In Genesis 1:5, we encounter the first instance of God naming something. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night," signifying His authority over creation. This act of naming not only separated light from darkness but also established God's sovereignty over the elements of the universe.

This theme of separation and naming continues throughout the creation account. God’s authority is evident as He distinguishes light from darkness and gives them distinct identities. This concept is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus is referred to as the "light of the world" (John 8:12). Jesus, the Word made flesh, embodies the spoken Word of God. As Genesis 1:3 states, "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." This spoken Word is Jesus, as confirmed in John 1:1-3, where it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made."

Jesus provides us with the means to separate ourselves from darkness and enter into His light. In Genesis 1:2-3, we see the Holy Spirit hovering over the chaotic, formless earth, preparing it for God’s creative command. This process of bringing order out of chaos is a pattern we can follow in our own lives. Made in God's image, we too can speak into the chaos in our lives—whether it be sickness, poverty, or broken relationships—and bring about order and life. Applying these first principles from Genesis, we learn how to approach the chaos in our lives. God transformed a dark, formless world into an ordered, life-sustaining environment. Similarly, through Jesus, we can turn our chaotic situations into structured and life-giving ones.

I see this Genesis experience as a guide. I can speak to the chaos, much like God did, and bring about transformation. The New Testament provides numerous instances where Jesus, the light, overcomes darkness. Revelation 12:11 tells us, "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." This emphasizes the importance of the blood of Jesus, the Word of God, and choosing life over death.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). By studying, meditating on, and receiving the revelation of the gospel, we can access the victory Jesus secured for us. This process enables us to separate chaos from order, just as God did through Jesus. From Genesis 1:5, we learn the importance of naming and declaring what we desire. We seek order out of chaos, light out of darkness. Through the power of Jesus and the gospel, we can achieve this transformation in our lives.

Scripture References

1. Genesis 1:5 - "God called the light 'day,' and the darkness He called 'night.'"

2. John 8:12 - "When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

3. John 1:1-3 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made."

4. Revelation 12:11 - "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

5. 1 John 3:8 - "The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work."