Malachi 4, “When the sun/Sun had risen”

According to Mark the women arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning “when the sun had risen.”  I cannot help it but this stirs a wonderful thought in my soul.  Jesus is deeply connected to the “dawn” or “sunrise.”  He Himself said, in His final recorded words in Scripture, in Rev. 22:16, I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.  “The Bright and Morning Star” is that last star still visible at the dawn.  And that is Jesus.  The resurrected, ascended Jesus!

The Biblical concept of the “Day of the LORD” depends on this truth about Jesus.  That day begins at sundown, with darkness, chastening of God’s people, and then the judgment of the nations.  It’s the terrible locust plague of Joel’s early prophecy, and then the judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat in Joel’s later prophecy.  It is terrible.

But daylight is coming.  There is a time coming when there will be peace and righteousness and the glory of God in all the earth.  That daylight is when the Kingdom of God has come to earth.  But the judgment cannot end until the Word of God rides out of heaven.  “Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations” (Rev. 19:11-16).  Likewise, the Kingdom of God cannot come to earth in its fullness unless the King has arrived, the Prince of Peace.  “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.  Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and justice, from that time forward, even forever” (Is. 9:6-7).  None of this happens without the “dawning.”

But it’s not just our future glory in Christ’s presence.  Listen to Peter: And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Pt. 1:19).  This speaks of a “dawning” in our hearts.  And a “morning star.”  Except a quick check of the Greek and we are surprised.  “Morning star” is not the same as Rev. 22:16. The word here is, literally, pronounced the same way we pronounce it: phosphorus.  For us, “phosphorus” is an element that emits light when it is energized by some energy source.  In Greek it referred to Venus, which is the “morning star” in our sky.  Like phosphorus, Venus has no light of its own; it reflects the sun. 

I confess I am still studying this out.  Commentaries are not particularly helpful.  There is, however, a connection with our resurrection with Christ, that in Christ we have received the One of whom it is said: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (Jn. 1:4).  His Light is the energy that brightens our morning star.  Malichi’s prophecy promised, But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings (4:2).  What Peter is telling us is that the word of God which we have (the prophetic word confirmed) is a light that shines in the darkness until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.  Through the “prophetic word” we learn Christ, and as we grow in His grace and knowledge His Light enlightens the “phosphorus” in us.  This is such a wonderful thought, but we must continue with it in our next post.