Text: Genesis 1:14: And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night: and let them be for signs and for seasons, for days, and years”. Vs 15: “And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth”: and it was so. Vs 16: And 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. Vs 17: and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. Vs 18: And to rule over the day and over the night, and divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. Vs 19: And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
When you talk about the “two great lights” in relation to the
elements of creation, God made the “sun” and the “moon”.
The Sun is more important to man than
any other object in the sky, though it is only one of billions of stars in the
universe. All life on the earth --- man, animals, and plants, depends on the
heat, light, and other kinds of energy given off by the sun. Like the earth, the sun spins like a
top. And, just as the earth revolves
around the sun, the sun revolves around the center of the Milky Way galaxy [includes the Solar System, with the name
describing the galaxy’s appearance from Earth:
a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot
be individually distinguished by the naked eye].
These two great lights I’m speaking of here are not the sun, and moon
that we see out in the sky. Though we
know that they were all given for times, signs and seasons, but the scripture, in
Genesis 1:16 is in relation to the aspect of the Kingdom of God.
The Sun typifies the light, life, and power of the Almighty God. Just as the earth need the light, life, and power of the Sun, to bring forth vegetation and
all man needs to live in this realm of the universe, we need the light, life, and power of the Son of God to live in this realm of the
universe eternally.
The moon symbolizes the devil, which has no
light of its own. The only light the
moon has is what it gets from the sun.
The only power the devil has is what God allows him to have.
And the stars are God’s
people: Revelation 1:20: The mystery of the seven stars
which thou saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels (messengers) of the seven churches.
That’s why the Psalmist said, in Psalm
150:1: Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
The firmament is the raqi’ya, which is an expanse (great
extent): and His power is His oz, which is God’s strength (force, majesty, might). So, he was
saying, for us to praise Him in the expanse (breadth; extent) of His full strength
(force;
majesty; might), because we are the lights (God’s people) that are to give praise unto our God.
· Matthew 5:14: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
· 1st Thessalonians 5:5: You are all the children (sons) of
light, and the children of the day: we
are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Genesis 1:3, when God said, “Let there be light”, He wasn’t talking
about “daylight” as pertaining to the
light from the sun. If you want to get
technical, that “light” (in relation to day light) wasn’t put in
place until the fourth day. Here, in the first day, God is saying “Let there be light”! That’s because the “light” He was speaking of at this time, in Genesis 1:3, was
“knowledge” that He was about to
bring forth in His people that He was going to call Adam.
That word “light” in Genesis 1:3, is from the Hebrew word owr (ore), defined
as illumination; luminary (in every
sense, including lightning, happiness, etc): bright; to be (make) luminous; glorious;
kindle, (be, en, give, show) light (ened); set on fire; shine.
Illumination
is spiritual or intellectual
enlightenment (freedom from ignorance; prejudice; to inform); clarification (make
[a statement or situation] less confused and more clearly comprehensible). A luminary
is a person who inspires or influences
others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere.
Adam was a group of luminaries. Adam was a group of people composed of both
male and female, that God created and
made in His own image and after His likeness with His wisdom, knowledge,
understanding, dominion, authority, and power in them to be His ambassadors or
representatives in the earth.
· Genesis 5:1: This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the
likeness of God made he him: vs 2: Male and female created he them: and blessed them, and called their name
Adam, in the day when they were created.
Being in the image of God, these people would show forth God’s character in the
earth, and being in His likeness,
they would function or operate in His power over the earth.
So the “light” God brought forth at that time was people named Adam (male/female)
that He made to be “lights” in the
earth manifesting His glory!!
The same God then, is the same God
now! 1st Corinthians
15:47, “The first man is of the
earth, earthy: the second man is the
Lord from heaven”.
Adam at that time was “the light of the world”. Jesus when He walked the earth said that
He was “the light of the world” (John
8:12). Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew
5:14, “You are the light of the
world: a city that is set on a hill
cannot be hid”.
The Apostle Paul said, Ephesians 5:8 “For you were sometimes in darkness, but now are you light in the
Lord: walk as children of light”.
This “light” (phos), which we are become, which is the “Light” (phos) that God Himself is, cannot be kindled (lit by the
hands of others), neither can it
be quenched (extinguished). But the “light” (luchnos) as in Matthew
5:15 that states, “Neither do men
light (luchnos) a candle and put it under a
bushel, but on a candle stick, and it gives light to all that are in the house”,
has to be kindled or lit and extinguished by the hands of others.
