235. THE SUN VS THE SON

(The Information & Edification Series – Batch 5)

In the book of Genesis which records how, at the words of God and based solely on his power, everything came into being, Chapter 1:14-19 tells us:

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”

The two great lights that God made were the sun and the moon, two lights that are still operating today because God set them in the firmament of the heaven and willed them to continue to give their light to the earth, even till today.

THE SUN – A GREAT LIGHT CREATED

The sun, which is referred to as a ‘great light’ and ‘the greater light’, gives light during the day and the moon gives light at night.

Studies by scientists have revealed that the sun is approximately 93 million miles from the earth, yet, despite how far it is, it is still equipped with the God-given capability to give warmth, to contribute to good health and nourishment, to provide Vitamin D to the inhabitants of the world (which they need) and sunshine to plants, which also need this to grow.

Despite how far the sun is from the earth, we can still feel its intense heat, especially those who live in a tropical region. It still has the ability to give us a tan or sunburn (if we stay too long in it and without sunscreen) and I know of no one who can stare directly at it for any length of time, without affecting his or her eyes. It is that bright!

In fact, in a science Article by Rachael Rettner on 7th July, 2017, she wrote:

“During next month’s Great American Total Solar Eclipse, you may be tempted to take in the historic event by gazing directly at the sun, but you absolutely should not do this without the proper eye protection, experts say. That’s because, even though the sun is some 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away, it can still cause serious, and sometimes irreversible, eye damage.

“Even very short direct observation of the sun has the potential to cause damage,” said Dr. Russell Van Gelder, a clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and director of the University of Washington Medicine Eye Institute in Seattle…Regardless of where you observe the eclipse, it’s important not to look directly at the sun with the naked eye…

If you take a lens that has that much power and point it directly at the sun, the energy becomes very high,” and is enough to literally burn holes in the retina, or the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye, Van Gelder said. Patients with this condition, known as solar retinopathy, show a very characteristic pattern of eye damage during an exam. “It looks like someone took a hole punch and just punched out the photoreceptive cells in the retina,” Van Gelder told Live Science.

In theory, a person could become legally blind — vision of 20/200 or worse — from staring at the sun. But staring at the sun is unlikely to result in total blindness or loss of both central and peripheral vision, because solar retinopathy typically doesn’t damage peripheral vision, Van Gelder said…

Because of the dangers, the AAO recommends that people not spend any time looking directly at the sun with their naked eyes. There is one exception to this rule — if you’re in the path of a total solar eclipse, you may look at the sun with your naked eyes during the brief time when the sun is in “totality,” meaning the sun’s bright face is completely blocked by the moon.”

What the sun can do (although it is so far away from earth) is so impressive, that we realize that it was no exaggeration when the Bible referred to it as a ‘great light’ and in fact, ‘the greater’ of the two lights.

YET, despite how magnificent this light, the sun is it fades in comparison with THE LIGHT of the world, the ultimate light, which is Jesus, the one who created all things (including the sun) and the one in whom all things consist. In short, the brightness of the sun is no match for the brightness of God’s Son, the Creator of the whole earth.

Of Jesus, Colossians 1:16-17 declares:

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

In fact, it is interesting to note, that, before Jesus came to earth as the ultimate Light of the world, the earth, which was benefitting from the sun’s light, was still referred to by the scriptures as being in gross darkness.

Despite how brightly the sun shined therefore, it could do nothing to bring mankind out of the spiritually dark condition that it was in. Only a light that was brighter could do that and this light could only be found in Jesus Christ.

Of the hope that Jesus, the ultimate Light would bring to a spiritually dark world when he came down to earth, Isaiah 60:1-3 declared:

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

JESUS – THE ULTIMATE, MARVELLOUS AND GREATEST LIGHT: THE CREATOR

Of the coming of Jesus to earth, the Prophet prophesied, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

Jesus is therefore also referred to as ‘a great light’ but more than that, he is referred to in the Word of God as ‘THE LIGHT’, meaning that he is the very source and epitome of light.

