Previously, we noted in the discussion of creation of Genesis 1 that in days 1-3 order was brought to the original chaos and that life was brought to the ordered creation in days 4-6.  In addition, we have matches between the activities of days 1 and 4, days 2 and 5, and days 3 and 6.  Specifically, in the first day of creation of Genesis 1, God Almighty created the light and separated it from the darkness (Gen 1:4).  In day 4 of creation, God Almighty brings external light to the earth.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate 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 expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.  And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.  And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.  And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.  Genesis 1:14-19  NASB

These same relationships are valid when considering the day/ages of spiritual progression.  Specifically, in day/age 1, God Almighty created and separated the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.  In the second day/age, God Almighty brought the kingdom of light to the earth in the form of the man Adam with his light-body, but that light was extinguished when the man Adam and the woman disobeyed and sinned.  Since that time, humanity has been without the full brilliance of spiritual light to support its spiritual growth and development.  Spiritual thorns and thistles, derived from Adam, were destroyed by the flood, and there followed spiritual plants of the field derived from Noah and the spiritual fruit trees derived from Abraham.

In day/age 4, God Almighty brought spiritual light to humanity in the form of Jesus.

Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  John 8:12  NASB

God Almighty provides spiritual light needed to support the growth and production of spiritual fruit in humanity, just as the natural sun does for the physical earth.  The sun sends its rays to earth where they support life.  Likewise, God Almighty, the spiritual sun, sends His Spirit to the earth where it is felt by and supports humanity.

In the natural, the earth is far removed from the sun because life on earth cannot exist in close proximity to the sun.  Even so, at this great distance between the sun and the earth, one cannot look directly at the sun without harm.  However, humanity can look directly at the light of the sun when it is reflected from the moon, the heavenly body attached to the earth.  The moon generates no light of its own; it only reflects light from the sun.

The same is true in the spiritual, because fallen humanity cannot look directly at God Almighty, the spiritual light of creation.

But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”  Exodus 33:20  NASB

There must be separation between God Almighty, the spiritual light, and fallen humanity.  However, God Almighty sent the spiritual moon, Jesus the Christ, to earth to reflect the light of God Almighty upon humanity.

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus.  2Corinthians 4:6  NASB

Jesus, during His ministry, did not present His own light but reflected the light from God Almighty, the spiritual sun.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”  John 6:38  NASB

“He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”  John 14:24  NASB

Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?  He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:9  NASB

Jesus, in His first coming, did not shine of His own glory, but was the reflection of the glory from God Almighty.  It will be different at His second coming.

“AND THEN THEY SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.”  Mark 13:26  NASB

The rotation of the earth and the movement of the moon provide an insightful pattern for the spiritual realms.  In the natural, humanity looses the light from the sun and enters darkness when the earth (by its rotation) comes between humanity and the sun.  The same is true in the spiritual.  In the garden, there was replacement of the kingdom of light by the kingdom of darkness caused by the earthly (fleshly lust leading to sin) coming between humanity and God Almighty.

It is into this spiritual darkness that God Almighty sent the spiritual moon.  Jesus left His place in heaven, took the form of a human, and became the (spiritual) light in a world of darkness.

“I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”  John 12:46  NASB

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  John 3:17-21  NASB

The moon, though attached to the earth by gravity, is still distant from the earth.  Spiritually, this signifies Jesus becoming flesh and blood in the manner of the earth but not having the earthly, sinful nature.

In the natural, the moon goes through phases.  At times, it shines brightly in the darkness, but, at other times, there is no light from the moon for it has seemingly been swallowed by the earth.  Similarly, the spiritual moon has gone through phases.  First, there was only darkness for humanity after the expulsion from the garden, but then Jesus came as the spiritual moon to bring light to the world.  However, this light was removed at Jesus’ death, and in the last three hours of Jesus’ crucifixion, from mid-day until mid-afternoon, the physical world imitated that which was happening in the spiritual.

And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour.  Mark 15:33  NASB

Certainly, this unnatural darkness during Jesus’ crucifixion signifies loss of the spiritual light of the world.  But, like a new moon, Jesus reappeared after His resurrection.

To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.  Acts 1:3  NASB

Jesus left the earth at His ascension, but He will return.

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?  This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”  Acts 1:10-11  NASB

In addition to the sun and the moon, heavenly light also comes from the stars, which represent the saints of God Almighty.

Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn,” declares the LORD “because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.  Genesis 22:15-17  NASB

Here the stars of the heavens are associated with the seed of Abraham, and the spiritual seed of Abraham is the many-membered body of Christ, the saints of God Almighty.  Here are scriptures that connect the stars with the saints.

“And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven [firmament], and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”  Daniel 12:3  NASB

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.  1Corinthians 15:41  NASB

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.  Philippians 2:14-15  NASB

The saints of God Almighty are the spiritual stars who appear and give light to the world of darkness.

The rotation of the earth suggests that humanity will not remain always in darkness but will return to the full sunlight.  Scripture tells us of this time.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:3-4  NASB

And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.  Revelation 22:3-4  NASB

Before we move on, we need to note that these lights in the heavens are for signs.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate 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 expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.  Genesis 1:14-15  NASB

Events surrounding Jesus, the new light in the world, were noted as signs by the prophet Isaiah.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

Specifically, a virgin will be with child points to the kingdom of God Almighty coming to earth.  Furthermore, Jesus Himself is for a sign as well.

And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – and a sword will pierce even your own soul – to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”  Luke 2:34-35  NASB

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.  Isaiah 8:18  NASB

Jesus’ resurrection after three days of being in the heart of the earth was a sign to that generation.

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  Matthew 12:39-40  NASB

Thus, Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, as momentous as they were, are also signs that signify things to come.

The blessing/covenant of salvation by grace implemented by Jesus Christ is a new source of light for the earth provided by God Almighty in this fourth day/age of spiritual progression.  Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, spoke of this before the birth of Jesus.

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, / With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, / TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, / to guide our feet into the way of peace.”   Luke 1:78-79  NASB

Jesus as the light of the world came to illuminate the kingdom of light and to provide passage from kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.  John the Baptist, prior to Jesus’ ministry, announced the coming of the kingdom of God Almighty.

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Matthew 3:1-2  NASB

After Jesus’ baptisms and adoption as a son, the kingdom of heaven was made available through His ministry to those on earth.

Many aspects of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection where foretold in types and patterns in the Old Testament.

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me.”  John 5:45-47  NASB

Now He [Jesus] said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”  Luke 24:44  NASB

Thus, events in the garden of Eden, the lives of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, the Passover in Egypt, the Mosaic tabernacle, and the mandates for the three annual feasts of Israel will serve as patterns for Jesus.

We will use the path through the Mosaic tabernacle from the outer veil to the ark in the Holy of Holies as a pattern for Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.  In the next chapter, we will follow this same path to outline the journey of an individual from a sinner in the kingdom of darkness to one producing spiritual fruit at the level expected of humanity when in the garden of Eden.  But first, we learn of Jesus’ birth.