Paul also wrote in 1st
Thessalonians 5:5, “You are all
children (sons) of light and the children (sons) of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness (skot’os) [shadiness; obscurity] / (ski’a) [shade or a
shadow; darkness of error].
So these “lights in the firmament of
heaven” in Genesis 1:14 are people.
The Psalmist said, “Praise God in
the firmament of His power”. So we
must remember that there is nothing out in the sky that can give verbal praise
to God, only people can do that!
Genesis 1:14: “Let there be lights in the
firmament (raqi’ya) [an expanse (extent; breadth); visible
arch of the sky] of the heaven”.
Heaven in Hebrew is shama’yin,
meaning to be lofty. When you define heaven in the Greek, it is
ouranos’,
meaning elevation
[promotion; advancement]; heaven (as the abode of God); happiness; power; eternity;
the gospel [good news]; Christianity.
Either way you look at it, whether
out of Hebrew or Greek heaven is an elevated place, a high place!
God said, “Let these lights be in the
expanse of my abode called heaven, to divide (badal’)
[separate; distinguish; differ; select:
(make, put) difference; divide (asunder), (make) separate (self, ation);
sever (out)] the day (yowm) [to be
hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether from sunrise to sunset or from one
sunset to the next; a space of time; age; always; chronicles; continually
(ance); daily; (for) ever (lasting; more); full; life; as (so) long as (live);
perpetually; presently; remaineth; season] from the night” (la’yil) [a twist (away of the light); adversity; (mid)
night season].
It is “heaven” today that’s making the
difference between the sons of the
day and those that are of the night.
· Romans 13:12 [Paul said]: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Night in the Greek here is nux [midnight].
Night in Hebrew is la’yil [a twist
(away of the light), night; (fig) adversity; midnight].
So, the “night that’s far spent” is the advance state of the world’s (including
religion) spiritual gross darkness of moral depravity or corruption,
due to the absence of the light of Christ
shining forth in God’s people.
Day in Greek is hemer’a, meaning (to sit); tame; gentle;
also, immovable: settled; steadfast; an age; period; day (ly).
When something is tamed, that means it’s domesticated (disciplined, trained, and not
wild or fierce). To be gentle is having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character,
moderate in action, and calm.
Paul was saying, though gross
darkness, moral depravation and corruption was present, yet the “day” (Christ), was present, to deliver. All we have to do is trust Him and don’t be
shaken by what’s going on around us, but remain settled, immovable, and steadfast in the Word of God!! Peter himself said:
- 2nd Peter 1:19: We have also a more sure word of prophecy; where unto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts (kardi’a) [thoughts; feeling (mind); middle (core of one’s being).
So what day is it, that’s at hand?
The
“Day star”, Jesus the Christ! Day star
here is the root word phosphor’os, meaning, light-bearing, morning star.
Jesus said of Himself: Revelation 22:16: “I am the root and the offspring of David,
and the bright and morning star”.
Remember, God’s definition of Day is inclusive of more than just time. Day in God’s language is not just tied to a twenty four hour period.
· 2nd Peter 3:8, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”.
Listen, outside of Jesus Christ, there
is no other day. He is the “first
day” and the “last day”.
· Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”: vs 11:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”:
vs 17: “Fear not; I am
the first and the last”.
This "day" is the
manifestation of the new man, the Christ man coming forth in us:
· 2nd Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are
passed away, behold all things are made new.
Paul finishes that verse in Romans 13:12 by saying, “Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness [obscurity; darkness of error; ignorance; misery;
destruction; death; etc], and let us put on the armour (hop’lon) [(to be busy about); an implement; utensil; or
tool, especially offensive (actively
aggressive; attacking) for war; instrument;
weapon] of light (phos) [to shine, or
make manifest, by rays; luminousness; fire; light] (as reaching the mind].
This “phos light” is the light that God Himself is! This “light”
can’t be turned on by a switch or lit by a match; it can’t be quenched (extinguished), neither can it cease to
shine. That’s because it’s eternal,
because God is Light and He is Eternal!
· 1st John 1:5-7: This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you,
that God is light, and in him is no darkness (skoti’a) [dimness, obscurity]/(skot’os) [darkness
of error] at all.
The armour (panopli’a) [full armor: all (whole) armour] in Ephesians 6
is a bit different from this armour in Romans 13:12 and 2nd
Corinthians 6:7. The “armour” in Romans and Corinthians is hop’lon, which is an implement, utensil, or tool that’s offensive for war; an instrument;
weapon. The “armour” in Ephesians is “panopli’a”,
which is the full armour or all (whole) armour.
