In a book full of God speaking, it is no coincidence that the very first words we hear from the mouth of God in the Bible are “Let there be light.” God is doing more here than simply bringing physical light into being. Creation is an act of revelation, and with his very first words God is showing us that his realm is light and that he would not have his creation walk in darkness. It is his intention that his creation see, know, and love him. Of all the ways God could have introduced himself to us, he chose to do so by introducing light.
This theme of light will remain prominent throughout all of the Scriptures. In Isaiah 42 we find God, who is described as the one “who created the heavens and stretched them out”, speaking these words to his Servant, the Messiah: “I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” In John’s retelling of the creation story in the beginning of his gospel, he informs us that Jesus is the light of life that shines in darkness. Jesus reflects these words in John 8:12 when he says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Perhaps in all of this we find a hint that the words “Let there be light” are a promise that is not truly fulfilled until the coming of God’s greatest revelation—his Son Jesus Christ.
Light is especially attached to the season of Epiphany during which we celebrate that Jesus’ coming was for all creation and not just for one place and people. The quintessential Epiphany story is that of the Magi following the light of the star to find Jesus in Bethlehem. In this story we find that the light has come not just to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. He is, after all, “a light for the nations” and “the light of the world.” For this reason Epiphany is a season to highlight missions. Wherever we find darkness in this world—the darkness of not seeing, knowing, and loving God—we are to bring “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). There are still many places in the world where there is no church, no witness, no light. Yet God is still in the business of proclaiming “Let there be light”, and we should be in the business of carrying that light to the world.