The Star of Bethlehem is a story that most of us are familiar with. Three mysterious foreigners arrive in Judea around 2 BC. The Three Wise Men, or Magi as they are known, have been on a two-year journey to fulfill a special task. The mission is to find the Messiah, the real ‘King’ of the Jews. They don’t even know where the Messiah was born.
Three Magi follow the Christmas Star.
Like all good stories, there is a villain in this one – Herod, the king himself of Judea. You can imagine that King Herod was not thrilled to hear about the so-called “King of Jews” who could one day take his place. He calls up the Three Wise Men to tell them that they may find this future king in Bethlehem. He asks that they report to him their findings. He said: “So that I may also worship him.” One thing is working in their favor when they are searching for the Messiah, and that’s a guiding star. The Star of Bethlehem is a Christmas Star. The Star of Bethlehem leads the Three Wise Men to Mary’s door in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Then, everything that happened until then became BC. Want to go to Bethlehem and see the birthplace of Jesus Christ? There are many historical, religious, and cultural stories to be told, along with hiking trails, nightlife, and fun cultural experiences.
Bethlehem Things to do
Church of the Nativity Manger Square is built on the exact cave where Mary conceived Jesus. It is one of the oldest in the world.
The Courtyard of the Church of Nativity.
Rachel’s Tomb is an important Christian site in Bethlehem. This is where Jacob’s wife is buried.
There are also the Shepherds’ Fields and the Milk Grotto Chapel. The Mosque of Omar is another place to visit.
Bethlehem makes a great place to hike. Artas Valley is a short distance by taxi from the city. There are some fascinating stories to be told.
The Cosmos Nightclub is a great place to spend the evenings.
Experience the magic of Bethlehem at Christmas. What could be better than attending Midnight Masses in the very city where Yeshua lived?
Did you know?
The Magi were very well-versed in the sciences of mathematics, astronomy, and astrology! They were able to find Jesus in Bethlehem because of their knowledge.
How can a star stay in the same place and move over Jesus’ birthplace? The Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi directly to Mary’s house. Its position was so accurate!
Was this Christmas Star a real star? Astronomy refers to it as a planetary alignment. At that time, two very important ones occurred. One was a triple conjunction between Jupiter, Saturn, and Regulus. The other was a conjunction between Jupiter and Venus. The two planets were so close together that they glowed like a single star.
On the basis of a divine warning from God, The Three Wise Men chose not to tell King Herod about Jesus’ birth. Herod realized he had been duped and took the next logical action: he killed all infants under the age of 2 years in his realm, except for Jesus.
Flights Most travelers fly into Tel Aviv Airport in Jerusalem (Ben Gurion International Airport), explore the airport a little, and then drive to Israel through Rachel’s Crossing Israeli Checkpoint.
