Let there be light
The command "Let there be light" is a profound moment in the creation narrative. The Hebrew word for "light" is "אוֹר" (or), which signifies not only physical light but also the presence of order, clarity, and revelation. Light is the first thing God creates, symbolizing the dispelling of chaos and darkness. In a theological sense, light represents the presence of God, truth, and goodness. This phrase sets the stage for the rest of creation, as light is essential for life and growth. It also foreshadows the spiritual light that Christ brings into the world, as seen in the New Testament, where Jesus is referred to as the "light of the world" (John 8:12).

and there was light
The immediate fulfillment of God's command, "and there was light," demonstrates the efficacy and power of His word. The Hebrew construction here is simple yet profound, indicating that when God speaks, His will is accomplished without delay or resistance. This phrase affirms the concept of divine fiat, where God's will is enacted simply through His spoken word. The creation of light marks the beginning of time and the ordering of the cosmos, setting a pattern for the subsequent acts of creation. It also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the certainty of His promises, as what He declares comes to pass. This moment is a testament to the creative power of God, who brings light into darkness, both physically and spiritually.

(3) And God said.--Voice and sound there could be none, nor was there any person to whom God addressed this word of power. The phrase, then, is metaphorical, and means that God enacted for the universe a law; and ten times we find the command similarly given. The beauty and sublimity of the language here used has often been noticed: God makes no preparation, He employs no means, needs no secondary agency. He speaks, and it is done. His word alone contains all things necessary for the fulfilment of His will. So in the cognate languages the word Emir, ruler, is literally, speaker. The Supreme One speaks: with the rest, of hear is to obey. God, then, by speaking, gives to nature a universal and enduring law. His commands are not temporary, but eternal; and whatever secondary causes were called into existence when the Elohim, by a word, created light, those same causes produce it now, and will produce it until God recalls His word. We have, then, here nature's first universal law. What is it?

Let there be light: and there was light.--The sublimity of the original is lost in our language by the cumbrous multiplication of particles. The Hebrew is Yhi or wayhi or. Light is not itself a substance, but is a condition or state of matter; and this primaeval light was probably electric, arising from the condensation and friction of the elements as they began to arrange themselves in order. And this, again, was due to what is commonly called the law of gravitation, or of the attraction of matter. If on the first day electricity and magnetism were generated, and the laws given which create and control them, we have in them the two most powerful and active energies of the present and of all time--or possibly two forms of one and the same busy and restless force. And the law thus given was that of gravitation, of which light was the immediate result.

1. Light.

2. Air, Water.

3. Dry Land and Plants. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...