, on Num 24:17:

‘There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,

And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel’;

In the Targum Onkelos this is rendered:

‘When a king shall arise out of Jacob,

And the Messiah shall be anointed from Israel’;

And in pseudo-Jonathan:

‘When the mighty King of Jacob’s House shall reign,

And the Messiah, the Power sceptre of Israel, shall be anointed.’

Here, it will be noticed, the Star is expressly identified with the Messianic King. A similar Messianic application of this passage meets us in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, where (Judah, 24 [Greek text]) the following occurs:

‘Over you a star shall proceed out of Jacob,

And a man shall arise from my seed like the sun of righteousness’ (cf. Mal 4:2). Cf. also Test. Levi 18.

In the first part of the 3rd Messiah-Apocalypse embodied in The Apocalypse of Baruch (ch. 53), the seer beholds the Messiah appear like lightning ‘on the summit of the cloud’; and this lightning ‘shone exceedingly so as to illuminate the whole earth’ (cf. Mat 24:27 ‘For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man’; Luk 17:24 and the other NT passages cited below; cf. Volz, Jüd. Eschatologie, p. 221).

It was apparently from Num 24:17, Messianically interpreted, that the false Messiah Simeon derived his designation Bar Cochba (i.e. ‘Son of the Star’). When Rabbi Akiba acknowledged him as the Messiah, he expressly cited this Scripture passage (Bab. [Note: Babylonian.] Sanh. 97b) as applicable to Simeon, though this opinion was not generally shared by the learned among the Jews of the time. Bar Cochba seems to have been invested with a Messianic character by the irresistible force of popular public opinion. After the disastrous issue of his revolt it became necessary to apologize for Akiba’s mistake, and one such explanation seems to be reflected in some of the minor Midrashim which make the reference apply to Messiah ben Joseph, who was destined to be killed in battle before Messiah ben David could appear.* [Note: the Pesikta Zutarta (ed. Wilna, 1880, p. 129b) and Jellinek’s Beth ha midrasch, iii. p. 141, etc.] There is thus good evidence that in the time of Christ the ‘Star’ of Num 24:17 was popularly identified with the Messianic King.† [Note: For an early Christian application of Num 24:17 to Christ, cf. Justin Martyr, Apol. i. 32: ‘Isaiah, another prophet, prophesying the same things by other expressions, thus spake: “There shall rise a star out of Jacob, and a blossom shall ascend from the root of Jesse,” ’ etc.]

This idea may have influenced those NT passages where Jesus is represented as the ‘Morning Star’ (Rev 22:16; Rev 2:28), though it must be remembered that the angels are described symbolically in the Bk. of Enoch (lxxxvi. 1, 3) as ‘stars’—a metaphor which helps to explain the symbolism by which Jesus is here described as ‘the Morning Star.’ ‘Among the stars of the spiritual firmament,’ Jesus is ‘the brightest in the whole galaxy’ (Swete, Apocalypse, p. 306). A similar conception meets us in 2Pe 1:19 (‘Take heed unto the lamp of prophecy until the day dawn, and the day-star [φωσφόρος] arise in your hearts’), and, in fact, the essential idea is present in all those passages of the NT which speak of the spiritual illumination that accompanies the revelation of the Messiah (cf. the fragment of an old Christian hymn in Eph 5:14 ‘Awake, thou that sleepest … and Christ shall shine upon thee’; cf. Joh 1:9 Christ ‘the Light which lightens every man coming into the world,’ etc.). There is also the remarkable description of the Messiah as the ‘Day-spring from on high’ (ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους) in the Song of Zacharias (Luk 1:78), which may possibly have been associated in thought with the Messianic Star.‡ [Note: See an art. by the present writer in ZNTW, vol. vi. p. 96 f. (Feb. 1905), where this point is specially discussed.]

The association of the idea of light with the Messiah and the Messianic age was well established in Jewish Literature. This idea is founded on—or, at any rate, finds classical expression in—Isa 60:1 f. (‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come’). The Midrash (Yalkut Shim.) on this passage is instructive. It comments thus:

‘What is asserted by the words of the Psalm, “In thy light shall we see light” (Psa 36:10)? It is the light of the Messiah that is meant. For when it is said, “God saw the light that it was good” (Gen 1:4), it is thereby taught that the Holy One (Blessed be He) contemplated the generation of the Messiah and his works, before the world had been created, and that He concealed the light for the Messiah and his generation beneath His throne of glory. Then spake Satan before the Holy One (Blessed be He): “Lord of the World, for whom is the light hidden beneath Thy throne of glory destined?” [Answer] “For him who in the time to come will subdue thee and bring thee to shame.” ’

The Midrash then goes on to relate that at his request Satan was allowed to see the Messiah, and at the sight of him trembled and sank to the ground, crying out; ‘Truly this is the Messiah, who will deliver me and all heathen kings over to Gehenna.’* [Note: See the whole passage in Weber, Jüd. Theol.2 p. 397 f. Edersheim, LT ii. p. 728 (Appendix ix.).]

