in the astronomical sense cannot be intended. Yet again in Rev. 12: 4 we read that the

tail of the dragon `drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the

earth'. It is a physical impossibility for `a third part of the stars of heaven' to fall upon

the earth, and the whole passage is symbolical of the fall of the angels through the

influence of Satan. A somewhat similar passage is that of Dan. 8: 10 where we read:

It was evidently an accepted teaching in the days of Job, that `the stars' were not

pure in the sight of God (Job 25: 5), a belief expressed in other words by Eliphaz

(Job 15: 15), where `His saints' are placed in parallel correspondence with `the heavens'

which he declared `are not clean in His sight', and this is more definitely stated in

Job 4: 18 where Eliphaz says `Behold, He put no trust in His servants; and His angels

He charged with folly'.

The same epistle that reveals that the angels kept not their first estate but left their own

habitation, who are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, likens those who came

under that baleful influence to `wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of

darkness for ever' (Jude 6, 11).

The Chaldeans and early races of mankind appear to have had a knowledge of the

association of the stars with both the angels and with rule which became distorted and

perverted, leading them to extravagances of Astrology and the association of the planets

with their gods Astarte and Baal, which later appear as Jupiter and Venus.

What are we to understand by `the star' which led the Magi to the cradle of the infant

Christ? The Companion Bible comments "all questions are settled if we regard this as

miraculous. (Cp. Numb. 24: 15-19)". This is true, and recognizes the peculiar nature

of the phenomenon. We are all doubtless aware of the many attempts that have been

made by astronomers and divines alike to solve the mystery of this peculiar star. Kepler,

by observing the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, which took place in the year

1604, made calculations that led him back to a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the

constellation of the Fishes (a fish is the astronomical symbol of Judaea), and so to the

first year of the Christian era. While all this is very interesting, we must in all fairness

reject it as an explanation of the words of the Holy Writ.

This star which the wise men saw in the East `went before them till it came and stood

over where the young child was' (Matt. 2: 9).  Such a statement cannot by any

explanation be made to refer either to a star in the heavens or to any conjunction of the

planets. But if angels are so often called `stars', if one star at least was described as

falling from heaven to the earth `burning as it were a lamp' for the purposes of judgment;

if moreover it is no new thing for an angel to lead the people of God, accompanied by a

pillar of cloud by day, and by a burning fire by night (Exod. 14: 19; 23: 23); if an

angel can ascend in a flame (Judg. 13: 20), and finally if it is within the power of a man,

to kindle a lamp to guide a friend, or to devise an artificial `moon' to encircle the earth, is

it not within the power of an angel of God to guide the Magi to the house in which the