"Let There Be Light" (2)

Scripture Reading:

Introduction

When You Study & Put Together a Lesson…

You’ll Always have Things You have to Cut Out

I Like for My Lessons to Flow from Point to Point…

And Sometimes a Text or Concept…

Just Doesn’t Fit the Message I’m Trying to Get Across

So it Goes in the Scrap Pile

Well, this Year, My Plan for the Sunday Night Lessons…

Is to Put Those Scraps to Good Use

Sometimes I May Dive Deeper into Some Things I Talked about in the Morning Lesson

Other Times I’ll Bring Out a New Point Relating to the Sunday Morning Topic

Tonight, We’re Going to Look at a Prophetic Poem from Jeremiah

One Commentator Called it:

“One of the most powerful descriptions of the Day of Yahweh in all prophetic literature.”

“The Day of Yahweh” = The Day of the Lord (Judgment)

But, Before We Read it…

Let’s Read Our Original Text from this Morning

The Prophetic Poem from Jeremiah Directly Relates to it

Genesis 1:1–3 (NASB95)

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 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. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

As I Mentioned this Morning…

The World was an Empty Wasteland Covered in Darkness…

Before God Brought Light, Order, & Life into it

But What if God were to Decide to “Undo” Creation?

What if He Decided to Take Away the Light, Order, & Life?

Would God Ever Do Such a Thing?

As a Matter of Fact, He’s Done it Many Times

Jeremiah Lived During the Days of Judah’s Destruction & Exile By the Babylonians

He Prophesied & Warned Them of Their Coming Destruction…

But They wouldn’t Listen or Repent

So this is What God Caused Him to See…

Pertaining to Judah’s Destruction:

Jeremiah 4:23–26 (NASB95)

23 I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; And to the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, And all the hills moved to and fro. 25 I looked, and behold, there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. 26 I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the Lord, before His fierce anger.

The Fierce Anger of God Against Judah…

Led to Their Destruction…

Which is Described as:

If the Earth had Been Uncreated

De-Creation

A Reversal of Creation

In His Fierce Anger & Judgment, God:

Returned the Earth to its:

Emptiness

Darkness

Lifelessness

The Message to the Jewish People was:

“Because of Your Wickedness, God is Undoing Everything”

He Created this World…

And He can Uncreate it Too

He can Return it to its Darkness & Chaos

This Prophetic Poem in Jeremiah Really isn’t that Unique

This isn’t the Only Time God has Done What He’s Describing Here

This is How All the Prophets Describe the Day of the Lord/Judgment

The Day of the Lord is Always Described in Terms of De-Creation:

The Sun, Moon, & Stars Going Dark

The 1st Thing God Did in Creation was Turned on the Lights

When God Decides to Destroy a Wicked People…

He Describes it as Turning Off the Lights

We’re Waiting for a Final Day of the Lord/Judgment

A Day that’s Described By Peter as One Final Reversal of Creation:

After Talking about How God has Destroyed the Earth Before By Water…

Peter Says This:

2 Peter 3:7 (NASB95)

7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The Day of Judgment will Bring Destruction By Fire:

To the Present Heavens (Everything Up There)

To the Present Earth (Everything Down Here)

To the Ungodly of the World

He Goes on to Continue Describing the Coming Judgment:

2 Peter 3:10–12 (NASB95)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

God is Bringing Destruction/De-Creation…

To His Creation One Last Time

But that’s Not the End of the Story:

2 Peter 3:13 (NASB95)

13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

After De-Creation will Come New Creation

God will Make All Things New

And Only the Righteous will Live in this New & Perfect Creation

Since that’s Our Hope, What Should We Do Now in Preparation?

2 Peter 3:14 (ESV)

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

To Prepare for the NHNE:

Eagerly Desire to Be Spotless & Blameless

Fight Hard Against Temptation & Sin

Be at Peace

God’s Going to Make All Things Good Again

There’s Nothing for Us to Worry about or Fear