***Is the Mogen/(Magen)-Star of David really pagan, or not?...***
While there are pagan symbols and things we need to beware of, I don't believe this is one of them. Part of the problem is that the pagans adopt and pervert most everything of the Bible sometime during history. Kind of the chicken or the egg deal. Here is what I have on the history of the Star of David....
The following is in four notes I had posted on this subject, some of the following information given is just traditional to give you a background on the subject, as well as presenting factual evidence…
MOGEN/(MAGEN)-STAR OF DAVID:
NOTE 1:
It was not only used by Jews in the third century, but it is also found on a Hebrew seal discovered in Sidon and dating from the seventh century B.C.. It also appears side by side with the Menorah, and it also has been called the Shield of David.
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It is found on the catacombs near Rome, where Jewish people are buried; and the insignia "Mogen David" is found as also on the wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem.
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Interesting note: George Washington ordered the symbol of thirteen stars on the reverse side of the National Seal so arranged in five rows [one-four-three-four-one] as to create the outline of the six-pointed Star [Mogen David] to honor the Jew, Chaim Solomon, who literally financed the U.S. Government during the Revolution!
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The Shield of David, [or, more popularly known as the "Star of David"] is linked to the sacred Name of the YHVH, HaShem, which Jewish people do not pronounce. The Name (YHVH) is also called "Tetragrammaton" and frequently has appeared in the center of the Magen David which custom has been observed for centuries.
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It has been said that the combination of the triangles is taken from the ancient Paleo-Hebraic signature of King David. The three letters of his name, Daled, Waw, Daled, by extension, compose a double triangle.
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Some Jewish teachers have held that the six points of the star represent the Omnipresence of God in all directions: east, west, north and south, also up and down.
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Orthodox Jews also claim that each point of this star stands for a Hebrew word spelling out the Shema, the great confession of Deut. 6:4.
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Others feel that when drawing the inner diagonals of the star one would come upon twelve triangles which might symbolize the position of the twelve tribes of Israel as encompassed around the Tabernacle in the wilderness.
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There are those who maintain that there is an association between the six points of the star and the six measures of barley Boaz gave to Ruth, which symbolized the fact that six great people would stem from Ruth, foremost among these being King David.
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It has been interpreted to denote the seven days of the week. The center of the star, the most complete figure, being the Shabbat; the six outer triangles, the six week days.
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There are those who interpret it as symbolizing the six heroes of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. There are still others who consider it a symbol of the coming Messiah Who is scheduled to arrive after six thousand years. In this connection they claim the prophecy in Numbers 24:17: "... there shall come a STAR out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel..."
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There are 4th AD century Agadah writings that state, when David was fighting the armies of Saul he asked YHVH what he could put on their shields to distinguish the two armies apart, as they were to make no graven images, and that this is the symbol YHVH gave him. It is also called in Talmudic writings the Star of Abraham, and stated it originated with him; but most writings indicate, in Judaic literature, that it originated with David himself - and based upon the configuration with the ancient Paleo-Hebrew script for the letters D/daled V/vav D/daled that explanation makes sense.
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To some Jewish scholars, the triangle pointing downwards to the earth, represents man's three-part (triune) nature noted in Scripture as: body, soul, and spirit. Rabbinic writing(s) also state that the triangle pointing upwards toward Heaven, according to a Jewish history of it, represents the Godhead, a mystery which they feel will be explained when the Messiah comes!
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To us as Messianic Believers, it can show the Tri-Unity of YHVH Elohim, reaching down to tri-nature man, and in Messiah Yeshua, the two are brought into fellowship.
NOTE 2:
Most scholars state that the molech, easter, baal, symbol was the five-pointed star (i.e. as the "Bethlehem star" as seen at Christmas) not a six-pointed star; and then you have the inverted star of satanism that is a five pointed star. - But regarding the Mogen-David, (unless you accept the account that it originated with Abraham), we note that it was introduced around the time of Solomon...but not by him...but rather by his father David!
The fact that it shows up later in witchcraft is not an indication of its origins. - In fact, in some witchcraft books it is said to represent the Jews, and it often depicted with a cross in its center when witches do hexes against the Jews and Christians (their own statements in their witchcraft books stating this.)
Also the statement that it was not used by Israel for 2,600 years, and only has become a distinct Jewish symbol in the last two centuries, is false as well. It is on the 1st Century Synagogue in Capernaum that Yeshua/Jesus would have taught at in the New Testament accounts. We have a gold Mogen David from the third century BC with Biblical inscriptions on it; and in the last 15 years or so one of the royal seals of the House of David from one of the kings of Israel's royal scribe has a Star of David and is from the 7th century BC and so shows that it was used as a royal seal by the House of David (research B.A.R. for more on this discovery), for just some examples.
Given all this, and the accounts of its origins in ancient Judaic writings, I think we can conclude that paganism has been attempting to hijack this symbol. The witchcraft usage shows up after David's time, not the other way around. Quoting later Rothschild's, Masonic, etc., sources to make their point that the Star of David is evil is also irrelevant. Also you'll note in that article-[NOTE: This note I wrote was in response to another person’s article] they call the Tabernacle in the Wilderness evil to make their point, yet it was designed by YHVH Elohim Himself and given to Moses! - That is a horrible out of context analogy in that article! It's bordering on sacrilege I'd think to equate the things that God Himself directly gave with evil! Sure the Children of Israel at times did evil at times in their history; but the Tabernacle in the Wilderness that was designed and given by YHVH Elohim (the LORD God) was NOT evil!
