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Let there be light

Pastor said something this morning centered on creation and I noticed something I hadn't realized before. 

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. 9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

Now I always saw this as God creating light, as in luminance. But it separately states He created lights in the sky to do that. 

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

Maybe simple, but I found it interesting.  I'd just never separated the passage as to being two different lights: The light of the world that He spoke into existence on the first day, was in the beginning before anything was made, and the light separating the earth's night and day which He created on the 4th day. 

And then there's the Word became flesh. God spoke the light into existence.  And Jesus is referred to as both the Light and the Word.  If people were confused about a triune God before, this should really scramble  their minds. ;)

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tammy on July 5, 2016 at 9:36pm

I'm not understanding your point.

Permalink Reply by Seek on July 6, 2016 at 7:44am
LOL The one in the above or the one on my head?

It's just an observation I'd never noticed before. When Genesis says let there be light then later says God created the lights in the sky, that meant He was speaking of two different lights. I always read let there be light as "light"...you know, that bright stuff you hope no one turns on when you're sleeping. And the very first thing God does is create the earth and says let there be light. Which is where "In the beginning was the Word" comes in referring to the first Words spoken by God..."Let there be light". Clear as mud? ;-)
Permalink Reply by Tammy on July 6, 2016 at 10:00am

Oh my gosh. I'm not even going to try to understand what is swirling around in that head of yours so I'm stepping off of this discussion. Maybe LT, Carla, JB or someone can see the light here. All I see is fog.

Permalink Reply by Seek on July 7, 2016 at 4:20am
LOLOL
Permalink Reply by Carla on July 6, 2016 at 8:08am

A few verses come to mind to add to what you have already posted.

Revelaton 21

 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

Revelation 1:7-9New American Standard Bible (NASB)

7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who [a]is to come, the Almighty.”

Colossians 1

15 [w]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For [x]by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [y]is before all things, and in Him all things [z]hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For [aa]it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the [ab]fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in [ac]heaven.

I love that feeling of excitement when you see something you haven't seen before, and it's so special that you just have to share it with someone.  Knowing this brings peace, hope and comfort that nothing else and no one else can give.

This verse blows my mind: Rev 21:23  "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."  I mean...  how overwhelming is this? 

Permalink Reply by Seek on July 7, 2016 at 5:32am
Yup. Revelation 21:23 also fits right in with the first Words spoken by God.

I knew Christ was light. However, I hadn't noticed that "Let there be light" was speaking of Christ. I had just considered it as part of the creation of the earth and it's "physical" light, like the sun, moon and stars kind of light. When I noticed the separation of the two, the beginning of Genesis linked more perfectly with John's words of the Word being with God in the beginning.

The first Word spoken by God was Christ, the light of man, then God spoke creation as well, which fits with "All things were made by Him".

God spoke Him so He was God's Word/Son. And "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters"...Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.

I've heard it taught that God planned Christ when Adam sinned. And then I see "In the beginning", and "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." He was already the light that was coming to the world before Adam was created.

Anyway, just seeing the difference in two separate lights grabbed my attention and I realized something I hadn't thought of before, and for lack of a better word, I thought it was neat. LOL
Permalink Reply by JB on July 7, 2016 at 12:13pm

Let there be light !

So what can we think that light could be? After all the luminaries were created the fourth day.

My thoughts, are the earth was without form, and Void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. What was the earth void of? Would it not be life? So to me the earth was just a big glob of mud, for a better word, no form, and darkness, symbolic of death. It says the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the “waters”, I won’t give the definition Strong’s Con. gives to waters. But to me the light He is referring to is “LIFE of God” Gods Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, so to me God more or less impregnated the earth with His life, “Spirit” giving the earth life within itself. So when He spoke to the earth “let the earth bring forth” Gen.1:11, it was the Spirit of God that brought forth life, “light” John 1, in Him was life; and the life was the light of men. So the earth, the sea, brought forth all of life, be it vegetation, or animal life, even man was made from the dust of the earth, at that time it had not been cursed. So I don’t see creation as many do, I see when He said in 2Pet.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 a day. So is it not possible that rather than a 7-day period “as we know it” to create the earth and all that is in it, But a 7-thousand-year period? After all I don’t see where He said “tree come forth, and a tree just appeared, bearing its own fruit or seed” and the sea to bring forth, as in Gen.1:11. I believe He “God” put the seed ‘His Spirit’ in the earth, and it took a period of time for it to materialize, or germinate, and bring forth, or grow.

He also speaks of “seed” as being Christ, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith not, and unto seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Gal.3:16.

 See the promises of God was not given to you and me, directly, but to Christ, which is the seed, to whom the promises were made. So If you have Christ, then you have the promises, because all the promises were to, and in Christ, not man.   

This could be also applied to the question that someone asked in another thread, what comes first, the chicken or the egg? Guess what? The trees brought forth its own fruit bearing seed.

This is some-what conjecture on JB’s part, however, it is also backed “in part” by scripture. A little reasoning might help as well.

JB

 

Permalink Reply by Seek on July 9, 2016 at 5:14am
I don't know which to believe at this point, whether 7 days or 7000. I've heard the debates from both sides but haven't considered it enough to decide which could be the truth of creation. As for the light referring to Christ or the soil though, John 1 says it's Christ. But could it still be referring to what you said as well? "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." If light does reference the soil, the soil would be the "life". But since the life was the light...

Maybe if the life was in the earth, and man was formed from dust, and Christ came from the lineage of mankind?

