Root of David, & Morning Star (Rev. 22:14-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR

12/12/2005

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Root of David, and Morning Star

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Revelation 22:14-16

            Message of the verse:  14  Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.  15  Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.  16  ‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’”

            If you read different translations of the Bible for these verses you can find that some of them have a different beginning to verse 14, where it would read “Blessed are those who keep His Commandments.”  Dr. Macarthur writes in his study Bible that the most correct one is “those who was their robes.”  In Dr. Wiersbe’s book he does not mention this, but because he uses the KJV he give his commentary on it, which speaks of the Commandments and not the robe. I am not sure about the reason why there is a difference in these, but my guess would be that there are different manuscripts used for these translations.

            John is giving a contrast between those who are believers and will enter into the eternal city, and those who are not believers, and the contrast is quite vivid.  This is like the difference between heaven and hell.  It is good to remember that this letter was written to the seven churches in Asia Minor, and these people were being tested for the faith, and as one reads through this letter he can see that there is much that has to do with prophecy, and the end times.  This letter was written to give encouragement to those seven churches, and not only them but countless people throughout the Church age, including those who are alive today in the 21^st century.  It is not just all about prophecy, but about things that can give a person hope and cause them to grow as he reads and studies this wonderful letter.

            Jesus identifies Himself in verse sixteen as the root and the descendant of David, which speaks of both His Deity and also His humanity.  A root is under the ground and cannot be seen, yet is most important to the plant or tree to which it is a part of, for without it there would be no life in the tree.  Jesus is the One who is the root of the line of David, which shows His Deity, and He is of the line of David, showing His humanity.  Jesus goes on to say that He is the bright morning star, and that is the brightest star as dawn is beginning, and right now sin has caused darkness to be prevalent on planet earth, but soon the Morning Star will come and bring light to this earth like it has never seen since the Lord Jesus came the first time, and had a bright star over Him in Bethlehem.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:   Verse sixteen reminds me of some of the verses in John’s Gospel, where Jesus spoke of being light and life and I think that after studying these verses I understand this much better, for light produces life in the plant world, and it also produces true life in the spiritual realm.  It is only Jesus Christ who can shine His light on a dead sinner and produce life in him, and when a person is saved His light continues to shine on him to show Him the way, and most of the time it is through His Word that this light shines.  “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Jesus uses His Word to guide our paths.

The Word of God has brought a challenge to my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to be a Lamp to my feet and a Light to my path as he guides me through these storms of life one day at a time.