What was the "star" the wise men saw?
I believe it wasn't an actual "star". They thought they saw a "star" both because that's what it appeared to look like in the distance AND because of their background in paganistic astrology.
We know that in the Bible angels are symbolized by stars- Its likely the "star", as the Wise Men saw it, was an angel.
....Good "stars"/angels
When they had heard the king,
I believe it wasn't an actual "star". They thought they saw a "star" both because that's what it appeared to look like in the distance AND because of their background in paganistic astrology.
We know that in the Bible angels are symbolized by stars- Its likely the "star", as the Wise Men saw it, was an angel.
....Good "stars"/angels
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:7
.....Bad "stars"/angels
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Revelation 12:4
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.
Matthew 2:9