Matters of the Heart-The Bright Morning Star – Steve Orr
God Speaks To Us Through His Creation – The Bright Morning Star.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2 NIV)
I love starting my day outside early in the morning with coffee in hand while looking at the third brightest celestial object in our skies. It’s a great way to start the day. With this, let’s consider a curious passage:
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright Morning Star. (Revelation 22:16 NIV)
Yes, Jesus is the Offspring of David, but what’s the Bright Morning Star about? In Jesus’ time this was an expression for the planet Venus which is often spectacular at dawn. Obviously, Jesus is not a planet, so what does it mean? I puzzled at length and found this:
He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:17-19 NIV)
The morning star is a sign of a new day. For me, Jesus is saying:
“I am your new day! It’s a day of re-creation, like the first morning. With Me, you get a new start. Behold, I make all things new! I am your shining lamp Who overwhelms all the darkness of your past. Prepare your hearts for My Kingdom has come to you on this bright new day!!”
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. His sheep recognize His voice, He calls us by name, He knows us and we know Him, (John 10). The Word of God, (John 1:1), speaks to us through His indwelling presence in our hearts.
Maybe God speaks to us more than we realize. The question is not whether God speaks to us, the question is can we hear? Are we listening?
(Astronomical note: Currently Venus is not visible to the naked eye . It will return as the “Evening Star” starting in August and reappear as the Morning Star in 2025.)
Steve Orr writes to us from Montana. After working in the mecca of technology, Steve traded the rat race of Silicon Valley for the adventures of High Tech in Big Sky Country. Steve has an MBA with experience in accounting, finance, technology, and management. He occasionally writes a little software code, but mostly he likes writing about Matters of the Heart.