“Beam me up, Scotty!” is a catch phrase that made its way into pop culture from the science fiction television series Star Trek. It comes from the command Captain Kirk gives his transporter chief, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, when he needs to transport back to the ship, Enterprise.
No doubt, that’s what some people were thinking this past Wednesday in Norway when a mysterious light appeared in the night sky. The mysterious blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain in the north of the country. It stopped mid-air, and then began to move in circles. Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky. Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its center. The whole experience lasted for approximately 10-12 lasting for ten to 12 minutes before disappearing completely. The light appears to be unconnected with the aurora borealis, or northern lights, the natural magnetic phenomena that can often be viewed in that part of the world.
Speculation about the phenomenon has been driven by internet bloggers and news agencies. Photos and videos have been posted as millions of people try to find an explanation for the incident. Reports have surfaced that it may have been a Russian missile launched from the Barents Sea area north of Norway. Another report mentioned it was UFO’s welcoming President Obama in picking up his Nobel Peace Prize (I didn’t make this up). Whatever the cause, I am sure that the source of the wonder will be discovered.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t help but think about the irony that it appeared during the Christmas season. Over two-thousand years ago, a star in the heavens appeared that stirred enough interest to cause magi from the East to travel an extensive journey to find the meaning of its appearance.
Like this week’s Norway incident, the star of the magi also caused a stir among the population under Herod’s rule. The scribes poured through the sacred scrolls to find the answer: “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”
This week’s “light in the sky” occurrence does two things:
- It points to the past (the birth of Jesus Christ)
- It points to the future (the return of Jesus Christ to planet earth)
Revelation 6:13-16 says, “Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll…Then everyone…cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”
When that event happens, there will be no speculation of what is taking place. There will be no efforts to uncover the “who” or “why” it’s taking place. Christ comes again; this time not as a baby in a manger but as King of kings and Lord of lords. He comes not to bring grace as He did the first time but to execute righteous judgment and to establish a kingdom of peace. At His first coming, they asked where the king of the Jews was to be born; in His second coming He will be brighter than the stars and all will see HIm.
So maybe we should view this week’s event as a Christmas Star of another kind reminding us of what lies just over the horizon of time!
What do you think?
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