Translate

Friday, January 31, 2020

The Emergence of Day and Night


The Emergence of Day and Night

It is stated quite explicitly in scriptures that, '...Since the creation of the world, God's invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they (mankind) are without excuse' (Romans 1:20).
Can day and night, light and darkness, reveal something about God's eternal power and Godhead, that we naturally would not understand? Where is the source of day and night, light and darkness?
How did they emerge? Did they emanate from the same source?
It is evident that from the beginning of creation, God separated the light from the darkness, and called the light day, and the darkness He called night. These two entities which are diametrically in contrast, and are at variance with each other, from all evidences, emerged on planet earth by two separate ways, and evidently from two separate sources.
For to the prophet Isaiah the Lord said; 'I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and
create disaster; I, the Lord, have created it“(Isaiah 45:7).
Although there is not much of a difference in terms of definition, between the words form, and create, nevertheless, I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the usage of two different words, with almost similar meaning, to convey an important lesson, and to differentiate the process by which both entities emerged.
I will first begin with the question, why was the earth without form and void, and darkness over the face of the deep, when God created the heavens and the earth? Where did the darkness come from? And what caused the earth to be without form and empty? Did God find an existing earth! Where did it come from?
Secondly, is the emergence of darkness upon the earth a secret, or has it been revealed? If it is a
secret, it makes no sense trying to find it out because, 'The secret things belong to the Lord our God,' But if it has been revealed, 'it belongs to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of the law of God. And it is certain that, the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plans to His servants the prophets' (Deuteronomy 29:29; Amos 3:7).
We can be assured, that there are revelations regarding the creation of the earth, because God in His dialogue with Job asked him the following questions; 'Where were you when I laid the earth`s
foundation? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who
stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footing set, or who laid its cornerstone...while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for Joy?'
The dialogue continues; 'Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you
know all this. What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? Can you
take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings? Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years! (Job 38:18-21).
The fact that God asked Job, 'Can you take them (light and darkness) to their places? Do you know
the paths to their dwellings?' Signifies that they emanated from two different sources. And since it is stated that, the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy when God created the earth, is a clear indication that when God created the earth, it was not formless, empty and darkness covering the face of the deep. Furthermore, this is what the Lord says; 'He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, He formed it to be inhabited...He says; 'I am the Lord, and there is no other' (Isaiah 45:18).
Therefore, the account of creation found in the first chapter of Genesis, beginning with verse two on wards, does not relate to the original creation of the earth, but refers to the renewal of the face of the earth, after the original earth was destroyed, and lay in waste and emptiness, due of Lucifer's rebellion. God then renewed the earth, making it conducive for man's existence. And so it is written; 'When you send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth' (Psalms 104:30).
Day and night were not part of the original creation of the earth; they emerged as the result of
Lucifer's rebellion. Prophecy reveals that, '...When the Lord will come, and all the holy ones with Him, on that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or
nighttime...a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light.' (Zechariah 14: 5-7).
This is typical of the earth which existed from the foundation of the earth, before Lucifer rebelled, and brought darkness into existence. Day and night, light and darkness, are not just natural phenomena with no apparent significance.
There is an important reason why God, from re-creation, separated them from each other, as He also set apart the seventh day, and distinguished it from the rest of the other six days of the week, by omitting the evening and the morning as being the seventh day. The scripture simply says; 'Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had done and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all His work which He had done in creation“(Genesis 2:1-3).
The seventh day with the omission of evening and morning, depicts a unique day unto the Lord, a day without daytime or nighttime, a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. Typical to the one at creation, and the one in the future.
Therefore, just as the seventh day Sabbath has both a physical and spiritual application, for it is written; 'for if Joshua had given them rest (which he did physically), God would not speak later of another day. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for whoever enters God's (spiritual) rest also ceases from his (physical) labors as God did from His. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one falls by the same sort of disobedience“ (Hebrews 4:8-11).
Similarly, day and night, light and darkness, have both literal, and spiritual implications. Day is indicative to the kingdom of light, and light is indicative to Jesus Christ, the Ruler of the kingdom of light. Whilst night is indicative to the kingdom of darkness, and darkness is indicative to Satan, the ruler of the kingdom of darkness.
