Creator and Redeemer

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:3    

It is only fitting that God’s first act of creation is the creation of light, because light is a symbol of truth and life, of grace and goodness.  

The creation of light in Genesis 1:3 represents the first faint pointer to God’s redemption in Jesus Christ.  Just as light shines in the darkness, Jesus, the light of the world, will shine into the darkness of our hearts.  

Paul uses this very image when he quotes Genesis 1:3 in 2 Corinthians:  

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).  

God is not only Creator but he is also Redeemer.  The great Creator of the universe is the God who saves!  Where would we be if God was only great and he was not also good?  

But at the outset of the Bible we see that God is both great and good.  He is both Creator and Redeemer.  

And we see it all the way through the Bible, until we reach the great crescendo of Revelation 4-5, where God is worshipped as Creator (Revelation 4) and as Redeemer (Revelation 5).  

This is our God!  This is your God!  He is Creator.  And he is Redeemer.  He is great.  And he is good.