Genesis 3 - Let there be light
God's word is from Genesis chapter 1, verses 3 through 5. Please listen attentively to the Word of God.
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." Amen.
Meaning of "Day" (Yom) and the 6-Day Creation Theory
Creation, of course, is the astounding Word of God declaring that God is the Creator of all things. However, it does not speak only of that. As we examined last time, creation is not just an event that happened long ago, but also an event we are experiencing today. The Holy Spirit God not only hovered over the waters at the time of creation but is also operating within us today. So today, continuing from last time, we intend to examine the famous words of verse 3.
"Let there be light!"
Light is an extremely difficult concept to understand. And it is also a mysterious entity. As that light was created, day and night were divided, evening and morning came into being, and a day passed. In this passage, when it says, "This was the first day," the word for day is 'yôm' (H3117), and this word has caused much debate. Does the day of this first day refer to the 24-hour day we live in now? Or does it refer to some unspecified period? Because of things like this, there is much debate.
In the Old Testament, the word 'yôm' is generally used to mean 24 hours, i.e., one day. Of course, sometimes it also refers to a specific period. For example, when saying, "in the time of old age," the word for "time" is 'yôm'. It means the period of old age, a certain duration. Or, in Genesis chapter 2, the 'time' in "when they were created" is also the word 'yôm'. It can also mean "during the entire process of creation, or at that time." However, these two examples are cases where the context is very clear. But if the context is not clear, we can see that the word 'yôm' was typically used in the Bible to mean one day.
Therefore, when encountering this Genesis passage, understanding it as "God created this visible world in 6 days" is quite a natural interpretation. It is very natural to understand that God created the world in six days—the first day, second day, third day, like this—using the same expression as the daily time we think of. The 6-day creation theory we generally speak of is one of several theories people use to explain creation. It's not a theory proving creation, but one way of explaining the process of creation. Looking at the Genesis verses through this theory, understanding the 6-day creation and the day of that creation as 24 hours, is generally called the 6-day creation theory.
Clash between 6-Day Creation Theory and Science
Assuming this theory and looking literally at "a day," we can see that the descendants listed in Adam's genealogy, which follows continuously through Genesis chapters 4 and 5, lived for a really long time. Those who diligently study the Bible have argued, based on this genealogy found in the Bible, calculating the years of descendants from Adam to Abraham and then again, that human history is about 6,000 years long. Of course, this method of calculating history was not accepted by everyone. In fact, until scientific theories emerged stating the Earth's age is at least 3.5 billion years or more, following the rapid development of geology and astrophysics from the 19th to the 20th century, the 6,000-year human history theory didn't pose much of a problem, and many people simply accepted it as natural. However, as many results of scientific research came out, this theory began to be challenged.
Emergence of Creation Science
There was an event that added fuel to the fire of this challenge, and that was the emergence of the theory of evolution. As soon as the theory of evolution was announced, the Christian community began to react very heatedly, and famous debates arose in America as well, and even trials regarding this debate began to occur. Triggered by such events, from the 1960s onwards, many studies and discussions arose within the Christian community about how Christianity should respond to the theory of evolution. One of the results was the Institute for Creation Research established in San Diego, California. Scientists Henry Morris and John C. Whitcomb from that institute wrote the book "The Genesis Flood: The Biblical Record and its Scientific Implications". John Whitcomb was an Old Testament scholar, and Henry Morris was a geological engineer; these two co-authored this book. In this book, they defended creationism against the theory of evolution. According to this book, the world was created in 6 days, and they argued that we can explain that creation scientifically. And that attempt was presented as a very good alternative to counter the theory of evolution for many churches that were greatly intimidated by evolutionism at the time, and many Christians came to accept this creation science theory. And the Creation Research Society, which supports the 6-day creation theory and opposes evolutionism, has become a very active organization even today.
Revisiting the 6-Day Creation Theory: Calvin's Perspective
Of course, we will examine this part later along with the theory of evolution, but today, I want to think a bit more deeply about the 6-day creation, which is acknowledged by the Creation Research Society and has also been consistently acknowledged historically. As we have seen, the 6-day creation theory is a very faithful interpretation method when trying to interpret the Bible literally and grammatically. It sees the 'yôm', a day, as 24 hours, during which God created the world. However, the story I am telling from now on, I say with the hope that it helps you think about this 6-day creation theory from a slightly different direction as well.
