After God created the heavens and the earth, the first he did was to bring light into his creation. You might think OK, no big deal. But there is a lot more to light than just giving us the ability to see! Light is the essential component necessary for God’s divine plan for his creation. Light is the source that brings about life in the universe. This is true in more than one way as you will see later. So, he lit up the universe with bright and powerful stars. Light is one of the founding and primary needs for the universe God created. We depend on light to live on this earth.
Ultraviolet light is necessary for our bodies for the endogenous production of vitamin D. When sunlight strikes the skin, it triggers the production of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body and facilitates a healthy immune system. Humans and animals would not be able to live and function without light. Without light, plants could not grow.
Light from the sun warms the Earth, drives global weather, and is necessary for the life-sustaining process of photosynthesis. There would be no life of any kind without light. Light is the essential vehicle for humankind to observe the beauty in this world, function in this world, and communicate with one another. Almost all information about the rest of the universe reaches the Earth by electromagnetic radiation. Light is one of God’s greatest creations and gifts to us. God included many wavelengths in his light which provides the universe with its ability to develop, grow, and function. All life and functions in God’s creation rely on the properties God placed in light.
As we will see later, a different type of light would be needed to complete God’s plan for his creation. For now, this light has been mostly unseen.
Light is invisible by itself but makes visible the objects on which it strikes. If you look out your window you don’t see the light from the sun. You see objects that it lands on. If you are in a room with the drapes closed and light shines through a small opening in the drapes you can see the light rays come into the room. As in the photo above, you see light pass through clouds.Light is invisible by itself but makes visible the objects on which it strikes. If you look out your window you don’t see the light from the sun. You see objects that it lands on. If you are in a room with the drapes closed and light shines through a small opening in the drapes you can see the light rays come into the room. As in the photo above, you see light pass through clouds.
The Sun is a spinning ball of gas made of hydrogen and helium held together by its immense gravity. It is 86,000 miles thick. The Sun at its core is 27 million degrees Fahrenheit! The radiation at the core takes 170,000 years to reach the surface because of the intense gravity present in the Sun. Once the electromagnetic radiation reaches the surface of the Sun, light only takes 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach Earth. The Sun is 93 million miles away and light only takes a few minutes to travel that far! The speed of light is an amazing 186,282 miles a second. The Sun contains almost 99 percent of all the matter or material in our solar system. It is beyond our comprehension how God could breathe out something that large and millions of degrees hot! The outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere is called the corona. This layer is so hot that the gas is ionized which means that the electrons are stripped from the atom molecules creating plasma. This plasma creates a very low-density environment for the released photons to escape from the Sun’s gravitational pull and travel through space to Earth.
Light waves cause vibrations in surface atoms, which are either absorbed, transmitted, or reflected. The light from the sun is electromagnetic radiation that the human eye uses to see. This electromagnetic radiation occurs over an extremely wide range of wavelengths. This ranges from very small gamma rays to large radio waves. Within this broad spectrum of wavelengths, the wavelengths visible to the eye are a very narrow band from 700 nanometers for red light to 380 nanometers for violet light.
Light is created deep within the Sun’s fiery core where atoms merge releasing energy and light in the process. These photons of electromagnetic radiation are released from the sun. Light does not occupy space, has no mass or volume, and therefore is not considered matter. Light travels in waves that are too small and fast to see.
The light we see is composed of different wavelengths which contain the colors you see in a rainbow from the prism effect of the raindrops splitting light into the rainbow colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Do you ever wonder why the sky is blue? Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter and smaller waves. That is why the sky is blue.
How do we normally see color? When light strikes an object, the pigment characteristics of that object will absorb all the light but will only reflect one wavelength of light which is the color you see. If the object reflects red, you will see red.rism effect of the raindrops splitting light into the rainbow colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Do you ever wonder why the sky is blue? Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter and smaller waves. That is why the sky is blue.
Light affects our lives in many ways, not just letting us see the beautiful things in this world. Light influences the health and psychological well-being of people in their everyday lives. Light creates more than just images, shapes, colors, contrast, and intensity of our vision. It also has biological and psychological effects that impact the health and mental well-being of individuals. Light is the stimulus for the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive perception determining people’s responses in everyday life. Light can alter our mood, stabilize our circadian rhythms, decrease depression, and increase cognitive scores. Light alters perception. Light speaks to us using its unique language as it emits emotions, creates atmospheres, and environments, and directly affects how we see the world.
Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles of the body’s internal clock mechanism which runs in the background of our bodily functions. The daily light cycle determines our internal clock. Circadian rhythms affect your bodily processes, behavior, cognitive state, and mental state or health.
For thousands of years, life has been shaped by the 24-hour cycle of day and night created by the rotation of the Earth. Most things on Earth depend on circadian rhythms including plants, animals, and humankind.
In humans, circadian rhythms help regulate sleeping and waking, immune system, core body temperature, metabolism, reaction to stress, hormone production, and cognitive function. In today’s modern world, streetlights, smartphones, iPads, TVs, computer screens, and home lighting, keep our world in a perpetual state of brightness. This has contributed to decreased mental health in modern society.
As the sun sets in the evening and the amount of light diminishes the pineal gland in the brain begins to produce melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleep. As the melatonin increases, the core body temperature decreases contributing to decreased alertness.
In the morning when the sun rises and there is increased light the melatonin production stops and the body core temperature increases promoting wakefulness.
Sleep is most refreshing and restorative to the body when the circadian rhythms coincide with the normal cycle of day and night.
