The Star

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

We know it as the Star of David, and  recognize it as a symbol of the Nation of Israel and of its Jewish citizens.  After all, It’s right there in their middle of their flag, and on synagogues across the world.   

The Star also became the sad symbol of the Holocaust when the Nazis forced Jews to wear an identifying yellow star on their clothing.  JUDE it said, the German word meaning this one is a Jew.  

 

But what, exactly, does the Star represent? What does it really mean?

Before we delve into it, would it surprise you to learn that the Star of David is actually not the symbol for the Nation of Israel?  That would be an escutcheon which contains a menorah (lampstand) in its center, two olive branches on the sides of the menorah, and at the bottom, the label "Israel" in Hebrew. 

But back to the Star of David.  Megen David = Shile of David and is translated Shield of David.  Some speculate that King David’s shield was adorned with the six-pointed star.  But no such reference is found in the Bible or Talmud.   In fact, the Star of David is not referred to at all in either the Bible or the Talmud.  What then does the Star represent?

I dove into the subject expecting to find a universal agreement that the Star represents… well, that’s what I was trying to learn.  Instead, I found that there is not much agreement as to what it does represent.  Take a look at a few possibilities I found, after which I will tell you what “I” think it means (but note that I could not find anybody on the internet that agreed with me).

 

INTERPRETATIONS REGARDING JUDIASM (certainly not an exhaustive list)

• The six points represent the six days of creation spoken of in Genesis.
• The six points represent the six attributes of God – Power, Wisdom, Majesty; Love, Mercy, Justice
• The six points have twelve sides, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
• The six sides represent the six traditional items on the Seder Plate (although some say there are only five).
• Two triangles – one points up to God, one points down to Earth or man.  Make of it what you will.
• One Rabbi admonished the Jew to “Be the Star of David” … Put a mezuzah on your door, study some Torah, eat kosher food, welcome the Shabbat with candles lighting and a festive meal, and you've become a living Star of David.

 

OTHER RELIGIONS (again, not an exhaustive list)

• The symbol is popular in pagan traditions.
• The symbol was used as a decorative device in first-century churches and even in Muslim culture.
• In Buddhism it is seen as the divine union of male and female.
• Six-Pointed Star of Christianity - The six-pointed star is one of the oldest Christian Symbols for God. For Christians, it is called the creator’s star.
• The six-pointed star is also used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in their temples and architecture. In this context, it symbolizes the union of heaven and earth, with God reaching down to man and man reaching up to God.

 

MY THOUGHTS

Let me start by saying that, to my knowledge, I am alone in this viewpoint.  That said, I believe it may well be accurate, and may come to be revealed by future events as quite prophetic. And while I will not frame this with “Thus Sayeth the Lord,” I do believe in my heart that what I see was God Inspired.  Time will tell.

 The Downward Pointing Triangle = the Trinity of the Godhead

This point acknowledges that while not all Christians ascribe to the trinity of the Godhead, most do, and I am in that camp.  Matthew 28:19 instructs us to, “… teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

 To me, the three sides of the downward pointing triangle represent the Trinity of the Godhead.

The Upward Pointing Triangle – the Triune Nature of Man

Genesis 1:27 tells us that mankind was made in the image of God.  Many teach that because God is a Spirit, we also are spirits.  And I agree with that observation.  But I believe there is more to the picture than just that we are spirits.  Actually, we are spirits that possess a soul and reside in a body.  Like God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, we too are triune beings; spirit, soul and body.

The basis for the triune nature of man can be found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, where it says, "I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The upward pointing triangle, to me, represents mankind, who was created triune in nature.

 

ONLY ONE REAL STAR

But the Star of David has both triangles – upward pointing and downward pointing.  Without either triangle, it would not be a complete Magen David, a whole picture.   

Now, you tell me, who is the ONLY ONE who is both deity and humanity, both a member of the Trinity of the Godhead as well as a member of the race of humanity?  There is is ONLY ONE, and his name is JESUS CHRIST.

It excites me to know that when the time is right, JESUS CHRIST Himself will lead the armies of Israel against her enemies.  And I believe our Jewish friends will then see the six-pointed star on that flag sewn onto their sleeve and realize it represents He who is their MESSIAH!

• Israeli flag graphic by Clker-Free-Vector-Images via  Pixabay
• JUIF.JPG (yellow Jude patch) courtesy of Kitkatcrazy at en.wikipedia
• The "Emblem of Israel" Graphic courtesy of The State of Israel, who was the first owner of copyrights on this work, which is now in the Public Domain in both Israel and The United States.