If you look at the Genesis commentary of the reformer we respect, John Calvin, Calvin did not deny the fact that the heavens and the earth were created in 6 days, but he was very skeptical about whether those 6 days were a time period where the 24 hours we speak of repeated six times. He saw that it might not be the case. Rather, he thought accepting it literally was strange. Why might that be? One wonders why someone like Calvin, who believed the Bible so earnestly and valued God's word so highly, hesitated to accept the time "day," clearly stated in the Bible, literally. It's because, while asserting the 6-day creation is quite faithful to understanding the Bible literally and grammatically, it simultaneously brings about many problems. Not problems with science, but problems with the biblical text itself.
Internal Problem of 6-Day Creation Theory: Light (Day 1) and Sun (Day 4)
Let's examine the creation account of the fourth day in Genesis 1:14. 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." Separating day and night is mentioned in verse 4 of the passage we examined today. Today, the first day, "God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.'" So when were day and night separated? The first day. But now He said He separated day and night again on the fourth day. So a problem has immediately arisen. Also, when we normally speak of a day, if we say evening came and morning followed, it means the sun set. Right? Then, when did that sun come into being? Looking at the text, the sun, moon, and stars were clearly created on the fourth day. Therefore, this passage became a very perplexing part for many who try to believe the Bible as it is.
Interpretation of First Day Light: God's Glory?
So people began to interpret it like this. Perhaps the sun, moon, and stars were made later, and the evening and morning were the same as ours then, but isn't the light of the first day talking about God's presence, the light of God's glory? So He first created the light of God's glory, and following that light, from then on, the supernatural day determined by God, meaning the place where the light of God's glory shone, was called 'day,' and the place without it was called darkness, and the change between that day and darkness was termed a day. Then we can talk about God as light. This is a very attractive interpretation. Because we also express Jesus Christ as light, this can be a very spiritual interpretation. Then did the Bible indeed express God as light? Yes, it did. There are times when God is expressed as light. "The Lord rises like the sun; He shines forth from Mount Paran." Such an expression clearly exists. And expressing Jesus as light also becomes quite a persuasive expression. When said, "Christ is the light," the realization and grace we receive cannot help but be immense. At the time of the creation of heaven and earth, when He said, "Let there be light," thinking that Jesus Christ was right there at that moment, what great grace that would be.
Problem with First Day Light Interpretation: The Name "Day"
However, just because it brings us grace, unconditionally accepting something not guaranteed by the Bible can be dangerous, so I hope we can examine this a bit further. Now, something very important appears here. In the passage you read today, God said, "Let there be light," right? But God gives that light a name. If God is light, if God Himself is light, what name would He have given that light? Perhaps something like "The Light of Yahweh." But what did God call this light? He called it "Day." It's a very difficult concept to understand. When God, who made all things in the world, is Himself light, one tends to accept this light as representing something mysterious and supernatural befitting Him, but God gave a name to the "light." The name is 'Day.' Now, try reading "Jesus is the light" changed like this: "Jesus is the Day." A bit strange, isn't it? When it said Jesus is the light, it sounded cool, but when it says Jesus is the Day, it sounds a bit odd, right? Let's examine the text a bit more. God clearly named the light Day. But we don't call light Day, we call it light, right? We say sunlight, not sun-day. Then are we disobeying God's word? Should all light be called Day? But we call light light, and day day. It's not just us. The Bible is the same. The Bible also calls light light, not Day. Isn't it strange not to follow God's naming of light as Day?
