Night 3—VBS

TEXT: Genesis 1:14-19; Matthew 17:1-12

Intro:

The book of Genesis is really impornt for uus to study. Does anyone know Why?

The Word Genesis means, “Beginning” This book shows us how we were made, how the world was made, how the sun moon and stars were made. In fact, this book tells us how all things came about. We are on a plant that is rotating at 1,067 miles per hour which gives us day and night. We are orbiting around the sun at 67,000 miles per hour and repalling the other plants within our solor sytesm—which gives us the four seasnons.

If we were any closer to the sun we would burn uop and if we were any father away from the sun we would all frezzee this tells us that God created the plants everything.

To understand the significance of the fourth day, we must first look back at the foundational work that God performed in the preceding three days of creation. The record of Genesis reveals a God of order, moving from the general to the specific, and from preparation to habitation.

On Day One, God spoke into the darkness, saying, "Let there be light: and there was light" (Genesis 1:3 KJV). This was the primordial light, the energy of God’s presence that divided the light from the darkness, establishing the first "evening and morning." On Day Two, God created the firmament, or the "expanse," to divide the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament (Genesis 1:7 KJV), calling the firmament Heaven. On Day Three, God gathered the waters under the heaven into one place, letting the dry land appear. He then commanded the earth to bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind (Genesis 1:11 KJV).

By the end of the third day, the stage was set: there was light, there was an atmosphere, and there was a fertile earth. However, the specific "light-bearers" had not yet been installed to govern the cycles of this new world.

I. The Divine Command and the Three Creations

In Genesis 1:14–19 (KJV), we find the detailed account of the fourth day. The command of God is specific and authoritative:

"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."

Following this decree, God brought forth three distinct creations to occupy the heavens:

The Greater Light (The Sun): God made the greater light to "rule the day" (Genesis 1:16 KJV). This body was designed to be the primary source of heat and visible light for the earth, a constant reminder of God’s power and His provision of life-sustaining energy.

The Lesser Light (The Moon): God made the lesser light to "rule the night." Unlike the sun, the moon does not generate its own light but reflects the glory of the sun into the darkness. It governs the tides and provides a soft illumination during the hours of rest.

The Stars Also: In a phrase of magnificent brevity, the scripture adds, "he made the stars also" (Genesis 1:16 KJV). Though there are billions of galaxies, God spoke them into existence with ease. Psalm 147:4 tells us that "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names."

These three creations were not gods to be worshipped, as many ancient cultures believed, but were "servants" of the Most High, set in the firmament to fulfill His will.

In Fact, God had told Isreal not to worship these as gods In Deut. 4:19; 17:3 God tells them that the moon, the sun, and the stars are not objects to be worshiped ever.

II. The Fourfold Purpose of the Heavenly Lights

God did not place these lights in the sky merely for beauty. According to Genesis 1:14–15, they were given four distinct assignments:

To Divide the Day from the Night: While light and darkness were separated on Day One, the sun and moon were now appointed as the official "rulers" of these periods. This division provides the necessary rhythm for life—work and activity during the day, and rest and restoration during the night.

To Be for Signs and for Seasons: The word "seasons" (Hebrew: moedim) refers to appointed times or sacred assemblies. These lights allow mankind to track the changing of the weather and, more importantly, to recognize the timing of God’s holy convocations. They serve as "signs" of God’s navigation and His prophetic timeline (Luke 21:25 KJV).

To Be for Days and Years: The celestial bodies act as a giant, cosmic clock. By their movement, man is able to calculate the passage of time, allowing for the organization of society, the planting of crops, and the recording of history. This ensures that man recognizes the finite nature of time and the faithfulness of God’s cycles.

To Give Light Upon the Earth: Finally, they were created for the benefit of the earth’s inhabitants. Without this light, the vegetation created on Day Three could not survive, and the "very good" creation would descend into cold, lifeless shadow.

III. The True Light: Jesus Christ

While the sun, moon, and stars are glorious, they are merely shadows of a much greater reality. The New Testament reveals that the physical light of Genesis points directly to the spiritual light of the Gospel.

John 1:9 (KJV) says: "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." This "True Light" is Jesus Christ. We can see the spiritual fulfillment of Day Four in several ways:

The Source of Rule: Just as the sun rules the day, Christ is the "Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2 KJV) who rules over the hearts of those who walk in the light. He is the supreme authority who dispels the darkness of sin.

The Reflection of Glory: Just as the moon reflects the sun, the Church is called to reflect the light of Christ in a dark world. We have no light of our own, but as we look to Him, we "shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15 KJV).

The Guidance of Signs: The stars guided the wise men to the manger in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:2 KJV). Similarly, the Word of God and the Spirit of Christ serve as our "bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16 KJV), guiding us through the night of this world toward the eternal day.

The Eternal Light: The lights of Day Four are temporary. Revelation 21:23 (KJV) tells us of the New Jerusalem: "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."

Conclusion

The work of God on the fourth day was a masterpiece of precision and purpose. By creating the sun, moon, and stars, God provided the order and illumination necessary for physical life. Yet, the greatest lesson of Day Four is that all created light is designed to lead our eyes upward to the Creator. As we look at the heavens, let us be reminded that the same God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has "shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV).