‘“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).”’

For most of my life I’ve been captivated with sailing vessels. I’m  ashamed to say there was a time when I almost worshipped them! Anything worshipped apart from God is idolatry. John warns us with these words, ‘Little Children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21).’

Well, the reason why I’ve mentioned my old passion for sailing boats, is because of a particular memory I have of seeing a beautiful yacht with the name, ‘Morning Star’. The name reminded me of Jesus, because it is one of His many names, but one that thrills me. What a beautiful name it is.

You can imagine the wonderful scene an ocean yachtsman may have before the rising of the sun. It is a crystal clear morning and the stars are fading as the dawn brightens. There’s a hint of warmth radiating from beyond the horizon and an orange glow that grows and eventually reddens before revealing a fiery orb, but what is really striking is in the opposite direction, to the west. Hovering in the dark blueness there is a solitary, bright shining star that dazzles and shimmers. This is the Morning Star; dominant, magnificent and glorious, reigning over the earth.

Here we have a picture of our Saviour, Jesus, who is King and Lord of the Universe. He is the One who made the stars (Job 38:4-7; Psalm 136:7-9; 147:4). His Father spoke with Abram and promised One would come from his own body who would be his heir through whom would be born countless descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). Abram believed the LORD and ‘He accounted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:1-6).’  He also said, “And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Acts 3:25; Genesis 12:3). That Seed is Jesus Christ, the same Seed who would bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

The final, total crushing of the serpent has yet to come at the end of time as we know it, when Christ will overpower him and cast him into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20:10). For now the serpent is restrained, yet he has limited power over the dark forces of the earth (Ephesians 2:2) until Jesus’ redemption of the faithful is complete (2 Peter 3:9, 10)  and ,’Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).’

The King’s sons by adoption (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 1:5) shall be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5; Hebrews 11:12), and ‘the prophetic word is 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).’