Light is important in maximizing the function of the body and our daily activities. Excessive exposure to light wreaks havoc on circadian rhythms in many ways. Misalignment of the circadian rhythm and the day-night cycle can have serious consequences for our health and mental well-being. Excessive light suppresses the production of melatonin, can shift internal clocks, affects sleep quality, and duration of sleep. This disruption can cause sleep problems, emotional issues, social difficulties, health problems, accidents, performance issues, fatigue, and commit more errors.
People who are completely blind have issues with their circadian rhythms. There is a new medication available to help them align their circadian rhythms. Our lives are completely dependent on and revolve around light.
There are many other important properties in light. Through the creation of light, God gave humans the ability to see approximately 10 million colors. He did that for several reasons. The first was to enjoy the beauty in the world that he had created. But, did you know that colors also have a psychological effect such as changing our moods and behavior? Color psychology is the study of how colors affect humankind’s mood, physiological responses, emotions, and behavior.
You may think, how can color have such a powerful force in our lives? No sports team should ever choose one of their colors as black. It has been shown that teams wearing black get called for more fouls or penalties than any other color. If you wear black, you must be evil or doing wrong just by wearing the black uniform. Just the color of the uniform has cost teams wins!
Why does color have such a powerful influence on our lives? What types of effects can colors have on our minds and the health of our bodies?
The scientific study of color psychology is relatively new. For centuries colors have been used to treat many conditions and change emotions. Colors have played a role in many spiritual practices.
Colors in the blue spectrum of light which are blue, violet, and green are known as cool colors. These colors are associated with calming attributes but also can portray sadness and indifference.
Colors in the red spectrum of light which are red, orange, and yellow are regarded as warm colors. These colors are associated with feelings of warmth and comfort but may also portray anger and hostility.
Feeling and emotions related to colors:
Pink
soft, reserved, love, tenderness
Red
passion, love, excitement, bold, power, action, romance, leadership, courage, intensity, energy, danger
Purple
religious, noble, glamorous, reduces emotional stress, luxury, magic, romance, dignity
Blue
bringer of peace, wisdom, reason, stability, trustworthiness, safety, calm, trust, intelligence, faith, sincerity
Green
strength provider, freshness, nature, growth, positivity, cool, money, tranquility, harmony, safety, cleanliness
Yellow
Joy, hope, danger, happiness, cheer, optimism, caution, sickness, jealousy, energy, hunger
Orange
source of creativity, warmth, joy, kindness, happiness, wealth, sophistication, prosperity
White
source of creativity, warmth, joy, kindness, happiness, wealth, sophistication, prosperity
Black
noble, mysterious, dark, bad, power, luxury, authority, strength, elegance, prestigious, aggressive
Silver
innovation, modernity, cutting edge
So you have an option of seeing a color that can affect your well-being when you wake up in the morning. You can set the mood in your business by choosing the correct color for the walls and other objects in your commercial spaces.
According to color theory, colors can affect brain waves and colors can soothe emotional problems. This is also known as chromotherapy or color healing. The theory is that specific colors can physically and psychologically impact your feelings and behavior. For example, a stressed or angry person could expose themselves to blue to calm them down and lower their heart rate. A depressed person may surround themselves with reds and yellows to increase their energy.
The color effects are general, and reactions may be different based on past experiences and cultural background.
As you can see, light is responsible for our existence here on Earth. But another light is even more important than the light we use to see and live by on a daily basis. Sometimes you can get a glimpse of that special light in a person who is helping someone unselfishly. The kindness in someone’s face. That gracious smile on a person’s face when they help someone else. What is that light?
The most important light of the world is Jesus Christ! Jesus existed before the world was created and God created the universe through Jesus. Jesus with his spoken word breathed out stars and galaxies. The light of Jesus is forever and can never be extinguished.
John1:8-10 NLT
John himself was not light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
John1:1-5 NLT
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 8:12 NLT
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 12:46 NLT
I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.
Jesus provides the light of health, salvation, and eternity of living with him in the new Jerusalem God will create. The light of Jesus provides humankind with wisdom, guidance, hope, comfort, peace, health, love, and the fruit of the Spirit.
Mathew 6:22-23 NLT
Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness how deep that darkness is!
Your eyes and vision are extremely important to living a full vibrant and successful life. These previous two Bible verses show how important your eyes are to living. The things you keep your eyes focused on have spiritual, physical, and mental health benefits or detriments.
If you spend your time observing healthy, wholesome, and spiritual things your body is filled with light. This light could represent spiritual salvation and the light of Jesus lives inside you. This light could mean your body is healthy by observing and living a healthy lifestyle. This light could provide you with happiness and joy with mental stability. If you are unable to see the true light of the world you are filled with darkness. That darkness may have you so blinded that you can never find your way to the true source of life.
Revelation 21:1 NLT
Then I saw a new heaven and earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Zechariah 14:6-7 NLT
On that day the source of light will no longer shine, yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light.
Revelation 21:10-11, 22-25 NLT
So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.
I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of the day because there is no night there.
One day there will be no sun or moon to light the sky. The glory, power, and intensity of God and Jesus will provide light in the future. If you think about the power of God, it is beyond our comprehension. God and Jesus formed the universe. They can breathe into the existence of trillions of stars and galaxies. The largest known star is the size of 5 billion of our Sun and would occupy the orbit of Jupiter around our Sun. Stars can have temperatures up to 100 billion degrees centigrade in their cores. How powerful is God if he can just speak into existence a star that large and hot? God and Jesus will light the sky of the new Jerusalem just by their power and glory! The light that was originally unseen will now be seen in all its glory. We need to stop our hectic lives and take a scenic view. We should take the time to look for the light that is largely unseen now but is the light of the world that can direct our lives. That light will one day replace our sun and moon and be the light of our sky forever!
