Genesis 7 – He Granted Authority

God's word is from Genesis chapter 1, verses 14 through 19. Please listen attentively to the Word of God.

 

"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, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.' And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day." Amen.  

 

Through the past 6 installments of the Genesis exposition, we have examined one by one what creation God performed during the first 3 days. During that time, we also examined together the claims of various scholars who tried to explain this process of creation. We talked about the claim that, exactly as recorded in the Bible, this was created over 6 days through daily time. This theory had its advantages, and also points that were difficult to understand. Through today's sermon, we will examine a bit more the parts where explanation was insufficient. However, unlike this viewpoint, there were also those who viewed that after a long time passed following the first creation in 1:1, a subsequent creation began. This claim had the advantage of explaining the Earth's age spanning billions of years as we know it now, but simultaneously had disadvantages.

 

When we read the Bible, we know well that there is great difficulty whenever we try to explain certain Bible verses scientifically. One of the reasons, as I mentioned, is that although the Bible clearly depicts facts, the method of depiction does not use scientific methods. You often use the phrase, "Close the door and leave" to your children. But if you think carefully, you might feel this phrase is a bit strange. Once the door is closed, you can't leave, right? Yet we say close the door and leave without thinking it's particularly strange. This is precisely a method of communication expressing fact, though not scientific language. We often find similar expressions in the Bible.

 

Structure of Genesis 1: Forming and Filling

Looking from this perspective, God showed that time began for us for the first time by separating day and night during the first 3 days, and then continuously separated the sky and sea, and land. Thus, He informed us that the space for us to live was created. And on that third day, He specially created plants with seeds and fruits necessary for humans to live on this earth. If we look at the passage we read today, we can see that the lights related to the light created on the first day appear on the fourth day. From that perspective, examining the creation of the fifth day, flying birds appeared in the sky, and fish appeared in the sea. Here we can see a deep connection between the first and fourth days, and between the second and fifth days. We learn that it's not just a coincidental temporal event, but something God listed with great intention. The fact is there's a clear contrast. Examining these two contrasting events, the earlier creation is similar to making something like a vessel. The framework was made. And the later creation involved making things to fill that framework, or vessel. So, we can see a structure where during the first 3 of the 6 days, He made things like vessels, and during the following 3 days, He made things to fill those vessels. If we examine this more deeply, we can realize an important fact. That is precisely the point that this message was not merely recorded in the order of creation, but might have been intentionally recorded in contrast like this to explain very important themes. Such an explanation can provide answers to various crucial difficulties encountered in interpreting Genesis. For example, on the third day, God created fruit-bearing trees and also seed-bearing vegetables. Then what is needed for vegetables and trees to grow? Of course, land is necessary. And the most important thing is precisely the sun. They cannot grow without sunlight. But plants and vegetables were made on the third day, whereas what did God make on the fourth day? Precisely the sun, the primary light source of the day, and the moon, the lesser light source of the night. The sun and moon were made on the fourth day. Then, before that fourth day, with what light could the plants grow?

 

There are more strange things. He made day and night, and there was evening and morning—does this make sense? Morning is the time when the sun rises and shines on us, and night is the time when the moon is up. Yet, from the first day of creation, there was morning and evening. So this record in Genesis clearly shows us that this account might not be listed solely chronologically. However, this doesn't mean that understanding God's creation over 6 days literally is wrong. There are various ways to sufficiently explain this. For example, one could explain that due to the light appearing on the first day, morning and evening could be divided, and because the Earth rotates, day and night occurred as the Earth turned, and due to the light, the source of brightness, the Earth experienced day with brightness and night with darkness through its rotation. But when the Israelites were exiting Egypt, when they first heard this Genesis message from Moses, would they have understood the Earth's rotation and the phenomenon of day and night occurring? Probably not, right? Therefore, viewing this explanation of creation not by the order it was made, but thinking 'Ah, there is a very important message and theme contained within the process' might be a more accurate understanding. Meaning, from this fact of creation, we must clearly understand how great God's love is.

