Charles George Missions Presents: Day 17 – Christmas Podcast – “He Decorated the Sky”
Hello and welcome to Day 17, of CGMissions Christmas Podcast. Today’s podcast is entitled “He Decorated the Sky.” Today we are going to talk about God decorating the sky with the Star of Bethlehem or as some say, The Christmas Star, on the night Jesus was born.
If you are joining us for the first time, we invite you to listen to our previous daily podcasts which began on December 1st. In each podcast we have a new contributor share their favorite Christmas memory. These podcasts are brought to encourage you and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stay with us to the end to hear Christmas music and announcements.
Today’s Christmas memory share is from Rebecca who hails from Greece and Germany.
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Charles George Missions Presents: Day 17 – Christmas Podcast – “He Decorated the Sky”
Hello and welcome to Day 17, of CGMissions Christmas Podcast. Today’s podcast is entitled “He Decorated the Sky.” Today we are going to talk about God decorating the sky with the Star of Bethlehem or as some say, The Christmas Star, on the night Jesus was born. And please stay with us because at the end of today’s podcast we are going to tell you about the reappearance of that star and how you can see it.
If you are joining us for the first time, we invite you to listen to our previous daily podcasts which began on December 1st. In each podcast we have a new contributor share their favorite Christmas memory. These podcasts are brought to encourage you and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stay with us to the end to hear Christmas music and announcements.
Today’s Christmas memory share is from Rebecca who hails from Greece and Germany. Let’s join Rebecca now.
Thank you, Rebecca. Your contribution about how you love interior design and decorating helped inspire the title of this podcast because I thought about God and how he decorated the sky with a star on the night Jesus was born.
So, let’s talk about the star. We first hear of the star in the New Testament at Matthew 2:2, the wise men saw a star from the East and it led them to Jerusalem. Why did it not lead them directly to Bethlehem? After some contemplation and some research, here is what I believe. These men obviously knew something about the prophecy concerning Christ but they did not have enough knowledge to know precisely where he would be born. I believe they were sent to Jerusalem to tell the Jewish people that what they had been waiting for all these years had finally come to pass. God had to send foreigners from a faraway land to tell His people that their Redeemer, His Son, had arrived. To me, this is a plausible theory because instead of rejoicing and embracing the arrival of the Messiah, King Herod tried to kill Jesus, he tried to kill the promise. (If you have not listened to Day 15 of this Christmas podcast, please listen, it’s about Herod the Great and his eventual demise.) To further support this theory - as to why they went to Jerusalem first - after the chief priests and scribes told the Wise Men that Jesus could be found in Bethlehem, the star reappears. Matthew 2:9, says, “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo (or look!), the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” So, the Wise Men served their purpose by being the first to announce Jesus’ birth to the Jews.
Now, let’s talk about what is believed to be the reappearance of the Star of Bethlehem or the Christmas Star. And that is to occur on December 21, 2020, four days from the release of this podcast. It doesn’t really matter whether or not it is the same star that appeared at Jesus’ birth. We should view its appearance as a reminder that God deemed His Son’s birth so significant for man that He decorated the sky with its light. That light was a symbol of Jesus as The Light of the World. He came to bring man out of the darkness of sin into the light of God’s redemption. That star reminds us that Jesus is, The bright and morning star of Revelation 22:16.
Many of us will not be with family because of the pandemic (which we pray will be eradicated this time next year). But, we can all see this star together because it will be seen around the world. This is another reminder to us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. John 3:16. If you miss the star on December 21, it will not appear again until March 15, 2080. The alignment of the planets Jupiter and Saturn are what will bring about the star’s appearance. You will be able to see the star with a pair of strong binoculars or a telescope or you can get together with an astronomy club or observatory (if you are so blessed to have an observatory around the corner). You will be able to see the planets align with the naked eye but the occurrence is more spectacular if viewed at close range.
To see the alignment of the planets find a spot with a clear view, no obstructions, like a park, and look to the southwest sky just after sunset on December 21. The two bright planets, which will appear consistently bright and not twinkling like stars, will be pretty low in the sky. As previously stated, this phenomenon will be viewable everywhere on the planet, so long as the skies are clear. And don’t forget, if you miss the December 21 viewing, your next opportunity won’t be until March 15, 2080.
The Star of Bethlehem whose light burned so bright those many years ago still burns bright in our lives because of Jesus, the Light of the World. Let us remember that we are to be a light that shines before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Closing
Thank you for being with us today on CGM Christmas Podcast. Join us again tomorrow when we will again share scriptures celebrating Jesus’ birth, hear an uplifting Christmas memory from another contributor, and listen to songs from our album “CGM We Love Christmas.” This is Stephanie Wright. May God’s love, peace, and protection be with you until next time, and remember, “Don’t let anything steal your Christmas.”
The album “We Love Christmas” is a production of Charles George Missions and Macattack Productions and may be ordered on through our website www.cgmissions/podcast
We leave you with the song, “Silent Night.”