IN DEFENSE OF THE STAR OF DAVID
Is the Star of David Pagan?
Since many feel a closeness to our brethren in the House of Judah, and since Judah in The Land chose to use the Star of David on the flag, many of us in the Hebrew Roots movement also display our oneness with our brethren both in and out of The Land by embracing the same emblem.
Various websites and authors have condemned the star and have brought forth their arguments raising questions about the symbol which Jewish sources say was only used to symbolize Jewishness over the last few centuries. Because of this admission, the non-Jewish authors link it to paganism in, what seems to be, an attempt to demonize our Jewish brethren by linking them to this same paganism.
This battle has been fought more than once. At one point, a Klan member infiltrated Torah Chai and he brought it up first. His source was a book called “The Six Pointed Star”. It was apparently written by a “Klanite” as well. The book is mainly based upon one scripture referring to the Star of Remphan (Acts 7:43). However, we don’t have any idea what this star was. In the ancient days there were 5, 6, 7, and 8 pointed stars representing various gods. Additionally, some pointed up while others pointed down with different significance as well. Interestingly enough, today the Masonic star (7 points) is used by many law enforcement agencies for their “shields” . . . and some use the 6 pointed star as well.
In the book mentioned above, the author says there is no archeological evidence of the use of the 6 pointed star prior to about the 6th or 7th century and this evidence was found on the mosaic floor of a Mosque. This leads the author to say it was NEVER used by any Jews prior to more recent times. Note: this is basically the foundation of the author’s case.
Most of the other information seen on this issue either comes from the Jewish Encyclopedia or circles back to this book. And, back to the mosaic floor for a moment, it is known the Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount was a church previously. Also, the great mosque in Istanbul was originally constructed to be the headquarters for Constantine’s new Catholic religion. There are many other examples around the world where churches have become mosques. Is this the case with the excavated mosque where the star mosaic is found? Was it either a Synagogue or a Church first?
Since we have little archaeological evidence, condemning authors have played fast and loose using more modern sources and circular logic . . . quoting one another.
And, there is yet one other aspect we need to consider. We know the apostles used the Feast of First Fruits to provide Biblical proof of Yeshua’s Messiah-ship, and, as a result, the religious leaders changed the observance of First Fruits from the day after the weekly Sabbath to the day after the first High Sabbath in order to remove this proof and retain their own power structure. This, of course, also did away, in Jewish thought, with the messianic significance of Pentecost / Shavu’ot within the Jewish community. And, their change is still in place today.
This brings us to the trump card . . . the Messianic Seal. It shows the Menorah and the Fish combined, with the tail of the Fish and the base of the Menorah intertwined to form a six pointed star. (Yeshua was from Judah, hence the Menorah and He called His disciples to become fishers of men, hence the fish. Combined they form the Magen David / Shield / Star of David) It is found within first century archaeological evidence. The obvious point . . . the 6 pointed star was recognizable to the average person during the early church times and was not a bad thing. Why didn’t the Jewish community adopt it (again?) prior to a few hundred years ago? It is unknown . . . unless it was the same reason they changed First Fruits . . . because the believers in Yeshua had co-opted it.
More on the Messianic Seal is found here:
http://www.threemacs.org/themes/jewish/answers.htm
http://www.biblesearchers.com/hebrewchurch/synagogue/seal.shtml
http://www.olimpublications.com/MessianicSeal.htm
http://thewaytruthandlife0.tripod.com/id18.html
When asked about this topic, Mike Clayton (www.joinedtohashem.org) has a very simple word of confirmation for the 6 pointed star . . . snowflakes! And, then of course, we have the pomegranate and with its 6 pointed star inside. Remember, miniature pomegranates were placed on the bottom of the high priest’s robe.
The final word, however, has to come back to the thought of Ha Satan using whatever he can to divide the Father’s new wave of believers. Rabbit trails of “I know truth better than you” will be inserted where ever and whenever he can bring division to those whose pride leads them in this direction.