That's something I'll need to think on. But I'm still wondering how I've read that repeatedly and it never registered that the light wasn't the physical light to see by since that came from the sun, moon and stars separately. I've been more focused on the New Testament so that may be why it didn't register that there were two lights referenced. Hmm I guess you could say my head was stuck in the clouds and that's why it didn't register. LOL
Permalink Reply by JB on July 9, 2016 at 9:00pm

Seek, the light does not reference the soil, The light represents the life, or Christ, the seed, Christ is a Spirit, and it is the Spirit that is the “seed” that was planted in the earth. I believe The word “Christ” is misunderstood, though Christ represents two things, First, Christ is used as an epithet of Jesus. But Christ “the Spirit” is the son of God, where Christ “The epithet of the physical body Jesus” is the son of man, Christ was the Spirit of God in Jesus, making him the son of God. What makes you a son of God? Is it not that Christ “the son of God” dwells in you? God was the “Christ” that indwelt Jesus, reconciling the world unto Himself.

Christ being the light of the world; it is He “Christ” that illuminates man, in other words, the revelation of God to mankind. See “revelation”, is “illumination” and Christ being that light, which will shine or illuminate our hearts, to give the light “or revelation” of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. It will reveal or illuminate, or enlighten; man to the gospel of Christ. Jo.5:12 says that Jesus spake again unto them saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” The revelation of the life of God. When you read the bible and you say you have a revelation of the truth. That is the Spirit of God revealing it to you. When we look at 2Pet.1:2, says that grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

Notice that Grace and Peace will be multiplied, but it is through the Knowledge of God and Jesus Our Lord?

How do we get the knowledge of God? by reading His Word and by the Grace of God, which “GRACE” is a Divine influence upon your heart, which is Christ, meaning, a root word “chrio” anointing, through the idea of contact; or to smearing or to rub with oil. That is where they get the idea of anointing someone with oil, when we pray for them, symbolic of smearing on Christ; the Holy Spirit. It will be a point of “contact” and an acknowledging of every good thing that is in you, in Christ Jesus. Phm.1:6 and this making your faith become effectual. “Paraphrased” quoted.

Gee Seek I could go on and on with this, but I gotta stop and get a little sleep. Hope this wasn’t too confusing.

This is just the way I see it, others will have differing opinions on this, and probably presented a little more eloquently. LOL

JB

Permalink Reply by Seek on July 14, 2016 at 6:50am
Sorry, when I used soil I wasn't meaning the actual soil itself but what was in the soil. In other words, was John referring to the light as Christ Jesus (flesh and blood), or to the light/spirit placed in the soil, when he said "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him."

There's the study I've been doing on Revelation though. There's differing opinions. So I'm wanting to bypass any preconceived opinions and reference Scripture throughout the Bible only as it links back to Revelation. So any study of which light John may have been speaking of is gonna be a while in the future. At this point, I just realized that reading "in the beginning" separated the two lights. I never really stopped there much and read right through it since I was more focused on the NT and Psalm. Noticing that light was being referenced twice just put me in one of those Homer Simpson modes where I smacked myself in the forehead and said "DO'H!"

I know there's a difference as Jesus is always used when referring to the man and Christ when referring to His spirit. I looked at a study of Scripture at one time, and in Scripture referring to the man or Spirit, Jesus and Christ are distinctly separated for each reference. But I've always used Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus or both separately as old habits are hard to break and you can't teach an old dog new tricks. LOL I kinda see it as Jesus or Christ are one, just as He and the Father are one so I don't worry about the semantics and just use whichever one comes out first. I guess Jesus Christ would encompass both more easily than trying to consider which one to use each time. Easier on my old worn out brain too. :)

I was taught a lot of that "old time religion" and it was good enough for me. LOL Pastor sang that last night so it's still on the brain. Old habits are very hard to break. I watched the newest Left Behind (with Nicholas Cage), a couple of days ago. I was always taught that you NEVER put anything on top of the Bible. So much so that when the mom character tried to keep from running her daughter off again, and purposely laid her gardening gloves over the Bible to keep her from seeing it and leaving, I automatically cringed. It's almost like a fear that's been ingrained that covering up the Bible is an immediate go directly to hell and don't pass go or collect $200. We're not supposed to fear, but the older church teaching I grew up in was more works based than grace based. Like scare the devil out of them...or knock it out with a big thick Bible. Hmm which never occurred to me until just now. You couldn't cover the Bible up but you were allowed to use it to inflict pain? Yikes!

I was stuck on tithing for quite some time. Being that most every church teaches it, I was getting their message so much that when I started studying the Scripture on the subject, I still waffled between the two quite awhile before deciding which I felt was correct based on the Word and not the teaching of men. It's probably so much simpler for someone with no preconceived ideas of religion, or starting Bible reading at a young age, to grasp Scripture since they aren't needing to erase the old programming first.

So if you see me say Jesus Christ, purposely avoid letting anything cover even the corner of the Bible, or whack someone a good one with the King James, consider that while my brain may see the truth in it, my flesh is still in 1970. LOL!
Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on July 15, 2016 at 5:26am
Permalink Reply by Seek on July 15, 2016 at 6:19am
I've wondered about that one before too. We say He's a triune God, but Wisdom speaks as if it's an actual being like the Holy Spirit. I just always go back to "Now we know in part but then we shall know fully". It doesn't matter how much you read and study the Word, our brains just aren't capable of understanding it. Moses couldn't even see God's face because he'd die. I think it may be because the brain would just shut down and cause such a shock because of knowledge of something we're just not mentally capable of taking in. I have a hard time just mentally dealing with some of what we experience here. I know my mind wouldn't be able to handle it. The overload would blow all my circuits. LOL

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