Lastly, there is the day in its full brightness. For the path of this Just One is like the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Of that day, earth has never seen the like. For that day it waits in patient hope, strug- gling hard, meanwhile, with darkness, and
THE MORNING- STAR. 67
labouring to throw off its long sad weight of ill.
It is as if the glory of the Lord, when first coming within sight of the earthy showed itself in the far distance, as the star of morning ; token most welcome and hopeful, recognised at once by those who knew the true light of the world, and who had often in other days looked out wist- fully for the Star of Jacob. It is, next, as if the same glory, when it neared the earth, showed itself in terrible majesty as the sign of the Son of man, in seeing which all the tribes of the earth mourn (Matt. xxiv. 30 ; Rev. i. 7) ; for just as in the morning- watch the Lord looked through the pillar of fire and cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians, (Exod. xiv. 24,) so, when he cometh with clouds, " all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." It is, next, as if the same glory of the Son of man, coming still nearer, took up its destined position, and spread its skirts over earth as
68 THE MORNING-STAR.
did the pillar-cloud over the tents of Israel. It is, lastly, as if this glory, this more than Shechinah-splendour, showed itself as the Sun of righteousness, bearing healing in his wings, wherewith he heals the nations, so that the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick ; wherewith he heals the earth, so that the curse takes flight ; wherewith he heals the air, so that it poisons no more. Then day shall utter speech to day in a way unheard of before ; then shall their line go throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, when out of that " tabernacle which he hath set for the Sun/' that Sun shall come forth as a bride- groom out of his chamber, rejoicing as a strong man to run a race. Then shall come to pass the saying that is written, * Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and his voice was like the noise of many waters,
and THE EARTH SHINED WITH HIS GLORY*'*
(Ezek. xliii. 2.)
THE MORNING-STAR. 69
With all of these in succession the saints have to do, from the time that they are roused out of their tombs by the first beams of the Morning-star, to have part in the first resurrection. But it is only th@ first of these that we are now considering.
The promise " to him that overcometh " is, " I will give him the morning-star.39 (Rev. ii. 28.) Of all the blessings symbol- ized or indicated by that star, he is made partaker. The first streak of dawn is his. He is summoned from the dust to meet morning ere yet one ray of it has touched the earth. The first glimpse of the long- waited-for glory his eye shall see, when other eyes abide in darkness. In this first token of a coming Lord, his soul shall re- joice. At this, the first sound of the return- ing Bridegroom's voice, he shall go forth with ready love. The first object that shall meet his eye on awaking from the tomb, shall be the Star of Jacob.
This earnest of creation's better day
70 THE MORNING-STAR.
is the portion of the saints. The deliver- ance of creation is at hand. The time of " the manifestation of the sons of God " is come. Now, arrayed in light, themselves the sons of light, they shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever. Now, transformed into the image of the Morning-star — them- selves the stars of morning, they prepare to sing together over the new creation, when its foundations shall be fastened and its corner-stone laid by Him who is to make all things new.* Death is now swallowed up of victory; the grave is rifled ; the spoiler is spoiled ; ashes are exchanged for beauty : the light that was quenched is rekindled ; the sorrow passes into joy ; and the darkness of a brief night ends in the uprising of the endless day.
As for those that " are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord," though they
* See Job xxxviii. 6, 7, where the reference is of course to the old creation.
THE MORNING-STAR. 71