Star of wonder, royal beauty bright

(new post tomorrow)

 1. What star is this with beams so bright,

More lovely than the sun's own light?
'Tis sent to announce the newborn King;
Glad tidings of our God to bring.

2. 'Tis now fulfill'd as God decreed:
"From Jacob shall a star proceed,"
And lo! the Eastern sages stand
To read in heav'n the Lord's command.

3. As from this star glow outward rays,
An inward light the Lord conveys,
And urges them with force benign
To seek the giver of the sign.

Genesis 1:16: [16] And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

“When it says ‘he made the stars also,’ that’s not saying it was as an afterthought that God made the stars. He made the stars also to RULE," explains Richard Jordan. "These planetary bodies are all designed in the heavens and placed for the benefit of the earth.

“In Psalm 147:4 is a very interesting thing when you study the stars in the Bible. It says, ‘He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.’

“Isaiah 40:26 says, ‘Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.’

“God has numbered the stars and He’s also named them. When it says ‘he telleth,’ that’s like a teller in a bank counting up the number of the stars. It says He calleth them all by their names. 

"God has given names to the stars and the constellations out there and He knows exactly how many there are and what they’re there for.

"The Apostle Paul is referencing back to Gen. 1:14 ('And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years') when he writes to the Galatians 4:

[8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
[10] Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
[11] I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

“Paul said, 'I’m worried about you because you keep months and days and all of that stuff; the significance and the reasons for birthdays and Easter and Christmas and Halloween. All the celebrations of religion start there with that issue of let them be for signs. ' ”