What is the “Light” of Genesis 1:3?

Question

In Genesis 1:3 (ESV), it is written,

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

The Hebrew word which is translated into English as "light" is אֹור (or) (Strong's H216).

Is this "light" to be understood literally or figuratively?

• If literal: Does this include both non-visible & visible light found on the Electromagnetic-Spectrum (Radio to Gamma) / Wave & Particle?

• If figurative: What is the light symbolizing?

• If both: What is the complete light?

Answer 1

Genesis 1 as a whole describes the creation of the physical world, so it would be inconsistent to view the light as figurative rather than physical unless you read the whole chapter that way. On that basis, then, the light is physical, but what is its nature?

As summarized here, the talmud records a debate about the light in Chagigah 12a. One opinion is that the light of 1:3 is an intense light with special powers that God then restrained. The majority view, however, is that the light created in 1:3 is the same light that will ultimately be parcelled out to the sun, moon, and stars. Since the creation of these bodies on day 4 isn't accompanied by any additional creation of light, it is reasonable to assume that they used the pre-existing light.

Here is the passage from the g'mara on Chagigah 12a (Soncino translation and notes):

But was the light created on the first day? For, behold, it is written: And God set them in the firmament of the heaven,26 and it is [further] written: And there was evening and there was morning a fourth day27 — This is [to be explained] according to R. Eleazar. For R. Eleazar said: The light which the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, one could see thereby from one end of the world to the other; but as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, beheld the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion,28 and saw that their actions were corrupt, He arose and hid it from them, for it is said: But from the wicked their light is withholden.29 And for whom did he reserve it? For the righteous in the time to come,30 for it is said: And God saw the light, that it was good;31 and ‘good’ means only the righteous, for it is said: Say ye of the righteous that he is good.32 As soon as He saw the light that He had reserved for the righteous, He rejoiced, for it is said: He rejoiceth at the light of the righteous.33 Now Tannaim [differ on the point]: The light which the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day one could see and look thereby from one end of the world to the other; this is the view of R. Jacob. But the Sages say: It34 is identical with the luminaries;35 for they were created on the first day, but they were not hung up [in the firmament] till the fourth day.36

26) Gen. I, 17.
(27) Ibid., v. 19.
(28) I.e., the generation which built the Tower of Babel, and in consequence God confounded their language and scattered them over the earth. V. Gen. XI, 9.
(29) Job. XXXVIII, 15.
(30) I.e., the Messianic era; cf. Aboth II, 16.
(31) Gen. I, 4.
(32) Isa. III, 10. E.V. ‘that it shall be well with him.
(33) Prov. XIII, 9. E.V. ‘the light of the righteous rejoiceth.’
(34) I.e., the light created on the first day.
(35) V. Gen. I, 14f (E.V. ‘lights’).
(36) Cf. Gen. Rab. I, 14, and Rashi to Gen. I, 14.

Answer 2

It's physical light, because it brought about a physical day. At this point it was the light of heaven - the glory cloud - shining directly into the Creation, onto the "face" of the deep, with no "Mosaic" veil in between (just pointing out how this physical event founds ethical events later on).

This light is the "head" and the governing lights are the "body." We see the same thing in the last book, where Jesus is the light and the church pastors, as His body, are a "de-centralized" bridal lampstand.

The Creation week aligns with the Tabernacle furniture. The tent, and later the Temple, are a miniature cosmos. The seven days also align with the seven feasts in Lev. 23, and the process of the ascension offering in Lev 1, where blood makes everything new. This explains the "uncovering" language in various prophecies - and Moses' "dividing the waters." Removing the veil puts us face-to-face with the Law of God. And atonement literally means "coverings." The Creation week undergirds the entire Bible at many levels.

CREATION Day 1 - Light - Ark - Sabbath - Genesis (week sets the pattern for the entire process)

DIVISION Day 2 - Waters - Veil - Passover - Exodus

ASCENSION Day 3 - Land, Grain & Fruit - Altar & Table - Firstfruits - Leviticus

TESTING Day 4 - Ruling Lights - Lampstand - Pentecost - Numbers

MATURITY Day 5 - Swarms/Clouds - Incense - Trumpets - Deuteronomy

CONQUEST Day 6 - Mediators: Animals & Man - Sacrifices & High Priest - Atonement - Joshua

GLORIFICATION Day 7 - Rest - Shekinah - Booths - Judges

I know Judges is a book about failures, but the point of this process is to make holy representatives, "elohim," those who judge rightly between light and darkness as God does. In the festal process, it ends with Booths, Israel as a tree of righteousness sheltering the nations.

This pattern is found throughout the entire Bible. For instance:

1 - Joseph is the righteous son

2 - He is "robed" by his father

3 - He dreams of firstfruits sheaves

4 - He dreams of sun, moon and stars

5 - His brothers unite against him (Trumpets)

6 - His robe is torn and bloodied

7 - He is given to Gentiles

So Joseph is a "new creation." This also explains the "new heaven and new earth" language used to describe a new Covenant.

You can see that the process is also chiastic. 2 is the giving of the robe of office and 6 is its removal. This is replicated in the ministry of Jesus at many levels.

Finally, what is really interesting is that the entire Bible follows the same structure. The New Testament completes it. To disregard the New Testament is leave the "week" incomplete.