Gressmann (Der Ursprung der isr.-jüd. Eschatologie, p. 307 f.) traces the association of light in connexion with the Servant of Jahweh, who is represented as the Light of the World in Deutero-Isaiah (Isa 49:6; Isa 51:4) to the mythical representation of the World-Ruler as a solar hero in the old Saga.

In fact, under the figure of light the salvation and felicity of the Messianic age are constantly depicted (see esp. Volz, Jüd. Eschatologie, pp. 328–331). The heavenly Jerusalem of the Apocalypse is a city filled with celestial light (Rev 21:23; Rev 21:25; Rev 22:5). The long drawn out contrast between light and darkness that pervades the Fourth Gospel is also significant in this connexion.

G. H. Box.

There are only two passages in which the word ‘star’ occurs outside its frequent symbolical use in the book of Revelation. The first is in St. Stephen’s defence, where he quotes a passage from the prophet Amos (Amo_5:25-27), speaking of the idolatry of the Israelites and mentioning ‘the star of the god Rephan’ (Act_7:43). It is admittedly a difficult passage, but the probable reference is to the Assyrian star-god. The other is in St. Paul’s well-known argument on the resurrection of the body: ‘One star differeth from another star in glory’ (1Co_15:41). As in nature we observe identity of substance with diversity of form, so will it be in the risen bodies of God’s people.

Turning to the use of the word ‘star’ in the Book of Revelation, we find in the vision of the Son of Man that ‘he had in his right hand seven stars’ (Rev_1:16) and that ‘the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches’ (Rev_1:20). According to one view, the angels of the churches are their pastors or rulers; according to another, they are superhuman beings standing in some intimate relation to the churches. The latter is the ordinary use of ἄããåëïò in the Apocalypse (see Angels; see also Rev_2:1; Rev_3:1).

In the message to the church of Thyatira the promise to those who overcome is: ‘I will give him the morning star’ (Rev_2:28), i.e. the conqueror is to possess Christ. ‘Christus est stella matutina qui nocte saeculi transacta lucem vitae sanctis promittit et pandet aeternam’ (Bede). In Rev_22:16 Christ says of Himself: ‘I am … the bright, the morning star.’ ‘If the churches are ëõ÷íßáé and their angels ἀóôÝñåò, the Head of the Church may fitly be the ἀóôὴñ ὁ ðñùéíüò, (H. B. Swete, Apocalypse2, London, 1907, p. 47). See article Morning Star.

At the sounding of the third trumpet ‘there fell from heaven a great star … and the name of the star is called Wormwood’ (Rev_8:10 f.). This is a symbol of Divine visitation. Hence the name ‘Wormwood,’ which is associated with Divine chastisement. The waters are changed into wormwood, and many who drink of them die. This may represent the bitterness of the water with which men seek to quench their thirst, instead of partaking of the water of life. In Rev_9:1 the Seer sees a star already fallen (ðåðôùêüôá) and lying on the ground, representing the fall of some person, perhaps Satan.

Lastly, the Woman in the vision (Rev_12:1) ‘has a crown of twelve stars’ (see article Sun).

Morley Stevenson.

This word is used as a type of great people. Sometimes these are evil persons, sometimes they are good persons. Sometimes they are real people, and sometimes they are heavenly persons as angels. Sometimes they are used to represent good, and sometimes evil. We shall consider some of these places. CHRIST JESUS also is typified by a star.

Gen 37:9 (a) The explanation of this type is that the eleven stars were the eleven brothers of Joseph, while the sun and moon represented Joseph’s father and mother. This dream was a prophecy, and it was fulfilled in Gen 42:6, and four times following this. These eleven brethren bowed down to their brother Joseph just as he had dreamed.

Num 24:17 (b) The Lord JESUS is represented by this type. He will one day arise with power, He will come with glory, and He will take charge of the destinies of men.

Dan 8:10 (b) Alexander the Great was the horn. The stars he cast down were the great generals of opposing armies. He destroyed kings and great powerful leaders in his rapid march from nation to nation.

Dan 12:3 (a) These are symbols of the honor and glory that will be given to those who are engaged in GOD’s service, and who are used of the Lord to turn men to the Lord. They receive this wonderful position of honor in eternity.

Amo 5:26 (b) Each idol was represented by a high priest or a chief priest who had charge of the worship of that idol. This dignitary is called a "star." (See Act 7:43).

2Pe 1:19 (a) The meaning is that the heart is to become phosphorescent. The light of GOD is to shine out and reveal the presence of the Spirit of GOD in the soul.

Rev 2:28 (b) The Lord JESUS is undoubtedly this beautiful orb. He calls Himself by that name. He shines in the heavens, He shines in the darkness, He himself heralds the coming of that day when He will rule and reign.

Rev 8:12 (b) Since there is rebellion in Heaven among the angels and against GOD, it seems that in this passage we are told that one-third of those great angelic leaders will be cast down from their exalted position because of their enmity to our Lord. The great star that fell in verse 10 is another angelic dignitary who has power to bring bitterness, hatred and evil upon men.

Rev 12:1 (b) This woman is a type of Israel and the twelve stars represent the twelve patriarchs for whom the twelve tribes are named.