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Grounded-In-Biblical-Truth |
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Genesis 1:1-4
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon 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. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness".
Light is in many ways typical of Jesus Christ (see message #246). He is "the light of the world" (John 8:12) and "the true Light" (John 1:9), being in the spiritual realm what light is in the physical realm.
The first light, that which God created on the first day, is especially typical of Christ.
1. This first light, along with the Holy Spirit, was given to alleviate chaos and darkness. In its very first condition, prior to the separation of land and waters (vv.9-13), "The earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep" (v.2a). It was a lifeless, formless, chaotic mass of liquid commingled with solids and gases enshrouded in darkness. God calmed the chaos and endued a quickening virtue with His Spirit: "And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (v.2b; cp. Psalm 33:6). God sent His light into the darkness: "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." These two acts would result in the manifestation of His glory, which is not beheld in the midst of darkness, nor appreciated in the midst of chaos.
Likewise, Christ, along with the Holy Spirit, was given to alleviate chaos and darkness. This chaos and darkness is moral and spiritual, resulting from the sin of the first man Adam, in whom the whole race fell (Romans 5:12). The lives of the wicked are therefore full of chaos (Isaiah 57:20f), darkness (Proverbs 4:19), and death (Ephesians 2:1). In the work of salvation, God brings life and peace to death and chaos through His Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8; Galatians 5:22f), and light to darkness through Jesus Christ (Luke 1:78f). These two acts manifest His glory. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).
2. This first light was mysterious in its nature. Since it divided the day from the night, we might assume it to have been the light of the sun. But this is impossible because this light was created on the first day of creation, but the sun was not created until the fourth day (vv.14-19). This first light did not descend from the sun. There is much about it that we yet do not understand.
Likewise, the nature of Christ is mysterious. Although He was "born of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), He did not descend from an earthly father. Rather, He was sent by God His eternal Father to be "God ... manifested in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16; John 1:1f,14; Isaiah 9:6). He is therefore the unique God-man, possessing in one undivided Person both the divine and the human natures. There are understandably aspects of His nature that are mysterious.
3. This first light received the approbation of God. "And God saw the light, that it was good" (v.4).
Likewise, Christ received the approbation of God. At the beginning of His ministry, the Father declared of Him, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). The Father repeated this approbation at the transfiguration of His Son, and then commanded us to "Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:5).
4. This first light was preeminent in God's creation. It stands first in the order of things God created for His universe.
Likewise, Christ is preeminent over God's creation, "that in all things He may have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18). He is "the firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15; cp. Psalm 89:27; 1 Corinthians 11:3) with "all authority" over it (Matthew 28:18).
Since God has approved Christ and made Him preeminent over all things, we should heed Christ and receive Him as our Lord and Savior.
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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