All through the Bible, God’s anointed writers used the stars as symbols of the heavenly host. The stars, though incomprehensible distances away, shine bright to our eyes, piercing the vast blanket of darkness that cannot overcome them. At this time of year, we celebrate the coming of the brightest light of all, the light that expels all darkness, against whom no darkness can exist at all.
It was a star shining in the darkness of night that announced His coming, He being the brightest of all heavenly host, cloaked in humanity. The star must have been obvious, so close to the earth that it was discernible to be above an exact location, the location of the light of men. But so few noticed, or, so few cared. Maybe it was because so few could see.
It wasn’t that they could not see with their eyes, I know that to be true. Up until 10 years ago I was legally blind without the aid of special contact lenses. Without them, I could not read without the pages touching my nose, nor could I distinguish the difference between individual trees across the street. Everything was just color blobs. But I could see the stars billions of miles away shining in the blackness of night. They could not see with their minds.
In John 1:4-5 we find written; “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” So, how did the few see? They were seeking. Jesus said, “seek and you will find,” Luke 11:9.
Was the star the same angel of the Lord that shone with the glory of the Lord before the shepherds? What were they seeking? Validation? Shepherds of their day were often the outcasts of society, considered worthless for anything among men, useful only to the dumbest and most defenseless of the animal kingdom. Were they so low and lonely they were seeking validation no longer from man, but their Creator? Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”
What of the few who saw the star shining in the East? Were they surmising there must be a God who created the stars they were studying? Who keeps them there? “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. They sought out and found who they were looking for. “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. “ Colossians 1:16-17. They found Jesus.
Today there are still low and lonely shepherds, feeling unvalidated by man and growing weary in their pursuits. They seek validation but are never satisfied. The flock they tend are those who will praise them for what they can do, how they look, what they have, who they know, what they build, who they control, or even how religious they are. What they are seeking in their darkness is the Light who is the “Light of men.” That is where we come into the Christmas story. We who believe in Him who was born to die to reconcile Himself back to mankind by paying the cost of our own foolish pursuit of the praise of men, “worshipping the creature rather than the Creator,” are now “children of light.” Ephesians 5:8. We get to shine with the same light that drew the first believers in the story of Christ’s birth. We are to “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. We get to shine as “stars” on earth every day. There are still low and lonely shepherds out there who become wise men by seeking and seeing the Light. May they see Him in us!