Is the Star of David in the Bible? What is the Star of David?

TL;DR:

The Star of David is a widely recognized symbol of Judaism and the Jewish people, but it does not appear in the Bible. The Star of David can remind us of King David and the messianic line that led to Jesus, pointing beyond the symbol to the ultimate hope in Christ.

what does the bible say?

The Star of David is generally recognized as a symbol of Judaism, and of the Jewish people. It is made of two equilateral triangles, one pointing down to represent man and the other pointing up to represent God. The Star is not mentioned in Scripture, so it cannot be called intrinsically biblical, nor is the existence or use of such a symbol inherently anti-biblical. But it is a reminder of David, the quintessential king of Israel, a young man whom God chose to lead Israel after Saul disobeyed the Lord (1 Samuel 13:13-14). Even more significant than David’s kingship of Israel is that several Old Testament prophecies indicated that the Messiah would come from David’s line (2 Samuel 7:12–13, 16; Isaiah 9:6-7). Jesus fulfilled that prophecy as seen in the New Testament genealogies (Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:31-33), others’ recognition of Jesus as “son of David,” and the apostles’ affirmation of Him as such (Matthew 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 21:9; Romans 1:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Acts 2:29-36). Though the Star of David is not in the Bible, it can serve as a reminder of the more important star that announced the birth of Christ.

from the old testament

David was the quintessential king of Israel, someone described as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
God promised David that the Messiah would come from his line (2 Samuel 7:12–13, 16; Isaiah 9:6-7).

from the new testament

The genealogies in the New Testament show that Jesus is from the line of David, as prophesied in the Old Testament (Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:31-33).
Frequently, throughout the Gospels, Jesus is referred to as the “son of David,” establishing His fulfillment of messianic prophecy (Matthew 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 21:9).
The apostles recognized Jesus as from the Davidic line (Romans 1:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:8; Acts 2:29-36).

implications for today

Some symbols are instantly recognizable: Skull and crossbones on a bottle warn you to be careful. A heart emoji in your text replies shows that your sender appreciates what you wrote. The recycle symbol tells you to put your plastic water bottle in one can rather than the other.

The Star of David is an even more significant symbol than these. It represents Judaism and the Jewish people and is thought to represent the relationship between God (Yahweh) and man. The Star was not commonly used until it was adopted by Jews in Prague in the seventeenth century and eventually by Zionists in the late 1800s. During a dark period in Jewish history, the symbol was used in Nazi Germany to mark Jewish ghettos, and the Nazis placed it on the clothing of Jews or on armbands to identify Jews. Eventually, upon the reconstitution of Israel in 1948, the Star of David became the emblem on the Israeli flag.

As a symbol of Jewish national identity, the Star should be respected by Christians today. But Christians should also see Jews as part of the mission field, pointing them to an even more significant symbol: the Cross.

understand

The Star of David symbolizes Judaism and God’s relationship with man.
The Star of David is not mentioned in the Bible.
The Star of David reminds of David’s line, from which Jesus came.

reflect

How does knowing the Star of David points to David’s line and ultimately to Jesus impact your understanding of God’s promises?
How can symbols like the Star of David or the Cross help you reflect on your faith?
How can you use symbols while keeping your focus on Christ?

engage

How does the history of the Star of David help us understand the intersection of faith, culture, and identity?
What connections can we see between Old Testament promises to David and Jesus’ fulfillment of them in the New Testament?
How can Christians use knowledge of Jewish symbols to engage meaningfully with Jewish friends about faith in Christ?