In Genesis 1:14, it is written,
14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
How are the lights that God made in the firmament of heaven for signs?
Related question(s):
Consider two other translations of Genesis 1:14:
NIV:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,
REV:
God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the heavens to separate day from night, and let them serve as signs both for festivals and for seasons and years."
There's nothing supernatural going on here; nothing about astrology, nothing about fortune telling.
It's simply saying that the Sun, Moon, and stars can be used to tell night from day, one month from the next, and one year from the next.
One can observe, count, and even predict, the precise and regular changes that these lights in the heavens undergo.
Behaving as a clock and a calendar, these lights provide blatant and reliable signs, visible by anyone, anywhere in the world, of when the Sabbath starts and ends, when a new year begins, when a new month begins, when a holy day occurs, etc.
Bible verses aren't required to always contain hidden meaning.
King Darius described the God of Daniel as he who “makes signs and wonders in heaven and in earth.”1 The Hebrew noun אוֹת (ot), “sign,” is often used in conjunction with the noun מוֹפֵת (mofet), “wonder,” as though synonymous, just as the Greek σημεῖον (sēmeion) is often used with τέρας (teras).
Footnotes
1 Dan. 6:27: וְעָבֵד אָתִין וְתִמְהִין בִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְאַרְעָא (veʿaved atin vetimhin bishemayya uvʾarʿa); LXX: ποιεῗ σημεῗα καὶ τέρατα ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
In fact, this Greek couplet also occurs in secular Greek writings. Polybius wrote,2
All the oracles preserved at Rome were in everybody’s mouth; and every temple and house was full of prodigies and miracles: in consequence of which the city was one scene of vows, sacrifices, supplicatory processions, and prayers.
πάντα δ᾽ ἦν τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς λόγια πᾶσι τότε διὰ στόματος, σημείων δὲ καὶ τεράτων πᾶν μὲν ἱερόν, πᾶσα δ᾽ ἦν οἰκία πλήρης, ἐξ ὧν εὐχαὶ καὶ θυσίαι καὶ θεῶν ἱκετηρίαι καὶ δεήσεις ἐπεῖχον τὴν πόλιν.
Footnotes
2 Histories, Book 3, Ch. 112, § 8 (3.112.8)
The sun, stars, and the moon are all “lights in the firmament of heaven” used for signs of auspicious and ominous events on heaven and earth.
“A star in the east” signalled the location of the young King of the Jews in Beit-Lechem.3
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. KJV, ©1769
When describing the “days of vengeance,” the Lord Jesus Christ said,4
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; KJV, ©1769
Again, the apostle Peter, describing the last days, said,5
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: KJV, ©1769
In summary, the lights in the firmament of heaven—the sun, moon, and the stars—were used by God as “signs and wonders” to indicate auspicious and ominous events.
Footnotes
3 Matt. 2:1–10
4 Luke 21:25
5 Acts 2:19–20
Polybius. Histories. 1889. Reprint. Trans. Shuckburgh, Evelyn S. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1962.
According to Dr. Heiser only YHVH legitimately speaks through the heavens, but he does speak through them. Soothsayers aren't going to help you, only his prophets will:
[Isa 2:6 KJV] 6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and [are] soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.
[Dan 2:27 KJV] 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
[Dan 4:7 KJV] 7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
[Dan 5:7, 11 KJV] 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. [And] the king spake, and said to the wise [men] of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and [have] a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. ... 11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom [is] the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, [I say], thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, [and] soothsayers;
[Mic 5:12 KJV] 12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers:
[Psa 19:1 KJV] 1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
[Psa 97:6 KJV] 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
[Psa 50:6 KJV] 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God [is] judge himself. Selah.
Moon -
“I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. 31 “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.Joel 2:30
Peter quotes this verse in Acts 2:19 and tells the audience, you know these signs happened.
I believe science verifies the event.
But there is more which they could not see. Kepler’s equations indicate that the moon rose already in eclipse, already bloody, fulfilling Joel’s vision. Necessarily, this means that the eclipse commenced before moonrise. With software we can look below the horizon and see Earth’s shadow begin the eclipse. When we do, we find that at 3 PM, as Jesus was breathing his last on the cross, the moon was going to blood. Dr. Larson's study
The text of Gen 1:14 says:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.
The meaning here is actually uncomplicated. God provided the great lights in the heavens, the sun and moon, for regular time keeping, days, months, years, etc. Thus, God intended that humankind was to observe the heavens so that farming would be appropriately regulated and seasons could be properly anticipated.
Throughout history, farmers ignore the seasons for raising crops at their peril. Such seasons can be readily determined by simple observations of the sun and moon against the background of the stars, eg:
Ellicott has observed the same idea:
Let them be for signs—i.e., marks, means of knowing. This may be taken as qualifying what follows, and would then mean, Let them be means for distinguishing seasons, days, and years; ...
