These last few days, I have been re-reading the biblical account of creation from the book of Genesis due to a prompting from a friend of mine. I must say that re-reading this account of creation while actively looking for a revelation of Jesus Christ in the story has changed everything! (After all, it was really written about Him anyway.) What I am seeing of Christ is astounding. He is our dividing light of separation!
Light
As I have pondered anew the details of how the Lord created the heavens and the earth, the role and purpose that ‘light’ has in creation has astounded me. Of all the times that I have read this passage in my life, I never saw the purpose of ‘light’ quite like this before. Right there in the scripture, however, is the explanation of the purpose of ‘light’.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 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…” (Gen. 1:1-5, NASB, emphasis mine)
Take note that God created the heavens and the earth *before* light entered the creation. It was dark before the light came. When the Lord said “Let there be light”, the light broke into the created realm. This ‘light’, however, did not originate from the sun, moon, or stars because they had not yet been created. This light was coming from another place entirely and was now shining into the created realm!
Before the light had broke into the created realm, there was only darkness. After light entered the creation, however, there was now separation. Light was now able to be ‘separated’ from the darkness. The gathering of light was called ‘day’ and the absence of light (darkness) was called night. It took the entrance of ‘light’ to cause the separation between the two. This same process is repeated later when God creates the physical sources of light like the sun, moon, and stars:
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night…and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night;…God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness;…” (Gen. 1:14-18, NASB, emphasis mine)
Again we can see that one of the major purposes of light is to separate light from darkness, day from night. Let me encourage you to re-read these passages and take careful note of the word ‘separate’.
As I mentioned earlier, this sheds some important ‘light’ (pun intended) on the nature of the person of Jesus Christ. As Jesus Himself said, all the scriptures were written about Him. From that understanding alone, we can come to the conclusion that this account of creation is a picture of Him. With that said, however, let me add that ‘light’ is specifically mentioned as a description of the person of Jesus Christ. Amazingly, when Jesus Christ is mentioned as the light in the New Testament, it again brings up this ‘separation’ or division between light and darkness:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the ‘Light’ of men. The ‘Light’ shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…
There was the true ‘Light’ which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:1-5, 9-12, NASB, emphasis mine)
From this passage, we can clearly see that this ‘true Light’ is Jesus Christ. He is the light that shines into the darkness. We can also see from this passage that the ‘darkness’ is identified as well. The ‘darkness’ are those who ‘were His own’. Simply put, it was the religious group of people that had the identity of being God’s people. Before Christ came to His people, they were one people in many regards. When He came, however, the separation began. Those who received Him were separated from those who didn’t. Consider this statement made by Jesus:
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of His household. (Matt. 10:34-36, NASB)
Again, we can see the work of ‘light’ here. The work of ‘light’ is to divide light from darkness by revealing what is darkness. When we have a revelation of light (Christ), we then can see darkness for what it is. The economic and religious systems of mankind (Babylon) are seen as ‘darkness’ only when the ‘light’ of Christ is revealed. As Christ is revealed, however, the separation from those dark systems must begin. Consider this plea to the Bride of Christ about separating from the dark religious & economic systems of mankind (Babylon):
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; (Rev.18:4, NASB)
Unity
So what about unity? Doesn’t the Lord want unity among His people?
Yes!
Christ achieves unity, however, by ‘separating’ the light from the darkness. The theme of exodus is a continual theme throughout the scriptures. The light (those in Christ) are gathered together out of the darkness (systems of man). The work of separation occurs simply because the light is. As the light is gathered together out of the darkness, there will be unity in the light. Light will never be unified with darkness, however. Light, by its very nature, must be separate from darkness. That which is light will cling to the light, and that which is darkness will be separate from the light into darkness. There is a great expanse between light and darkness.
Separation As A State Of Being
I’d like to conclude by encouraging you to embrace your new identity as an agent of separation. Please don’t misunderstand me…I’m not talking about being an agent of separation by any action of your own flesh, I’m talking about you being an agent of separation simply because you are an expression of Christ’s light.
Dear saints, the more you find your voice and express the light and nature of Christ, the more you will be hated. Like Jesus, you will be hated by ‘your own’ who claim to be the Lord’s people. There will be division and separation by default. This has occurred one hundred percent of the time throughout history. Nothing has changed. You don’t have to ‘do’ anything to cause this division. Light, by its very nature causes this division. Embrace it and be encouraged. This division must occur until this separation of light from darkness has reached its fulfillment. When that day / age comes, there will only be light. There will be no more darkness, and no more night. Consider this description of the house / city of God:
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; (Rev. 21:23-26, NASB)
For the Light,
Jamal Jivanjee
For further reading on this topic, please read this article:
The U.S. Civil War & The Conflict Coming To Your Own House, Friends, & Church Community
Excellent! Thanks for starting our Monday out with a “flash of Light”! Isn’t it interesting that the moon has no radiant light of it’s own, but rather is a reflection of the sun’s light, visible primarily to those in the darkness? In the same way we should be “moon-like” and reflect the Son’s Light to those who are in darkness (without Christ)! We have not our own light which would draw others to us. We have the Light of hope that will always point to and draw others to Christ. Beautiful imagery! Blessings!
