THE MORNING STAR GIVEN AWAY.
By H. A. St. John
HE that created the heavens, and all that in them is, has made this infallible promise to the overcomer among earth's inhabitants: "I will give him the morning Star." Rev. 2:28. Is it a fact that this promise locates the eternal home of the saints on the planet Jupiter or Venus, or Mercury, our morning stars? Is it possible that we are here directed to these planets, as the place in the Father's house where our absent Lord is now fitting up mansions for His bride? No, indeed. This certainly is not His meaning. The gift named in the promise is something immensely greater and more precious than the most brilliant star in the heavens. Jesus our Saviour is "the bright and morning Star." Rev. 22:16. Yes, the glorified Redeemer, the one exalted above every creature, given a name above every name, who will yet receive from His Father the first dominion, paradise restored and rebeautified, the earth restored and rebeautified, the overcomer restored and rebeautified. Yes, He who will have many crowns upon His head (Rev. 19:12) who is accounted worthy of worship and adoration by the entire universe, the Lord Jesus Himself, is the bright and morning Star. I imagine that the reader is now interested to know how Jesus will give Himself to the overcomers. Well, we will now consider this important question. When the Lord made the world in the beginning, beautiful, like a noble palace all over, He gave it to Adam. Then He made a beautiful paradise upon it, and gave that to him likewise. The Redeemer, who was also the Creator, then gave Himself to Adam to be his teacher, counselor, and guide. When He was rejected for another, Adam lost his dominion, his glory, his innocence, and his paradise home, and became an outcast, without hope, and without God in the world. Then it was that Heaven took pity upon him, and to save him, Infinite Love gave Jesus as a living sacrifice, incarnate in the flesh, and a dying sacrifice on Calvary. Then Jesus ascended to heaven, and gave Himself to mankind again as their Saviour, Intercessor, and High Priest. And still is this same Jesus, at the head of the bureau of salvation in God's government, giving Himself to the work of receiving all that will come unto God by Him. And He is able to save unto the uttermost all that will come. He is our sacrifice, our Saviour, having entered into the presence of God for us. But the period of His priesthood will have an end. The time will come when He will cease to be the sinner's sacrifice and Saviour. Overcoming will have come to an end, and Christ's work as a high priest and mediator will have been finished. Then Jesus will look upon all the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. Then He will receive from His Father His kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of His kingdom under the whole heaven. Then by His Father and His happy subjects, He will be crowned Lord of all. Then, having received a glorious kingdom, filled with glorified subjects, all the purchase of His blood and intercession, the fulness of that joy set before Him as the results of the great gifts He had previously made, and having presented to His subjects the same kingdom that is given to Him, having crowned each one with a crown of glory and immortality, having given them each and all the right to reign with Him, to sit with Him in His throne,—there remains only one thing more that He can give this host of overcomers, and that is to give them Himself, as the bright and morning Star, the King in His beauty. Jesus will give Himself to the redeemed, ever to dwell with them, to be their Counselor, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; their everblessed Companion; their Bridegroom, to minister to their everlasting edification, instruction, and joy; to be the life and the light of their eternal home. The Giver having given the saints all things freely to enjoy, He now for the last time gives them Himself as their everlasting companion in glory. With love He will serve them; with love they will serve Him; and with love all will serve one another; for this is the law of life and bliss for all the universe. Jesus, long ago, gave Himself to the overcoming; at no distant day He will give Himself to the overcomers.