The God of Creation and Revelation
Genesis 1:14-15
Passage To Study: Genesis 1:14-15
14Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
Flow of the Passage:
- (Verse 14-15) – God now creates the lights that will fill the sky and illuminate the earth.
What Do I Think About It?
The moon is obviously a reference to the light in the night sky created by God that controls the calendar. (Gen. 1:14-19). Hebrew uses several words for moon, new moon, full moon, or bright, white moon. Two of Israel’s greatest festivals were celebrated at the beginning of the full moon: the Passover in the spring and the Feast of Booths in the fall. Each month they celebrated the “new moon” with a little more festivity than a regular sabbath (Num. 28:11-15 NIV).
Still the Old Testament strongly teaches against worshiping the moon (Deut. 4:19; Job 31:26-28; Isa. 47:13-15) as did Israel’s neighbors. The people of Israel were to remember that the moon was nothing more than an object created by God and had no power over people.
Joel said in the last days the moon would become dark (Joel 2:10; 3:15) or turn to blood (Joel 2:31). The moon will not give its light on the “Day of the Lord,” the light of the sun and the moon being replaced by the everlasting light of the Lord (Isa. 13:10; 60:19-20).
The English word “Season” in the KJV is a translation of several Hebrew and Greek terms with different meanings. 1. An indefinite but somewhat extended period of time (Gen. 40:4; Josh. 24:7; Luke 4:13). 2. A regularly scheduled, recurring time (Ex. 13:10; Num. 9:2; John 5:4). 3. To add ingredients to food to improve the flavor (Lev. 2:13; Mark 9:50). See Salt; Spices. 4. A particular part of a year (Gen. 1:14; 2 Kings 4:16). 5. An indefinite part of a day (Job 30:17; Ps. 22:2). 6. Time appointed by God (Ps. 104:27; Matt. 24:45). 7. The proper time for an action (Isa. 50:4).
The work of the fourth day has much in common with that of the first day, which, indeed it continues and completes as we have noted. Both deal with light, and with dividing between light and darkness, or day and night. “Let there be.” They agree also in choosing the word “be,” to express the nature of the operation which is here performed. But the fourth day advances on the first day. It brings into view the luminaries, the light radiators, the source, while the first only indicated the stream. It contemplates the far expanse, while the first regards only the near.
For signs and for seasons, and for days and years - While the first day refers only to the day and its twofold division, the fourth refers to signs, seasons, days, and years. These lights are for “signs.” They are to serve as the great natural chronometer of man, having its three units,—the day, the month, and the year—and marking the divisions of time, not only for agricultural and social purposes, but also for meeting out the eras of human history and the cycles of natural science. They are signs of place as well as of time. By them the mariner has learned to mark the latitude and longitude of his ship, and the astronomer to determine with any assignable degree of precision the place as well as the time of the planetary orbs of heaven.
The “seasons” are the natural seasons of the year, and the set times for civil and sacred purposes which man has attached to special days and years in the revolution of time.
Since the word “day” is a key to the explanation of the first day’s work, so is the word “year” to the interpretation of that of the fourth. Since the cause of the distinction of day and night is the diurnal rotation of the earth on its axis in conjunction with a fixed source of light, which streamed in on the scene of creation as soon as the natural hindrance was removed, so the changes of the seasons of the year are owing, along with these two conditions, to the annual revolution of the earth in its orbit round the sun, together with the shape of its orbit. To the phenomena so occasioned are to be added incidental variations arising from the revolution of the moon round the earth, and the small modifications caused by the various other bodies of the solar system. All these celestial phenomena come out from the artless simplicity of the sacred narrative as observable facts on the fourth day of that new creation. From the beginning of the solar system the earth must, from the nature of things, have revolved around the sun. But whether the rate of velocity was ever changed, or the shape of the orbit around the sun was now commenced or altered, we do not learn from this record.
Verse 15 - To shine upon the earth - The first day spreads the shaded gleam of light over the face of the deep. The fourth day unfolds to the eye the lamps of heaven, hanging in the expanse of the skies, and assigns to them the office of “shining upon the earth.” A threefold function is thus attributed to the celestial orbs - to divide day from night, to define time and place, and to shine on the earth. The word of command is here very full, running over two verses, with the exception of the little clause, “and it was so,” stating the result. We will speak of the detail of these functions in later devotionals and so will not do so here.
What Difference Does This Make To Me?
Once again we are struck with the tremendous intelligence with which God designed His creation. Everywhere we look we see evidence of immense planning and intricate design. To conclude that all of this came forth by chance cannot be any more than the result of the wicked and ignorant character that is a part of the nature of the unsaved man. Before we go off in our superiority, let us remind ourselves, however, that the only reason we know any different is because God has revealed to us the difference and enlightened our minds so that we can see and acknowledge the truth, else we would never have done so either! God’s design is such that it cannot be truly seen or understood except by His revelation. A portion of that revelation is present in every man, a natural part of his human nature (Romans 1); but the fullness of understanding comes only by the work of God’s Spirit and at His pleasure.
Is There Anything For Me To Do?
Worship Him as the God of creation and the God of revelation!
Care To Respond?
Other Devotionals: