Waters the Light and the Word

Waters, the Light and the Word

Genesis chapter one tells us about the beginning: 
Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. - -

John in his gospel, Establishes that Jesus was there in the beginning with God the Father and the Holy Spirit and that Jesus had a part in creating this world. In the new Testament, John chapter one, looks back at the beginning and John says,

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not put it out.

John is speaking about Jesus being the WORD, and John is saying that Jesus is the Light of the World and where people are in the darkness of sin and troubles, that Jesus can bring them illumination or light and change situations with His WORD.

John 1: 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the Baptist.) 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 John was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 Jesus was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Reading again from Genesis chapter 1

2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.  So the evening and the morning were the first day.  

Notice that God spoke WORDS and there was - - as he spoke.  We have power with our words, and it is good to speak about yourself according to the way God sees you.  God loves you and sees you as valuable and worthwhile, and he has good plans for you.

6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

I am an inquisitive person and I like to ask questions, and often I wondered about this word firmament.

At first I thought it meant earth and dirt Terra-Firma - - - but no it means something different. When God separated the waters, he caused an arch, like a huge bubble to surround the earth and placed some of the waters here on earth and divided them so that some waters are outside the arch - space where he can release them in the form of rain, snow sleet and hail. Inside this firmament or space we look up and we see sky which appears blue because of the reflection of the waters. We live in this atmosphere that surrounds our earth and breathe air which is according to the chemistry equation, is part water. So there is a fine mist, not detectable to us but nevertheless it is moisture going inside us at every breath, which causes us to live and be alive.

In case you are interested: Nearly all of the Earth's atmosphere is made up of only five gases: nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, argon, and carbon dioxide. Several other compounds are also present. Air can contain as much as 5% water vapor, but more commonly the moisture of water will rang from 1 to 3%.

The Prophet Isaiah in chapter 40:22 says it this way: "It is God who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;"

Reading again from Genesis - -

9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

This morning I was thinking about water and how it is continually moving. The ocean has tides that go back and forth every so often, and the rivers flow and the springs – spring up with fresh water, and we need water to live. 

John's gospel chapter 4:13,14 quotes Jesus speaking;   But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Another time, on the last day of the feast, in John 7:37, 38 Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water."

Jesus promised, "If you will come onto me, I will give you the Holy Spirit who will be like everlasting water springing up in your soul."

Continuing to read from Genesis 1: 11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

It is wonderful that the vegetation, trees and herbs would reproduce themselves because God caused there to be seeds to make this work.  You can save the seeds from a tree and plant them and after a time you will have a new tree growing.

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then 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. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 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. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

As we stop and think about it, The sun and moon and clouds are in the arch or bubble surrounding the earth, Clouds gather water and vapor and at time will release dew, mists, and rain. But beyond that further up are the waters ready to be disbursed in torrents and often in floods. 

We can only see darkly into this area as it contains the stars and planets, but there is more beyond that area of heaven, and it is the very heaven where God sits on His Throne. Jesus returned there after his resurrection and the Bible tells us that Jesus prays and intercedes for us.

20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over  all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 

28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

What we have just learned is the bottom line of creation. There was much detail and precise artistry in all of God's creation that is not mentioned. The vegetation, the trees had seeds that reproduce themselves, giving us supply of food. The fish, birds, and animals also God said they were good, and God blessed all food for us to enjoy in order to live.

God created man and this is the simple history, but we will consider more later. Man was likened onto God, God the Father has a voice, a mind, a will, hands, feet, and He sits on a throne. Jesus became flesh and dwelled among us so that we could relate to a form in a manner like us as humans. 

We are like God in that we have the power of choice and have a free will.  Daily we are called to make decisions, some of which will effect our entire lives.

It is good to have friends, but understand that not everyone who is friendly is your friend. You no doubt have already realized that. Some people only want to get you involved in certain things so they can get your money, or use you in ways that are not appropriate. Be cautious and use the brain and mind that God gave you to tell the difference. Where you are at this moment, you are surrounded by people who desire the best for you. God already has said that he only desires Good plans for your lives.

Some have asked, why did God let this happen to me? 

The truth is that God tried to prevent what happened, and that still small voice told you NOT to start doing what was being offered, but along the way many of us fail to listen to that small voice.  So from today on, keep alert and begin to take heed.

Jesus often said that, Take heed and it means to pay attention – to listen and to be aware and consider what you are about to do. 

We have much to think about on this day, so if you have not already done so, it is time to turn your live over to Jesus because he wants to help you and give you a good future.

So many of us, do not know who they really are. If you are living a defeated life, because in your mind you believe you do not measure up and are not worthy; I want you to know that you are loved, you are special and Jesus makes us worthy.

The Holy Spirit hovers over you today and regardless of your situation or station, the Lord declares that you are valuable, and that a treasure is hidden within you and is ready to be discovered.  Allow the river of life to flow out from your inner most being today and consider yourself a valuable person of God's mercy and grace and know that He desires to encourage you and He will use you to bless others.  Amen