God is telling us something about Himself through His creation. The sun and the moon are no exception. What do they reveal about our God and us?
Watch the video below, or read the full transcript beneath it.
God created so many planets in our universe with multiple moons and multiple suns, so why does Earth have only one moon and one sun? And why with these proportions and relative distances?
Our Earth is pretty special. Earth is only habitable by animals and humans because of the perfect distance from the sun. The sun is not too close or too far away, so it’s not too cold or too hot, and we have liquid water. The sun is also not battering us with toxic radiation that would wipe us out. Its light allows us to grow and flourish. But why? Interestingly, the answer is in the Bible, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Let’s look at our moon first.
Listen to this amazing fact: the sun is about 400 times bigger than the moon, but also about 400 times farther away. That’s why from Earth, the sun and the moon seem to be exactly the same size. This is also the reason we have solar eclipses. This is so unique that scientists call this a “cosmic coincidence.” But it’s actually not a coincidence at all; it was an act of precision by our Creator.
Moons are bodies that orbit a planet. There are all kinds of moons in our solar system: from icy rocks to active volcanic spheres. Ours is made of lifeless gray rock and dust. But why? And why is there only one moon, while other planets have either none or multiple moons, sometimes nearly 300?
I’m curious by nature, and I’m always interested to know why things are the way they are. Why did God choose to create our world /this/ way? As we know, God does nothing without reason, and His creation always points to Him, so what is it He wants to tell us by doing it this way?
The answer dawned on me when I read Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37, about the moon, the sun, and the stars bowing down to him. His father Jacob then interpreted the dream as follows: “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” (Genesis 37:10b, ESV). Jacob connected the sun and the moon to himself and his wife.
If you have read any of my work, or seen more of my videos, you will know that the Bible teaches that marriage between a husband and wife serves as a symbol of the union between God and His Bride.
God also shows a lot of Himself through His creation. Paul wrote: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” This is in Romans 1, verses 19 and 20.
Before I even really knew the Bible, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that the sun, and so also the sunrise, symbolizes God. God is Light (1 John 1:5), which is the obvious connection, but even the red color refers to the blood of Christ, our Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). We see the symbolism throughout the Scriptures (that’s why I use it on my website so much). So, with that in the back of my mind, I suddenly understood the connection: If God is symbolized by the sun, then the moon is His Bride. The Church, with a capital C: us! God reflects His light on His Bride, so that she will be a light too.
Going through Scripture, this symbolism held:
John 8:12: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 4:16 refers to this Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled by Jesus: the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
This prophetic one in Psalm 89 is beautiful: “His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Psalm 89:36-37).
This Psalm refers to the offspring of David, which is Jesus, who is also called the Son of David (Matthew 1:1), and His offspring, us. You can learn more about how David is a picture of Jesus in one of my other videos. I’ll put a link in the description.
Christ’s rule is established forever, and this text literally states that the moon will be a faithful witness to the One who sits on the throne. And that sums up the entire role of Christians in the world.
And you all know the famous verse in Matthew 5:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV)
Why does our light give glory to our Father in heaven? Because it’s His light we reflect, not our own. Without God’s light, we are just dust, stone cold, dead, and dark. Thanks to Jesus, we have become a light that brings light to the darkness on earth. A blessing to the world.
But that’s not all. Remember how the sun darkened when Jesus died? Luke 23:44-45: “It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”
It was daytime, but the moment Jesus was dying, the sun miraculously turned dark. It was a full moon that day, so it couldn’t have been an eclipse, which only happens on a new moon (when the moon sits between the earth and the sun). That probably made the event even more shocking for the people who were there. And now you know something most of them didn’t: the sun darkening was a symbol of God in the flesh temporarily losing His life.
There are many, many more Scripture references, but I think you get the point. In Genesis 1, God said that He created the heavenly bodies for signs and seasons and to shine light upon the earth. And that is exactly what He did. Now we have the sun and moon to navigate by; however, in the final days, right before Jesus’s return, the sun and moon will be darkened (Matthew 24:29).
But then, when we are with God forever, we will need no more sun and no more moon, for He will be our light (Isaiah 60:19). Just as there will be no more marriages, apart from our union with Christ (Matthew 22:30).
In Matthew 19, Jesus explained that God always intended one man and one woman to join together in marriage. This union always pointed to Him and His Bride. And that is why there is only one moon and one sun.
Recently, when my husband and I were celebrating our ten-year anniversary, we were having a romantic dinner at a restaurant. The moon that night was unusually full and warm-toned. We told the waiter about our anniversary. Then he glanced toward the horizon and casually said, “Wow, even the moon agrees with you!”
I knew it was meant as a kind remark to frame the romantic moment, but I had no clue what he meant by that. But now I believe I know what God meant.
What to do with this knowledge about the sun and the moon? Well, whenever there is a solar eclipse, or some other cosmic event, people are in awe. During the most recent solar eclipse, some started crying, others were clapping, jumping, and cheering. But why are they so emotional, and whom are they applauding? Is it just the hype, or is there more going on? Perhaps asking them these questions opens up a conversation about something God is showing them that they are completely missing.
God bless you.
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