Our gracious Lord, in His final words to His people, spoken from heaven, and recorded on the last page of the holy Scriptures, names Himself the Bright and Morning Star. “I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches”—things relating to the last hours of the world’s ways, and to the end of Christless Christendom —“I am the root and the offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.” The title, “the Root and Offspring of David,” relates to His earthly people—to Jews; the title, “the Bright and Morning Star,” relates to His heavenly people—to Christians.
The Lord Jesus shall yet reign over His ancient people gloriously; the distracted East shall yet smile beneath His scepter. God will make good the title which scornful man blasphemously set over the cross, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” Jesus is the Root of David—from Him King David gained his greatness, Jehovah-Jesus upheld him. As the root of David, Jesus was David’s Lord. As root—in His own divine power—all that David ever was for God upon this earth, sprang from his Lord. Jesus is also the offspring of the royal line of Israel, for as a man He sprang from king David. In the coming day the kings of the earth shall bow down and own Jesus as their Prince, and His ancient people, the Jews, as the chosen nation of Jehovah.
The title Bright and Morning Star conveys ideas unlike either of those of Root or Offspring. Above this earth’s turmoil, in the deep and far-off sky, hang the shining stars; yonder, away and above earth’s cloud and gloom are suspended the lamps of night. The star speaks of heaven.
Who has seen the morning star? We need to rise before the sun to behold its beauty. When the sun arises, the light of the morning star is seen no longer. The morning star is the herald of the coming day. When the Lord shall reign upon this earth, He will be the Sun of Righteousness, healing will be in His wings, the sorrow and the misery of a sin-stricken earth will fly before His beams. Then no one will dispute the light of His sunshine. But now before the day, now while it is night, the Morning Star is to be seen by the eye of faith; now, while He is rejected of men, the Lord is the Bright and Morning Star for His people.
Those who sleep, see Him not thus; those who reason that this 21st century is ushering in the world’s peace, see Him not thus; those who call darkness light, see Him not thus. To such Jesus is no Morning Star. Those alone who are awake in this night, and who look for His coming again, know Him as the Morning Star.
How welcome are the signs of coming day to such as watch for the morning! The weary sufferer longs for the morning, and to how many at this moment is life like a long and weary night! But Jesus is the Morning Star; He Himself has promised He will come again, and when He comes every sigh of His people shall be forever hushed: when He comes their song will begin, and it will never end.
Jesus Himself is the Morning Star, and as the eye is fixed on Him, His love and grace fill the soul with joyful anticipation. As the eye is fixed on Him, we are lifted up from our circumstances and our trials. As the eye is fixed on Him, we cry, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
How bright to those who watch for Him is the Bright and the Morning Star! How brilliantly does He shine in His beauty as the coming One to them! The Day Star has risen in their hearts, and they long for the glory.
The people of God have the heavens for their home, and Christ coming for their hope. The bright prospect of soon being caught away from this cloud-clad earth is their expectation.
Himself, in His own brightness, Himself, in His promise of coming quickly, calls forth their cry, “Come!” “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.” This is their echoing love for Him who loves us. The Spirit of God who is in us, says, “Come!” “Come, Lord Jesus!” is a God-given cry in the soul.
“Let him that heareth say, Come!” Perhaps someone reading this book hears for the first time in his heart that Jesus is the coming One, and is awakened to the truth of our coming Lord; he has not said hitherto from the heart to the Lord Jesus, “Come!” Let him say it now.
Directly connected with true desires after the Lord who is coming are true longings for the conversion of sinners. The desire for Christ’s return, and the sense that He may come at any moment, ever leads to intense earnestness for the souls of men. Therefore this gracious word follows, “And let him that is athirst come”—let him come to Jesus; yes, come now, this moment, for He waits to welcome the lost to Himself and His God. The world does not satisfy the soul, then come, athirst as you are, to the Savior, and He will satisfy you for time and for eternity. Come now, and thirst no more.
The gracious invitation flows out to the whole world, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Whoever desires—for perhaps not all could say they thirst—but whoever desires, whoever wills, or wishes, may take the water of life freely. Oh, take it now! It is flowing in a broad river, clear as crystal, from the throne of God and the Lamb. Drink, and you will never thirst again, save for Himself who died for you. Then you shall look up from this world and its darkness to the bright and gladdening Star in the sky, Jesus our Lord, and as you look; you too will say from your heart, “Come, Lord Jesus!”