The Star That Astonished the World: Star of Bethlehem

The Star That Astonished the World I got very fast delivery on the book. This book is a good course to explore both history and a meaning of celestial sings in the ancient world. Who wants to know more about the Star of Bethlehem this volume is the best one.

I'm a pastor with limited knowledge of astronomy so I asked a friend to review the book. She has a PhD in Astronomy from MIT and is also a Christian. She said that the theories presented hear are scientifically plausible. I have a little bit of knowledge about the history of the era and find this rendering to be thorough and well-researched. Far more knowledgeable Bible scholars have vouched for Martin's Biblical exposition. The one discomforting thing about the book will be Martin's conclusion in which he argues for far more precision than I find realistic. That said, this is a good read and an excellent book for the library of any serious Bible student.

This is a great book. In particular, it recognizes the astronomical synchronism given in Revelation 12:1-3. The woman (virgo) with the sun in it, and the moon under her feet is an alignment that happens only in September, and in the year of the birth of Messiah, this was September 11 in 3 B.C., the year agreed on by the majority of ante-Nicene fathers. The moon that was under the feet of Virgo on Sept 11, 3.C. was the new moon of the 7th month, or the Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets). This is when Christ was born, not December, as Martin ably demonstrates with the true Star of Bethlehem. No other theory even comes close to explaining the facts as Martin does, not even Raymond Brown, who by the way is a Jesuit Priest (S.J.), and is theologically committed to rejecting any Christian observance of biblical feasts. Messianic Jews, on the other hand, will welcome this book, as it highlights the biblical feast of trumpets.

Over 600 planetariums around the world have been showing the new discoveries recorded in this 280 page book. This book identifies what the real star of the Wise Men was, it also reveals the precise date and time of day when Jesus was born. This surprising information comes directly from the New Testament. The research is backed up with extensive reference to Roman and Jewish records and gives the astronomical data that can make the New Testament account of the birth of Jesus to be very understandable and also majestic beyond compare. There were planetary conjunctions that happened in the heavens in the period when Jesus was born (3 to 2 BC) about which modern astronomers have expressed awe and astonishment. This is one book that all people interested in science and the Bible should have. Although a professional scholar, Ernest L. Martin's writing style is easy to read and understand.  A previous review mentions Herod's death asa major obstacle. This obstacle is made clear in this book.Potential readers include: those interested in astronomy, astrology, early Roman history, mainline Christianity, students of Bible Chronology and Prophecy, religious teachers and university professors.

While the problem of the Star of Bethlehem is not yet solved, Martin's book come up with a different date for Christ's birth. Everything depends on the death of Herod. He says that it was not in the year 4 b.C., as almost everybody states. He gives some good reasons, but other authors disagree with him. Anyway, it is a valuable book for those who are interested in the topic. Any paper on the Star of Bethlehem now mentions it as a reference. I appreciate the effort of analizing the Gospel looking for historical evidence. I'm even thinking of translating it into Italian...