ADVENT SEASON
(ANTICIPATING THE BIRTH OF JESUS)
28 NAMES OF JESUS
DECEMBER 10, 2020
NAME #10: The Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
During this Advent season, we are focusing on the names of Jesus. If you’re like me, you may have heard this name, but not as often as some of the other more commonly-known names associated with Jesus. Those have been addressed previously.
I’m not a sailor, but they would know the importance of stars. Stars light up the night sky, making it possible for ships to find their way. In the old days, sextons were used to map out a ship’s route. Perhaps not considered as vital today, stars still light the night sky.
One of the wonders of the night sky is the aurora borealis. Auroras are also known as “The Northern Lights.” I was privileged to see them while stationed in North Dakota.
Let’s take a moment and go back into Genesis 15:1 – 6. Here we find God telling Abram that his offspring will be as many as the stars in the sky. Verse 5b says, “Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” This prophecy came true. Jump ahead to Matthew 1:1: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” The remainder of the chapter illustrates the lineage of Jesus.
How about what the shepherds experienced in Luke Chapter 2: “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great fear” (Verse 9). I would have been afraid, too! The heavens played an important part in the birth of Jesus. In Matthew, 2, the wise men said, “For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Verse 2). The lyrics from “We Three Kings” are appropriate: “Star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright. Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.”
I am no astronomer, but knowing God created all the stars in the sky is amazing. In the last chapter of the Bible, Jesus addresses John: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13). Then in Verse 16, Jesus continues, “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.”
It’s Jesus himself giving us His name. As He said in John 9:5, “I am the light of the world.” Jesus is our light in the darkness, guiding us through our joys and sorrows. He is coming back — Are you looking for His return? Matthew 24: 30b states, “[A]nd they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” The bright morning star is only mentioned in this passage, but we can rest assured, Jesus is that “bright morning star”!
Grace,
Tom Dye