The morning star heralds the new day! The brightest star twinkling in the sky seems to proclaim that the dark night is nearly over, and a new day is dawning!
The Bible speaks of stars…
On the fourth day of creation, God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night—as well as the stars. God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:14–18).
On a single day, with a single spoken phrase, God created what today’s scientist believe to be two hundred billion trillion stars. That might be roughly equal to the number of grains of sand on every beach, on every shore, on every ocean. Don’t expect confirmation soon, but a congressional committee is busy counting. Maybe.
God used His stars to speak prophetically.
God gave the prophet Balaam a vision of the coming Messiah. “I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
Centuries later, Magi in the far east saw a similar astrological sign. Arriving in Jerusalem, they reported to Herod, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him”(Matthew 2:2, NKJV).
The star declared the arrival of the Messiah! Likewise, a star is associated with the King’s second advent. “We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19–21).
To the Apostle John, Jesus revealed the coming days with its tribulations and triumphs. He closed His Revelation with a comforting and encouraging promise. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star … Yes, I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:16, 20).
Until He fulfills His promise, until the King makes His magnificent and victorious appearance, look to the sky. In the pre-dawn hours, when the world lays in darkness, the Morning Star heralds the Coming King!
