Greater Lights
Genesis 1:16-19 (NKJV)
Revelation 22:2 (NKJV)
Isaiah 60:19 (NKJV)
John 8:12 (NKJV)
I John 1:5 (NKJV)
In Genesis 1:3, God was light and light was present on Day One.
Then in Genesis 1:14-15, God created lights in the firmament (the expanse). More light?
So, I thought we already had light? Didn’t the original light suffice?
Hummm...what was the original light in Genesis 1:3? We know God said, “let there be light” and “there was light.” According to Revelation 22:2, in the future on the new earth, “there shall be no night there: They need no lamp there nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
In the beginning, God was the light.
On the new heaven and earth, God will be the light.
From beginning to end, God is the light.
The prophet Isaiah also wrote about the light. In Isaiah 60:19, “The sun shall no longer be your light by day nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.”
God was light on day one and will be light for the new heaven and earth.
In between, God decided to create three lesser lights because they served a purpose. The stars show the seasons and the sun and moon guide us through our days and nights.
We learn in Genesis 1:16-19 that God created two greater lights...the sun and the moon. “Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”
Remember, God is light.
We often think of God’s light being like a physical kitchen light that we can turn on and off. God’s light is a gazillion+ times more than that. It does provide physical light, but it also shows us the way, “I am the way, the truth, and the light” (John 8:12).
When I ‘get stuck’ and don’t know what to write, I know from past experience it’s because I’m depending too much on myself. I’m not looking at the light. Being dependable isn’t a bad thing but being dependable and relying on God for everything is the best way to go. Asking God for help opens new doors that otherwise wouldn’t be available.
So, I was stuck on writing this lesson for two days. I’ve written and deleted sections. I’ve stared at a blank page. I’ve done research and thought about it but no clear path emerged. This morning when I woke up (that’s my thin space with God time), I realized that I’ve been trying too hard. God was saying, ‘I am the light.’
Oh...wow I get it. You are so much more than physical light. You are every bright revelation in the universe. When we get stuck, or upset, or we feel down, we need to spend time with you. We need to sit in the light and do nothing.
One of the things I’ve been stuck on is why the writer of Genesis mentioned the creation of the stars again in verse 16. Creating the stars in the expanse was done in verse 14. They were already created. Why do you suppose it was mentioned again?
Maybe to reiterate creation of the stars? The author of Genesis mentioned it in verse 14 to make it clear they were the driver for the seasons. Now they are mentioned again with the creation of the sun and moon. They were specifically mentioned again.
I’m not exactly sure why. What I do know is that God’s creation is complex. God gave creation great variety. The stars are connected to the seasons but they also give us direction. I know people who know which way is north because of the stars. The stars are so much more than lights in the sky.
The multi-faceted purpose of the sun, moon, and stars is more complex than just providing bright light during the day and subtitle light at night. God created them with nuances of knowledge. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
During creation, God let His light shine ‘bright’. I John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
God is light.
Turn to the light. When you are confused, sad, or just need direction in your life. Turn to the light.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: The Light
Turn to the light. Wait on God. Waiting on God isn’t always instant. Sometimes we need to clear our mind in order to make space for God. Take time letting go of things that are bothering you. Let God have them one by one. Then, sit in God’s light and let your soul be restored.
In God, Deborah
acrazyjourney.com
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