This Light Never Sets
Have you ever wondered why God's first words were, “Let there be light?” There's much more to this than you might know. The concept of light permeates scripture, from the opening verses of Genesis to the final chapters of Revelation. This divine light, embodied in Jesus, illuminates God's redemptive plan throughout history.
In the opening verses of Genesis, we encounter God's first creative act, “Let there be light.” that's Genesis 1:3. This primordial light, created before the sun and stars, is more than just a massive reality in Genesis 1, it's God's presence and authority over darkness.
And it's the beginning of bringing order to chaos and bringing life into a dead world. This light also speaks of Jesus' role in creation. John's Gospel opens with this connection. Here's John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life. And that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
So Scripture moves from the light in the beginning to explicitly showing us Jesus as the light. During his earthly ministry, Jesus boldly proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” That's John 8:12.
This declaration draws a direct line back to the creation account, positioning Jesus as the embodiment of that first light. Jesus even performed a miracle to back up his claim as light.
In John 9 we read about Jesus and his disciples encountering a man who had been blind from birth. After Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” he healed the man.
This man was literally living in darkness until Jesus opened his eyes. Now with light flowing in, he could see reality. Darkness was overcome.
The theme of divine light reaches its culmination in the book of Revelation where we see a vision of the new heaven and the new earth. In this eternal state we find a striking parallel to Genesis 1. Revelation 21:23 declares,
“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, Jesus, is its light.”
Did you catch that? Just as the first light was independent of the sun or the moon, in the end Jesus is the light that is independent of anything that has been created.
Furthermore, Revelation 22:5 states, “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
This brings the theme of divine light full circle from creation to consummation. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the source of light from creation to eternity.
And when Jesus shines his light, the light of the gospel, into the souls of his children, and they believe, that light will not be overcome.
The first words of God, “Let there be light,” were not just about what happened in the beginning. Those words were the essence of the plan that would save all who believe.
Jesus, you are the light that will never go out. You are the light that brings us out of darkness. I am sorry for so often forgetting about the magnitude of your work. Thank you for shining the light of salvation into the hearts of the lost. Please cause me to see more clearly the beauty of the gospel.
As we close this, let's look at Psalm 118:27,
“The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us.”
Song: Light of the World