 

Fourth Day: Resolution of Chaos and Void

Now, let's examine today's passage in more detail. Genesis records that there are lights in the vault of the sky. The word "are" here can mean "made," but it can also be interpreted to mean God caused these lights to perform their function, and He showed that to us. Remembering Genesis 1:2 again will help understand this passage better. This verse states, "Now the earth was formless and empty." Now, think about the first 3 days and the later 3 days. During the first 3 days, what did I say He made? Yes, He made vessels. He made the framework, established the system, erected the structure. In other words, this can be explained as "order came into being." Initially, the earth was chaotic. Chaos means being disordered, mixed up, and confused. Everything was so chaotic that humans could not live. But now God is ending that chaos and establishing system and order. And as this chaos is resolved, the void immediately begins to be resolved. Void is "Emptiness" in English. A state of being completely empty. Then how could God resolve that void? Chaos is resolved by establishing order, but void is resolved by filling it with something. Meaning, after establishing this order, it is resolved by filling it. So what did God fill that void with? He filled the sky with lights, filled the sea with fish, and filled the land by creating animals and finally humans. Thus, chaos and void are resolved. Because chaos and void refer to conditions unlivable for humans. Meaning, God is doing all this work so that humans can live. Therefore, creation is God's work concerning humans, and God's response to a world unlivable for humans. Into that place where only chaos and void existed, God established order and proceeded to fill it.

 

The Lights: Tokens of God's Hesed Love

Examining the Bible, two very important responses to this work appear. That response can be found in the Psalms. The first is the content of Psalm 136. A Psalm passage you have often read. "give thanks to him who made the great lights," The great lights here refer precisely to these luminaries. "His love endures forever. who made the sun to govern the day," "His love endures forever. the moon and stars to govern the night;" "His love endures forever." You can immediately recognize this passage refers to the content of today's Genesis. However, here the Psalmist does not speak of God's amazing omniscience and omnipotence in making the sun govern the day and the moon and stars govern the night. Instead, he expresses it as "His love endures forever." The 'love' used here translates the Hebrew word 'Hesed' (חֶסֶד, H2617). The original meaning of this word is long: 'God keeps His promise to the end, showing how faithfully He loves us.' Just as in Korean, there are many words requiring explanation that are hard to express with a single word, the word Hesed in the Bible is unfamiliar to us who have never directly made a covenant with God. However, because the Israelites made a covenant with God through Moses, it's a word whose meaning could not help but resonate greatly when they encountered it. Because it means the declaration, "God personally made a promise with them, and He keeps that promise to the end." That's why English used the phrase "Steadfast love." It means unchanging love. So the word 'Hesed' is defined in English like this: "His steadfast love endures forever!". The word 'endure,' meaning to persevere and protect to the end, was used.  

 

Why is it good that He made the sun govern the day? Because God shows His love that keeps His promise to the end. The second response shown in the Bible to this endless love of God for us—the sun rising by day and the moon by night—appears well in Psalm 8. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place," a praise passage you know well. "what is mankind that you are mindful of them," Hesed in the heavens, moon, and stars, 'Lord, You keep that promise to the end and love us!' Why did the Psalmist say this? Precisely because He is mindful of us. Why do the sun and moon exist? Have you ever really thought about it? Did you commonly think, 'The sun rises because it's morning, and sets because it's time to set'? You probably haven't properly seen the stars at night recently either. Especially in LA, stars aren't even very visible. However, sometimes looking at the sunset while driving home in the evening, I think I have thought, 'It's truly beautiful.'  

 

What kind of love is God's love? Yes, it is love that does not change until the end. Then, for whom is that beautiful sunset, like a scene from a movie? It is God writing His confession of love in the sky: "I will make you my children to the end, I will protect you to the end, and I will have unchanging love with you." When you look at the sunset and think it's truly beautiful, truly pretty, I encourage you to also think like this: "On a clear day, the sun sets without fail, the sun will surely rise again tomorrow morning, and no matter how clouds cover it, the true sun exists in the sky; God keeps His promise to me like that to the end and surely accomplishes His work!" God is speaking to us: "I love you!". What did the Psalmist think of seeing the sun, moon, and stars in this Psalm? He thought of God's eternal loving-kindness (Hesed). He thought God's love for us was as certain as the sun in the sky. He thought it was as beautiful as the moon, as sparkling as the stars. God's promise towards you does not change. How amazing is this universe? These countless stars seen in the night sky are not just visible; they exist at distances of hundreds of millions, billions of light-years away, and are the results of God's love that filled this empty universe. That's why He placed humans under that starlight. The reason stars aren't easily visible in downtown LA isn't bad air, but because the city is too bright. However, if you go to Yosemite or Joshua Tree National Park and look at the night sky with no surrounding lights, you can see very many stars shining brightly. Then, only then do we realize the fact that those stars are not just yellow. The memory where I saw the most stars was not the Big Dipper, but in the night sky of New Zealand where the Southern Cross is visible. Looking at the sky in that seaside village, I finally understood for the first time why songs were made and sung about the Milky Way. I also learned for the first time then that the Milky Way has color. Those stars were truly overwhelming. But when standing before all those stars, it wasn't just beautiful and amazing; I came to realize that God embedding those stars in that sky was because He thought of us. 'Thinking of us, God made this entire universe like this.'

