The Star of Bethlemem, the Real Story, Page 1

The STAR of BETHLEHEM

Prof. Ernest Martin

The first well-known person in modern times to challenge the established date of 4 BC for the death of Herod the Great and thereby open up the possibility for a later birth date for Jesus was Dr. Ernest L. Martin.

A dedicated scholar with hands-on experience in archaeology on good terms with Israeli excavators he became famous for his book claiming that the “Dome of the Rock” was not the site of Solomon’s temple.

Dr. Ernest L. Martin’s “new” location

for Solomon’s temple gained a lot of publicity for Ambassador College and for Israel in the News and inspired an attack by Israeli radicals on the mosque.

Herod the Great died, Josephus wrote, after an eclipse of the moon, assumed to be the one that occurred in 4 BC. Ernest L. Martin in his studies discovered that there was another eclipse of the moon in 1 BC and conjectured that this second eclipse in that era was the one Josephus was referring to. If Herod actually died in 1 BC, then perhaps another conjunct-ion besides those in 7 BC was the Star of Bethlehem.

Much more recently current authors have revived Ernest L. Martin’s ideas and dating

According to Frederick A. Larson, fondly called “Rick” Larson by those charmed by his homey evangelical presentation and now a DVD, it was his daughter, not the old Radio Church of God professor that inspired his “new” research.

Realizing that there were quite a few celestial events from 12 BC (Haley’s Comet) to 1 BC when the eclipse of the moon occurred which Ernest L. Martin had suggested was the real harbinger of Herod the Great’s death, Rick Larson chose 2 BC for his preferred date for Christ’s birth, and uses modern computer software to supply an appropriate event or events in the sky to be the one Matthew referred to.

Both his daughter and a gradually increasing crowd of Christian viewers are now “believers”.

Several years ago Linda Preston and I learned of a new presentation of the “Star of Bethlehem” story to be put on by a Baptist Church in the Asheville, N.C. area and went to see and hear it. It was F. A. Larson’s presentation.

To hear from Rick Larson himself, his "New" Presentation --Click Here! ..

“Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the STAR appeared. the king had heard these things, he was troubled, sand all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

When they had heard the king they departed; and lo, the STAR, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they SAW THE STAR, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."