Genesis 1:3 – Part iii
Light in Himself
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. In the Lord Jesus we have all the facets of light, we have the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His Person. In the Person of Christ we have all light, and in that light He ministers forth His own light, and that light is the light of men. God never brought man into darkness. Man acquired that by his own sin against the Almighty God. Christ, however, had given all so that He might bring His light and life to man. We were created by the divine power of God. Adam was given life and spirit, and light, and in the light of God Adam possessed divine favor. The divine Being who created Adam prepared a place for his dwelling, provided all that he needed, and not only ministered to him, but communed with him, and walked with him in the cool of the day. The life that we now see in the flesh is the flesh of the fall. Could it be that when Adam fell that the earth shook when sin came into the world? Did not the earth shake when Christ died and took sin out of the world? It would seem that darkness and violence in the creation would be part of the fall. Our flesh is a small part of our life; the flesh is merely the vehicle of our existence on earth. It is quite evident watching the long lines of mourners in the world that man in his death returns to dust. In the new creation, however, God installs in us His divine light and life in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ indwells us by His Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, which is the Holy Spirit of God. He brings His divine light and we become in Him a divine being. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13) Our life is from above.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
We have taken on the mantle of Christ by His divine work on the cross of Calvary. We are not born of man’s blood, but we are born of the blood of Christ, nor do we stand in the will of the flesh for the flesh is broken and will return to dust. We do not stand in the will of man for as by one man sin came into the world, and death by sin, so death has passed upon all men for all have sinned. We are born of God and through His divine light and life by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Our Position in His Light
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:, verse 12 of John 1 tells us our position in the light. It instructs us to walk in the light as He is in the light. In Genesis 1:3 we have the foundation of His eternal light and glory. In that expression of light in Genesis 1:3 we are partakers of all divine truth, as Christ has light within Himself He is grace and truth come into the world. Every time we muse on or consider the Person of Christ we see the light of His glory. He has shown forth that light in our own salvation. It is the eternal God who has hovered or brooded over our soul to bring us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Whether in our spirit or in our soul those who belong to Christ have heard His voice saying, Let there be light — and there was light. As the earth was a dark mass of ruin, we see in Adam that same ruin of darkness.
Our State Before and After His Light
The perfect narrative of the Holy Spirit concerning the state of man’s soul in this great darkness is found in the gospel of John, Chapter 9. The Spirit of God reveals to us a man who had been born into darkness for he was blind from birth. All around him was darkness, there was no light in his eyes, he is a picture of all the fallen sons of Adam, for all have sinned and come short of the glory and light of God. This blind man dwelt in a land void of spiritual light and impregnated with darkness. The darkness of sin was every where in the heart of man and had darkened his very soul, for man had cast off God. As the man sat and contemplated the darkness around him, I speak of his physical darkness, he was unaware of the glorious day that was upon him. For one who was the eternal existence of God in all His Being and all His glory passed by; it was Jesus the Son of man, the Son of God. As the Lord passed by He saw the man who had been born blind. His disciples were perplexed about the man’s situation. What was the cause of his blindness, what was his sin, or his parent’s sin? They merely saw through the heart of man and not through the eyes of God. The Lord declared that whatever their judgment was concerning this man, they were completely wrong: for this man was born blind for this day. This day was prearranged by God the Father to reveal the inherent light that was His Son. The Lord Jesus stated to them that this man was born blind so that the works of God might be manifested. He affirmed He had come forth to perform His works so that this blind man might have light in his eyes and life in his soul. In verse 3 of Chapter 9 of the gospel of John we read, Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. This man was born blind so that the works of God would be made manifest in him. Notice in verse 3 that the word is not ‘work’ but ‘works’ (plural). For his physical sight would be a small part of the works of God. This day was to be a glorious day, this blind man was also a type of the blindness and darkness that was upon the Jews. His sight would be the beginning of the Lord’s miracles upon him: the first miracle was sight and light to his eyes; the second miracle was the divine call and light into his soul; as the natural was a complete miracle witnessed by many of the man who had been born blind. The same voice in Genesis 1:3 spoke His light into this poor wretched man. This voice was the voice of God’s Christ. He was there to complete the works of His Father. And this work to the man born blind was only one of many pictures of the state of Israel in that day. The Creator had come, the light bearer had come, He who had light in Himself had come, and the Savior had come into the world. Through the eternal Spirit both light and life were come to deliver this blind man. The Son of God said, Let there be light — and there was light.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? (John 9:35)
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? (John 9:36)
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. (John 9:37)
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. (John 9:38)
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. (John 9:39)
A Personal Past Experience
Being blind from birth, this man lived in the raw and frightful darkness of the blind. For a brief period of time in my youth I was led to feel, in a much smaller way, the prospect of a future in partial blindness. I was told that I would never see out of my right eye ever again. I had been welding the sub-frame of a truck when the welding cable caught fire and this burning cable fell on my face. Trying to knock the hot rubber off my face, I removed my welding mask, and at that exact second hot melting rubber fell from above in a ball of flame, entered into my right eye, and covered my entire eye lens. I was rushed to the hospital and an eye specialist treated me, after removing as much of the rubber as he could he informed me of his diagnosis which I did not want to hear. He told me I would never see out of that eye again. My whole being was in turmoil. I was barely eighteen years old and had never experienced such pain, nor could I imagine life being blind in one eye. Weeks passed and with each visit to the eye specialist the situation seemed to get worse as they were trying to save the eye itself: for the eye (I was told) was dying. I was not at that time a child of God, yet, in my feeble way I prayed the best I could to a God I did not know. In His mercy, after six weeks on one of my visits, as they removed the bandages I saw a dim light. The doctor waved his hand by my eye, and I saw a faint shadow pass by. The specialist still kept his original diagnosis and told me that this was all I could ever expect. This went on for weeks, and little by little more light was seen until one day when the bandages came off my vision was completely and fully restored. All who were present when the bandages were finally removed were completely silent and no one spoke. No one expected such a total recovery. I only experienced a little darkness in one eye, and I was broken young man. How much more this man had experienced who had been born blind. God was gracious to me that day, and now as an old man I still see clearly with both of my eyes. And more importantly I see with an enlightened heart and soul in my wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ.
There Is A Reason
In John 9, verse 38 we have the reason that this man was born blind. It was to manifest the works of God by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God would not only give him sight in a natural sense, but He would bring light into his heart and soul. He would become a new creation in Christ. The miracle of receiving sight still left this man in darkness of soul. When he was asked who gave him sight he could only speak of a man, however, later in the presence of the Lord he received much greater sight. For when he said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? at that moment the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to the man who had been born blind. He was quickened and light came into his heart. And the result of this light brought forth worship of God’s Christ. As light came into this world by the voice of God, so light came into the heart of this man who had spent all of his life in physical and spiritual darkness. Could there be a condition or state any worse than this poor man? I ask in all compassion, and love for your soul, can you like this man cry out, I believe, and then worship the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Light of the world. (Genesis 1:3) Amen.
© Copyright 2016, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)