 

New Creation: Resolution of Chaos and Void

However, this principle of creation is not only found in Genesis 1 where He created us like that, but is also contained in our new creation. Just as He erected the framework for us amidst the chaos of the first creation, God established the framework of salvation even in this fallen chaos for us who were in sin. He caused us to be born anew, as born-again ones, born again like clean children. And then He caused us to live not by my flesh and bone, but by the flesh and bone of Christ. Not chaos leading to death, but life, leading precisely into that amazing hope. Previously, when we looked at the world, there was only darkness. We realize that money and honor ultimately cannot do anything for us either. But now, through God, through the window He made for us, we can see this world. Only then do we finally realize the world is truly beautiful. Seeing it from the perspective that it is the world God made, we realize the world is beautiful. Because until then, the world could not be beautiful. It ended with marveling at grand and wonderful sights for brief moments. There was no ability to read the message of God's love for us there. We lived by my strength, but the Lord now becomes our wall, and becomes our roof. After building the house like that, God begins to fill our empty lives, which could not be filled by anything in that vacant void, the rooms of that house, with light. Because God is light. And today's Bible passage explains what kind of being that light is. What on earth is this light?

 

Purpose of the Luminaries

This does not explain how the luminaries were made. As comes later, He doesn't even give names to these luminaries. Initially, He didn't even call them sun and moon. Isn't that very strange? How wonderfully God must have made the sun. It must have been truly magnificent. Yet there is no explanation about it. The Bible only records the purpose for which these luminaries were created. It only records those four purposes in the Bible. Because this light is for us.

 

The first purpose for which this light was made was to separate day and night. It's a story from the creation event of the first day, and today's passage tells that story again. It's not just talking about the time that occurred amidst the chaos of the first day, but explaining that time began amidst that chaos, and finally order was established. So time began even in the emptiness, in that void. For us, void time means meaningless time. Even without quoting the words of many ancient people, we easily realize our lives are futile. Even many Christians, when they lack a correct understanding of how they lived their lives, sometimes grumble half-jokingly, half-seriously, wondering if they haven't lived life in vain. Today, this place, this time, is precisely the day your thoughts like these must change. Because the Bible doesn't say your time is in the void, but says God created His time within that void, and day and night began. This is a declaration that there can be no meaningless time for you anymore. It means all time has become meaningful time for the believer. When time began in the initial chaos, human history also began. At that time, as time began with God, the time to build heaven also began together.

 

Then what about us, the new creation? Now we have learned why light seeks to fill something. Light seeks to fill our time, which cannot help but be empty. So time is no longer void for us. The fact that you are getting older, aging, no longer means your life is heading towards the end. It's not saying, "Ah, it's all over now, all that's left for me is to go to heaven," but you have already begun and are living the eternal time of heaven. You are simply going from the life of heaven on this earth to the eternal life of heaven together with the Lord. From the moment you and I believed in Jesus Christ and began to walk this life with the Lord, there was no waste in your and my time. Because all your time is meaningful time. It could be like this: if you don't realize that meaningful time is meaningful, that time might feel like meaningless time.

