Bright and Morning Star
Have you ever been in the middle of nowhere, with zero light pollution, and noticed how incredible the stars are in the night sky? One of the biggest joys has been being in the mountains at night–darkest nights and unfathomable starry skies. Our minds tell us that it is too dark to see, and yet, the stars will illuminate your immediate path and provide the guidance you need to navigate the path ahead.
My husband has a remarkable gift and can navigate unknown woods to always lead us right where we need to go, and he can even do it in the dark (which is a really good thing since we almost always head back to camp too late). The only time we’ve ever gotten somewhat lost was on a night with clouds and no visible stars. (Don’t worry Momma lost just means slower to get back to the tent and we came out about ¼ mile further up than he intended.) Stars are known across the world as points to navigate by, guiding beacons of light and a map of the way. Sailors and ancient cultures had only the stars to guide them at night.
On the very last page of Revelation, the last chapter in the New Testament, Jesus makes his final I am statement.
Revelation 22:16 (NKJV) “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
He is The Bright and Morning Star! My mind can immediately picture the brightest, most beautiful, joyous star in the sky! In our night sky, Venus is commonly considered to be the morning star. Rising in the east, Venus is the brightest point of light in the night sky besides the moon. The morning star in the natural world points to the dawn, the arrival of a new day. In the spiritual sense, The Bright and Morning Star also represents the hope of a coming new day. Both are the light in the dark before the sun or Son rises again. Hope that the darkness will soon be gone.
You may have a thought poking it’s hand up in your brain now saying Jesus as morning star isn’t quite right in your memory, so let’s look at that for a moment. Job 38 talks about the morning stars singing together when God laid the foundations of the earth. And, in Isaiah 14:12 we see that Lucifer was a star of the morning, day star, or morning star depending on the translation, but without question fallen from heaven. Satan often presents as a counterfeit light, masquerading or disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). Angels are frequently represented as stars in the Bible, and we know that Satan was an angel before he wanted to be higher than God. Hebrews shows us that Jesus is much superior (better) than the angels. Jesus is the true Morning Star– The Bright and Morning Star.
Jesus is the star because He is light. The bright star because He is the brightness of God’s glory. And, the morning star because night is coming to a close with the Son rising in a new day. Jesus showed us the path to eternal life as The Bright and Morning Star. It is dark right now, and we can expect it to get darker, but what a great hope we have in our Bright and Morning Star. And, here’s the best part of that hope, we don’t have to wait for Christ’s return for that hope. He’s shining brightly in our hearts right now with hope and guidance we need in the darkness we face today.
