Revelation Chapter Two, The True Morning Star

Revelation 2:28 “and I will give him the morning star.

This is an interesting verse because of the language Jesus uses to describe Himself. He told overcomers that they will sit on His throne reigning over the nations with Him, and then they will likewise receive the morning star. So, what is the morning star?

Peter writes, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,” 2 Peter 1:19. Twice Scripture refers to the morning star. Jesus promises to give the overcomers of Thyatira (and by extension all Christians) the morning star, while Peter speaks about his experience on the mount of transfiguration, 2 Peter 1:18. When Peter, James and John beheld Christ, He transfigured into a Being of radiant light, His mortality giving way to reveal the intrinsic deity hidden beneath. Peter was so afraid that he blathered about putting up tents. Christ’s glory overwhelmed him; as it did to John both at that time and in our current book, Revelation 1:17. So Peter speaks about the Father’s word regarding the Son, and that apostolic testimony (which became canonical Scripture) became a Christian’s bedrock, the light in a dark place until the morning star rose in our hearts, see also 2 Peter 1:16.

The conclusion of Revelation reveals the nature of the morning star. “I, Jesus…am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star,” Revelation 22:16. Why is this clarity so necessary and important? There is a contending morning star in Scripture.

Lucifer in the Hebrew, is “heylel” and simply means morning star, but the root term it is derived from is interesting. It is derived from the Hebrew “halal” which means, to be clear, to shine, or to make a show, to boast and thus to be clamorously foolish; to rave, to celebrate or stultify.

The term “halal” is where the word “hallelujah” is derived from in reference to the Lord, but its other connotations are interesting in regard to their association with Lucifer and his grand, raving intentions to usurp God’s throne, Isaiah 14:12-14. Lucifer is poetically referred to here as son of the morning, a clear reference to his namesake before his fall and transformation into Satan, or the Adversary, see Job 1:6, etc. Satan attempts to lay claim to a unique position Christ alone fulfills: Jesus is the true light-bringer to men. Isaiah wrote, “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth,” Isaiah 49:6. Luke agrees, quoting Simeon, “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel,” Luke 2:32. Isaiah adds, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined,” Isaiah 9:2. Jesus, confirming these prophecies, said to the Jews, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life,” John 8:12.

The only “light” Satan brought to man was the lie he sold to Adam and Eve in the garden, convincing them that self was more valuable than obedience, and pride more than submission. Eve was deceived, but Adam knowingly chose Satan’s lie over God’s truth and so sinning brought death to his progeny. The Devil, by the Lord’s admission, is the father of lies, and when he speaks, he speaks from his own resources; lies are all he knows, John 8:44. Scripture associates truth with light; truth reveals, just as light reveals. Satan, by the testimony of our Lord, has no truth in him; there is no light in this “light-bringer.” He offers only the cold comfort of darkness, which is the spiritual chain and blindfold that imprisons mankind, 2 Timothy 2:26, 1 John 5:19, 2 Corinthians 4:4. In this last verse cited, we see Paul speaking about the liberating light of Jesus Christ freeing those who are blinded by Satan’s lies, truly seeing only when the saving power of the gospel liberates them.

Jesus Christ is our Bright and Morning Star, the true light giver, dispenser of salvation and knowledge of God to mankind. When He tells Thyatira that He will give them (and us) the morning star, He is giving us Himself. He desires a close and personal relationship with believers, and He indwells us through faith when we believe this salvific message.