Morning Star

There are many ways moving from San Diego to Montana (with Oklahoma City, Vegas, and Dubai in between) was an adjustment, but one I never would have thought of was night driving. In San Diego, roads and freeways were lit up by both streetlights and constant car lights. Unless I drove up into the mountains, roads for the most part were straight. In Montana, roads in town have streetlights, but the neighborhood streets and highways, for the most part, do not. Not only that, but much of the highways on the western side where we live are curvy. It took me awhile to figure out why I was getting tense and even panicky driving at night. I couldn’t see the roads as I could in San Diego. The roads here were dark, and I had no idea what lay ahead especially when the roads hid even more in the darkness of the curves. Although I don’t miss the millions of people in San Diego, I do miss the light that pushed away the darkness when driving at night.

But we don’t experience only physical darkness. This fallen world is filled with the darkness of sin (both our own and sin against us), loss, loneliness, hate, oppression, and more. The first Christmas the glory of the Lord dispelled the darkness around the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus, and the star led the wise men to Jesus. God incarnate, the promised Messiah had come, Light in the darkness.

At the end of Revelation, John records for us:

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” [1]

Revelation 22:16

I recently finished reading through the book of Revelation. Once again, I was reminded not only of the beautiful worship in heaven but also the many names and titles of Jesus it contains. Our verse above is no different. Although our focus today is on Jesus’ title of the bright morning star, I don’t want to skip what comes before it.

I confess, I have read “I am the root and the descendant of David” and all I have thought of is Jesus being a descendant of David. Not new news. Keep reading. But as I listened to a sermon from our pastor in Oklahoma, I realized how rich this description is and how appropriate it is for Christmas.

John gives two seemingly conflicting descriptions of David. How can Jesus be both the root (existing before David) and a descendant of David (coming after David)? Jesus is the root of David. He was before David. He is eternal. He created David and all that is. That Jesus  is “the root” signifies His deity as well. Jesus is fully God. Jesus is also the descendant of David – legally through Joseph and bloodline through Mary.[2] In being a descendant of David, we see Jesus’ full humanity, and God’s faithfulness in keeping His promise to David (2 Samuel 7:8-16). Jesus is fully God and fully man.

Jesus continues, revealing He is the bright morning star. In the Greek, this reads: “He is the star. He is the bright one, the morning one.” The morning star is known as the brightest star. Jesus, the morning star, will shatter the darkness forever when He returns in triumph. In Revelation 21, John recorded that the New Jerusalem will have no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God will give it light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23-25). All darkness forever and completely banished for those in Christ.

Balaam prophesied thousands of years before Jesus’ birth: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel (Numbers 24:17). Jesus is the star that came out of Jacob.

When Jesus declares Himself to be the bright morning star, He bears witness that the night, the darkness is coming to an end. The Light, the Bright Morning Star is coming. In the darkness, we have hope because the Bright Morning Star is returning. The darkness will not last forever. The Bright Morning Star has come, and He will come again. We will be with Him for all eternity where there is no need of sun or moon in the presence of the Bright Morning Star.

Reflection

1.    How does Jesus the bright morning star transform you? How are you different because His light has already shattered the darkness when He took on flesh and will fully dispel the darkness when He returns.

2.    What darkness are you experiencing? How does Jesus the bright morning star give you hope?

3.    What about Jesus the bright morning star brings you joy?

4.    Revelation ends with Jesus’ words: “Surely I am coming soon.” The response: “Amen, Come Lord Jesus!” Is this your response? Are you looking with anticipation to the Bright Morning Star’s return?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Re 22:16.

[2] I had never realized Jesus was a descendant of David through both Joseph and Mary until this year when I read an advent devotion my friend Linda Craft wrote for Friends of Israel Gospel Ministries. It’s easy to miss, but this why genealogies are important. If you compare Luke 3:23-31 to Matthew 1:6-16, you’ll notice they differ as to which son of David the line continues. In Matthew, Joseph’s line comes through David’s son Solomon. In Luke, it is Mary’s bloodline as it comes down through David’s son Nathan.