God and the Whistling Train Chap1 page 13
This is a very interesting development that happens in these verses. First we need to note that the word “let” appears. It is used in the following verses when much was created, In the first instance diverse vegetation appears with all its diversity and complexity.
We have already looked at light as bathing the world in energy, but here we see the introduction of something which has a more direct purpose. We have seen energy being mentioned as light that has a very broad spectrum. Plants require a narrow spectrum with appropriate temperature. This is set up through the sun with the addendum of the moon. In this case the sequence of the events is exactly what we expect of a creating and designing God. God created, and then provides the requirements to function.
The next aspect which is declared is that the sun and the moon is created. In the first instance for signs for seasons, days and years. This is interesting because suggests that something intelligent is coming. Someone smart enough to be able to see the meaning in the signs. It looks forward to the creation of mankind. In this we are starting to get a glimpse of the purpose of creation. It is from stars that a large number of our festivals have developed. Once again we see the predictability of the system. As we will see, all true festivals celebrate the pinnacle of mankind that is ‘Jesus’. (Despite the differences in language, there is an incredible similarity from culture to culture in terms of what stars suggest and their names mean.)
As we look at the society from which the Hebrews were escaping, and the societies that they were encountering on their travels, there was a significant difference. The stars, the sun and the moon where key figures of worship; to them they were the God’s. We need to note the very careful terms that are used for describing them. The stars were lights. The sun was the larger light and the moon was the lesser light. They where created for a function. They were not in anyway operative in the creation process. They were made and not the maker. They were inanimate and not made to be worshiped.
The implications of the statements and the words that follow are many. The first being that for seasons the earth has had to be put in an orbit around the Sun that is not circular, the earth must have an appropriate angle and distance from the sun to be able to achieve this. The notion of gravity now becomes significantly extended. It is not only to hold things on the earth and overcome centrifugal forces, but also to hold the sun and the moon and the earth in the relationship that enables seasons.