Journeying in Genesis: Visuals to Help Us Understand

“And God made the two great lights—

the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—

and the stars.

And God set them in the expanse of the heavens

to give light on the earth,

to rule over the day and over the night,

and to separate the light from the darkness.

And God saw that it was good.

And there was evening and there was morning,

the fourth day.”

Genesis 1:16-19

How glorious, practical, and wonderful! I think this gives us a stunning picture of how things really are.

First, we can see the sun as representing God. When you see "the LORD” (all caps) in Scripture it is the Hebrew יְהֹוָה Yᵉhôvâh meaning the self-Existent or Eternal. The sun has light in itself. It is also unapproachable. 1 Timothy 6:16 describes our Lord as dwelling in unapproachable light. Psalm 84:11 says He is a sun and shield. He is unapproachable, but is also our shield! He has made a way through Christ alone for us to approach and fully live.

Second, we can see the moon as representing Satan. Thank God for the physical moon to give us light at night! But as a picture of the spiritual, the moon actually has no light of its own. It’s a fake. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

And thirdly, the stars represent us. Because of their distance, we see them as “little” suns. Light is in them. We were made in His image to live eternally. Those who come to God through Christ will let their light shine to His glory and will live eternally too!

Lord, thank You for visuals in the temporary to help us understand spiritual and eternal things.