Why did Jesus call himself the Bright and Morning Star in Revelation
I am no bible scholar but I have been looking at different websites this morning to see what others have to say about this question. I find it to be quite interesting. Here are some of the things I have found.
- morning star
Christ Himself is said to be the morning star (Rev. Rev. 22:16+).1 What is the purpose of the morning star, but to serve as an indicator of the approaching dawn? Those who see the morning star are encouraged by the fact that the long night is almost over and soon the sun will shine in its brilliance dispelling all traces of darkness.
The current period, between the ascension of Christ and His Second Coming, is the “night.”
The morning star rises prior to the dawn:
The “morning star” comes before “the day” dawns; the “sun” shines during “the day”; Jesus is both. As the morning star, He is seen by few: as the sun, He is seen by all. Those who watch not merely for the sun, but for the morning star, properly heed the cautions and injunctions relating to the posture of watching.3
We have in the “Morning Star” an implied reference to the first stage of the Advent, the thief-like coming for the saints, and to obtain it indicates that we are worthy of the better resurrection, or (if living) of the translation. The mention of this in such a connection is also exceedingly significant of the exaltation of the saints to coheirship with the Christ when the morning breaks.4
Christ has just mentioned a scepter and now mentions a star , both elements of the prophecy of Balaam (Num. Num. 24:17). In Balaam’s prophecy, the star is seen first followed by the scepter. This accords with the view that the morning star will rise prior to the reign of Messiah on the earth.
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day comes on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke Luke 21:32-36)
The morning star given to the overcomer in Thyatira may be the promise of a visitation prior to the dawn—participation in the Rapture of the church by all true believers and thus avoiding the last part of the night, the Great Tribulation, immediately before the dawn of the Millennial Kingdom. 1Th. 4:16-17).”5 See Rapture.
At the very least it denotes the blessing of the continual expectancy of His coming:
Into the heart of the faithful believer comes that wondrous expectancy of His coming, which John elsewhere describes as having our “hope set on him” (1 John 1Jn. 3:3). This is the experience of the believer who awakes out of sleep (Romans Rom. 13:11), who by the grace of God hears His voice when He says, “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from among the dead (ones), and Christ shall shine upon thee” (Ephesians Eph. 5:13). . . . so these spiritually awakened or aroused find Christ’s coming arising as the day-star in their hearts (2 Peter 2Pe. 1:19).6
source: Revelation 2:28 Commentary - A Testimony of Jesus Christ
- In Revelation 22:16 we have one of the most interesting names given to Jesus. Jesus calls himself, “the bright morning star.” This was to fulfill a prophecy, given all the way back in the Old Testament by the prophet Balaam, who said, "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel," (Numbers 24:17).
Notice that Jesus did not refer to himself as a “star.” Instead, he called himself, “the bright morning star.” What is “the Morning Star?”
In Biblical times and in early astronomy the Morning Star was the brightest star a person saw in the sky, just before daylight.
Today we know that this "bright morning star," is actually not a star at all. Instead, it is the planet Venus as it appears before sunrise in the western sky. However many still refer to it as “the morning star.”
Why would Jesus refer to himself as “The Bright Morning Star?” Perhaps on this first Sunday of a new year, on Epiphany Sunday we should try to answer this.
The wise men used a star as a point of reference. They were trying to find a certain place and a certain person.
For thousands of years, mariners and travelers have used the stars as a guide; as a point of reference.
Jesus was wanting us to understand that he is our point of reference. Do we need help in knowing what to do? What direction to take? What decision to make? Just as the wise men followed a star, just as that bright morning star pointed travelers the way west, Jesus is our point of reference. Notice that he is not “a” point of reference. He is the point of reference.
Perhaps that is another point was trying to make. He is not just a star among many stars; he is unique. There is no one else like him.
We have already said that the morning star is unique in that it is not a star at all. It is a planet, Venus. Some say that Venus is unique among the planets of our solar system. It is not the closest planet to our sun yet it is the hottest. But there is something even more unique about this planet. If we could somehow look down on all of the planets in our solar system from above they would all be turning in a counterclockwise direction. That is all of them except Venus which turns in a clockwise position.
Jesus is unique. There is no one else like him. He is the only one who can be our true point of reference.
- Another View: Splendor and Victory
Lenski thought that the imagery had to do with the “royal splendor” of Jesus.
“The adjective ‘of the morning’ suggests unfading, glorious brilliance both for Jesus in Rev. 22:16, and here [Rev. 2:28] for us. The Victorious King Jesus is the brilliant Morning Star in royal splendor; and he gives to every faithful believer the gift to be like him in royal splendor” (pp. 124-125).
The idea would be that the Lord’s people will partake of his victory “glow” in the heavenly realm.
My own thoughts about it are this. Jesus IS our guide. Just as the wise men needed the star to guide them to the Christ Child, we need him to guide us in everything we do. He is also our light out of a dark and evil world. He gives us directions for us in our every day lives. He is our hope in the morning. He breaks through the darkness of night to bring us a new day with whatever it is he has us for each day. He lightens our paths so that we can clearly see his will for our lives. And it is only through his light that we can be forgiven of our sin. He is Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star. Amen!
Thanks for visiting today Friends. I pray that your day will be filled with Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the LIfe and he wants to be your Bright and Morning Star. God bless!
In Revelation 22:16 Jesus calls himself 'The bright morning star.'. What did he mean by that? In looking into it, I found there are different opinions in Christianity about it. I am no bible scholar, However, I will take a bit of the opinions that I found and end with a little of my own.
Steve Angus of Faithlife Sermons in part states that the wise men, when looking for the baby Jesus, used the star as a point of reference. For a thousand years travelers have used stars as a guide.
He went on to say that Jesus is our point of reference. In whatever decisions we need to make or direction we need to take.
The morning star represents a promise of a new day.
The Christian Courier has ideas as well about Jesus being the Bright and Morning Star:
“The adjective ‘of the morning’ suggests unfading, glorious brilliance both for Jesus in Rev. 22:16, and here [Rev. 2:28] for us. The Victorious King Jesus is the brilliant Morning Star in royal splendor; and he gives to every faithful believer the gift to be like him in royal splendor” (pp. 124-125).
The idea would be that the Lord’s people will partake of his victory “glow” in the heavenly realm.
Another scholar, Professor Robert Wall, says “it would seem likely that ‘the morning star’” is a symbol of the situation of those Christians who “overcome,” by pointing to their “future participation in the triumph of God’s rule over all those secular and materialistic pretenders to the Lord’s throne” (79).
Similarly, Frank Pack suggested:
My own thoughts?“The victorious Christian shares in Christ’s glorious triumph and authority, and possesses Christ as an everlasting treasure” (48).
Like I said, I am no bible scholar. And I have no doubt that these people are right on in their opinions of why Jesus calls himself the Bright and Morning Star.
It is my own thought that Jesus is not only what they have said but also that he is our guide out of darkness. Not only does he guide us in our life to make the decisions that he wants us to make or the directions he wants us to go, but he also takes us from sin into his light. He is the light we are told in John 8:12. We can wake up every morning, with a new day starting. The promise of Jesus as our Bright Star pointing us in the ways he wants us to go. The darkness of the night gives way into all that he has for us this day. Everyday. He is our Bright and Morning Star! Halleluiah!
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