Difference between revisions of "Day-Star"

<p> In the OT there are traces of the survival of a dawn myth of which we have reminiscences in Job 3:9, where ‘the eyelids of the dawn’ (עַפְעַפֵי־שָׁחַר; Septuagintἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα) glance over the mountain-tops to behold the sleeping earth. The morning or day-star is the son of the dawn, as in the great ode on the overthrow of the king of [[Babylon]] (הַילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר; Septuagintἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωῒ ἀνατέλλων; Authorized Version‘Lucifer, son of the morning’; but Revised Version‘day star’ [Isaiah 14:12]). From this came the metaphor. But in the NT the physical associations of the figure are entirely lost, and the word ‘day-star’ has become the equivalent of harbinger or forerunner-some joyful event or appearance foretelling the end of the night of distress and sorrow, and the dawning of a new and better day. ‘This species of symbolism was employed freely, as every reader knows, in the Gospels.… John the [[Baptist]] was the Forerunner, the [[Morning]] Star. [[Christ]] was the Sun, the [[Light]] of the World.… The usage persisted as it had been originated’ (W. M. Ramsay, <i> Luke the [[Physician]] </i> , p. 230f.). </p> <p> The word ‘day-star’ occurs in the NT only in 2 Peter 1:19 -καὶ φωσφόρος ἀνατείλῃ ἑν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν-‘and the day-star arise in your hearts’ (Authorized Versionand Revised Version). The thought, however, is fairly common (cf. such expressions as ‘the dayspring [ἀνατολή] from on high,’ Luke 1:78; ‘his marvellous light’ [φῶς], 1 Peter 2:9; and specially ‘I will give him the morning star’ [τὸν ἀστέρα τόν πρωϊνόν], Revelation 2:28; ‘the bright, the morning star’ [ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ λαμπρὸς ὁ πρωϊνός], Revelation 22:16). In the Apocalypse, it should be noted, the usage (Revelation 2:28, Revelation 22:16) is different. While in the [[Gospels]] ‘an earlier age and another style of thought’ (Ramsay, <i> op. cit. </i> p. 234) had called Christ not a [[Star]] but the [[Sun]] and the Light of the World, in Revelation Christ calls Himself the [[Morning-Star]] as ‘the herald and introducer of a new era,’ and the gift of the Morning-Star means ‘the dawn of a brighter day and a new career.’ In 2 Peter 1:19 the writer, discussing the effect produced by the [[Transfiguration]] of Jesus, says that by it ‘we have the word of prophecy made more sure’ (Revised Version). The glorification of Christ on the Mount was not only a partial fulfilment of Messianic prediction, but was in itself the earnest of a complete glorification. In the squalid place of the world (Revised Version margin ἐν αὐχμηρῷ τόπῳ-the adj. occurs only here in the NT), where the Christian’s lot is cast, the prophecies, even with their partial fulfilment, are a lamp shining. </p> <p> The new day heralded by the day-star may be the [[Second]] [[Advent]] (Bennett, <i> Century Bible, in loc </i> .); but there is more to be said for Plumptre’s view ( <i> [[Cambridge]] [[Bible]] </i> ), that the rising of the day-star points to a direct manifestation of Christ in the soul of the believer (ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν). It is the revelation and confirmation in the heart of the [[Christian]] of what had been foreshadowed both by the prophetic word and the earthly manifestation of God’s Son. Christ in the heart is the gleam, the light, the Day-star, which the believer follows, and to which he moves. He has therefore the testimony in himself that he follows, not wandering fires, but a star. </p> <p> Witsius (Trench, <i> Epp. to the [[Seven]] Churches </i> 3, London, 1867, p. 155) sums up the import of the morning-star as follows: (1) a closer communion with Christ, the fountain of light; (2) an increase of light and spiritual knowledge; (3) glorious and unspeakable joy, which is often compared with light. Such hopes 2 Peter holds before [[Christians]] in the squalidness of a world where [[God]] is not known. But they know, for the day-star shines in their hearts. </p> <p> ‘Nor would I vex my heart with grief or strife </p> <p> [[Though]] friend and lover [[Thou]] hast put afar, </p> <p> If I could see, through my worn tent of life </p> <p> The stedfast shining of [[Thy]] morning star’ </p> <p> (Louise Chandler Moulton). </p> <p> For the same thought in the hymnology of the [[Church]] reference may be made to the Advent Hymns, ‘Light of the lonely pilgrim’s heart, Star of the coming day,’ also ‘Come, O come, Immanuel.’ </p> <p> Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, <i> Luke the Physician </i> , London, 1908, pp. 230-234. For the morning-star in the symbolism of the NT, see G. Mackinlay, <i> The Magi: How they recognized Christ’s Star </i> , do. 1907. </p> <p> W. M. Grant. </p>

<div> 1: Φωσφόρος (Strong'S #5459 — Adjective — phosphoros — foce-for'-os ) </div> <p> (Eng., "phosphorus," lit., "light-bearing" phos, "light," phero, "to bear"), is used of the morning star, as the light-bringer, 2 Peter 1:19 , where it indicates the arising of the light of [[Christ]] as the Personal fulfillment, in the hearts of believers, of the prophetic [[Scriptures]] concerning His coming to receive them to Himself. </p>

<p> (הילל בּן־שׁחר , <i> '''''hēlēl ben''''' </i> - <i> '''''shaḥar''''' </i> , Isaiah 14:12; φωσφόρος , <i> '''''phōsphóros''''' </i> , 2 Peter 1:19 ): The Old [[Testament]] passage is rendered in the King James Version "Lucifer, son of the morning," in the King James Version margin and the Revised Version (British and American) "day-star," i.e. the morning star. The reference is to the king of [[Babylon]] (Isaiah 14:4 ). In 2 Peter 1:19 , "Until ... the daystar arise in your hearts," the word is literally, "light-bringer." It is applicable, therefore, not only to the planet Venus, seen as a morning star, herald of the dawn, but to the sun itself, and is used here as a title of our Lord. See [[Astronomy]] , I, 6. </p>