Seasons.—Not spring, summer, and the like, but regularly recurring periods, like the three great festivals of the Jews. In old time men depended, both in agriculture, navigation, and daily life, upon their own observation of the setting and rising of the constellations. This work is now done for us by others, and put into a convenient form in almanacks; but equally now as of old, days, years, and seasons depend upon the motion of the heavenly orbs.
Similarly, Barnes concludes:
For signs and for seasons, and for days and years. - While the first day refers only to the day and its twofold division, the fourth refers to signs, seasons, days, and years. These lights are for "signs." They are to serve as the great natural chronometer of man, having its three units, - the day, the month, and the year - and marking the divisions of time, not only for agricultural and social purposes, but also for meeting out the eras of human history and the cycles of natural science.
I don't like to give interpretation by my own.
Actually the sun is not a star in the Bible. In the Bible it is called "Great light" (Genesis 1:16).
And after that is said, he made the stars also. So the great light is not equal with the stars, they are two different things.
The sun is not a star. It is a great light, bigger than any star.
The stars are signs in the firmament, in the book of Job, the stars are part of the constellations.
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
(Job 9:7)
Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
(Job 9:9)
The word sign in Hebrew is the word H226
Original: אות Transliteration: 'ôth Phonetic: oth ... token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof Origin: probably from H225 (in the sense of appearing) TWOT entry: 41a Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine Strong's Definition: Probably from H225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.: - mark, mira
This word is used through Scripture to reference specific alignments of the lights (sun, moon and stars) they are the heavenly calendar, more so before the Modern Gregorian Idea hanging on the wall, and so quite literally they create signs in the sky to tell time. A simple understanding where this exact Hebrew word is used in relationship to weekly time is seen in :
Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
Also for a cultural understanding which comes from the Apocrypha is:
Sirach 43:6-7 (6) He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world. (7) From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.
The heavenly lights, all work as a clock in the Hebrew agri-solar luni-stellar calendar: when the sun is in conjunction at new moon both “hands” of the heavenly clock are aligned at a particular spot in the Zodiac.
This Phenomenon is in Psalm 19:4-7: Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them (The heavens- vrs 1) hath he set a tabernacle for the sun (this is the houses or mansion, the 1/12 sections of the Zodiac called signs), Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The LAW of the YHWH is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the YHWH is sure, making wise the simple.
Thus the Zodiac has a role as the sun passes through it’s 12 signs like numbers on a clock, along this heavenly happening the Pleiades or the seven stars come about outside of the ecliptic / zodiac circle. At the time pleiades brings it self into view in it’s season, as was well known in the ancient world, as the agricultural sign for the commencement of the growing year:
Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth (Hebrew word for Zodiac) in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? (Job 38:31-33 KJV)
And that is the question, do we even attempt to know those ordinances?
While there are two Zodiacs you will find, one a counterfeit, no surprise, one what actually happens in the heavens. The counterfeit is called the tropical zodiac, it is what is found in the horoscope section of the current news paper, it however being out of date by about two thousand years! The true zodiac that you can literally see if you look up at night is referred to as the sideral zodiac, and it should be our only interest, as it is YHWH’s current light on the earth in giving signs and seasons, days and years.
One of our great Historians Josephus left us a note about when the Exodus took place, as well as when the Passover was kept in his day. Let it not be forgotten that Josephus was a contemporary of Christ, and followed the very same calendar our savior followed. Insomuch as our Lord never argued with any one on the subject of when to keep the feast, including the Pharisees, which Josephus was one, it is evident that Christ kept the same holy days as Josephus, and here is what he said: In the month of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for in this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,) the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; – Josephus : Antiquities of the Jews: Book 3:10:5 Notice the reference to all three lights of the Genesis Calendar: 1. lunar month, 2. sun 3. Aries (the ram). This equals the new moon which happens when the sun is in Aries / the Ram. This literal sideral reckoning places the month of Abib about one month after the modern and commonly understood Jewish/Catholic metonic reckoning which does so using the first new moon after or a little before the spring equinox (depending on the archaic pre-calculations).
Ellicott's Commentary offers this explanation.
"'Let them be for signs'—i.e., marks, means of knowing. This may be taken as qualifying what follows, and would then mean, Let them be means for distinguishing seasons, days, and years; but more probably it refers to the signs of the zodiac, which anciently played so important a part, not merely in astronomy, but in matters of daily life."
