PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD

How the Daystar Rises

Peter wrote:  "You are doing well in paying attention to [the prophetic word] as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises."  Who or what is the "daystar?"  The word "daystar" occurs just once in the Bible, and it is similar in meaning to "morning star."  Revelation 22:16 calls Jesus Christ "the bright morning star."  At certain seasons  of the year, such stars are the last ones to rise on the eastern horizon.  They rise just before the sun appears, and they thus herald the dawn of a new day.  Peter used the word "daystar" to refer to Jesus after He received  Kingdom power.  At that time, Jesus rose in all the universe,including our earth!  As the Messianic Daystar, he heralds the dawning of a new day, or era, for obedient mankind.

Many Bible translations foster the idea that the apostle Peter's words recorded at 2 Peter 1:19 refer to the physical human heart.  An adult heart weighs but 9-11 ounces.  How could Jesus Christ - now a glorious immortal spirit creature in heaven - rise in these small human organs?  (1Timothy 6:16)  Of course, our figurative hearts are involved in this matter, for with them we pay attention to God's prophetic word.  But look carefully at 2 Peter 1:19, and you will see that the New World Translation uses commas to set off the parenthetical phrase "until day dawns and a daystar rises" from earlier words in the verse and from the expression "in your hearts."  This verse might be expressed in this way:  "We have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, that is,  in your hearts, until day dawns and a daystar rises.

 What is the condition of the figurative hearts of sinful mankind in general?  Why, their hearts are in spiritual darkness!  If we are true Christians, however, it is as if we have a lamp shining in our hearts, which would otherwise be dark.  As indicated by Peter's words, it would be by paying attention to God's illuminating prophetic word that genuine Christians would keep alert and enlightened to the dawn of a new day.  They would be aware of the fact  that the Daystar has risen,not in fleshly human hearts, but before all creation.

The Daystar has already risen!  We can be sure of that by paying attention to Jesus' great prophecy regarding his presence.  Today, we are experiencing its fulfillment in such events as unprecedented wars, famines, earthquakes, and the worldwide preaching of the good news.  (Matthew 24:3-14)  Though the difficult conditions that Jesus foretold also affect us as Christians, we are able to endure with peace and joy of heart.  Why?  Because we pay attention to God's prophetic word and have faith  in what he promises for the future.  We know that we are on the threshold of the best of times because we are very deep into "the time of the end!"  (Daniel 12:4) The world is in the desperate straits foretold at Isaiah 60:2:  "Look! darkness itself will cover the earth, and thick gloom the national groups."  How can anyone find his way in this darkness?  A person must humbly pay attention to God's prophetic word now, before it is too late.  People of honest heart need to turn to Jehovah God, the Source of life and light.  (Psalm 36:9; Acts 17:28)  Only by doing this can anyone have true enlightenment and the hope of enjoying the marvelous future that God has purposed for obedient mankind. -Revelation 21:1-5.

Next time: "The Light Has Come Into the World"

Watchtower, 2000