Christian Symbolism in the Planet Venus

The Planet

Welcome to part two of Christian Symbolism in the planets. In this section, we’ll discuss the planet Venus, related scriptures, and what it can tell us about Jesus Christ. For some background let’s first go over a few characteristics of this planet.

Covered in thick, reflective clouds, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky, after to the moon. It’s often called earth’s sister planet because it is similar in size, mass, and composition. Because of it’s position between earth and the sun, it has a unique motion across the sky never straying too far from the sun. It is usually seen for a few hours before sunrise or after sunset. This is why was labelled anciently as the morning and evening star.

Bright and Morning Star

Regarding the term “morning star,” Revelation 22:16 reads “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

Just as Venus shows up as a bright and morning star, which heralds a new day and the coming of the sun, Jesus’s coming also heralds the beginning of a new day, when at his second coming shall “the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings...” In fact, in the same chapter of Revelation where we find the term “morning star” discusses the topic of the new millennial day which follows Christ’s coming.

In verse 13 of Revelation chapter 22, Jesus proclaims that he is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Venus also points to this title of Christ in that it signals both the beginning of a day, and the end of a day, depending on where it is in it’s orbit.

I think it’s no coincidence that the term “morning star” appears in a chapter that concerns the second coming because Venus shares yet another characteristic with the return of the Messiah. It has to do with the color red. Isaiah 63 speaks of the second coming as a “day of vengeance,” when Christ will return to redeem His people clothed in red (v2-3). Venus likewise appears clothed in red each time it accompanies a sunset or sun rise, which commonly appear in shades of red. When Venus sets with the sun, it symbolizes to me the setting of the old world with it’s earthly kingdoms. On the other hand, rising with the sun it heralds the beginning of the new world and Christ’s heavenly kingdom on Earth.

Bridegroom

In regards to Earth and Venus being sister planets, I made an interesting discovery in Song of Solomon chapter 4. In poetic form Solomon uses the word “sister” in talking to his bride. Biblical commentators reveal, in the culture of the time “‘sister’ was an affectionate term for one’s wife.” (Glickman) The idea of a bride brings us back to Revelation (chapter 21) where the second coming of Christ is likened to a wedding, or a groom coming for his betrothed (i.e. the church). Verse 9 says, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” This imagery is shown elsewhere in scripture, such as the parable of the 10 virgins and the wedding feast.

Mary the Mother of Jesus

Finally, some associate Venus with Mary the mother of Jesus, and there are those who have speculated that a rare conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may have been the so-called “new star” over Bethlehem that signaled the birth of Jesus. In this case, Venus may represent not only the second coming of Jesus, but his first coming as well. When as the scriptures say, he came to “preach good tidings unto the meek… to bind up the brokenhearted,” etc. (Isaiah 61:1). In regards to Christ first coming, in Venus again we see a type of Christ when he died on the Cross and rose again three days later, wherein Venus when after half of its orbit, sinks into the sunset and then rises again in the sunrise. Interestingly, it does take Venus roughly 3 days to transit the sun where it goes from being in the sunset to being in the sun rise.

Conclusion

So to me Venus represents, above all, God’s love. A love that led Christ to lay down his life for us (John 15:13) to bind up the brokenhearted; a love that promises his second advent when he will rise again with healing in his wings and return for his bride. In short, Venus represent the love of God.

I hope you enjoyed this video, and that you might have learned something. Come back next time, when we explore christian symbolism in the planet Mars. Until next time remember, to be spiritually minded is life eternal.

Sources

Revelation Chapter 21-22, Isaiah 63:2-3, Isaiah 61:1, John 15:13

Keywords

Love, Morning Star, Mary, Sun, Healing, Red