For example:

John 1:4-9 states of him that:

“IN HIM was life; and the life was THE LIGHT of men.And THE LIGHT shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.The same came for a witness, to bear witness of THE LIGHT, that all men through him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that LIGHT.That was the true LIGHT, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

John 3:19-20 also states:

“And this is the condemnation, that LIGHT is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.For every one that doeth evil hateth THE LIGHT, neither cometh to THE LIGHT, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

In 1 Peter 2:9, Jesus’ light is also referred to as ‘marvellous light’ a term not given to the sun, a mere creation. The scripture states of us who have been saved by Jesus “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

THE LIGHT OF THE LORD JESUS (THE CREATOR) COMPARED TO THE LIGHT OF THE SUN (THE CREATED)

There is really no comparison, as that which is created could never be any match for HE who is the Creator. Nevertheless, when compared, the light of the Lord shines brightest. It is the most glorious. The light of the sun fades in comparison and therefore, only Jesus the Lord is worthy of our worship and adoration.

Some people make the mistake of worshipping the sun but in doing so, they miss out on the blessing that they could have in worshipping the one that created the sun. While the sun, though powerful, does not have life, the Son of God, Jesus, the all-powerful one, has life, is life and can give it to whosoever wishes to receive it, more abundantly.

In John 8:12, Jesus himself stated, “I am THE LIGHT of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have THE LIGHT OF LIFE.”

He also stated in John 10:10 of why he came to earth, “… I am come that they might have LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly”. He further made a great but truthful boast in John 11:25, telling Martha, “I am the resurrection, and THE LIFE: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”.

The light of the Lord Jesus Christ is so much more brighter and glorious and excellent than that which comes from the sun, that, when Saul had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he had no choice by reason of the brightness of the light of the Lord and the power emanating from Him, to fall to the ground.

Not surprisingly, this light being brighter than the sun and full of power, it is no wonder that Saul became blind, although temporarily.

Acts 9:3-9 states of Saul’s experience:

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”

In recounting his experience with THE ULTIMATE LIGHT, JESUS, Saul, in attempting to describe the extent of the light he encountered, stated that it was above the brightness of the sun. This is hard to imagine as we have not with our naked eye, in this lifetime, ever experienced any light brighter or more powerful than the sun. Yet, Saul did and it was an experience that he never forgot.

In Acts 26:13-14, he told king Agrippa:

“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Indeed the light that comes from the Lord is so bright, that he is perfectly able to light our path without need for the moon or the sun. In fact, in Revelation 21:1-2 and 22-24, John, speaking of the vision that he saw of events which will one day come to pass and of Jesus, referred to as ‘the Lamb’, stated:

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband…And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did LIGHTEN it, and the Lamb is the LIGHT thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.“

Whereas the light of the Lord Jesus is everlasting and never-ending therefore, the light given by the sun and the moon have an expiry date. They have only been set in the firmament for a time. There will come a point when God will no longer use them and he himself will be the light by which we walk by.

This is in keeping with the prophesy given by Isaiah in Isaiah 60:19-20, when he stated that there would come a point in the future where:

“The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: BUT THE LORD SHALL BE UNTO THEE AN EVERLASTING LIGHT, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.”

CONCLUSION

In closing, we are reminded that we should never be so impressed with any aspect of God’s creation, that we get carried away to the point of worshipping that object, thing, place or person. We must remind ourselves that there is nothing on this earth (all of which have been created by the Lord), that is greater than HIM or more powerful than HIM or that is on the same level with HIS glory.

While the things of this earth may leave us awestruck from time to time therefore, there is no earthly excellence that is capable of comparing with the Lord’s exellence and therefore, we must be careful to always worship and point the glory to HIM, THE CREATOR of all things. We must be careful to worship the ultimate Light, the sovereign one (which is Jesus) and not the things created by Him, like the sun, the moon, the stars, animals, people or anything else.

As Psalm 148: 1-13 tells all of HIS creation to do, including us:

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.”

(Written on 25th April, 2022)

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