Genesis 1:3 is the cornerstone for the Biblical creation account. Especially when trying to decipher the story of Adam and Eve, and all that follows. In this post we’re going to take a look at why, and then some additional info for you to ponder, all in a very short, concise page.
First let’s review the verse.
“And God said let there be light, and there was light.”
Most people assume this is speaking of literal light. Why? Because in Genesis 1:5 God called the light day and separated it from the night, which makes the first morning and evening. This is a mistake. It cannot mean literal light. Simply put, a day and a night is caused from the light of the sun shining on earth as earth spins on its axis. So if you’re going to read Genesis literally, you also have to concede that the Bible states the stars, including our sun, was not created until the fourth day! A literal reading then makes the Bible seem totally backwards to what we observe in nature and our physical reality. Is it really backwards? Not at all.
So what is the light of Genesis 3:1?
Multiple scriptures in the Bible symbolize light as wisdom, truth, and knowledge. But what does that mean? These are all subjective terms, as these things mean different things to different people. But what the light in Genesis 1:3 really means is really not so subjective.
In a nutshell, the light symbolizes the emergence of consciousness. Self-awareness. The self with awareness, or, that feeling of “I”-ness. This conscious experience is the result of the conjoining of spirit and matter. The heavens above symbolize spirit, and the earth below symbolizes matter. As Einstein called the historical distinct notions of space and time space-time, so should we think of the emergence for the potential of consciousness as spirit-matter, and both are eternal.
This potential of emerging consciousness is realized as Adam and Eve partake of the fruit and their eyes are opened to sin, or more aptly put, to themselves!
The story is psychologically and physiologically poignant when released from the strong grip of religion, dogmatism, and doctrine.
That light that was the light of men in the Gospel of John also refers to consciousness, albeit in its evolved state through Christ.
Carl Jung alluded to the fact that ALL creation myths of the ancients were about the emergence of consciousness. Would it be so different with the Bible!?
Genesis is actually more scientific than we give it credit for in our modern society, but that’s only because literal interpretations make its scientific aspects seem ridiculous. And why shouldn’t they? We know that stars came before planets, for all the elements, including the carbon atoms that make up you, and the oxygen you breath, are the remnants of cataclysmic stellar events like supernovas from the death of hypergiant stars. Did the ancients know THAT? Well, probably not. But they understood that even spirit, the potential for endless possibilities, needs a body (matter) to operate through. Matter provides reference points for spirit to play within and get to know itself and all its potential. My language suggests that one came before the other, but in reality this is not so either, for spirit and matter are both two sides of the same coin. Like space-time J
God’s light is the potential for different conscious states. Biblically speaking, God’s light is the generator of the self being fully realized consciously, through his son Jesus Christ. But even this cannot be understood literally. As Paul stated, it is a spiritually discerned matter.
One more point to make:
The earth without form and being void (another cryptic psychological state) is the unconscious state of the self before the conscious experience. It is the state of Adam before there was Eve, as she was in him. But there was no awareness in consciousness yet.
More in depth explanations to come in my book with the working title, The Bible Simplified. Though I cannot promise a release date yet as any writer knows there are countless edits to go through and always more ideas and writing as the writer is truly never happy with his or her work J
I give it another year, possibly. Just because I am so busy. But I promise a very intriguing and revolutionary read that will be worth it once it’s finished.
Blessings.
Good piece J. I have to say, the sentence; “As Paul stated, it is a spiritually discerned matter.” Brought the whole piece together for me and gave me a chuckle for some odd reason. Perhaps it was the play of words that I only discovered while reading your article. Looking forward to reading your book once you complete it.
Ken
Thanks for you comment, Ken. Yeah, I get a little chuckle out of that play on words too, although I added to the Greek 🙂
Looking forward to getting the book done, too. I wish I had a 6 month off work with no responsibilities. I’d stock up on food and wouldn’t leave my house for months to get it done.
Take care.
Josh,
I never thought of spirit and matter as being 2 sides of the same coin before. However it makes perfect sense when thinking about vibrations and manifestations.
The quantum realm shows that there really is no such thing as matter. Everything is energy vibrating at different densities (or frequencies.) The low frequencies produce dense matter.
So yes, consciousness is all there is; vibrating at infinite number of frequencies and manifesting on all of them!
Ronald, enjoyed this comment. You sound like someone I could have a beer with and discuss this stuff in depth.
For me, the concept that we still truly live in a real “physical” world is funny. I mean, yes, that is what we have to deal with, and it’s great. No point in denying it. But to believe that it is THE reality, especially after everything we discovered since the 1920’s on-wards, it really is quite funny. Some just can’t let go what they perceive with the senses. I’ll admit, we don’t have all the answers even a fraction of the answers yet, but we have enough info that should partially rewrite some of the textbooks. I think most scientists just don’t want to deal with it yet.
Josh,
Thank you for this concise and insightful article. The Bhagavad-Gita also puts it: Spirit (the Absolute) is eternally never-changing while matter (the relative) is eternally ever-changing. That would indeed make them, ‘both sides of the same coin’ surly. If we marry this idea with Ronald’s excellent comment, and your own overview of Genesis 1–3, then, the Genesis term “in the beginning” cannot be about God first creating physical content in the universe. Rather, of God bringing forth — or emergence of — Vibrating Potential, Consciousness, or Light, which state always was and always will be. ‘Potential’ is the eternal Creative Principle inherit within each of us for conscious development into the higher realms of Miracle Consciousness, through Christ within. This is why highlighting the importance of gaining a more deeper understanding regards early Genesis, as you have outlined here, is so, so important. Genesis, when decoded, is surly the quintessence, the Masterpiece on mind science for human spiritual development, inherent in all of Jesus’ great teachings.
Your book when published, Josh, will go a long way in clarifying the wonderful verses of Genesis, and many other Bible verses, I’m sure. The need for such a book cannot be over emphasized.
I really like the working title: ‘The Bible simplified’. WOW, sounds like a title people will naturally seek out!
Blessings