Speak The Word Only

God Appoints the Lights of Heaven A Bible Study of Genesis 1:14–19 Feature Scripture “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide 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 firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And 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. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 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. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” — Genesis 1:14–19, KJV Introduction Genesis 1:14–19 records the fourth day of creation. God made the heavenly lights and appointed their functions. They were to distinguish day from night, give light upon the earth, mark signs and appointed seasons, and measure d...

Feature Scripture “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.” — Genesis 1:9–13, KJV Introduction Genesis 1:9–13 records the events of the third day of creation. God gathered the waters, caused the dry land to appear, and commanded the earth to bring forth vegetation. The earth did not become orderly or fruitful by its own authority. Everything responded to the spoken command of God. The...

Genesis 1:2 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” — Genesis 1:2 (KJV)  Observation The verse does not yet describe the ordered and inhabited world that appears later in the chapter. Instead, we are shown the earth before God brings the arrangement, distinction, and fullness that unfold through His spoken commands. “Without Form, and Void” The Hebrew expression translated “without form, and void” is tohu va-bohu (תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ) . Tohu carries the idea of formlessness, emptiness, waste, or an unformed condition. Bohu conveys emptiness or voidness. Together, the expression describes the earth as not yet ordered and filled in the manner that God is about to accomplish throughout Genesis 1. Darkness Was Upon the Face of the Deep Before God says, “Let there be light,” Genesis describes darkness upon the face of the deep. The Hebrew word translated “deep” is tehom (תְּהוֹם) , re...

Genesis 1:29–31 — Behold, I Have Given You “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” — Genesis 1:29–31 (KJV) Genesis 1:29–31 brings the sixth day and the first chapter of Genesis to its magnificent conclusion . Humanity has been created in God's image. Male and female have received God's blessing and their earthly assignment. But before the chapter closes, God reveals another dimension of His character: God is Provider. God does not create living beings and leave them without provision. The same Creator who gi...

Genesis 1:17–19 — God Set Them in the Firmament of Heaven “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,  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.  And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” — Genesis 1:17–19 (KJV) Genesis 1:17–19 completes the fourth day of creation . Verses 14–16 told us that God made the greater light, the lesser light, and the stars. Verses 17–19 now emphasize where God placed them, why He placed them there, and the authority under which they function. Three purposes are repeated,  to give light upon the earth,  to rule over the day and the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.  Nothing about their position or function is accidental. God set them there. “And God Set Them” Genesis 1:17 begins: “And God set them...” The Hebrew verb translated “set” is נָתַן — nathan . It commonly means to give, put, place, appoin...

JOHN 1:7 — ETHIOPIAN COMMENTARY ON “LIGHT” “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” 1. The Word “Light” in the Ethiopian Bible In the Ethiopian Bible, the word Light is rendered: ብርሃን ( Berhan ) This word carries spiritual, moral, and divine meaning , not merely physical illumination. Berhan signifies: Divine glory Truth revealed Life from God Holiness The presence of God Himself In Ethiopian theology, Light is not created substance here — it is PERSONHOOD . 2. Christ as “Uncreated Light” Ethiopian Orthodox teaching affirms that Christ is: “Light from Light, true God from true God” This aligns with: John 1:4 – “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” 1 John 1:5 – “God is light.” Key Ethiopian Distinction Created light → Genesis 1:3 Uncreated Light → Christ Himself John 1:7 refers to the Uncreated Light , eternal and divine. 3. John the Baptist’s Role John is not the Light , but a witness ( መስክር – mesker ). Eth...

 The Stars Moon and the Sun Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: (KJV) These lights refer to the sun, the moon, and the stars. The Hebrew word for "lights" is ma'orot - meaning light bearers, not just light itself, meaning God created physical objects that carry, holds, and shine light. The sun and moon do not shine by accident - they shine because God assignes them purpose. Just like the lights, believers are light bearers (Matthew 5:14). We do not produce spiritual light; we reflect God's light Four Major Purposes for the heavenly bodies and reveals deep biblical, prophetic, and theological truths. *Purpose I To Divide the Day from the Night. Light existed (Day 1), but there was no organized system. God codifies time, day, night, morning and evening. Creation moves from chaos to order. The physical separation of day and ni...