We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
At the end of the passage that we read yesterday, Peter spoke of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus ensured that Peter, James and John saw the glory of the living Presence of God. Peter is about to teach about a false teacher, but before he gets there, he wants us to know that he is preaching truth. Those 'cleverly devised stories' of 2 Peter 1:16 were not used to tell us about the power and coming of Jesus, but Peter was a witness and the prophets told of those things.
Pay attention to prophecy, he says. It is a light shining in a dark place. Psalm 119:105 say that God's Word is a "lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Peter goes on to write that we are to hold to the Word 'until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.' (2 Peter 1:19b)
Numbers 24:17 says "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel."
And we read in Revelation 22:16 that Jesus is the bright morning star.
After the dawn of the morning star - scripture will no longer be needed. Understand this - it's beautiful! Scripture shines as a light until the coming of the dawn. That's what Peter is saying. Jesus is the Word made flesh. Jesus is the morning star. We will no longer need scripture with the dawn of the morning star. We will have entered the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:23 says "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light ... and the Lamb is its lamp."
Remember what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10? "But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears."
2 Peter 1:20-21 gives us more information about these prophecies. Firstly, the prophet did not make them up on his own and secondly, they came from God through the Holy Spirit.
The prophecies that are a light shining in a dark place are God's Words to us ... love letters, if you will. A promise that Jesus will return. A light to encourage our hope in the darkness.
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