The Darkness and the Light
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
The Word was in the beginning with God. In the beginning, we see the unity of God. From the beginning of time before the world started, he was as asserted in John 8:58. There was no division, no confusion, and no conflict between the persons of the Trinity. The Word was in the beginning. At the first breath of man, God was there. When the light was divided from the night and the waters parted into seas, God was there. God created the beginning. The Word was with God for God had not yet sent his Son into the world "that the world through him might be saved" in John 3:17. The same was in the beginning with God as his Spirit gave breath to mankind bringing life. Thus, Jesus and the Spirit were with God and were God according to John. The unity of God is seen in the beginning before God sent his Son unto the world and the Son sent his Spirit unto the church.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus is referred to as the Word of God. To have a word implies an author. To have a creation implies a creator. Thus, Jesus is not only the sum of all things but also the author of the story of God and his grace to the world. In every story written whether personal or collective, one may find the fingerprint, the penmanship, the authoring, and the fathering of God. John 21:25 refers to a plurality of books highlighting the collective nature of the individual stories authored by God. He is the origin of all life. By him all things consist and hold together according to Colossians 1:17. Did you know there is a cross-shaped structure holding everything in your body together and without it your body could not hold its' shape? He is the light of life; thus, he is the consistence of the sum of a man's life to point back to himself.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Evil is typified as darkness. Literally, the void as in Genesis 1:2 which says that "the beginning" of "earth was without form and void." A void is something of desolation. But the void can also be a place, a being, and a dwelling place of the devil and his angels. The void has never been able to overcome God's light and his life. It could not overtake him even on the cross when he was dying and darkness covered the face of the earth. Even the darkness could not kill him then. Even the devil could not take him captive for as Ephesians 4:8 says, "when he ascended on high, he took many captives, and gave gifts to his people." In all of man's mess and all of his choas, the darkness could not understand the light of God. Because he is the creator, only God has the power to take a life. We see in Job 1:6 the devil presenting himself before God for permission to afflict Job. Nothing happens to the believer or unbeliever without God's permission. I hear someone saying, 'does this not this make God evil?' No, it makes him just, holy, and righteous. See, you only know the first part of the story where Satan and mankind have taken God's life. You do not yet know the ending of it where he is a king raised again all by himself. The darkness cannot comprehend the light of God because it makes no sense. If any comfort may be found, it is that God did not even spare his own Son in Romans 8:32 but for our sakes he became poor in 2 Corinthians 8:9. The problem God judged Cain for was taking his rightful place when Cain killed his own brother in Genesis 4:8. Judgement belongs to God. God is the author and the creator of life. Thus, he owns the right to take it away. If God is the author of the collective stories in each life, that does not give you the right to criticize what he writes nor what he does. In the same way that he has loved us, so we are responding to the Author and Creator. We respond to the Father of a God who gave himself for us.