Is the Star of David Really the Ancient Symbol of Israel?

Some Bible scholars say it was never associated with David. “Star of David” in Hebrew is magen David which actually means “shield of David.” However, according to tradition, the shield David carried on the battlefield was either engraved with the name of God, or the menorah, or Psalm 67—not a six-pointed star.

So, what is it, and where did it come from?

— The star is a hexagon, which in English ironically contains the root word “hex” (which means a witchcraft spell).

— Historically, it was the “seal of Solomon.”

— Solomon backslid into idolatrous practices (see 1 Kings 11:1-10).

— One of the gods he worshiped was Ashtoreth—a goddess of fertility and sexuality, whose symbol was a star within a circle.

— The Theosophical Society, a new age organization, uses the Star of David in its logo.

— The hexagon is also an ancient Hindu emblem representing the false god Shiva and the false goddess Shakti in union.

— The Word of God decries the use of the occult “star” emblem in Amos 5:25-26 and Acts 7:43.

— It surfaced on the Rothschild family coat of arms in 1822.

— It became the symbol of the Zionist Conference in 1897.

— Hitler demanded the Jews wear a star of David, so it became an emblem of shame and horrific persecution. Today (January 27) is Holocaust Remembrance Day. So it seems especially fitting to say that the heartbreaking pain of that dark era somehow sanctified what became an emblem of extreme anti-Semitism and transformed it into a badge of courage and strength—celebrating the will to arise from the ashes of the past and begin again.

—That happened uniquely and miraculously on May 14, 1948, when Israel was reborn as a nation, overcoming insurmountable odds by the grace of God, and the”Star of David” flag was raised high as a testament to His faithfulness. At that moment especially, the star-symbol was surely sanctified and redeemed, becoming a beacon of hope in all the earth.

The Menorah Lampstand

Biblically and historically, the menorah lampstand is a more fitting symbol of Israel and the Church (Zechariah 4:1-9, Revelation 1:9-12). In Zechariah’s vision, Israel is represented as a menorah.

In that passage, seven Hebrew words are translated, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” These relate to the seven stems of the lampstand. Both Israel and the Church are called to be a sacred light shining in a dark world, emerging triumphant by God’s Spirit in these last days.

Listen to this episode of Revealing the True Light with Mike Shreve titled What is the True Symbol of Israel on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}