Topical Bible: The Stars: Morning Star

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The term "Morning Star" appears in various contexts within the Bible, symbolizing both celestial and spiritual entities. It is a term rich with theological significance and is used to describe both Christ and, in a different context, Satan.

Biblical References:

1. Christ as the Morning Star:
· In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is referred to as the "Morning Star," symbolizing His divine nature and His role as the bringer of light and hope. Revelation 22:16 states, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star." This passage highlights Christ's fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and His eternal kingship. The imagery of the Morning Star signifies the dawn of a new era brought forth by Christ's redemptive work.

2. Satan and the Morning Star:
· The term is also associated with Satan in a more complex and metaphorical sense. Isaiah 14:12 reads, "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations." This passage, traditionally interpreted as a reference to the fall of Lucifer, uses the term "morning star" to describe the once-glorious angel who fell from grace due to pride and rebellion against God. The Hebrew word "helel" is often translated as "morning star" or "Lucifer," indicating a being of great beauty and brightness before his fall.

Theological Significance:

· Symbol of Hope and Renewal:
· In Christian theology, the Morning Star is a powerful symbol of hope, renewal, and the promise of Christ's return. It represents the light that dispels darkness, a metaphor for the salvation and eternal life offered through Jesus. The Morning Star heralds the dawn, much like Christ's resurrection heralds the new covenant and the promise of eternal life for believers.

· Contrast Between Christ and Satan:
· The dual use of the term "Morning Star" to describe both Christ and Satan underscores the stark contrast between the two figures. While Christ is the true and eternal Morning Star, bringing life and salvation, Satan's association with the term highlights his fall from a position of light to one of darkness and deception. This contrast serves as a reminder of the consequences of pride and the ultimate victory of Christ over evil.

Cultural and Historical Context:

· In ancient times, the morning star was often associated with Venus, the brightest object in the sky at dawn. This celestial body was seen as a harbinger of the new day, a fitting metaphor for Christ's role in ushering in the new covenant. The use of astronomical imagery in the Bible reflects the cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East, where celestial bodies were often imbued with symbolic meaning.

The Morning Star, therefore, serves as a multifaceted symbol within the biblical narrative, representing both the hope and light of Christ and the cautionary tale of Lucifer's fall.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 2:28
And I will give him the morning star.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Morning Star
... That came before the day,. And the gloom and the stars together. Faded and passed
away. Only the star of the morning. Glowed in the crimson sky". ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/the morning star.htm

Psalm CX.
... The morning star is put for the stars, as if the Scripture signified the whole
from a part, and from one conspicuous star all the stars. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cx.htm

Section 26-36. That the Son is the Co-Existing Word
... star,' but simply before the morning star.' If then the phrase must be taken of
the body, then either the body must be before Adam, for the stars were before ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 26-36 that the son.htm

Third Tractate. Are the Stars Causes?
... and warmth], in this resembling the Morning-star and therefore ... what is known as the
Fiery Star, Jupiter is ... it would seem, is indifferent whatever stars it be ...
/.../plotinus/the six enneads/third tractate are the stars.htm

The Answer on the Different Kinds of Perfection.
... in the sky, yet there is a mighty difference between the brightness of the sun and
of the moon, and between that of the morning star and the rest of the stars. ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter xii the answer on.htm

That it is not Contrary to Nature That, in an Object Whose Nature ...
... unerring computation, the past and future movements of the stars, so as to take
upon them to affirm that this which happened to the morning star (Venus) never ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 8 that it is not.htm

Christianity a Light.
... unto the end, that he will give them the morning star. ... until the day dawn and the
day star arise in ... a spiritual solar system consisting of sun, moon and stars. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter i christianity a light.htm

On the Morning of Christ's Nativity
... See how from far upon the eastern road. The star-led wizards haste with odours
sweet! ... The stars with deep amaze. ... For all the morning light,. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/lxxxi on the morning of.htm

The Third Trumpet.
... applies a similar image of a falling star, c. xiv. ... thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,
son of the morning! ... v.4, just now quoted, stars falling from heaven are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the third trumpet.htm

The Last Watch of the Night
... From peak to peak there spreads the jasper glow,. The morning star grows dim; ... The
desert journey done.". Thus do the morning stars together sing,. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen suso and others/the last watch of the.htm