Commentary on Genesis 1:3

Genesis 1
King James Version
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
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.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 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.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 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.
12 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.
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
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:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 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.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 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.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 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.
30 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.
31 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.

Main text: Genesis 1:3. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

1. Exegesis of the verse

Genesis 1:3 stands at the first divine command in the creation week. The verse is brief, but it carries great theological weight. God speaks, and creation obeys. Light does not emerge by accident, struggle, or negotiation. It comes into being by the sovereign word of God.

The immediate context helps us read the verse carefully. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:2 says, “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.” Into this dark and unformed condition, God speaks light. Genesis 1:4 adds, “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:5 says, “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

The words “And God said” reveal that God creates by his word. He is not part of creation, and he is not dependent on creation. The command, “Let there be light,” shows his absolute authority. The response, “and there was light,” shows the immediate effectiveness of his will. John Calvin noted that the appearance of light before the sun and moon teaches us not to bind God’s power to the ordinary instruments he later appoints.

2. Theological teaching

• God is sovereign Creator. Genesis 1:3 declares a God who commands reality into being. Psalm 33:6 says, “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:9 says, “For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.”
• God brings order, goodness, and distinction. The light is called good, and God separates light from darkness. Creation is not chaotic or morally neutral. It is ordered by the wisdom and goodness of God.
• God’s word is powerful and trustworthy. What God says, God accomplishes. Hebrews 1:3 says of the Son, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power…” This grounds Christian confidence in God’s promises.
• Creation points us to Christ. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:3 says, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:4 says, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Genesis 1:3 therefore fits within the larger biblical witness to God creating through his Word.
• God’s creative light anticipates saving illumination. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The God who spoke light into the first darkness is the same God who gives spiritual sight through the gospel.

3. Practical application to modern Christian living

• Trust God’s word above appearances. Before light appears, God speaks. Christians often live in situations that feel dark, confused, or unfinished. Genesis 1:3 calls us to trust the Lord before we see the outcome.
• Look to God, not merely to his gifts. Light comes before the sun is made to rule the day in Genesis 1:16: “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night…” God can provide through ordinary means, but he is never limited by them.
• Walk as people brought into light. Ephesians 5:8 says, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” A Christian life should show truthfulness, repentance, holiness, mercy, and hope.
• Speak with humility and confidence. We do not create by our words as God does, but our speech should reflect the God who speaks truth. We should avoid careless words, and use speech to encourage, clarify, confess, forgive, and bear witness to Christ.
• Bring darkness honestly before God. Genesis 1 does not deny the darkness; it shows God ruling over it. Christians can pray honestly about grief, confusion, sin, and weakness, because God is able to bring light where we cannot.

4. Meditation guide

1. Read slowly. Read Genesis 1:1–5 aloud.
   1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
   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.
   3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
   4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
   5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
   Notice the movement from darkness to light, from formlessness to order, and from God’s command to creation’s obedience.
2. Observe. Ask: Who acts in this verse? What does God say? What happens immediately? What does this reveal about the authority of God’s word?
3. Reflect. Consider where your life feels dark, confused, or unformed. Ask whether you are measuring God’s power by visible circumstances or by his revealed character.
4. Pray. “Lord God, you spoke light into darkness. Shine the light of Christ into my heart. Teach me to trust your word, walk in your truth, and live as a child of light. Amen.”
5. Practise. Choose one concrete act of obedience today: confess a sin, reconcile with someone, give thanks for creation, read Scripture before reacting, or encourage someone with truth.
6. Rest. End by remembering that the first light came by grace, not human effort. The same is true of salvation. Jonah 2:9 says, “Salvation is of the LORD.”