“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”
Genesis 1:1-5 ESV
In the beginning, God. God created. Everything that has ever existed began with God. It all begins with His spoken word. He spoke it into existence (“ba-ra”) by His Word, but more importantly by His will, because His Word is always a reflection of His will. Everything begins and ends with God.
The phrase “formless and void” only occurs twice in the entire Old Testament – Genesis 1:2 and Jeremiah 4:23
- The phrase is diagnostic of chaos, hopelessness, lifelessness, emptiness, and darkness
- The first time is in reference to God as Creator
- The second time is in reference to God as Judge
- In both instances, God manifests His presence by His Word
Before God makes the world take shape, He creates light.
- Light serves as a catalyst (ignition).
- Light provides energy (inspiration).
- Light provides vision (illumination).
In order to begin the process of shaping creation, God produces light in order to expose the current state and provide a resource for the future state.
The light of the gospel exposes our current state apart from our Creator and divine Judge. The inspiration of His Holy Spirit provides us with the power to be transformed into His rightful image-bearer so that all the world might see Him in us. The illumination of the gospel provides us with the vision to see Him for Who He truly is, and consequently, ourselves for what we truly are in relation to Him.
Matthew 27:45, Luke 23:44 – from noon until 3pm – records the darkest three hours in human history as “the sun’s light failed.” It is not possible for this to be a solar eclipse as a solar eclipse only occurs during the new moon and the Passover occurs on the full moon of the Jewish calendar. For three hours, God turned out the light as His Son hung on the cross – as a blameless sacrifice in our place for our sin.
John 1:4-5 declares “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul writes “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Only the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ has the power to bring order from chaos. To create life from emptiness. To bring light into darkness. Only the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus can transform our lives and gives us an eternal purpose and meaning.