Star Symbol

August 18, 2015 · updated February 15, 2022

Stars are common symbols in religion, especially in Judaism and Christianity.

According to the Bible, stars were placed in the sky by the direct hand of God (cf. Psalm 8:3) and God has given them all a name, "He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names" (Ps. 147:4). As beautiful aspects of God's creation, celestial bodies, like stars, encourage people to worship God, according to Psalm 148:3, which says, "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!"

Furthermore, God has used stars to communicate to people in the past, such as at the time of Christ's birth, as recorded in Matthew 2:2, when the visiting wisemen ask, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."