I would suggest that, from the import of scripture as a whole, the sun is a sign of the sun of righteousness that shall arise in a new day, a new dawning, a new creation. That is to say, Christ himself, the manifestation of God, Immanuel.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. [Malachi 4:2 KJV]
One may see that in either his entry into the world or one may see it as his arising in resurrection. And indeed, the word Prototokos (the firstborn, or firstfruits, or first-bringing-forth - from tokos) is applied (I am quoting the TR here, regarding Matthew) in both cases.
He is the 'light of the world' :
I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. [John 8:12 KJV]
The moon, I would suggest, is a sign of a lesser light, but still a light. It has no illumination of its own, that is quite obvious when it goes into shadow and becomes invisible.
Its reflected light is a mere token of what will come when the sun arises in the morning.
I see in that, that the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Its dull light, its 'dark' light, is sufficient to provoke us, enough to guide our stumbling steps, only that we may know the Christ in his full glory.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [Galatians 3:24 KJV]
John the Baptist's ministry teaches us such things calling us to repentance. But he is not the Light of the world :
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. [John 1:8 KJV]
Nevertheless he was, in comparison to the darkness of the nations . . . .
... a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. [John 5:35 KJV]
John the Baptist is also a 'lesser' light to the nations, though not the Light of the world in its total sense in that he reproves. For, example, he reproved Herod regarding his brother, Philip's, wife.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. [Ephesians 5:13,14 KJV]
As to the stars, I see in them a signification of what fills the invisible heavens, for there are three heavens, as Paul tells us, who knew a man who ascended into the third.
The first heavens are that which we see. The third is the presence of God himself and I understand the second heavens to be the angelic powers which are necessary to support creation, for that which is made is not made of things which appear and is not sustained by things that appear but is administered by spirit-beings who, betimes, are manifested on earth as 'messengers' (both the Hebrew and the Greek use this term).
Some are cast our of heaven, as we read in the book of Revelation, and are cast to the earth (in these our own times, after Christ's ascension). And woe to the earth dwellers that it is so.
Thus the stars are a constant sign of the principalities and powers above, but yet who are, also, under the throne of God in the third heavens.
These three signs are above us, every day and every night.
The sign of the One who was to come and is now in the throne of God.
The sign of that dark light that leads to Him.
And the sign of the angelic powers above us, in heaven, and who are administraters of Christ from on high, to do his will on the earth below.
Peace.
For me, the creation account in Genesis 1 is not literal but a parable of the regeneration of man.
The 4th day represents the government of God (the reign or kingdom of God). The lights are set in the firmament of Heaven to rule over the day and over the night.
Genesis 1: KJV (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:
The greater light and the lesser light and the stars are set in the firmament (meaning “expanse”) of the Heaven. In order to understand why they are for “signs”, we have to decipher what everything else represents in the 4th day metaphor.
Genesis 1: (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.
First, the firmament or “expanse” is the broadening out (the expansion) of the ear to hear. As Jesus said, “let he that has ears to hear, let him hear”.
Let there be a “firmament”….an expanse to our hearing ears which requires meekness/humbleness….a pounding of the earth…in order to receive the Word of God spoken from Heaven. We are to be swift to hear and slow to speak, slow to wrath.
James 1:19-22 KJV (19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
The “waters” below will not lay apart the “superfluity of naughtiness” as they rage as the “seas” at what they hear in their unbelief.
(21) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The lights set in our hearing of Heaven divides the light from the darkness ….the believers from the unbelievers… at the hearing of the Word spoken from Heaven. The believers will do His will (the light) while the unbelievers will not.
What fellowship does light have in common with darkness? What does the believer have in common with the unbeliever? Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers as God divided the light from the darkness.
In Proverbs 22:17 for an example of the expanse, the word for “bow down” (הט) means “to stretch or spread out” . The Hebrew word for “ear” (אזנך - 'ôzen) means “broadness, i.e. concrete, the ear (from its form in man).” This word is from האזנה ('âzan) which means “to expand”.
From Strong’s: “primitive root; probably to expand; but used only as a denominative from H241; to broaden out the ear (with the hand), that is, (by implication) to listen: - give (perceive by the) ear, hear (-ken).
We “expand” our hearing ears to actively hear the words of the wise….
Proverbs 22:17 KJV (17) Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Another example is from Psalms 78:1. “Give ear” = “to expand” the ear. “Incline” = “to stretch or spread out”. “your ears” = “broadness”. The words from Heaven “gather” the believers (the meaning of “Asaph” = collector.
Psalms 78:1-2 KJV (1) Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
The “firmament” is called “Heaven” because what we expand our ears to hear is His voice speaking from Heaven.
The expanse of the hearing ear is to hear His voice from Heaven via the Spirit that moves men (“strangers”) to speak His heavenly words in this earth. Let he that has ears to hear, let him hear. We are to be found being hospitable and “entertain strangers” and their words. (see Hebrews 13:1-2).