Therefore, even having on all the armour (panopli’a) in Ephesians 6, for those pieces of armour to fit properly
and work perfectly, we need the armour
(hop’lon) of righteousness which is our covering: Revelation 19:7: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come (present tense), and his wife hath made herself
ready. Vs 8: And to her was granted that she should be
arrayed (dressed) in fine linen, clean and
white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints: AND ALSO we
need the armour (hop’lon) of light, which
is us being illumined with God’s mind
to demonstrate His power and authority in the earth.
Being, we are members of Christ’s
Body (Ephesians 5:30), that makes us instruments
of righteousness (Romans. 6:13), unto God, shining with the light of His glory in the earth as
Christ did! 1st John 4:17:
As he is, so are we, in this world!!
This is the “light” we are
become through Christ Jesus. He said to
His disciples:
· Matthew 5:14: You are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
So we must let this “light shine” in us! Ephesians 5:8: For you were sometimes in darkness, but now
are you light in the Lord: walk as
children of light.
This “light” that we are to walk in is the same “light” that Adam had in the beginning.
· St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. Vs 2: The
same was in the beginning with God. vs
3: All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that
was made. Vs 4: In him was life;
and the life (Zoe) [eternal; everlasting] was
the light (phos) [fire; illumination (knowledge)] of
men. Vs 5: The light shined in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended (katalamban’o)
[to take eagerly, seized, possessed; apprehended, come upon; attained; find; overtake;
obtained] it not.
In the Greek Lexicon, comprehend means, that the darkness
could not lay hold of, seize, possess, or
apprehend (arrest) the light. The
darkness took hold of the man (Adam)
that had the light of God in him, but it could not lay hold of the Light
itself. God is Light and in Him is no
darkness at all (1st John 1:5).
When physical light is turned on, the darkness can only come to the
perimeter of the light, it can’t touch the light itself. How much more God, who is light!!!
So because we are sons of light, we
must manifest God's light!!
· 1st Thessalonians 5:5: You are all the children (hui’os) [the essence of God Himself: made in His image, after His likeness]: and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Vs 6: Therefore let us not sleep (katheu’do) [fall asleep; be dead], as do others:
but let us be sober (ne’pho) [be discreet; watch]
(free from the influence of religious order).
Vs 7: For they that
sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken (methu’o) [to drink to intoxication] in the
night.
This “intoxication” has nothing to do with wine or any alcoholic
beverage, but it is the drinking of
the “toxic” religious poisoning that has been given to the
body of Christ for years: Beware (be on
guard), lest any man spoil you through philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of men, rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ, as Paul stated, Colossians 2:8.
In other words they are operating
under what Genesis 1:16, calls the “lesser
light” that rules the night [the powers of darkness or the devil] and not
the “greater light” that rules the day
[the power of the light of Jesus the Christ]!!
That’s why Paul said in Ephesians
5:14: Awake (egei’ro) [collect one’s faculties, so as to waken, be roused (from
spiritual lethargy; disease; death; obscurity; ruin)] thou that
sleepest (katheu’do)
[fall asleep; spiritual death], and arise (anis’temi) [stand up (right); lift up] [change position] from the dead, and Christ shall give
thee light (epiphau’o) [to illuminate] (to make visible or bright by shining light on; help to
clarify or explain] (make less confused and more clearly comprehensible) [the
revelation truth of God’s Word].
· Romans 12:2: Be you transformed by the renewing of your mind (nous) [thoughts; feelings; will; understanding], that
you may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
· 1st Corinthians 2:16: But we have the mind (same as above) of Christ.
· Philippians 2:5: Let this mind (phrone’o) (exercise;
entertainment; disposition; earnest direction] be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus.
· 1st Peter 1:13: Gird up the loins of your mind (dian’oia) (deep thought).
In other words, it's time for the people of God to get off of the milk and start eating some meat!
- Hebrews 5:12: When for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. vs 13: For everyone that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. vs 14: But strong meat belong to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
When we walk in the “Greater Light”, then, we will fulfill 1st
John 2:10: “He that loves his brother
abides in the light [the light that God Himself is]
and there is none occasion of stumbling (skan’dalon)
[trap-stick; snare; cause of displeasure or sin; occasion to fall (stumble;
offence)] in him”.
So let “the Greater Light”, shine continuously through you, so that
Christ, who is “The Light” can be
seen and glorified in you!!
Pastor Gracie Perry