I am revising a book on Daniel and Leadership that I published (self) in 2017. It needs revision. This will (at least partly) be an addition. It is a little disjointed at this point but has the sources.
Daniel and the Christmas connection. Matthew 2 is the narrative.
Who were the “magi?” and where did they come from? Babylon was the seat of astrology. “Babylonian astrology is the earliest recorded organized system of astrology, arising in the 2nd millennium BC.” “Astrology is a belief in a relation between celestial observations and terrestrial events.”(from Wikipedia) In the Renaissance (about 1500) Europeans moved away from astrology to astronomy, and astrology was eventually viewed as a pseudoscience. No doubt Christian theology from the Reformation had something to do with this.
Daniel uses the term “God of Heaven” a great deal, and I believe this is to place the God of Israel over any of these celestial signs and wonders that the Babylonian astrologers were convinced controlled the lives of the country. It was not until later that “natal” astrology (predictions about someone’s life based on birthday) became a “thing.” So we see Nebuchadnezzar depending on the astrologers for guidance. At the same time he seems to think they are deceiving him and do not have the answers he wants or needs.
One view is that Daniel, as a leader over the astrologers, taught them about the prophecies of the coming Messiah from the Jewish scriptures, and they (with perhaps Daniel’s help) combined that with the study of the stars. We do have to realize they really did study astronomy and knew the patterns of the stars, planets, and moons. They were not ignorant; they just had a world view that tied those patterns to what was going on between humans. We consider that pagan and ignorant today, or at least most people do. Most of the world did see that connection until about 400 years ago.
In the pre-exilic period of the Old Testament, there are distinct prohibitions about the use of astrology and divination; there are also a few references to astronomical knowledge (Job, for instance). Astrology was tied to beliefs in multiple nature-based gods, which is the opposite of Old Testament theology that was supposed to be the distinction of the Jews.
The other matter about astrology is that it teaches that the planets, stars, and moon control “our destiny” rather than we make choices and have (some) free will. We can’t blame the solar system!
One for Israel website has a helpful article, in layman’s terms, about this subject: https://www.oneforisrael.org/jewish-boy-sent-teach-chaldean-astrologers/
Daniel 5:1 makes it clear that Daniel was over the astrologers. How could that be, when it was so opposed to Jewish theology? Well, this was where he could have an influence directly and indirectly.
Directly, he could teach them the Scriptures, which by that time existed up to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel (somewhat) and some other minor prophets, from our perspective. Indirectly, he lived right and faithfully as a Jew.
Here is another helpful source: https://ifwe.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/The-Star-of-Bethlehem.pdf
Points from this source:
Interestingly, astronomy helps us know the real date of the birth of Jesus. He was not born in year 0, but perhaps 3 B.C. or 2 B.C., based on when Herod died and when the taxation happened. There are a lot of debates over this, but a total eclipse figures into it.
The Magi were not Kings. There were not necessarily three of them. Magi attended big events like coronations, births, and funerals.
What about the star? A comet, a meteor, a supernova, or a conjunction of planets?
Finally, when did they come? Not to the manger—they came into “the house.” I have heard that Jesus was two years old, but that seems too long.
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