The Torah relates the story of the six days of creation in order to refute other theories that claim that the universe came into being through some cosmic accident or coincidence. As such, the story of creation speaks only in general terms to illustrate that nothing came into being except at G-d's command. The Hebrew word, bara, emphasizes this. The word bara, used here for “create,” grammatically can only be used in connection to G-d (never for humans), and alludes to the creation of something from nothing.

The Torah's narrative of creation is meant to directly establish G-d as the sovereign of the universe. Unlike other creation accounts circulating around the Ancient Near East, the Biblical account makes no attempt to explain the origins of G-d, or try to persuade the listener of G-d's existence. The existence of God is an axiomatic fact. Therefore it immediately jumps to the explanation of G-d's creation of heaven and earth.

In verse three, G-d says “'Let there be light': and there was light.” If the sun and moon were not created until the fourth day of creation (see 1:14-19), what is the “light” that is being spoken of here?

Interestingly there are two answers:

A medieval rabbinic anthology commenting on this verse states:

The pre-existence of Messiah, and his presence at creation has been discussed widely among many Jewish writers throughout history. According to Midrash HaGadol, “The final goal of humanity is to attain the state of the days of Mashiach; therefore the name of Mashiach had to be formulated even before the world's inception (Midrash HaGadol, 1:1).”

According to the Talmud:

The light, which the rabbis speak of as alluding to the Messiah, is also a representation of the “Ein Sof,” the hidden aspect of G-d. Midrashic legend teaches that this light is hidden until the time of the Messianic Age, after which it will be once more revealed. When this happens, it will be like in Revelation (Rev. 21:22-23, 22:5, etc.), where there will no longer be any need of the sun, for G-d's “Ein Sof,” His presence, will provide all needed light.

The entire New Testament echoes this thought as well. However, no where is the Messiah more clearly connected to the themes of light and creation than in the book of John:

“In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d.

He was with G-d in the beginning.

All things came to be through him,

and without him nothing made had being.

In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not suppressed it

…The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,

and we saw his Sh’khinah,

the Sh’khinah of the father’s only Son,

full of grace and truth.”

John 1:1-5, 14

May our divine Messiah, Yeshua, who was present at creation, continue to work in each of our lives to dispel the darkness, and make each of us into a new creation!