Let's think about small children. When a child is in a stroller, some children start crying if the stroller cover is put on. Why is that? Because they can't see the mother pushing from behind. But if the cover is removed again and the mother becomes visible, the child smiles again. Very cute, right? But this is precisely our image. The pandemic crisis has come upon us now. We become anxious and distressed, worrying our company might go bankrupt, or we might get infected and become sick. Living diligently by the Lord's grace, if prayers seem unanswered even slightly, if we argue with someone, dislike the community, and problems arise, we easily become anxious and doubt our salvation and heaven. Just like a newborn baby. The stroller cover is temporarily closed, and God becomes invisible to us. If you think God is not visible to your eyes, from that moment, your respective times also begin to become empty. "What am I doing," you think. This is wrong. God who holds you has never left you, and God who promised to live with you has never left you alone. From before you believed in Jesus, and from the moment you believed, we are always living together with God. Then is that time meaningful or not? If you were to live with the President every single day for a month, would that month be meaningful or not? Yes, it would. The very fact of being with him would be of great significance.

 

Then let's think again. After you believed in Jesus, from that moment, was the Lord with you? Amen. Then among those times of yours, was there useless time, wasted time, or not? Right, there wasn't. Not even for a moment. You have lived truly fruitfully. But when I don't know I am walking with the Lord like that, when I fail to look towards it, I temporarily miss that time. However, just because you missed it doesn't mean that time becomes meaningless. You and I are beings like a safe child always under parental protection, regardless of the stroller cover opening or closing. Sometimes, even during prayer, we feel the Lord might not answer my prayer. Sometimes, no matter how much we plead for an answer to a problem, it seems God doesn't give an answer. Just because God disappears from your eyes doesn't mean God has disappeared; rather, the Lord is still with you, protecting you, and making your life meaningful. It cannot be but a truly amazing thing.

 

Second, this light not only separated day and night, but as stated in the Bible, it became signs for seasons, days, and years. Borrowing the expression from the English Bible, it means it became signs encompassing seasons, days, and years. Simply thinking now, God made the Earth orbit the sun slightly tilted, enabling us to have these four seasons—spring, summer, fall, winter—so we might think how profound God's grace is. However, if you examine this content a little more deeply, you can find that it contains a truth far more amazing and profound than that. Let's look at the text once more. The word for season appearing here is used exclusively in the sense of appointed feasts (festivals) elsewhere in the Bible outside of Genesis. And the Bible clearly states that the sun and moon are related to the appointed feasts. Psalm 104: "He made the moon to mark the seasons (appointed feasts), and the sun knows when to go down." What is the moon related to, it says? Yes, 'appointed feasts'. So this passage isn't just talking about separating seasons, but we can see it's related to the appointed feasts set by God. The Jews knew this well. Among the books written by Jews, there is a book called "Book of Jubilees." This book is a wisdom book or Bible commentary recorded by rabbis studying the Old Testament around the 1st-2nd century BC. In this book, it is described thus: "Because God placed the sun on this earth as a great sign, through it, the Sabbath, new moons, festivals, Sabbatical years, Jubilees, etc., were determined," interpreting this passage. Therefore, we can see that the luminaries seen here do not just divide seasons but also show the appointed feasts.

 

Then among the numerous appointed feasts Moses spoke of and showed us, when does the first one appear in the Bible? Yes, it appears in Exodus. So talking about feasts like Passover, Tabernacles, Pentecost in Genesis is premature. Then in Genesis, which appointed feast appears first? Yes, precisely the Sabbath. Therefore, we can see that the seasons, days, and years spoken of here primarily refer to things related to the Sabbath, Sabbatical year, and Jubilee. Of course, later it can include all the appointed feasts, but in this passage we are looking at now, we can know precisely this fact, and it shows that light is precisely filling this rest (Sabbath). The statement that this light fills the Sabbath is truly amazing. We know well who fills this rest in the New Testament. Who is it? Yes, precisely Jesus Christ. Therefore, for us, these luminaries are signs of rest, filling the rest we come to enjoy. That's why we learn the reason all appointed feasts point towards Jesus Christ. "Why do all feasts express Jesus?", "Why does Passover express Jesus?", "Why does the Feast of Tabernacles show Jesus Christ?", "Why does the entire tabernacle show Christ?". All the answers can be found in this Genesis. Light is filling all those feasts, and the statement that this light fills the feasts means the feasts are being completed in Christ. That's why we too have the Feast of Tabernacles, and can have Passover. Precisely in Christ, Christ completed the Passover, Christ completed the Feast of Tabernacles, and Christ completed Pentecost, so we are now enjoying the fullness of fullness where all that is completed. It cannot be but a truly amazing and ecstatic story. The Lord accomplished all this, so we can now directly participate in Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and also see the wonder of the tabernacle and temple. All that has been accomplished within you because of Christ. We are now seeing a tremendous glory difficult to express in words.

