Revelation 2:28 kjv
And I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:28 nkjv
and I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:28 niv
I will also give that one the morning star.
Revelation 2:28 esv
And I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:28 nlt
They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
Revelation 2 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star." | Jesus identifies as the Morning Star. |
| 2 Pet 1:19 | "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." | Christ as inner illumination and hope. |
| Rev 2:26-27 | "The one who overcomes... I will give him authority over the nations..." | Immediate context of receiving authority. |
| Ps 2:8-9 | "Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance..." | Divine promise of Messiah's global dominion. |
| Dan 7:13-14 | "...one like a son of man... dominion, glory, and a kingdom..." | Prophecy of the Son of Man's eternal rule. |
| 1 Cor 6:2-3 | "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?..." | Believers' future participation in judgment/rule. |
| Rev 5:10 | "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth." | Saints reigning with God. |
| Rev 20:4 | "and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years." | Believers co-reigning in the Millennium. |
| Matt 19:28 | "...when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you also will sit on twelve thrones..." | Disciples promised future thrones. |
| Luke 19:17 | "‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’" | Reward of increased responsibility/authority. |
| Luke 12:32 | "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom." | God's intention to give the Kingdom. |
| Jas 2:5 | "Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" | Inheritance of the Kingdom for believers. |
| Rom 8:17 | "if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." | Co-heirs with Christ, sharing in His glory. |
| 2 Tim 2:12 | "If we endure, we will also reign with Him..." | Reigning with Christ contingent on endurance. |
| Col 3:4 | "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." | Believers sharing Christ's glory. |
| Num 24:17 | "A star shall come forth from Jacob..." | Balaam's prophecy of a ruling King/star (Messiah). |
| Isa 60:19-20 | "...The LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God your glory." | God as eternal light, a coming new day. |
| Mal 4:2 | "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings..." | Christ as the 'Sun of Righteousness' bringing light. |
| Matt 13:43 | "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." | Righteous ones shining with divine glory. |
| Jn 14:3 | "I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." | Promise of Christ's presence and dwelling with Him. |
Revelation 2 verses
Revelation 2 28 Meaning
This verse is a divine promise to those in Thyatira, and by extension all believers, who overcome sin and faithfully persevere in the Lord. The promise is to grant "the morning star" to the victor. This symbol refers to Jesus Christ Himself (Rev 22:16), signifying a sharing in His unique glory, dominion, and role as the usher of a new eternal day, distinct from the present darkness. It speaks to the ultimate privilege of intimate fellowship with Christ and co-regency in His coming Kingdom.
Revelation 2 28 Context
Revelation 2:28 is part of the letter to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29), one of the seven churches of Asia Minor. This church, though praised for its love, faith, service, and endurance, faced severe internal issues due to the toleration of a false prophetess named "Jezebel." She led believers into spiritual idolatry, symbolized by eating food sacrificed to idols, and sexual immorality. Against this backdrop of darkness and compromise, Jesus issues a warning to repent, but also offers a powerful promise of reward to those who remain faithful and "overcome" these temptations. The preceding verses (26-27) promise authority over the nations to the overcomer, and verse 28 details a deeper, more intimate reward: sharing in Christ's own glory as the Morning Star. This promise served as encouragement to stand firm amidst spiritual pollution, reminding them of the ultimate divine inheritance that awaited those who refused to yield to the darkness.
Revelation 2 28 Word analysis
- καὶ (kai): "And." A conjunction connecting this promise to the previous one in verse 27, signifying an additional, perhaps climactic, reward.
- δώσω (dōssō): "I will give." Future active indicative, from δίδωμι (didōmi), indicating a definite divine act of bestowal. This is a sovereign gift, not something earned through merit, though it is contingent on overcoming and faithfulness. It implies divine grace bestowing unique privilege.
- αὐτῷ (autō): "to him." Dative masculine singular pronoun, referring directly back to "the one who overcomes" (τῷ νικῶντι, tō nikōnti) in verse 26. This emphasizes the individual and personal nature of the promise.
- τὸν ἀστέρα τὸν πρωϊνόν (ton astera ton prōinon): "the morning star." This is the core symbolic element.
- ἀστήρ (astēr): "star." In biblical contexts, stars often symbolize rulers, significant individuals, or heavenly beings (e.g., Num 24:17 for Messiah; Dan 8:10 for political powers; Rev 12:4 for fallen angels).
- πρωϊνός (prōinos): "of the dawn," "early." Adjective specifying the star as appearing at dawn, just before sunrise.
- "τὸν ἀστέρα τὸν πρωϊνόν" (the morning star): This phrase holds immense significance.
- Revelation 22:16 directly identifies Jesus Christ as "the bright and Morning Star." Therefore, receiving "the morning star" means receiving Jesus Himself in a unique, intimate way, or participating in His glory and character.
- Symbol of Authority and Rule: In ancient cultures, the morning star (often identified with Venus) was prominent and often associated with kingship or new beginnings. Granting the "morning star" thus speaks of sharing in Christ's own kingship, ultimate authority, and the ushering in of His eternal reign. It represents a deeper participation in His glorified state, beyond merely reigning over nations.
- Light dispelling darkness: The morning star heralds the dawn, dispelling the night. For the overcomer in Thyatira, surrounded by spiritual darkness (Jezebel's teachings), receiving the "morning star" promises the light of Christ, symbolizing ultimate victory over the powers of darkness and entry into eternal light.
- Hope and Resurrection: The dawn also symbolizes resurrection and new life. This gift can be interpreted as a participation in Christ's resurrection glory and the sure hope of eternal life, a spiritual renewal that ushers in the consummation of all things.
- Co-regency and Intimate Union: This gift suggests a deep and personal fellowship with Christ, where believers are granted a share in His kingly and glorious identity, participating with Him not just in external rule, but in the very radiance of His being. It signifies intimate union with the Giver.
Revelation 2 28 Bonus section
The promise of the "morning star" ties into the ancient Messianic prophecy of the "star out of Jacob" (Num 24:17), which speaks of a King who would rise and have dominion. By receiving the Morning Star, believers are in a profound way included in the fulfillment of this prophecy, not as the Messiah themselves, but as co-heirs and participants in His eternal reign. This also speaks to the profound adoption and glorification of believers: being transformed from creatures of dust into co-inheritors of the cosmic glory and authority of the Son of God, truly shining like stars in the kingdom (Matt 13:43). The emphasis on the "morning" aspect signifies a definite end to all darkness and the beginning of eternal light and unending day with Christ.
Revelation 2 28 Commentary
Revelation 2:28 offers a profound eschatological promise to the faithful who resist spiritual compromise. "The morning star" is definitively Jesus Christ (Rev 22:16), making this reward an astonishing bestowal of intimate fellowship with Him and participation in His very glory and reign. Unlike the more general "authority over the nations" mentioned previously, receiving the morning star symbolizes a deeper, personal identification with Christ's victorious kingly status and His role as the usher of a new eternal age. For believers struggling against the moral and spiritual darkness, as was the case in Thyatira, this promise serves as the ultimate incentive: to become like Him, to share in His ultimate triumph over sin and death, and to rule and reign eternally alongside the Lord of Light Himself. It means entering into the ultimate light, free from all shadows, embodying Christ's light and dominion. This reward motivates continued steadfastness in faith and purity, as the coming glory far surpasses any temporal gain or comfort from compromise.