Meaning of First Day Light: Creation of "Day" (Time)
Therefore, what we can infer here is that this 'light' is a very special word. It's not a concept we can easily think of. We can see there's a slight difference between the "light" we think of and the "light" in Genesis. What we can know for now is that this description of light was not meant to explain God's existence or just speak of supernatural light, but was a method to express that He created "Day." That's why He called its name Day. Now, "light" and "darkness" became "day" and "night." So only after day and night were created did it become possible for evening and morning to occur. Now it makes sense, right? Having day and night means having evening and morning. Then what specifically does day refer to? Do we just call bright things day? It's not simply referring to that. Day refers to a certain period of brightness. The word 'day' signifies a 'period'. Why do I say this? In the story of God creating all things in the world, this "light" is not just a name to explain existence with only a mystical and holy meaning, but I'm saying God intended to explain a certain special period. This statement about explaining the period implies the important meaning that the concept of "time" is included within the content and purpose of God creating light on the first day. Thus, a day comprising evening and morning came into being. The time before that likely differs significantly from the time we know.
God's Time and Our Time
As you know, time is not absolute. God's time and our time are not the same. God's time is eternity. That time called eternity has no relation to us now. In this visible world, we can neither enjoy nor experience God's eternal time. So what did God do? He created time and space so that we could live in this visible world. Therefore, this story that began on the first day is telling us something truly important. Because beyond creating light and creating time, God Himself is declaring that He began to make all these things for finite beings and the visible world, moving from the eternal time He enjoyed, the immortality He dwelt in within the invisible world.
Creation: God-Centered, Yet an Act of Love for Us
Of course, creation is not centered on ourselves. Thinking humans are the center of creation is great arrogance. Naturally, creation is God-centered. But He did it for us. It is true that God created all things. But the way of explaining that truth, as mentioned last time, absolutely does not need to follow scientific order, method, or principle.
Analogy of the Fiancé's Letter
Think about it; to understand the story of creating light today, I will give another example. Let's say there is a young man who has found someone he loves. He wants to marry that beloved person so much, he finally gets engaged first. He was overjoyed. So this young man decided he must build a house with a beautiful garden for that beloved person and welcome his bride. So he finally went down to the countryside and began to build a beautiful country house. First, he laid the foundation and started building the house. And let's imagine he writes down the facts in a letter and sends it to his fiancée living in another city. He started the letter like this. "Today I bought 300 pieces of 5-meter 2x4 lumber. And with 3801 nails, I erected the frame pillars. I made a total of 16 windows, attached plywood walls, and made rafters for the roof. For this, I bought and erected five 10-meter long 2x10 thick timbers, and built the frame on top to put on the roof. While building the roof frame, the sun set. So now I am going home for dinner." How would the fiancée feel reading this delivered letter? Would she feel strong emotions of love? Thinking, 'He explained the process of building the house in such detail just for me.'
But what if he wrote like this? "To my beloved... Today I made the room where I will stay with you. First, I put on the roof, and made a large window facing east. And because it is the house where you will dwell, I built the walls with sturdy wood. Thinking about watching the morning sun rise together with you, sitting on the bed through this window, strength wells up in my heart. Evening has already fallen. Sleep well..." What do you think? Which one sounds more like a love letter? The first letter also explains facts, and the second one also tells about what happened. But when building a house, do you erect the roof first? Or the walls first? Naturally, the walls. You need walls to put up a roof. But how was it written in the letter? He talks about the roof first. And he talks about the window first. Why? Because he wants to talk about that first. Because thinking about watching the morning sun rise together with that woman in the house where he made the window makes him so happy. Is there any need to talk about other detailed processes first? He doesn't want to talk in detail about the foundation, about the structure of the frame. Because he wants so much to talk about that window. If, in such a description of building a house, only the window is expressed, does this letter become fake? No. It is fact!
Genesis: God's Love Letter
God is now building the structure called the universe where He wants to dwell with us, live with us. For whom? For me and for you. To let us live. So all explanations become explanations centered on us, the kind that would come from someone who loves us. He doesn't write an objective report for us. Rather, the loving story of the house that God the Father is building for His beloved children—that story is the most important theme verse you should receive while reading Genesis 1. If, while reading Genesis 1, you only think to the extent of, 'Ah, God created the world with His great power in this way and order,' you end up missing the important essence of Genesis. You just simply pass over it, thinking, 'God must have created the world like this.' That's not it. In this universe of chaos and void, where there was nothing and no one could live, God pondered and planned precisely for me and for all these creatures, the objects of His love, and built a beautiful home for them to live in. He made the house thinking, how can they live more comfortably and abundantly in this house?