 

The third meaning is as follows: that light illuminates the earth. The statement that the light illuminates the earth expresses that the light finally came to fill the earth. The luminary appearing here uses the word 'ma'or' (מָאוֹר, H3974). This word is translated as luminary only in Genesis 1. Elsewhere in the Pentateuch, it is translated into another word you know very well. What could it be translated as? Hint: it's one of the shining objects in the temple, or tabernacle. That's right, the golden lampstand. The lampstand uses the same word as 'ma'or' translated as luminary in Genesis. That's why the same word, lampstand, is called 'menorah' (מְנוֹרָה, H4501) in Exodus. It's a word having the same root as 'ma'or' in Genesis. Precisely the object in the temple, the golden lampstand with seven branches. The luminary that illuminates this earth refers precisely to that lampstand filling the tabernacle with the light from its seven branches. As you also know, you will know the fact that the tabernacle ultimately shows Christ, and that the tabernacle connects even to us. When the light of this lampstand shone inside the tabernacle, what were the walls of the tabernacle made of? They were made by weaving together pillars overlaid with gold. They were erected as pillars with no gap for light to leak out. When the bright light emanating from the golden lampstand shone inside that tabernacle woven with acacia wood pillars overlaid with gold, what must it have been like inside? Of course, I haven't seen it either, but I imagine the brilliant sparkles, like light shining on the gold of those glittering rings often used for children's first birthday rings, those glorious lights filling the inside of the tabernacle. That glorious light filled it.

 

Everyone, the creation that happened to us is precisely a creation where such light filled us. He takes us as jewels, jewels more precious than gold, and makes us shine there. That's why the Bible expresses the scene where all this is accomplished—combining this second and third meaning, the Tabernacle and Passover, and all this being fulfilled in Christ, the feasts being filled, and filling the tabernacle and everything on this earth with light—like this in Revelation: "the one who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." This event is not just in Revelation, but it's what happens when light shines in your and my life. Do you know the reason why you shed tears, feel upset and struggle, yet still persistently get up, come before the Lord, worship and praise? It's because this light is shining upon you. If your heart ended only with you according to your thoughts, who among us would want to live in this world? Isn't there no reason to live? There needs to be something good to feel like living, but in this world where there are far more hard and difficult things than good things, aren't we literally forced to live just because we can't die? But why have we become beings who cannot live like that? Why could we become different people from the world's people even in such situations? Because the Bible explains in this Revelation passage the reason why we can not lose joy even amidst difficulties that worldlings cannot understand, how we can rise again. Because God wipes away the tears from your eyes. Because the light of Christ, the Spirit of Christ's glory, fills you.  

 

Governance of the Holy Spirit: Rule of the Word

Because the Holy Spirit God resides within you. This explanation of light started from the appointed feasts and came all the way to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit God. Fourth, it tells us very well what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit God means. Light shines upon us, causing us to govern day and night. Regarding this part, you will likely be able to understand the meaning of the fullness of the Holy Spirit God without difficulty. Then what does it mean for the Holy Spirit God to be full? It precisely means He rules us with that fullness. To speak of the rule of the Holy Spirit God, the Bible used the word 'govern'. He used a word never used elsewhere. This is a word used only for the sun, moon, and stars. That word 'govern' can easily cause misunderstanding if misinterpreted. For example, 'Does it mean the sun rules all these things?', 'Then is the sun a divine entity?' Such misunderstandings. Therefore, the Bible intentionally did not use the names sun, moon, stars. It only said luminaries. Because it intends to say these are merely creatures, not divine entities. So this event of light shining upon us ultimately appears as the fullness of light when the Holy Spirit God resides within us as the light of our lives through Jesus Christ. It's not just about perception of brightness or a simple feeling or emotional joy, but speaks of the whole-person fullness of feeling that the Holy Spirit God has become the Lord of my life, that I do not live alone but precisely the Holy Spirit God has become my Lord. It means the Holy Spirit God came to rule us like that. Now, let's delve into this content a little more.

