Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
via Passage: James 1.17 (ESV Bible Online).
God made stars “to rule” and they have, ever since, represented the powers that be, whether angels or political rulers.
But now that we are in Christ, above all the authorities, and will judge angels, we are the real stars.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2.14-15).
When James refers to God as “the father of lights” or “the father of the heavenly lights” (NIV), he is referring simply to God our Father and reminding us that we’re stars.
I am getting more interested in the typology to which you refer here, but I wonder if you think this sort of general type (stars as rulers) is what James was thinking about as he wrote. Of course, that question cannot be answered beyond any doubt in this life, but do you think James used it self-consciously?
I think he means to refer to us Christians. I gave some idea of how I think that identification develops from Genesis 1, but really the main passage is in Philippians 2.