God's Joy: "It Was Good"
That's why He gives us time. Because we need time, and we need light. Because we cannot live without light. That's why the first day emerges from darkness into light. God clearly says not that the darkness was good, but that the light was good in His sight. Was it because darkness was evil? No. There was no evil then. Because God was in the process of creating the heavens and the earth. It's not because darkness was evil. He is pleased because the light was created for Adam. That's why it was good in His sight. It means, I love you this much. Darkness is not a problem for God. God has no light. Right? Why would God need separate light? But when He thinks of us, He knows we need light. He created it and rejoiced. He was so pleased.
Structure of 6-Day Creation: Thematic Arrangement, Not Chronological Order
The reason this understanding of Genesis 1 is important is because it reveals so well the plans of creation God will carry out for us in the future. Seen that way, the light of the first day cannot conflict with the sun, moon, and stars of the fourth day. This is rather explained like this. God created something called light and gave that light to us, and He is explaining in more detail what those things are and what role they play. He is explaining in more detail on this fourth day what was on the first day. If you look at verse 18, the story of the fourth day, it says this. "to govern the day and the night," referring to the sun, moon, and stars. "and to separate light from darkness." Not only day and night were separated, but also light and darkness. When did this happen? No matter how you look at it, this happened on the first day. So what is this? There's repetition, repetition! Do you perhaps remember the previous sermon series on Revelation? When we studied Revelation, there were many parts where the same event was repeated several times. By doing so, the content is explained more deeply. How about thinking like this? God is currently building a house where we can dwell. And let's say He speaks thus. "I built this house for you. Let's go inside together. The ceiling of this house is made of this wood, the walls are papered yellow, and I've also hung a nice picture on this wall, and in this room, I made space for a bed." He speaks like this. Just like this, it means there is this very interesting structure of the first day and the fourth day. If it were only this, it might seem strange. But, if you look at the second day, the sky and the sea are created as the waters above and the waters below are separated, creating the sky and the sea. So what does He explain next? Just like the first day, paired with the second day, on the fifth day, birds fly in the sky. In the sea? Fish swim. He explains it this way. On the final third day, what did God separate? The land appears, and plants grow here.
Problem of Vegetables on Day 3: Evidence for Thematic Arrangement
You might be surprised, but plants appear on the third day, and vegetables appear there. What does the word 'vegetable' mean? It means plants we can eat. Why is that important? The word 'vegetable' is used when referring to food eaten through cultivation. But on the third day, there are no people. Yet there is food that people cultivate and eat. But what does Genesis chapter 2, which we will see next, say? It says vegetables could not be cultivated then because it had not yet rained. It says because it had not yet rained, vegetation could not yet grow on the earth. In chapter 2, He speaks of a very natural phenomenon. But because we keep trying to explain the content of Genesis in this chapter 1 in a way detached from such biblical expression methods, focusing too much on whether this day is 24 hours or not? Or in what time sequence and method these things were created? we miss the language of love God is using for us, which the Bible tells us. How would that fiancée who received that lovely second letter have thought? "Is this person really sane? You have to build the walls before putting up the roof!" If she said this, what a ridiculous story it would be. That's not it. In this sense, if we fail to discover God's love in the Genesis message truly given to us, we are not reading this love letter from God properly.
6-Day Structure: Thematic Arrangement Conclusion, Not Chronological
In that sense, looking at these 6 days in various ways, there are too many difficulties in viewing them as a record of chronologically continuous events. The understanding that God is explaining, theme by theme, using the dates first day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day, how He made this world orderly and habitable for humans, is much more consistent with the biblical content. There is absolutely no reason to view it chronologically. This letter from God itself does not claim such a thing, and looking at various parts of the letter, we can also see much repetition. That one event is repeated, and the same story is told again, clearly shows us that the purpose is not to list a chronological sequence to say creation was completed in this order. Therefore, the moment we forget why God gave us Genesis in the story of creation, we cannot help but miss the story of God's love within creation. And our hearts can be completely captivated by irrelevant things.
