This is an excellent question that many have pondered when reading the creation account in Genesis 1. Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible says about the creation of light and the sun:
Light Created on Day 1
Genesis 1:3-5 describes the first day of creation: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.”
So on the very first day, God created light. He separated it from the darkness and established the first cycle of day and night.
The Sun Created on Day 4
It’s not until the fourth day of creation that we read about the sun being made. Genesis 1:14-19 states: “And 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 lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. And God made the two great lights – the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night – and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.”
Here we read about the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day of creation. Their purpose was to govern night and day that had already been established on day one.
Explaining the Light Before the Sun
Since the sun was not created until day four, what was the source of light on day one? There are a few possible explanations that Bible scholars have proposed:
- God himself was the source of light. 1 John 1:5 says “God is light.” Light emanates from God’s own being. The light already existed before the sun was created as a separate light source.
- The “light” referred to on day one was spiritual, not physical, light. It marked the beginning of spiritual illumination that came from God.
- There was some other non-sun source of light God created on day one that was replaced later by the sun. Genesis doesn’t describe exactly what this initial light source was.
- The days are not strictly sequential. The mention of the sun on day four was not when God created it but rather when He established its role as the marker of days and years that had already been happening.
Each of these explanations has its merits and difficulties. We simply cannot be sure. Genesis is not written as a detailed scientific account but rather as a theological and literary work establishing God as the powerful and loving Creator. The exact nature of the light is left unspecified.
God Can Create Light Without the Sun
While we don’t know exactly what the source of light was on that first day, the bigger point is that light itself is not generated by the sun. The sun is merely something that God created to serve as a light-bearer. The actual light pre-existed the sun. As the Creator of all things, God has the power to create light even without the sun.
We see elsewhere in Scripture that God can glow with His own radiance. Psalm 104:2 says God covers Himself “with light as with a garment.” Daniel saw in a vision God’s face like “lightning” and eyes “like flaming torches” (Daniel 10:6). The apostle John saw Christ’s face “like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:16). So God is able to produce light apart from the sun.
God Established the Pattern of Day and Night
What Genesis 1 shows us is that God Himself created the daily pattern of night and day. He set in motion the periods of light and darkness. The sun simply took over the job on day four of regulating this cycle of day and night that God had started on day one. The sun became the mechanism by which the cycle continued, but the cycle itself began before the sun ever existed.
This follows a pattern we see several times in Genesis 1. God first creates something generally, then later puts in place something more specific to govern what He had already created. For example, on day one God created a generic expanse or “sky.” Then on day two He filled the sky with specific features by creating an atmosphere, clouds, etc. The sky existed on day one but it took on a more defined role and place within creation on day two. The same pattern is seen with the seas and dry land.
So also with the cycle of day and night. God initiated it on day one. Then on day four He put into place the sun and moon to specifically regulate the days and nights He had previously set up.
The Light Reminds Us of God’s Nature
The existence of light before the sun also reminds us of an important theological truth. God is self-existent; He does not rely on anyone or anything for His existence. The sun depends on God for its existence rather than the other way around. The psalmist proclaimed, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host…For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:6,9).
So in summary:
- Light was created on day one, with an unspecified source.
- The sun was created on day four as a bearer of the light God had already made.
- There are several possible explanations for how there was light without the sun.
- God Himself is light and does not need the sun to generate light.
- The mention of the sun on day four refers to its role in regulating the days and years God had already set up.
- The priority of light before the sun reminds us that God is self-existent.
The creation of light remains somewhat mysterious, but we can trust that the all-powerful God was able to create light on day one even before the specific light-bearer of the sun existed. God is the ultimate source of all light, natural and spiritual.
Other Biblical References to Light and the Sun
There are a few other passages of Scripture that are worthwhile to consider in studying this topic further:
- Psalm 74:16 – “Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.” This affirms that God established the cycle of day and night as well as setting the sun in place.
- Jeremiah 31:35 – “‘This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night…'” Again emphasizing that God is the one who actually appoints the sun to shine.
- Isaiah 60:19 – “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” This prophesies a time when God’s own glory will illuminate instead of the sun.
- Revelation 21:23 – “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” In the new creation, God and the Lamb are the light source, without need of sun or moon.
These verses reinforce that God is the original creator and controller of all light. The sun fulfills an important function but is itself dependent on God’s creative power. God can shed His light without need for the sun.
Understanding the Nature of Genesis Chapter 1
In considering this question, it’s also helpful to reflect on the literary genre and purpose of Genesis chapter 1. Here are a few key points:
- As mentioned earlier, Genesis 1 is not written primarily as a scientific account but as a literary and theological work.
- It is extremely concise, summarizing major events in short paragraphs rather than giving exhaustive details.
- The main purpose seems to be establishing God as the all-powerful Creator who brought order out of chaos simply by His word.
- It aims to refute pagan creation myths of the time more than to explain scientifically the order and process of creation.
- So Genesis 1 is truth, but not exhaustive truth. It conveys theological and moral truths more than scientific details.
Recognizing the concise, literary nature of this passage helps explain why certain details like the source of the first light are not elaborated on. Genesis 1 is painting a vivid but broad picture of God’s creative power, not recording the nuanced scientific chronology of creation week. There is certainly no intention to deceive; the original audience simply would not have asked the kinds of detailed scientific questions that arise today.
Conclusion
So in summary, while the light before the sun is intriguing, it ultimately reflects God’s unlimited power as the Creator who formed light out of darkness by His word. The sun was created later to carry out the purpose God had intended for it, regulating the day/night cycle He had already set in motion. We may not fully grasp scientifically how light could exist without the sun, but we can trust the reliability of Genesis and the power and wisdom of God the Creator.