“And to rule the day and the night, and to divide the light and the darkness. And God saw that it was good.”
“et præessent diei ac nocti, et dividerent lucem ac tenebras. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum.”
“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.”
“to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.”
“and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.”
“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.”
He gave them power of procreation and fruitfulness, which is justly mentioned as a great blessing, Psa 128:3-4. and consequently in the rivers, which come from the sea, and return into it. where they shall commonly have their habitation, though they had their original from the waters; of which see Poole on "Gen 1:20".
1. Observe, The lights of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars; and all these are the work of God's hands. (1.) The sun is the greatest light of all, more than a million times greater than the earth, and the most glorious and useful of all the lamps of heaven, a noble instance of the Creator's wisdom, power, and goodness, and an invaluable blessing to the creatures of this lower world. Let us learn from Ps 19 1-6 how to give unto God the glory due unto his name, as the Maker of the sun. (2.) The moon is a less light, and yet is here reckoned one of the greater lights, because though, in regard to its magnitude and borrowed light, it is inferior to many of the stars, yet, by virtue of its office, as ruler of the night, and in respect of its usefulness to the earth, it is more excellent than they. Those are most valuable that are most serviceable; and those are the greater lights, not that have the best gifts, but that humbly and faithfully do the most good with them. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, Matt 20 26. (3.) He made the stars also, which are here spoken of as they appear to vulgar eyes, without distinguishing between the planets and the fixed stars, or accounting for their number, nature, place, magnitude, motions, or influences; for the scriptures were written, not to gratify our curiosity and make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints. Now these lights are said to rule (v. 16, 18); not that they have a supreme dominion, as God has, but they are deputy-governors, rulers under him. Here the less light, the moon, is said to rule the night; but in Ps 136 9 the stars are mentioned as sharers in that government; The moon and stars to rule by night. No more is meant than that they give light, Jer 31 35. The best and most honourable way of ruling is by giving light and doing good: those command respect that live a useful life, and so shine as lights.
Verses 14-19 In the fourth day's work, the creation of the sun, moon, and stars is accounted for. All these are the works of God. The stars are spoken of as they appear to our eyes, without telling their number, nature, place, size, or motions; for the Scriptures were written, not to gratify curiosity, or make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints. The lights of heaven are made to serve him; they do it faithfully, and shine in their season without fail. We are set as lights in this world to serve God; but do we in like manner answer the end of our creation? We do not: our light does not shine before God, as his lights shine before us. We burn our Master's candles, but do not mind our Master's work.