 

This part can be understood more accurately in the New Testament. The fullness of the Spirit, another meaning of the phrase 'light is full', is not merely our hearts being filled with comfort, peace, and joy, and feeling sufficient happiness just with this, when the Holy Spirit is full upon us. In fact, this alone does not signify the fullness of the Spirit. The phrase 'fullness of the Spirit,' and the statement that His rule is present, means God's Word is becoming your light, path, and lamp. The Holy Spirit fills us with the Word. Only then can we finally feel that mysterious joy that was previously inexplicable. Of course, the heart can be overwhelmed. Because through the Word, we learned the fact that I am not my own but the Lord's. One might feel peace and comfort never felt before. However, the fullness of the Spirit is not my feeling, but precisely God's Word being full in me, and that means God's Word has begun to rule me. For you to feel the fullness of the Spirit, precisely at that moment when the Word is fulfilled in your life, even if it's small, precisely at that time when you can forgive someone who angered you, only then does the Holy Spirit fill us fully. If you were really angry and very upset, but after hearing the Lord's word, you feel the Lord who is with you, and feel compassion for that person who has no one but themselves, and can show the love the Lord gives, then you can enjoy the joy of abundance and fullness originating from God's Word. We must enjoy such joy. Of course, you shouldn't misuse this joy of fullness, right? After a marital quarrel, it's not about saying to your spouse, "I, with my good faith, am enduring this." Among you, there probably isn't anyone who prays, "Lord, thank you for giving me better faith than that person," right? When you pray, "God filled me fully, so I became a person who can even love enemies; how could I not love this spouse? Lord, You forgave me, so I want to become a person who can forgive this spouse according to Your word," then God's Word is fulfilled in you, and when that Word is fulfilled, you finally come to enjoy the joy and peace this world cannot handle. If you miss it now, when can we achieve it again?

 

Conclusion: Boldness of One Belonging to God

God rules us. When your heart trembles, think that the owner of that heart is not you, but God. If you think my heart is not mine but God's, there's no reason for the heart to tremble. Suppose hatred arises in your heart. Then who is the owner of the heart that is hating? It is God. It is Jesus Christ. Then you realize you are a person who cannot hate anyone at all. Thinking it was my heart, I hated and felt upset, but it's not; it belongs to God. So from then on, we learn the Word, and realize, 'Ah, I am now living what belongs to God.' God speaks to us like this: "Dear friends, I write this to you because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name... because you know him who is from the beginning... because the word of God lives in you and you have overcome the evil one." This is what happened within you. Because you acknowledge the Holy Spirit God as Lord, these things have happened to you. It's not 'How can I forgive this?' but 'Since God has already worked within me and already forgiven the other person, how can I, who belong to the Lord, not forgive?' "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." This is from 1 John. It speaks thus: "You, dear children, are from God," this is truly the source of your joy. "and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world... for everyone born of God overcomes the world." God is speaking to you. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." Only then does your prayer finally emerge. Only then is your prayer answered. Because I belong to God, that's why He hears. But what happens if we live without knowing we belong? You live forgetting that God hears. You belong to God, and are God's. Let the Word flow into your dry spirit. May your spirit be filled with this living water. May you be filled with this Word. If this doesn't work well, preach this Word to yourself. Shout God's Word to yourself, "I have overcome the world." Because that Word must be full within you. Be filled with that Word. Be filled with the Lord's Word until the Lord's Word fills not only the whole earth but all your heart.  

 

Closing Prayer

Let us pray! Loving Lord, today we saw the amazing work You did in filling the vault of heaven. And we saw what love You bestow upon us through that light, the luminaries. Because of that eternal loving-kindness You bestowed upon us, how could we not rise again and seek the Lord? When we dropped our hearts to the ground and struggled, feeling as if we had abandoned the Lord, forgotten the Lord, our faith had collapsed, there was no joy, the Lord eternally showed us loving-kindness. He never forgot the promise, never left us, never failed to hold us, was always with us; how could we not look to that Lord? Oh, Lord, forgive us. Forgive our foolishness, let us repent, and let us come to the Lord. Let us know, realize, and enjoy this full Word, this Word that protects me even now, the presence of the Holy Spirit God who becomes my everything. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!