By Timothy W. Burnett
During the period of Jesus Christ's birth a large number of significant celestial events occurred in the heavens that can be precisely traced by modern day astronomers. In their respective books, Wierwille and Martin provided simple illustrations of star positions to show the various significant events that occurred within the constellations Leo and Virgo. Significant celestial events are those that occur in such unusual ways and with unique repetition that it attracts the attention of star gazers. When the related stars have spiritual symbolism, they grab the attention of those star trackers who understand God's word written in the stars. This is why the Magi knew without a doubt that a "King of the Jews" was born.
Due to limitations we cannot list all the related celestial events that occurred during that period of time. They involved the following stars and constellations: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Mercury, Regulus, Leo and Virgo. The celestial events included conjunction, retrograde motion, triple conjunction and massing of planets. When two or more planets and stars line up so that a straight line can be drawn through them to the celestial north pole, a conjunction has occurred. A triple conjunction occurs when one of those stars pass three times into conjunction. Here, the related star first passes in the normal direction, then starts to reverse its motion back through the conjunction, and finally returns through in the normal direction. The reverse motion is known as retrograde motion.
Wierwille laid out six possible candidates for "his star." The first five consisted of two conjunctions between Jupiter and Venus that occurred on August 12, 3 B.C. and June 17, 2 B.C., and three conjunctions between Jupiter and Regulus on September 14, 3 B.C., February 17, 2 B.C. and May 8, 2 B.C. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo. All the conjunctions occurred in the constellation Leo. A final sixth conjunction in Leo would have completely convinced the Magi that a King was born. This one involved the massing of four planets, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and Venus in the constellation Leo.
A review of all the significant celestial events will reveal one planet that stood out as the most likely candidate for "his star." Jupiter is historically and spiritually known as the kingly planet. It has royal symbolism and significance.
After watching the significant events involving Jupiter in the constellation Leo, the Magi became persuaded that a King (Jupiter) was born out of Judah (the lion or Leo). As it is written in Genesis 49:9-10, "Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptor shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."
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