Purpose of Creation: Eternal Unity and Glory
The first day is the day God gave light to darkness. With this light, time began. And a bright space where we can live was created. God was very, very pleased. God does it. "Now, the one I love will live in this place!". In fact, God did not only think of time on this earth through this. While creating this universe, the visible world, what did God aim for? He showed that precisely the "visible world" and the "invisible world," the "eternal God" and the "finite visible world," would ultimately be unified. That is the final glory of the creatures created in this visible world. It is the glory of enjoying all of God's things together! If so, although the "day," meaning the time where the earth rotates and revolves, changing months and seasons, was given to us as 24 hours, what did God see through to the end? He is seeing eternal time. He naturally planned eternal life for us as well.
Jewels of Eden: Foreshadowing Radiant Glory
We will continue to see events revealing this fact through the study of Genesis that follows. Think about the Garden of Eden. There is gold in the Garden of Eden. It's not just gold. Various other jewels also appear. Although more stories of jewels appear in Ezekiel or Revelation, various jewels also appear in the story of the Garden of Eden. Why was the Garden of Eden expressed with such jewels? We didn't even exist then, and it was before Adam went to the Garden of Eden. Did Adam and Eve perhaps have a hobby of collecting jewels? Or did Adam think of proposing to Eve with a diamond ring? Probably not. But why does the Bible talk about those jewels? It is precisely a way of expressing that the Garden of Eden was shining. Using jewels, it expresses that radiant garden. Because we can understand it readily. However, although the Garden of Eden shone so brightly with various jewels, it is truly not even a fragment compared to the light of eternal glory we will enjoy.
God's Plan of Light Continues Despite the Fall - Isaiah 60
Everyone, we disobeyed God's creation, we left God. Yet God has never canceled this plan. He continues the work of making this light into eternal light. Through the prophet Isaiah, He speaks thus. It is the word from Isaiah chapter 60. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." This is precisely a passage prophesying the Messiah. "See, darkness covers the earth," truly so, darkness has now covered the earth. "and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." This is the same as expressing that God will perform creation once again among Israel. Your brightness, that light will rise again, and that light will shine upon you. Satan employed many schemes, and Adam fell there and sinned, but that will not prevent the completion of My creation. Because I will accomplish this work that I am proclaiming through the prophet Isaiah now, He is saying.
Fulfillment of Light through Christ - John 1
How was this accomplished—God coming like the sun, shining with light like the first day, the sun of righteousness rising as the prophet Malachi prophesied? It was accomplished precisely through Christ. Let's examine John chapter 1, recorded by the Apostle John. This passage is much misunderstood. The Apostle John speaks thus in chapter 1. "Through him all things were made;" speaking of Jesus, calling Jesus the Creator. "without him nothing was made that has been made." Jesus is the Creator. But he speaks thus. "In him was life," then there is life in Jesus Christ. "and that life was the light of all mankind." We usually think of Jesus simply as light, but what came out in the Gospel of John is not saying Jesus is light, but saying the life in Jesus is light. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Light = Life, Eternal Life
Now let's find out what this means from Genesis. Looking at Genesis 1:3-5, how was that darkness expressed? A state where human creatures cannot live in this world. Precisely the state of "chaos" and "void," a place where life cannot survive; into that place, God shone that light in order to place life there. Then what would be the essence of that light? It means giving life. Then what would be the meaning of Jesus coming? It's not that Jesus will brightly illuminate you with light, but precisely that He will give us life. The words "Let there be light" are not just "Let there be Jesus," but more clearly and strictly speaking, they mean "Let the life that is in Christ be unto us." And with the exact same concept as in Genesis 1, when Jesus Christ came to this earth and shone that light, shone that life, what began? Precisely a new time began. The Apostle John clearly states in John 1:12. "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—" becoming children of God, receiving salvation! "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son," then what did He say? What do we get to enjoy? Eternal life! What does this eternal life mean? Precisely 'eternal life'. Giving life as light, and that life is eternal.
