Sun, Moon and Stars

Romans 1:20 (NIV) “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

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We learn about God by reflecting on and contemplating His creation. As Paul says in Romans, God clearly reveals His nature and character through what has been made. If we remain open-minded and perceptive, we will see it.

Take, for example, the firmament: the heavens above. Moses writes about it in Genesis:

Genesis 1:14-18 (NASB) “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. 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. God placed them in the expanse [firmament] of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.”

The major elements of the firmament are the sun (the “greater light to govern the day”, the moon (the “lesser light to govern the night”) and the stars. Each of these elements teach us about the nature of God and our identity as sons and daughters.

The Sun

The sun gives light and warmth to all. It empowers life in the entire solar system - everything revolves around it. The sun is full of inexpressible and limitless power. During the day, we feel its warmth and walk in its light.

The natural sun speaks of the eternal Son - Jesus Christ. He is the upholder and sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:7). He is the light of the world who shines into the darkness (John 1:4; John 8:12). It is direct connection and contact with Him that grows us spiritually.

The Moon

The moon does not generate its own light. Instead, it reflects the light of the sun. Its purpose is to testify of a greater reality - that of the sun. In this way, the moon “serves” the sun.

The moon is a symbol of faith. In spiritual darkness, it lights our way on the path. Faith is the guiding force in our “night seasons.” When we fail to feel the presence of God, our faith becomes the lifeline to the light of the Sun.

The Bible is like the moon. It reflects the light of something much greater and far more powerful. It has no life in itself. The letter (the written Word) kills, but the Spirit give life (2 Corinthians 3:6). The moon allows us an experience of the sun without direct contact. In this sense, it keeps us safe from harmful exposure to a power that may destroy us. However, as we will see, the goal is to become as the sun so that we may experience the depths of its power. As we grow in Christ, our spiritual night passes and our spiritual day becomes more and more evident. The Father’s goal is to draw us all into the full light of day, where the light of the moon is no longer necessary. We will be living in a total experience of the Sun/Son.

The Stars

Stars are miniature suns. Unlike the moon, stars burn with their own light. They share the same operating principles as the sun. As Christians (“Christ-ones”), we are miniature versions of the Christ. We participate in His divine nature and, through faith, channel His energies (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Philippians 2:13). It is these energies that are actively healing and restoring the world (Acts 3:21).

We are being conformed to the image of the Son, becoming glorified miniatures of the Glorified One (Romans 8:29-30). We are progressively becoming like Him. As Jesus promised, “the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43).

We have been rescued from darkness and brought into the light (Matthew 4:16; Colossians 1:13). John says that the “darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining” (1 John 2:8). Whether we can discern it or not, the Word of God is drawing humanity into the full light of day. This “light of day” is repentance and a conscious awareness of God’s presence (Isaiah 60:2).

And what is our responsibility as brightly-burning stars? Paul writes the following in Romans:

Romans 13:11-14 (NASB) “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

And the following in 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6,8 (NASB) “for you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober…But since we are of the day, let us be self-controlled, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”

As we draw closer to the Day, the full restoration of all things, let us live worthy of our high calling.