"Gazing past the temporary wood crib, I marveled at the starry night. I couldn't help but chuckle when I noticed a tiny arm, flung out in sleep, appear over the edge of the manger. I wondered if that was the motion he had used when scattering the stars in the heavens. Barely awake, I thought of previous generations of my forefathers who had slept under these same skies, hoping and waiting for the child I could now reach out and touch. I thought of all the promises and disappointments through the years. God had needed to shape my people with sadness and suffering. But lying in the hay above me was God's final answer.
"When I had sobbed his name the first time, I had simply followed the angel's instructions: 'We shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.' I surrendered to sleep, certain that angels would keep watch." Paul put it this way—"…when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."(Galatians 4:4-6) Yes, His destiny was and is to change ours! Jesus is God's final answer, and this we see even from the earliest days of Messianic predictions, which find their fulfillment in Him alone. Way back in the book of Numbers, Balaam's prophecy gives us this—"I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel…"(24:17) Both titles, Star and Scepter, are powerful symbols of authority, but it is the Star that is before us right now.
In the context of the Scripture just quoted, the Star is an obvious reference to King David, in that it was he who defeated both Moab and Edom—two of Israel's most persistent enemies. But as is true of most prophecies, there not only is an initial fulfillment, but also an ultimate one. The ultimate Star, of course, is Jesus Christ. As Simeon dedicated this child, just eight days after His birth, and officially gave Him His name, he said that Jesus would be a "…light to lighten the Gentiles." (Luke 2:32) When the star that had appeared to the wise men in the East, eventually led them to the very spot where the Holy Child was, it was known as His star. (Matthew 2:2) But, remember—His destiny was to change ours! These balls of fire in the sky are not the fulfillment—He is! Novas—and even supernovas—are not the point; Jesus alone is the Super-Star—the Star of Jacob!
Today, in our entertainment-oriented society, "stardom" has been greatly redefined. Sixty years ago, stars such as John Wayne, Bob Hope, and Jimmy Stewart, had what was called—"staying power." They were stars for years and years. Now, however, stardom is really nothing more than a flash in the pan. They make a hit movie or sing a hit song, and they are on top, but usually for a short time and you often never hear from them again. Do you remember the famous rock-opera "Jesus Christ Super-Star?" When I was a teenager—many, many moons ago—it was all the rage. I had the full album set, and played it over and over and over again. At the time, I was religious, but not born-again, so I didn't recognize some of the perversions. Besides depicting a love-interest between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, it characterized the traitor Judas as trying to do a good thing. I guess the greatest blasphemy was the depiction that Jesus didn't know what was going on, and, therefore, just stumbled through it all in a fog. Oh, how God can change destiny—that very theater is now Times Square Church, founded by David Wilkerson, and the "star" of the show, the perverted Jesus, eventually got saved. Praise God—Jesus' destiny is to change ours!
And Praise God—Jesus, in truth, is the real Super- Star! In Revelation 22:16, Jesus relates all of the prophecies to Himself—"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Literally, this "star" is really a planet—Venus, the brightest of the planets. It is brighter than the stars to us because it is far closer to us than any star—other than our own sun, of course. What a picture of Christ, for the bright and morning star is a harbinger of a new dawning day! Herbert Lockyer put it this way—"As this Star, Jesus ushered in the day of grace at His birth, and will function as the same when He ushers in the everlasting day of glory." Praise God—the darkness of interim night is about to give way to a bright, new Eternal Day. It is our Jesus that chases away the dark night of sin and delivers His own people from a world of gloom. Have you ever noticed that in the darkness of the night, worries and problems seem far more foreboding and scary? And then, when we get up in the morning, the light of day seems to give every thing a new perspective? As we begin our trek into the New Year, worries about the economy, politics, and worldwide upheavals, make us feel as though we are taking steps into the darkness of night—and we are, IF we do not take them with the Bright and Morning Star. Jesus Christ alone can lead the way—for He is the Way—Yes, the Way in a manger!
When Zacharias, the father of Jesus' forerunner, John the Baptist, praised God for the birth of that miraculous baby, he declared, "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:76-79) This "dayspring" is a similar concept to the "morning star"—as His first coming heralded the Church's New Day, the promise of His soon coming gives a clear signal to be ready to move with Him. Dan Crawford illustrated this when he spoke of his African equipment-bearers on safari—"When they were on the march, and night was coming on, they would lie down to sleep; but, before dropping off to sleep, there would pass from group to group around the fires the word 'Lutanda' (morning star). It was the laconic agreement to be up and ready to move when the morning star arrived."
Though it may be obscured by mists, fog, or clouds, the morning star shines. And so does our Morning Star, no matter the uncertainty of the future—we may not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future! The morning star is constantly moving across our night sky, for nothing can block its path or deter its progress. And so it is true with our Morning Star! Remember—the literal morning star is a terror to evil men and thieves, for when they see the dawn coming, they run to hide—they prefer the cover of darkness. John 3:19 tells us, "…men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." But when Jesus fills your heart with His light, you become a new Creation, and the old things pass away. Satan himself tries to fake it, and lead you with his light, for even the Scripture warns us that he is an "angel of light." (1 Cor. 11:14) But it is counterfeit! Jesus even said that He saw Satan, who had been a glorious angel, rebel, and, "…as lightning fall from heaven," (Luke 10:18)—a falling "star," so to speak. So, don't be fooled by the counterfeits and the flashes in the pan—Jesus Christ is the real Super-Star. He flung both of His arms well past the manger, and onto the Cross of Calvary—not to place the stars in heaven, for they will only fall soon enough (2 Peter 3:10-13)—but to pay for your sins and mine. Will you receive that amazing gift? In this New Year, look to the only Star with real staying power—Jesus Christ, the real Super-Star!
