Astronomy — The Evening and Morning Star
Thoughts from Elder Neal A. Maxwell at the dedication of the Draper Utah Temple
The Evening and Morning Star and the Draper Utah Temple dedication – by James M. Spens
In an address given at the 26th annual Continuing Education conference, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “As a special witness, I will speak about the witnessing universe.” He went on to present a wonderful discourse on our Creator’s cosmos. He said that he believed the heavens are again testifying of Jesus Christ and of His glorious temple right now as you read this and especially when the Draper temple is dedicated. In the book of Revelation, Christ declared, ‘I, Jesus, am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” (Revelation 22:16) The planet Venus is the evening and morning star. It is a symbol or sign of Christ. It is why Joseph Smith named the first newspaper of the Church the Evening and Morning Star. Moses said, “And I, God, said let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from night and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years.” (Moses 2:14) The ‘lights’ in the heavens not only keep track of time and are the basis for our clocks and calendars, but also are ‘signs’ or witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Venus was also the great star that represented the Mayan Gpd Quetzalcoatl. Elder Milton R. Hunter said “Venus, great star of Quetzalcoatl, first shines as the evening star and later as the morning star. After first appearing in the western sky, Venus disappears underground and remains hidden for several days., reappearing, brighter than ever, in the eastern sky when she reunites with the sun.” Venus began that pattern described by Elder Hunter this year by first rising in late fall in the west . It then grew brighter and brighter and higher in the sky, because it is approaching the earth. Then in late March it will plunge rather quickly down toward the western horizon and will pass behind the earth and be hidden. In most year Venus is hidden for several days, however, it will do something very different this year. After passing under or behind the earth,, it will rise and brighten again as the Morning Star. Its cycle parallels the life of Christ and is symbolic of him. This year Venus will do something quite spectacular late in March. There are only one or two days in which the planet Venus can be seen as both, the morning and evening star, and this occurs only once every 8 years. This year it will do just that and it will occur around March 20, 21, and 22. On those days it will set in the west as the Evening Star and then on those same days it will be seen rising in the east as the morning star. On the days before March 20 and 21 and after it will only be seen as the morning or evening star, not both. This event of being able to see Venus at both dawn and dusk is a spectacular witness of Jesus Christ. This occurs at a point called ‘Venus inferior conjunction’ and this is simply when Venus moves into a position exactly between the Earth and the Sun. Venus at this point becomes an exotic crescent shape while maintaining much of its brilliance. The great evening and morning star, symbol and sign of Christ, will shine above us for those few days in March. It will be low on the horizon on those days but clearly visible from the earth. Who selected March 20, 21, and 22 as the dedication dates for the Draper Temple? It appears it was certainly not a chance or random selection of days but is a reflection of the Lord’s manifestations to his prophets. “The heavens declare the glory of God”, as stated in Psalm 19:1. And they stand this March, as Elder Maxwell said, as a witnessing universe to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and is a heavenly manifestation of his presence, approval, and acceptance of his new temple.
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