New Time, Eternal Ecosystem
Our time changes. The ecosystem we live in changes. That ecosystem was a place dominated by time where the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. We lived thinking that was everything. Living in this world like that and eventually ending in death was the time given to us. Living in this time and dying. Experiencing pain, sorrow, and hurt in this world, sometimes joyful things happen, then getting upset, and then when that time all passes, it was the end. But from the moment we believed in and knew Jesus Christ, what happened? The life that is in Christ shone upon us, a new creation occurred, and what was attached before that life? The name "eternal" was attached. It means time has changed. Your finite ecosystem has changed into the time called eternity. How tremendous an event this is! We are living this new time now, but do you live feeling it? When you wake up in the morning, do you feel, "Ah, another same old day is starting again"? Or do you think, "Ah, I get to enjoy another day of my eternal day here on earth today!"? It's so different.
Beings Moved from Darkness to Light
The words "Let there be light" mean "Let there be life," and also mean "Eternal time" has begun. That's why the Bible calls us children of light. Darkness was not evil at the time of creation. But what happened when humans fell? Light disappeared and darkness remained. Death effectively came upon us. Eternal life disappeared, and we came to live not in that light, but in darkness. Due to sin, the light of life that should shine on us disappeared, and thus, that place became a lifeless land in darkness. It became the land of death. Therefore, the place without God, that darkness, could no longer be a happy place for us. Into that place, light entered through Christ.
1 Peter chapter 2 expresses this fact thus: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession," the next part is very interesting. "that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." He made you enter into that life, into that eternity.
Completion of Creation: Nightless Kingdom of Glory - Revelation
That's why you became kings. Because the final completion of this Genesis is Revelation, and Revelation 22 says this: "There will be no more night," Why does the Bible explain so clearly and dynamically why darkness disappears and ends with light? Because when darkness played a role like a curse to us due to our loss of this light, the light of Christ shone into that darkness, that eternal light entered us again, and finally, we enter not into darkness but into the world of light enjoying eternal glory with God. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
Revelation again says this: "There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun," meaning the sun and moon are also unnecessary. It's not the concept of day we were thinking of. "for the Lord God will give them light." Then, finally, He says these great words: "And they will reign for ever and ever!" It means you will sit in the position of ruling the entire universe together with God. This is the creation we get to enjoy.
God's Faithfulness and Our Value
Creation began precisely for this end. God intends to accomplish that work—despite all evil, sin, our betrayal, even as we constantly forget God and continue to live according to greed even while believing in Jesus, even in our miserable daily lives—He intends to achieve the completion of this creation. Because He is God the Creator, not us. We are people who possess an eternal light so bright and beautiful that the sun, moon, and stars, if they had minds, would envy us immensely. We enjoy eternal life. We often pass by without noticing due to lack of leisure, so we don't really know how the Milky Way formed, but sometimes, in the night sky of a travel destination, we are reminded again of how many stars are in the universe. We feel how vast the Milky Way is. And we also realize how immense it is, how beautiful it is. Then, learning that among those many stars, some are hundreds of millions of light-years away, some tens of billions, might make one's mind completely scattered. Because we can barely imagine this enormous and vast universe, but we can by no means experience it. And how can that beauty be expressed?
Yet, within us is the light of glory, that beautiful life, incomparable to all that universe and all those stars. Looking at the stars in the sky, our hearts are overwhelmed, and we feel how insignificant and small we are. That's right, we are truly shabby beings. But precisely for such beings as us, God shone a light incomparable to anything. And God who created the entire universe, His Son died for us.
Conclusion: Live in the Light of Life
"Let there be light"—it is the voice of God's creation echoing in your hearts even now. Those words mean, "Let there be life in you." "You are a child of God, king of heaven and earth, let the holy nation be yours!". What is more precious than you, and what can obstruct your life? Please remember the fact that God's amazing resonance is with you.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray! God, we earnestly desire our hearts to beat because of that light. Not that my heart beats because of the food I eat, the exercise I do, my material possessions, but let me not forget that my heart beats, that I live, by the life of Jesus Christ who gave the light of life within me. And therefore, let me remember that I am one equipped with eternal life, that even death, even the destruction of this universe, even if all things crumble and disappear, the light of life of Jesus Christ, which will shine brightly in the end amidst all things, is within us, no, within me, and thus grant us victory over this time like darkness. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!