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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Genesis 1:3-5

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I. "AND GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE LIGHT."
A. In verse one we read, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." I understand that to mean our universe.
B. In verse 2 we read that the earth was without form and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep.
1. Out here in the corner of the Milky Way Galaxy was a formless mass, covered with ice shrouded in darkness. It was called earth.
2. It is possible that the cloud cover around the earth was so thick that no light could penetrate through it.
C. It would also appear that the Sun and the stars were not actually created on the fourth day of creation, but that is when they became visible, on earth, the cloud cover was removed sufficiently to allow them to be seen.
1. If in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, it must have been that the stars and sun were created then.
2. The Hebrew word for create in verse one is Bara, something out of nothing.
D. We know that God can create darkness.
1. The interesting plague of darkness that God brought upon the Egyptians.
2. We are told that the darkness could be felt.
3. Yet at the same time there was light in the dwellings of the children of Israel.
4. When Jesus was crucified, darkness covered the land from noon to three in the afternoon.
5. Have you ever experienced total darkness?
a. When I was a young boy the family went through the Oregon caves.
b. That was a darkness that you could feel.
II. THE INTERESTING NATURE OF LIGHT.
A. Light possesses both physical and spiritual characteristics.
1. The intensity of light can be measured.
2. The speed of light can be measured.
3. Light is divided into various phenomena, from the gamma rays to radio rays. We speak of black light. The ultra violet, and infrared.
A. God divided the light from the darkness.
1. Light can be divided. It is divided on the spectroscope.
2. The light emitted from elements heated to incandescence always finds its way to its special spot on the spectroscope.
3. Light can be twisted and bent.
a. If you have a solid plastic tube, you and bend it into different shapes and angles and hold a flashlight at one end of the tube, the light will follow the bends and come out the other end of the tube.
4. Light can pass through substance as hard as a rock and come out the other side unimpaired.
5. Light can be bent. Mirrors.
III. IT IS INTERESTING THAT IN THE NEW JERUSALEM, THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR THE LIGHT OF THE SUN, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD WILL LIGHTEN IT, AND THE LAMB [IS] THE LIGHT THEREOF.
A. Both God the Father and Jesus are referred to as light.
1JO 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1. We read in John's gospel:
JOH 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
JOH 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
JOH 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
JOH 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
JOH 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
JOH 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
JOH 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
JOH 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
JOH 1:8 He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
JOH 1:9 [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
B. When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again. Nicodemus questioned Jesus as to how a person could be born again. In answer to that question Jesus said,
JOH 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
JOH 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
JOH 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
JOH 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
JOH 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
JOH 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
C. It is interesting to me that the final destiny of those who refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, because they preferred the darkness over the light because of their evil deeds is to be cast into what Jesus called, "Outer darkness."
MAT 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
MAT 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
IV. THERE ARE THREE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE THAT TAKE US BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
A. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
B. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made by Him.
C. 1Jo. 1:1 That which was from the beginning.
D. I find it very fascinating that in the end man's final destiny will be either in darkness or light.
1. To those who love darkness, is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
2. To those who love the light, the city of God that has not the need of the Sun to lighten it, for the Father and the Son will be the light of it.
1JO 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1JO 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1JO 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1JO 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
1JO 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1JO 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1JO 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Sermon Notes for Genesis 1:1 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for Genesis 1:26 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for Revelation 1 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for Exodus 3:1-4 Next Book →
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