Articles
God is Light
When God first created the world, He made light on the first day (Gen 1:3-5). However, He did not make the sun, moon, or stars until the fourth day, even though we would consider these to be the “normal” producers of light (Gen 1:14-19). While some see this as a “contradiction” in the creation account, it seems more likely that this is deliberately done in Genesis to make a point about the nature of God. Where did light come from for the first three days? What were the original readers expected to conclude about the source of light? What other source of light existed since the beginning besides God Himself?
The original readers of Genesis were the Israelites who were led out of Egypt. They had seen the power of God manifested in ten plagues—including a plague of darkness. They had seen how He had defeated the Egyptians in the midst of the Red Sea. They had seen how God led them “in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (Exod 13:21). God was manifested as a “light” to their path so that they could see where they were going in the darkness of night itself. It would not have been a huge leap to see God as the true source of light from the beginning.
David wrote, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psa 27:1). Isaiah spoke of a coming day when “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isa 9:2). Even tough God had created light and created the luminaries, there still remained a sense in which His light had not yet been fully manifested. Again Isaiah says,
“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory” (Isa 60:19).
The gospels are filled with this “light” language when speaking about Jesus. Jesus identifies himself multiple times in John as the “light of the world” (cf. John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46). He is the “true Light, which coming into the world enlightens every man” (John 1:9). His teaching is even described in a couple of places as light (Matt 4:16; Luke 2:32). The message that we have heard and proclaim is that “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). He alone dwells in immortality and unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16).
But not everyone enjoys the light. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5). Some hate the light and suffer for its presence in this world. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:19-21). The nature of light is such that it provides revelation of truth for some people, but blinds others and exposes their wickedness. The effects that light has on any person are dependent on that person’s character. If a person is wicked, they are fearful of the light, because their wicked deeds will be revealed to everyone. If a person is good, they seek the light, because it provides them the true way to escape the darkness.
Jesus instructed his followers to similarly take on the role of light, telling them “you are the light of the world” (cf. Matt 5:14-16). We are exhorted to walk in the light and not the darkness, so that we can have fellowship with God and forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:6-7; 2:9-10). Ultimately, the final escape from darkness is found in heaven itself. Though we have the “very certain prophetic word, as a lamp shining in a dark place,” it is only until “the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Pet 1:19). When the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, it is said that, “the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev 21:23). Again, it says “there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever” (Rev 22:4).
Let us all strive to walk in the light as He is in the light. Let us all strive to love Him as He loves us!
