“A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel. ”
(Num 24:17)
There are many prophecies in the Old Testament that spoke of the birth of the Messiah, but only one that makes any mention of a star – Balaam’s prophecy quoted above. Here we find a direct reference to Israel’s expectation that the coming Messiah would also fulfill a politically leading role in Israel, freeing them from the Roman stronghold. This prompted, Herod, the ruler of that time, to fear this new King. The question of being king of the Jews was perhaps one of the most important accusations leveled against Jesus (Matt 27:11 & 29).
The fact that none of the gospel writers mention the star except for Matthew is truly significant, especially since it was quite an apparent phenomenon. Let’s examine the true context within which this wonderful star functions, loosed from our mythologized Christian understanding thereof.
The fact that it was Balaam who prophesied about the star is quite a problematic element. There is of course his history, documented in Num 22-24, where he is constantly struggling to prophecy according to God’s spirit, but usually waylaid by agents of the kingdom of darkness to fulfill a different agenda. There are also various references in the Old and New Testament to Balaam’s fulfilling of this alter agenda. Num 31:16 explains that he was the cause of the break between God and Israel, causing “a plague among the congregation of the LORD”. Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah and Micah all constantly refer to Balaam’s dubious history. In the New Testament this is compounded, where Balaam is given prototypical significance – “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness …” (2 Pet 2:15). In Jude 1:11 it mentions those who “have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit”.
And in Rev 2:14 the end-time ekklesia is warned – “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”
The “wise men” in our translations were actually named magus, derived from the word magicians. They were astrologers from the occult priesthood of the Persian order of Zoroaster (which originated around 1000 BC). Their “wisdom” was of a particularly demonic kind, in service of a different kingdom. Thus they are led by a star to Jerusalem, but are strangely enough not exactly sure when it comes to His exact whereabouts. We find them prophesying, like Balaam, about what they have come to do. In this act, Herod, in his paranoia, now knew without a doubt, that the Saviour has indeed been born. Then, suddenly, the star again appears and leads them to the Child, against all principles of astronomy (even hanging above the place Jesus was to be found). It is quite possible that this “Star” was indeed a “wandering star” (Jude 1:13), a reflection of the original Morning Star, thus Lucifer (Isa 14:12), the splendid one (Ezek 28:17). It warranted an urgent warning from God to the magi (as with Abimelech – Gen 20) to not fulfill the agenda of the kingdom of darkness, delivering the Son of God into the hands of Herod. How easily we are deceived and led astray by the quasi sparkle of false stars.
- Sela: Ask God to deliver you from the spirit of Ba
- Read: 2 Chr 18; Job 16; Rev 20
- Memorise: 2 Chr 18:13 (a very interesting parallel history to consider in the light of this teaching!)
- For a deeper understanding: Read the occult Aquarius now by Marilyn Ferguson to see how this same spirit of Balaam directs the New Age-movement.