This bring us to the “greater light” and the “lesser light” which are set in the firmament (the hearing) of the Heaven. They are the greatest 2 commandments that we are to hear and do.
They are set in the “firmament”(expanded hearing ear) of Heaven…. “HEAR O Israel…”
Mark 12:29-31 KJV (29) And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
The “greater light” is the “greatest commandment” given to us to do especially when we hear His words from Heaven spoken to our hearing ears. The kingdom (reign) of God is near and we are to submit to His reign by doing these commandments in our lives. This “greater light” rules the “day” as we are the children of the Day and do this (while the outside world of darkness does not have love for God).
(30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
The “lesser light” is like the first light and that is to love our neighbor as ourselves. The second commandment rules the night as all men will know that we are His disciples if we have love for one another.
(31) And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
We shall appear (shine) as lights to this dark world as we hold forth the word of life and all men who are in the “night” shall see the “signs” appearing. we are to do His commandments and shine in the darkness of this world that sits in the darkness.
Philippians 2:14-16 KJV (14) Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (15) That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (16) Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
The “lesser light” rules the night as all men shall know that we are His disciples if we have love for one another as we shall not stay hidden but shall appear as light to this dark and dying world.
John 13:34-35 KJV (34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Again, the “greater light” and the “lesser light” are the 2 greatest commandments set in the firmament (expanded hearing ear) of the Heaven. His voice comes from Heaven that we are to actively hear. This is the government of God that rules us. Jesus said to the scribe: “you are not far from the kingdom of God”. If only the scribe would do it and live.
Mark 12:32-34 KJV (32) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: (33) And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. (34) And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Do these commandments and live (inherit eternal life). These commandments….the “greater light” and the “lesser light”… are for “days and years”.
Luke 10:25-28 KJV (25) And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (26) He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? (27) And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (28) And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
If we do not forget to do His commandments, then they will add “days and long life (years) to us. They are for "days and years".
Proverbs 3:1-2 Young's Literal Translation (1) My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, (2) For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
We are to bind them for a “SIGN” upon our hands….remembering to do them. We are to be not only hearers but doers of the Word. A forgetful hearer does not do them. The hand represents doing.
They are for signs as we remember to do them showing others we love God with all of our hearts, minds and souls (the greatest commandment).
Deuteronomy 11:18-21 KJV (18) Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. (19) And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (20) And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
And in doing His commandments, our days shall be multiplied as the days of Heaven upon the earth. They are for days and years.
(21) That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Proverbs 9:10-11 KJV (10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (11) For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
Again, they are for “signs” as we always remember to do His will (bind the commandments for a SIGN upon our hands). We shall shine as the “stars” in the firmament of Heaven upon this dark earth by doing so. Hear, O Israel ….as these lights (commandments) are set in the firmament of our hearing of Heaven to do.
Deuteronomy 6:4-8 KJV (4) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Isaiah 8:18 KJV (18) Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
Daniel 12:3 KJV (3) And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Hi all,
Thanks for reading and considering. Just to answer some comments without a word count constraint...
Genesis 1 is a parable (for me) that hides the knowledge of God until the proper time for us to understand it when the Lord Jesus comes to open up the Scriptures to our understanding. It is the glory of God to “conceal a matter”. He hides knowledge in the true stories of the Scriptures as men take things at face value usually.
Proverbs 25:2 KJV (2) It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
The Scriptures are full of “dark sayings”….parables that will eventually speak the hidden knowledge of God when the Lord comes to do so.
Psalms 78:1-2 KJV (1) Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
That which we know in part shall be done away with as we shall all know the “dark sayings” of the Scriptures as they will yield the mysteries of the kingdom when our Lord comes to open up those sayings to our minds via the Spirit of Truth. Jesus always spoke in parables but He comes to open them up to our hearing ears.
1 Corinthians 13:10-12 KJV (10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
The parables of the Scriptures (such as Genesis 1) are the “visions” or “dreams” that men take at face value when they read them. We know in part now with these "visions" and "dreams" but then we shall fully know them as they are opened up to their spiritual meanings in our "awakening".
Numbers 12:6-8 KJV (6) And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. (7) My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
The Lord will speak to us through the writings of Moses when He opens up them to our understanding. He will use the writings of Moses to speak mouth to mouth to us and not in “dark speeches”. The Lord speaks to us through Moses as He interprets the writings of Moses in their spiritual meanings and not in the parable-speaking that men have become accustomed to.
(8) With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
The concept here in Numbers 12 is that the Lord will use the writings of Moses to speak apparently to us in this coming time and not in dark sayings that men read now at face value when they read the words of Moses.
But some will resist at the hearing of the hidden parables being married to a spiritual truth just as Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married.
Numbers 12:1-2 KJV (1) And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. (2) And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
