House Church Talk - Re: Baptisms and Administrations: Star of Bethlehem

[Ross J Purdy]

Bruce wrote:
> Have I understood you wrong, or do you actually believe that scripture
> teaches that there is one mediator between God and men, the nation of
> Israel?

Under the New Covenant, Israel as a nation, serves as priests to the other
nations as appointed. This does not displace the work of Christ or the HS.

> After I'd written:"Do you know anything in the old testament scriptures
that
> would have indicated that a special star was an indication of the coming
of
> a Jewish king who was to be worshipped?? If there is such information
which
> Jewish people could have shown the magi, you might have a case. But if
not,
> must you not concede that God had revealed this to the magi apart from
> contact with Israelites?.....
>
> You responded with the following scriptures:   (see my comments relative
to
> each one)
> Numbers 24:17 WEB
>
> (17) I see him, but not now; I see him, but not near: There shall come
forth
> a star out of Jacob, A scepter shall rise out of Israel, Shall strike
> through the corners of Moab, Break down all the sons of tumult.
>
> Dear Ross, there is great difference bewteen prophecies which speak of
> Christ AS A STAR, and a visible object seen in the east by astronomers
which
> BELONGS TO THE KING OF THE JEWS!  This verse of scripture, even if it had
> been accessible to the magi would not have told them anything about what
> they had seen in the east!

I only meant the above passage to be in answer to your question, the rest
were intended only for cross reference. However they interpreted things one
can only speculate, but if they knew the above passage from Israel's
writings and saw the phenomena of the star, its symbolism and significance
would have been obvious to them. The reason the magi observed the stars was
to look for signs.

>
> Rather, the facts that (1) they did not know of the birthplace of Christ
(a
> fact which any Jew could have told them) and (2) that they had to travel
all
> the way to Jerusalem in order to ask their question seems to provide very
> clear evidence that they'd had NO CONTACT WITH JEWISH PEOPLE AT ALL IN
THEIR
> OWN COUNTRY!
>
> Brother Ross, what do you honestly think the probabilities are that such
men
> (if indeed there were Jewish people living in their own country) would
have
> travelled so far to find the information they needed instead of asking
their
> "next door neighbours"???
>
> To be honest, I'm more baffled than ever with your insistence that the
magi
> had indeed gotten all their revelation through Jewish people!!!

The lawyers lived in Jerusalem so there would be no one with any more
knowledge in the dispersion than the magi themselves. Daniel had been put in
charge of the magi and there lies the connection. It is not far-fetched to
think that Daniel would have had a significant and lasting effect on that
fraternity not only as a result of his person but also the contributions he
would have made which would include Israel's literature. Now however
speculative it is as to what effect Daniel may or may not have had, it
remains a matter of fact that Daniel is the connection.

>
> Also, even if Job was a contemporary of Abraham, as you claim.... how do
you
> explain that Job expressed revealed truth on many points of which there
> seems no evidence that Abraham was even aware?

So that there is no misunderstanding, I would agree with you that Job had
revelation apart from Abraham just as any one would have before then.

In Christ,
Ross Purdy