Mark,
My pleasure:)
Thank you. this is very timely for me and my family.
I can say it no better than our brothers here:
The night is nearly over; the Day is almost here. ─ Paul of Tarsus
I saw the Holy City, the NEW JERUSALEM, coming down OUT of HEAVEN from God, prepared as a BRIDE beautifully dressed for her HUSBAND. I did not see a temple [building] 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 LAMP. The Throne of God and of the Lamb will be IN THE CITY, and his servants will serve him. They will SEE HIS FACE, and HIS NAME [Who He Is] will be ON THEIR FOREHEADS. There will be NO MORE NIGHT. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them LIGHT. ─ John
Beautiful reality Kat, thx for sharing this passage:)
the community of God will become the community of redeemed man. True and eternal oneness all in Christ. Wonder beyond our ability to perceive awaits.
“However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”–
Paul of Tarsus
Amen!
Thanks for writing this Jamal! A beautiful reminder that light separates. As I am reading this, I kept thinking, there was darkness before the old creation was made (the material world), same way there was darkness in our hearts until Christ came to make the new creation, same condition. And it is marvelous to know that that first one, is given only as a way to explain the second one, who is the true reality. First comes the natural, the outward then comes the spiritual, the inward. Paul said:” For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2 Cor 4: 6. He has come to shine in, so that He can shine forth the “knowledge of the glory of God in Christ”. He is the True Light, the Lamb is the lamp. Oh, for the blessedness of walking in the Light, oh for the blessedness of the future reality where there will be only day no more night.
Great insight Marsela. The first one is given only as a way to explain the second…incredible. I love how you put that. Thx!
“That which is light will cling to the light, and that which is darkness will be separate from the light into darkness. There is a great expanse between light and darkness.”
This is true. I will add to that by saying that in my experience the light is as universal as well the creation story depicts the nature of light. This partly explains why I find more affinity with some nonbelievers than believers. The reality of christ is woven into the fabric of the universe such that some people have actually come into the way of christ without biblical language which may come later.
Nothing new really as back in Jesus day he was calling out certain religious folks as actually being of their father the devil.
In practical terms, love like jesus loved and the light+darkness within people is quickly revealed.
How much greater now that this light has been personified for us and we can be transformed into his likeness.
Great word/blog thank you!
Amen Jamal. “Separation” is a process whereby the Lord builds and purifies His kingdom.
“Division” is the enemy’s counterfeit to this process.
On builds unto glory and fruitfulness.
The other destroys unto rottenness.
And many who are unclear on the difference btw the two, and that “separation” is of the Lord, unwisely make and maintain ungodly soul-ties like Israel did with the Gibeonites just after crossing the Jordan.
Trevor,
Wow, what an insightful comment! Thx for shedding light on the difference between division and separation. The example which you shared is why knowing the differance between the two is so vital. Your comment could be an entire blog post on its own! Thx again brother:)
I’m a little late reading this, but it was perfect timing for me. I especially needed “There will be division and separation by default. This has occurred one hundred percent of the time throughout history. Nothing has changed. You don’t have to ‘do’ anything to cause this division. Light, by its very nature causes this division. Embrace it and be encouraged. This division must occur until this separation of light from darkness has reached its fulfillment.”
I have struggled with the division and ugliness that has come within the body of Christ here in NC during our primary this week, where the marriage amendment was concerned. The Light of Christ is causing the division, the separation of darkness from light.
Thank you for, once again, putting into words what we so need to hear. Happy birthday, by the way!
Thx Kay:)
For some reason this post wanted to bring me to tears. The very last verse you shared was such a beautiful, peaceful, more clear picture of heaven. I guess I needed that reminder today!
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” 2 Cor 2:15-16.
Light when concentrated to its fullest degree can destroy concrete walls. Christ is much like that for when His fullness is brought into us everything else is destroyed. We smell like death and yet Christ’s light is life, so we also smell like life.
Thanks for sharing this article. Brought me joy and comfort to know much of my separation lately from those who are religious is simply the life of Christ in me. Not something to feel guilty of, etc, as some would say, but an indication of our separate identity in Him. We are aliens in this world!
Kaley,
Amen sister, so glad this encouraged you:) Thx for your comment.