The Morning Star

 
The Morning Star
(En Español)
The day of the Lord, like the dawning of any calendar day, does not burst forth abruptly. It is not pitch black at 5:59 a.m. and then, suddenly, bright morning the next minute. The night sky gradually recedes, retreating from the approaching rays of light. Even before the dawn breaks, the morning star faithfully heralds the coming day, announcing to the world still in darkness that light is at hand.
Some may ask, doesn't the Bible warn that the day of the Lord would come as a "thief in the night"? Yes, but His coming as a thief is only to the backslidden and sinner. Paul says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness" (1 Thess 5:4-5).
Indeed, the Scriptures use the image of the morning star to depict the church at the end of the age. This visual portrays well the reality that awaits us.
Concerning the end times, Peter wrote:
"So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19).
The ancients were fully aware that the morning star appeared while it was still night. The morning star, which is actually the planet Venus, is situated in our sky just above the eastern horizon. It is perfectly positioned to reflect the light of the coming day before the sunrise. The light of the morning star is a small, but beautiful, preview of the coming day. Here, Peter is saying that before the day of the Lord breaks, the morning star shall rise in our hearts!

We generate no light ourselves. It is only our position at the end of the age that enables us to reflect the day that is coming -- all the glory belongs to Jesus! He is Himself the "bright morning star" (Rev. 22:16). This unveiling of Christ rising in His people, like the morning star before dawn, is perfectly consistent with Isaiah's word: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (Isa. 60:1).

When will the glory rise? Just as the morning star rises while it is still night, so the glory of God shall rise within us when "darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples" (v. 2).
Are you ready for the manifestation of the Lord's glory? Are you preparing to be indwelt by the fullness of Christ?

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The preceding excerpt is adapted from the book The Days of His Presence by Pastor Frangipane. This book with associated audio resources are currently on sale at www.arrowbookstore.com.