Revelation 22:16; The Bright and Morning Star

Revelation 22:16 (KJV)  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

The allusion is to Isaiah 11:1 where, contrary to the use of “the root” here, the Messiah is a descendent of David, rather than David’s ancestor (Beasley-Murray, Johnson). Jesus is both the ancestor and the descendent of David, the beginning and the end of the economy associated with David. Consequently, He fulfils all the Messianic promises associated with David’s family (Charles). Numbers 24:17 and Luke 1:78 refer to David king as a star in this fashion (cf. 2 Peter 1:19).

Isaiah 11:1 (KJV)  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 

Numbers 24:17 (KJV)  I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. 

Luke 1:78 (KJV)  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 

2 Peter 1:19 (KJV)  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

In this role He satisfies the promise to the Thyatiran overcomer (Revelation 2:28).

Revelation 2:28 (KJV)  And I will give him the morning star.

This is Christ’s interpretation of His own earlier utterance where He calls himself “the morning star”, but here He features the characteristic brightness of that star. As the bright morning star, He is explicitly the brightest star in the whole galaxy. He is the one who return will remove the cold and dark hour before the sunrise and bring in the perfect day of God (Moffatt, Beckwith).

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1995, 510]