Sure, there is false/pagan stuff out there mingled in Judaism and Christianity; but having researched it, I don't believe this is one of them. I'd stay away from 5 pointed stars like the pentagram though!
NOTE 3:
Here are some facts: Most of the articles saying the Mogen David is pagan are quoting from articles saying it wasn't used for the Jewish people till the 16th century, and that it was made by Solomon - however!...That is only found in Masonic literature! Yet it is quoted over and over, but it is NOT true!
FACTS: We have a 4th century A.D. Star of David that is made of gold from a Scripture portion in Hebrew. - Not that many years ago a Royal Seal of a scribe of a king of the House of David was found in Israel that had a star of David on it from the 7th Century BC (research the article in B.A.R.), and the synagogue in Capernaum, probably the same one Yeshua/Jesus taught at, has stars of David all around its foundation stones. The Agadah in the 4th C. AD says the Star of David is also called the Shield of David, as when David's troops were fighting Saul's troops since they were all dressed alike, he prayed and asked YAH what he should put on his army's shields since it was forbidden to make a graven image, and that is what he was given. Some writings say it is also called the shield of Abraham as he used it before David did.
While it is used in witchcraft, only with a circle around it, to cast spells, it is a matter of the chicken and the egg: They also use it with a cross inside it, and a circle around it, to cast spells on the Jewish people and on Christians (this is in their own writings). Satan perverts everything that is true....black-sabbath, upside down and broken cross (peace symbol) and etc...
Going by Masonic writings to try to prove anything isn't good! The Masons are really only a few centuries old and do NOT go back to Solomon! sheesh! - Not to mention the Masons have an agenda of painting Jews as evil - Just like we know the Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion was a Russian Masonic document they released substituting "Jews" in the place of "Masons". - This was to reveal their intentions of NWO/Illuminate world conquest, yet setting up the Jews as a smoke-screen/straw-man to draw attention away from themselves-(Masons). - Those are the facts; and no: I'm not going to argue it! To even think that the tiny population of Jews were planning on taking over the world, way before they even had a country (modern Israel) is ridiculous. - What is even more ridiculous is that some people still believe that today, when we see Israel having to fight to just hold on to the tiny sliver of a country, the size of New Jersey, they have now!
Yes, there are pagan symbols and Cabbalistic things in Rabbinic Judaism, and Catholicism has some things too for that matter, that we need to throw out - but I believe the evidence shows that the Mogen David / Star of David isn't one of them.
NOTE 4:
...The bulk of the argument against the Mogen David is from far-removed from the Biblical era sources, and those are suspect. - Using 'scholarship' articles, which rely on any "supposed" facts of origin from pagan sources for any practice is pretty much invalid right out of the shoot. - A.) satan is a liar and counterfeit; and B.) the false will most always claim to be the true and earliest. - But all the earliest historical sources (and Biblical era physical artifacts) we have are completely contrary to it having a pagan origin. - And if it does happen to show up in a far removed culture from Israel...well...it also happen to be a pattern that YAH built into nature in several physical examples (such as a snowflake). - I think people are too paranoid on this one - and I think that is fostered by a demonic agenda to paint Israel as the enemy of mankind, in an attempt to hinder YHVH's plan for Israel as we see outlined in the Bible regarding the End-Times. - And that is all I have to say on the subject. - But I will again say this: We are to be circumspect as Believers, but not superstitious...UNFOUNDED-(and I stress the word unfounded)-superstition is a trait of paganism one must be on guard from. - Which at the least robs one of their joy, and distracts one from being able to TRULY distinguish the holy from the profane. - I think the false-arguments-(and I believe circumspectly looking at the matter shows they are false)-against the Mogen David belongs in the same category as 'the Jews poisoned the well', and I believe such notions are also coming from the same (dark) source ! -- And that's all I have to say on the matter.
NOTE: Here are a few links with more information, pictures, and historical finds of ancient Mogen/Stars of Davd (there are quite a few more than I knew about), including the recent find of it being used by 1st and 2nd Century AD Messianic Jewish Believers...
http://www.tsiyon.org/main/messianic_seal_news.htm
http://mayimhayim.org/Academic%20Stuff/Messianic%20Seal.htm
http://peyotinyakima.blogspot.com/2009/10/star-of-david.html
http://lodibethhallel.com/star_david__pagan.htm
NOTE: Another brief article:
THE STAR OF DAVID - REFUTING THE CLAIMS REGARDING ITS PAGAN ORIGIN (excerpt from Pastor Mark Biltz’sstudy on this matter: THE STAR OF DAVID IS MESSIAH’S STAR!) - http://www.elshaddaiministries.us/handouts/starofdavid.pdf
NOTE: TO SEE A CHART (and article) SHOWING THE MOGEN/STAR OF DAVID SHOWN IN THE HEBREW ALPHABET HERE - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=348433748517475&set=a.101379583222894.3164.100000525582384&type=3
NOTE: In this following photo, we see that the Pomegranate has a star of David, (and also noting it being part of Aaron the high priests robe of course): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=469822753045240&set=a.101379583222894.3164.100000525582384&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash3%2F523389_469822753045240_1393407643_n.jpg&size=480%2C347
NOTE: In this photo we also note the flower of the Oleander (Nerium oleander), which goes native in the Mediterranean region around Israel, is also shaped as a 'Star Of David': http://scinotech.com/oleander-nerium-oleander/
