05/02/2008


Genesis 1:3 - 5 (HCSB)

3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  4God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.  5God called the light “day,” and He called the darkness “night.” Evening came, and then morning: the first day.

The concept of light is an interesting one.  Scientists can’t agree on whether light is radiation alone, or if it has some substance.  Light reacts with other matter to produce splendid affects that our eyes observe.  Consider the rainbow.

When I was in the Air Force, my job specialty was photographic processing.  As part of that training, we learned that light travels at various wavelengths simultaneously.  So, when light strikes a particular object, let’s say grass, the grass absorbs the red and blue parts of light only reflecting the green.  When light strikes water, the green and red are absorbed and the blue is reflected.

It was a drastic change in my paradigm to begin to think of light like this.  The grass is not green—it merely reflects green light.  The water is not blue, but appears blue because that is the only color of light reaching my eyes.  Yet the creation of light in these verses may refer to more than just the visible spectrum of energy that we perceive as visible light.  I bring this point up only because the sun, moon, and stars are not created until the 4th day—in the scripture, we are on the first day.  So can this creation of light have more meaning?

Jesus referred to light in a different way:

Luke 11:35 - 36 (HCSB)

35Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness.  36If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, the whole body will be full of light, as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

This is of course metaphor, but the object of the metaphor is what I am referring to.  What is “light” in this passage?  I believe it to mean truth that leads to Godliness.

John 3:21 (HCSB)

21But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

Look what Paul says to the church at Corinth:

2 Corinthians 11:14 (HCSB)

14And no wonder! For Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light. 

Satan will always try to distort truth for his own gain.  In this passage from 2 Corinthians, Paul is talking about false teachers and such.  It is interesting that words like “light” and “enlightenment”, when used in a spiritual context, have come to be associated with New Age religions.  This is because these religions are passing themselves off as truth, but the truth is not in them. 

But look what Jesus says:

John 8:12 (HCSB)

12Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

Now clearly Jesus was not saying that he was the sun or the moon – but obviously is referring to Himself as truth and true knowledge.  So I am inclined to believe that God’s second creation was truth.  And those who teach about Jesus as the divine son of God and His resurrection are true teachers of the light.

The first creation was time
The second creation was truth (not excluding visible light)

1 John 1:7 (HCSB)

7But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

Are you walking in this light?

Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com 
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.

Terms of Usage:  This devotional may be copied or forwarded for personal use without permission, but must include the author, publisher, web link, and copyright notice.  Use in another published work must obtain permission first.

Previous ] Up ] Next ]