In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Gen 1:1-3
I couldn’t help but think of this passage after watching the eclipse last Monday. Light was revealed on day one of creation and yet the sun, moon, and stars weren’t made until day four. So what was this light? We know a better question is, “Who was this light?” Joh 1:9 says Christ is “the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world”. On day one of creation, it wasn’t the sun that was revealed but rather the true Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was declared! Mat 5:45a says that the rising of the sun is a common mercy from God experienced by all men, saved and lost! Such is the case with the true Light as well. His Light shines upon all. His glory is clearly seen.
They say that here in Atlanta we only saw about 5% of the sun as the eclipse was at its maximum coverage for this area. What amazed me during that time is how bright it was still! It was a little darker, the world around me looked a little hazy, but everything was clearly illuminated. What a tremendous testimony to the eternal power, glory, and majesty of the Lord! Even with all the sin and wickedness in the world, no matter how great the darkness and deception becomes around us, nothing and no one can put out the true Light of the world!! There is tremendous comfort in this fact if you are His. As our Lord said in Joh 8:12, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” If Jesus gives you this light of life, you will always be illuminated. Why always? Because the life He gives is always! It’s eternal life!! He will always make the path clear for those who trust in Him.
As Mal 4 speaks of the coming of Christ, we read in v. 2: “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings…” This passage is perhaps the most explicit comparison between Christ the sun. We see here that if the Sun of righteousness has risen and healed us, then we don’t need the natural sun to have light. The famous hymn writer Fannie Crosby was blind shortly after birth, and yet she wrote in her wonderful hymn “Blessed Assurance”, “Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight“! Though she was physically blind, God had given her sight in Christ, and so she proclaimed, “This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long!” Those who reject Jesus Christ will be cast into outer darkness, in a forever state of blindness. (Mat 8:12, 22:13, 25:30) May we praise our Savior along with Sis. Crosby that the eternal experience of the saints will be one of sight and light! “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” (Rev 22:4-5)
Jamie