The Bible refers to both Jesus Christ and Satan as the “morning star” in different contexts. Understanding the meaning behind these references requires looking at the original language used and the broader context of the passages where these terms appear.
Jesus as the Morning Star
In Revelation 22:16, Jesus declares “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The phrase “bright morning star” here is a translation of the Greek word “phosphoros”. In ancient Greek mythology, Phosphoros was the name given to the planet Venus when it appeared as a morning star on the horizon just before sunrise. So Jesus here takes a title for himself that recalls this visual imagery. Calling himself the bright morning star depicts Christ as heralding a new day, bringing light into darkness.
The morning star is one of the brightest objects in the sky as the night is ending and day is dawning. So it’s a fitting image for Jesus and his purpose. He brings the light of God, truth, righteousness and salvation to a darkened world lost in sin. Just as the morning star signals the approaching sunrise, Jesus signals the coming of God’s new day and eternal kingdom (Revelation 21-22). So this title highlights Jesus’ role as the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecies about a coming redeemer, delivers people from spiritual darkness and reveals God’s glory and grace to humankind (Luke 1:78-79, John 1:14-18, 2 Peter 1:19).
Satan as the Morning Star
In Isaiah 14:12, the prophet warns the tyrannical King of Babylon that he will be brought low, likening his fall to that of Lucifer when he was cast out of heaven: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!” Here “Day Star, son of Dawn” is a translation of the Hebrew word “heylel”. It refers figuratively to the planet Venus as a brilliant light in the heavens. So Isaiah uses imagery of the morning star being dimmed and falling from the sky to picture the dramatic, catastrophic fall of the King of Babylon from his lofty position of power.
Later in Christian tradition, the Latin name for this morning star in Isaiah 14:12 – “Lucifer” – became associated specifically with Satan. This passage was seen as a reference to Satan’s rebellion and fall from heaven before Adam and Eve were created. So over time, Lucifer became synonymous with Satan as God’s chief adversary. Both names (“Lucifer” in Latin and “heylel” in Hebrew) mean “bringing light” or “shining one”, which fits with Satan disguising himself as an angel of light even though he spreads spiritual darkness (2 Corinthians 11:14).
So in summary, Jesus and Satan are both described in the Bible as a “morning star”, but with starkly different meanings. For Christ, it’s a title of divine royalty and redemptive purpose. For Satan, it’s a reminder of rebellion and condemnation. Studying the contexts makes it clear they refer to two divergent figures, not one originally good angel who fell.
Key Points of Difference
When studied closely, we see five key differences between Jesus and Satan as the “morning star”:
- Jesus is the true, supreme Morning Star who reflects God’s light and glory. Satan is a false lightbearer who misleads and tempts people to turn away from God.
- Jesus coming as the Morning Star led to victory, salvation and restoration. Satan’s fall as the morning star led to defeat, condemnation and corruption.
- Jesus is the original Morning Star through whom all things were created (John 1:1-3). Satan is a created being who rebelled and fell into sin.
- Jesus deserves worship as the divine Son of God (Revelation 22:13). Satan is the enemy of God who seeks illicit worship from humans (Luke 4:7).
- Jesus brings true enlightenment and redemption (John 8:12). Satan promotes deception and ruin (John 8:44).
Conclusion
In summary, while Jesus and Satan are both described as “morning stars”, the contexts and meanings could not be more different. Far from being one exalted angelic being, they represent two opposed spiritual figures – Christ the Savior versus Satan the deceiver. Understanding this distinction sheds light on core biblical themes of good vs. evil, truth vs. falsehood, the kingdom of God vs. the domain of darkness. Properly differentiating between the true Morning Star, Jesus Christ, and the enemy he came to defeat and destroy allows us to more fully grasp the redemptive mission and message of the Bible.
As the promised Messiah, Jesus fulfilled the hope and anticipation captured in the imagery of the morning star rising, signalling a new day of salvation, restoration and light for a world lost in darkness and despair. In stark contrast, Satan represents rebellion, corruption and a failed grasp at godlike status that resulted in catastrophic defeat and judgment. Rightly dividing the scriptures regarding the morning star allows us to see the wide gulf between Christ and Satan in nature, purpose and ultimate destiny for the glory of God.