The light which God formed, is Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, and proceeded from the Father. And therefore, everything that is good, everything that is true, is associated with light who is Jesus Christ. And so it is written; ' in Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. “He is the true light that gives light to every man who comes into the world.” And Jesus Himself said; ' I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life“(John 1:4-5, 9; John 8:12)
This is the same light that will govern the earth, when the kingdom of God is established on earth. For the prophet Zechariah wrote; '...Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or night time... a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only one“ [There will be no existence of the kingdom of darkness, and no Satan to contend with Jesus Christ, and to assume the title lord] (Zechariah 14:5-9).
The apostle John echoed similar sentiments in the book of Revelation, concerning the New Jerusalem. He wrote; 'I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 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 is its light. And its gates shall never be shut by day...and there shall be no night there (Revelation 21:22-25).
In the not distant future, God will be the glory of His people, Satan and darkness will be banished. The prophet Isaiah wrote; 'The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended (Isaiah 60:19-20).
God created darkness, by creating Lucifer, the source from which night and darkness emanated. Lucifer was created as the son of the morning, who illuminated the earth. He was adorned with every precious stone, and was blameless in his ways, from the day he was created, until wickedness was found in him. He became filled with violence, and sinned. God then caused a fire to come out from the midst of him, and consumed him, and God turned him to ashes upon the earth. He lost his splendor, his brilliance which illuminated the earth, and because of the absence of light in him darkness covered the earth. (Ezekiel 28:12-18).
Night literally represents the kingdom of darkness, and all the works associated with evil. Darkness represents Satan the devil, the ruler of the kingdom of darkness, who was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth (light), because there is no truth (light) in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies“(John 8:44).
The same way there is no truth, no light, no life in Satan, but only lies, darkness, destruction, and death; In like manner, 'there is no lie, no darkness, no death in Jesus Christ, but only truth, light and life, for, in Him is no darkness at all. Day and night, light and darkness, emanated from two separate sources.
Jesus Christ is the source of day and light, Satan is the source of night and darkness. Day and light, are open manifestations, or a perfect revelation of the glory of the Lord. Night and darkness are open manifestations, and a perfect revelation of the gloominess of Satan. Each depicting and representing the nature, and character, of a literal kingdom, in existence on earth, and their respective ruler.
Truly, 'The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge, there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world“(Psalms 19: 1-4).
We are therefore, without excuse. The Sabbath/s therefore, which are holy to the Lord, are not associated with darkness, and therefore the Lord says; 'I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged Me, so that from the rising of the sun, to the place of its setting men may know there is none beside Me. I am the Lord and there is no other“(Isaiah 45:5-6).
Again the Lord says; 'My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense [prayer] and pure offerings [the sacrificial offering of the body and blood of Jesus Christ] will be brought to My name, because My name will be great among the nations,' says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 1:11).
Before conversion, we are literally living in the kingdom of darkness; and when converted, we are to give thanks to the Father, 'Who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins(Colossians 1:12-13).
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.' In contrast; 'the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble“ (Proverbs 4: 18-19).
Jesus taught the fear of God by saying; '...There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or
hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10: 26-27).
We are called to live as children of light, and the apostle Paul said; 'Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness. You did not so learn Christ! “(Ephesians 4:17-19).
The apostle Paul continues; '...For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as
children of light, (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deed of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible“(Ephesians 5:8-14):
The perspective of day and night, light and darkness, are not to be viewed merely as spiritual
perspectives, associated with only what is good and evil. They also convey literal applications to the actual day and night, and light and darkness phenomena. For as the word of God plainly says; 'But you brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you as a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breast plate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet“(1 Thessalonians 5:4-8).
This admonition is both spiritual and literal. For the Lord says; My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin“(1John 1:5-7).
And furthermore, Jesus said; 'I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4).
Remember, Jesus came to set us an example, that we should follow His steps.
May the eyes of our understanding be enlightened.
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
Tel: 1758-450-0132 mobile 717-4635
Email: essentialsoflifeministry@gmail.com
Blog https://luciusblog-uciusministry.blogspot.com

No comments: