God created sources of light to bring order and direction to His creation. We learn in the Book of Genesis that on Day Four, God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and they shall serve as signs and for seasons, and for days and years” (Gen. 1:14).
I cannot overstate the impact that the sun, moon, and stars have upon our lives. The sun warms the Earth and is the primary cause of our weather patterns. It provides energy for the growth of plants, which provide us food and oxygen. In accordance with the cycle of the sun, we plant and harvest our crops. Life on Earth as we know it would be impossible without the sun. Just as the sun provides light during the day, the moon gives us light during the night. The moon also helps to stabilize the Earth on its axis and controls the tides of the oceans. Additionally, the stars provide us direction and guidance. Most moderns are aware of the significance of the North Star as an aid to navigation. About 4000 years ago, the Phonecians were the first in western civilization to develop navigation at sea. They used ancient charts and observations of the sun and stars to guide them in their journeys at sea.[1]
Time is a gift from God for which we should be thankful. Our days are regulated by the rising and setting of the sun. We order and organize our life by a succession of weeks, and each week is comprised of the appearance of seven risings of the sun. Further, each day is divided by the rising and setting of the sun, with the day being a time of production and the night a time of rest. The Israelites recognized a full day of rest at the end of each week. The Israelites also acknowledged each new moon with a special festival or celebration (Num. 10:10, 28:11-15).
As previously stated, God uses physical and material reality to explain higher spiritual realities. The Apostle Paul explained that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces (kosmocrator[2]) of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). The Apostle Paul further explained that Jesus Christ has “rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). The literal sources of light are used to help us understand the spiritual sources of light. For example, Psalm 84:11 states, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield.” In other words, the Lord God provides light (truth), order, and protection to His People.
In the ancient world, angelic beings were often described as stars (or sources of light). When discussing His creation, God asked Job if he was present “when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). At Judges 5:20, we learn that while armies fought on the Earth, the stars fought in Heaven. At Isaiah 14:13, we learn about an angelic super creature (presumably Satan) that sought to raise his throne “above the stars of God.” The super creature stated, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa. 14:14). Finally, at Revelation 12:4, we learn about a great Red Dragon that with his tail “swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth.” This same Red Dragon sought to persecute and devour the Holy Child, who will rule all of the nations of the world (Rev. 12:4-5).
As implied above, some of the stars (sources of light) became sources of darkness. The Apostle Paul referred to them as “world forces of … darkness [and] … wickedness…” (Eph. 6:12). We are born into darkness. Thankfully, God has called us “out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus said, “I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness” (John 12:46). As stated in earlier blogs, faith is a continuum. It includes the moment of first believing as well as our continual walk of faith. We live in the light when we walk by faith. Jesus stated that “the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).
The Prophet Daniel taught that humans can also be like the stars (sources of light). Daniel taught that “those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3). When describing the resurrection body, the Apostle Paul explained that as one star differs from another star in magnitude and glory, so it will be in the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:40-41). Some will receive unique resurrection bodies. Our future is not a socialist utopia.
God is light (1 John 1:5), and He created light to guide His human and angelic beings. However, He also wants His created beings to be sources of light. We can be sources of light only by functioning in His will. This can happen only by His Spirit and Word.
[1] Bratcher, Amy. History of Navigation at Sea. August 1, 2021. http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Mi-Oc/Navigation-at-Sea-History-of.html
[2] “G2888 – kosmokratōr – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 30 Jul, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2888/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.