Let There Be Light

God and God’s word are frequently spoken of as lights or lamps to enlighten and guide the believer.

“And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all:.” (1^st John 1:5)

A person that does not know, or rather is not known by God, is said to be in darkness. It is the word of God that enlightens and restores the soul of man in God’s light.

It is written,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

The use of the word light in this manner is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison. Since light is used in such descriptive and symbolic terms concerning God and His word we may find it beneficial to study the origin and purpose of light.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines light as the form of electromagnetic radiation that acts upon the retina of the eye, optic nerve, and etc., making sight possible. This energy is transmitted in a vacuum at a velocity of 186,000 miles per second. To sum up Webster, light is a form of energy flow that travels in a vacuum at a very high rate of speed. When the energy rays make contact with the eye it activates sight.

In likeness to light activating the physical sight, the word of God activates the spiritual sight. Darkness is a type of blindness, for one cannot see where there is no light. The same is true concerning spiritual darkness. Man in spiritual darkness cannot see, know and understand the great attributes of God; he is in a state of darkness and death.

The Psalmist cried out,

“O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Thy holy hill, and to Thy dwelling places.” (Psalm 43:3)

The Apostle John writes, “In Him was life, and life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

It is the Spirit of life in the Word of God that enlightens the souls of those in darkness and gives the light that illuminates the way unto life. The Word of God is the light of God and is in perfect harmony with God; for He is the Son of God.

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary describes light as illumination; the opposite of darkness. From Webster’s and Nelson’s definitions and the Holy Scriptures we understand light to be radiant power; moving, active energy originating with God and is from God.

“Then God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

When God spoke the command, “Let there be light,” by His word He created and released a dynamic energy flow that He called light. His "light" is the great beauty and blessing to all that exist in the universe. Light, generated by the word of God, is a beautiful flow of energy, power and authority that makes known God’s magnificent presence and manifest His radiant glory. Light, in likeness to its parent, is pure, righteous, eternal, and unchangeable and knows no boundaries. Light is in opposition to and takes authority over darkness; where light is there is no darkness. Light is a teacher, for it removes darkness and reveals that which was hidden in darkness and gives knowledge of that which was previously unknown.

Light purifies and restores and supports life but light cannot create or impart life; this quality is reserved for The Word from whence it came. Truly light is a reflection of the word and has many qualities of the Spirit who gave it.

“And God saw that the light was good----” (Genesis 1:4f).

The light was in harmony with the word of God and is just as God willed and appointed it to be. This harmony is why light is used in such descriptive and symbolic terms throughout the Holy Scriptures.

God is a Spirit, He did not need light nor darkness. Then the question arises; Why did God create light? Light itself is a manifestation of God’s glory and would also aid in displaying His marvelous works. God, being a spirit, was invisible. But all His great attributes would clearly be seen in all that He created under His pure light.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made----” (Romans 1:20f).

His light would serve as a supporter, a guide and a teacher to all that He created. God, through light, would take a world of darkness and chaos and turn it into a Kingdom of Light. Light, and all of God’s creations would aid in His redemptive work and over power the evil that lurks in darkness. He would fill the earth with His wonderful light and radiant glory.

Why was light created in the beginning of the first day? Light was God’s grand entrance and announced His presence. God did not give the earth light from the sun, the moon and the stars until the fourth day. For the first three full days the command of His word was the only light given for the world. He wanted it clearly understood that He is the source of light. As great as light, the sun, the moon, the stars and all things created by Him may be, man was to see the great value of The Creator and worship Him, ---not the things created.

“Then God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth'; and it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and morning, a fourth day.” (Genesis 1:14-19)

All that God created He gave for a specific purpose according to His perfect order and plan. The sun is not greater than its Creator, and the moon is not greater than the sun that gives the moon its light; and the stars are not greater than the sun and moon. But each has its place in God’s perfect order and each has its own radiant beauty and glory from God. In the same manner in the God Head there is perfect order; it is the Father who is the authority and He loves and honors the Son; The Son, The Word of God, is obedient to and glorifies the Father and He loves and honors the Father; and the Spirit embodies the Father and the Son and it the Father who gives His Spirit through the work of the Son and the Spirit speaks in the name of the Son and works to glorify the Son and the Father.

Each member of God’s house embraces and upholds the other. Therefore, perfect harmony and unity in love is the order of Gods house. All things, the universe, the earth and all that is in it, including mankind, are designed after the order of His house that all may be in harmony as one and embrace and uphold the other. There is no selfishness in God’s house; that is of darkness.

James C Sanford