There has been much discussion down through the years about that "star". Some have tried to line up the planets so that they could find the answer. Was the star seen by the wise men a comet, a supernova, a conjunction of planets, or a cluster of planets?
There are two kinds of stars, literal and spiritual. Believing that the Bible interprets itself, I look to the Bible to clear up any mystery that seems to exist. The star that appeared to the wise men when Jesus was born is said to be "his star" (Matt. 2:2). Notice that it was not "a star" or "the star" but, specifically, "his star". If it is Jesus' star, it is only necessary to determine, according to the Scriptures, what or who is "his star".
Many times in the Scriptures angels are called stars: "when the morning STARS sang together" (Job 38:7); "I Jesus have sent mine ANGEL to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright and morning STAR" (Rev. 22:16); "The seven STARS are the ANGELS of the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). Angels are referred to as stars seven times as God speaks to the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). Angels are likened to "ministers" or "flaming fire" (Psalm 104:4; Heb. 1:7).
In Rev. 9:1, in speaking of Satan, a "star" is said to fall from heaven and is referred to as "him" (personal pronoun). The name "Lucifer" (an angel) means "shining one" (Young’s Analytical Concordance, page 624). "Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness" (Eze. 28:17).
By divine providence, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea: "Emmanuel" -- "God with us" (Matt. 1:23; 2:1).
Contrary to "nativity" scenes, no light or star or angel is said to have appeared over the place where Jesus was born. A careful reading of the account of Jesus' birth in Luke 2:1-20 reveals that the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds abiding in the field and announced that "unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
The "glory of the Lord" shone round about the shepherds when the angel appeared to them (Luke 2:9). After announcing the good tidings to the shepherds that night, the angels went "away from them into heaven". The shepherds, without a guiding angel or star, went to Bethlehem where they "found Mary, and Joseph, and the BABE lying in a manger".
When Jesus was born, the wise men saw "his star" in the east, prompting them to go to Jerusalem to find the "King of the Jews" and worship him (Matt. 2:1-2). The star apparently did not lead the wise men from the east to Jerusalem. They went to Jerusalem because they expected to locate the "King of the Jews" there.
When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem and Herod heard about their search for Jesus, he (Herod) gathered the chief priests and scribes and learned that it was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.
Herod questioned the wise men regarding the time the star appeared, and then told them to go to Bethlehem, the prophesied birthplace of the Christ (Matt. 2:3-8). He told the wise men, "When ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."
When the wise men left Herod in Jerusalem, the star reappeared to them, and "the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the YOUNG CHILD was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the HOUSE, they saw the YOUNG CHILD with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him" (Matt. 2:9-11).
When the wise men found Jesus, he was a "young child" living in a "house" with Mary his mother -- not a "babe" in a "manger" in Bethlehem. There is no mention in the Bible of where the house was located or where Jesus lived after he was carried to Jerusalem "to present him to the Lord" (Luke 2:22), after which "they returned into Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth" (Luke 2:39).
The wise men, led by the star from Jerusalem, apparently found Jesus quite some time (possibly a year or more) after his birth. When they did not return, Herod, wanting to destroy Jesus, "slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men" (Matt. 2:16).
No literal star or planet could do what this star did; however, an angel (referred to in the Scriptures as "his star") could have appeared to the wise men in the east and, later, guided them from Jerusalem to stand over the house where Jesus was living when they arrived.
