Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
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Thanks for joining us this Memorial Day weekend. Let’s pause for a moment of silence to thank those who have given their lives for our nation so the pools can open and we can buy a mattress on sale. I write that in jest, but Americans must remember the serious business of remembrance on Memorial Day weekend.
Switching gears, I don’t know why “stars” popped into my brain as the topic for today’s study. But it did, and off we go.
That “brain pop” also sparked a vivid memory from the mid-1980s. During a five-day Colorado River raft trip through the Grand Canyon, the night sky was filled with a zillion stars. As a city slicker, I remember being awestruck, never having seen such a dazzling display, even in the countryside.
That vast eternity of stars was imprinted on my soul, representing the glory of God. Is heaven located above that starfield? Are stars the floor of heaven? Enough with the personal wonderment, let's turn to what the Word of God says about stars. With so many verses, I have selected only a representative sample. We begin at the beginning:
“God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars” (Genesis 1:16). Witnessing God’s great power in that endless canopy of stars strengthened my faith.
Next is the first of two passages that came to mind when this star topic twinkled my brain. The setting is when Abram (before he was renamed Abraham) is distraught about not having an heir. Then the “word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision”:
“He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5). This passage is an exercise in trusting the Lord when you look at those same stars!
Here is how the previous verse could be canceled when God outlines curses for disobedience in Deuteronomy Chapter 28:
“You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:62).
In the famous Hebrews 11 “faith” chapter, the reference to “the stars in the sky” is tagged to that chapter’s first verse: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” The passage reads:
“And so from this one man [Abraham] and he as good as dead [old] came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Hebrews 11:12). Whenever you need a faith boost, look to the stars. His great power and glory are displayed for all to see, so be confident that He loves and cares for you.
What follows is a Messianic prophecy in the Torah that describes a “star”:
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17). Any guess who that “star” could be? Keep reading. Now we shift to three star-related Psalms that can renew your spirit:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).
“To him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever..” (Psalm 136: 7-9).
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalms 147:4-5).
Next is an Isaiah prophecy thought to be a description of Satan since no one else would dare want to “raise my throne above the stars of God”:
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon’” (Isaiah 14:12-13).
In the New Testament, here is the other passage that smacked me with the star topic:
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him’” (Matthew 2:1-2).
Note that the Bethlehem “star” is not considered to be a star but a “conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn,” according to my NIV Study Bible.
In Luke, Jesus teaches about signs at the “end of the age”:
“‘There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea’” (Luke 21:25).
Revelation has numerous intriguing star references that you can research for extra credit. However, the most profound message is recorded near the end of Revelation, where Jesus connects who He is with the Messianic prophecy we discussed earlier in (Numbers 24:17), “A star will come out of Jacob,” which means Israel:
“‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star’” (Revelation 22:16).
Jesus proclaiming, He is “the bright Morning Star has many theological meanings. But for this star study, think about how a star prophesied His coming in the Torah book of Numbers. Then, a star announced his earthly birth. And, in the final verses of Revelation, He declares, “I am the bright Morning Star,” which is also thought to mean that He is coming to restore Israel. I say, “Come Jesus, come.” Amen!
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57-113 Order it here.
Myra is also the Executive Director of SignFromGod.org and the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit. Both are educational donor-supported ministries dedicated to building a permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C., and promoting the $1 Million Challenge to replicate the Shroud. Contact: <MyraAdams01@gmail.com>
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