For most of us-we've been reading Genesis 1:1 wrong our entire lives. "In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth" That is what we think it says. But in Hebrew the meaning reveals something so much deeper. Something that changes everything about who we are.
The very first word in the Hebrew Bible is Bereshit. Most translations say "In the beginning" like a title. A finished moment. But that is not the meaning in Hebrew.
"Be" is the prefix "in", "at", or "on".
"Reshit" means "the beginning OF something"-not a point in time, but the START of a process.
So a more accurate translation would be "When GOD BEGAN to create…"
Do you see the difference?
Genesis 1:1 isn't a one-line summary.
It's a setup.
It's like Scripture is saying: "When GOD started HIS creative work, the earth was formless and empty. Darkness covered the deep. And the SPIRIT of GOD was hovering."
The universe wasn't finished yet. GOD was stepping into the chaos.
And then we see GOD's very first move as CREATOR.
Not order.
Not structure.
Not even the earth itself.
HIS first word was "Let there be LIGHT."
Not sunlight-that comes later in verse 16.
This is something else entirely. Something deeper.
In Hebrew, the word for light is OR (אור). Three letters. Each one carries meaning.
Aleph (א)-The ox head. Strength. Source. GOD HIMSELF.
Vav (ו)-The nail. The connector. Joining heaven to earth.
Resh (ר)-the head. Beginning. Purpose. Direction.
So light literally means: GOD (Aleph) the CONNECTOR joining heaven to earth (vav) for a purpose (Resh).
Light isn't just a thing GOD made.
Light is GOD inserting HIMSELF into chaos.
It's HIS very nature being released into the void.
1 John 1:5 says it clearly:
"GOD is light; and in HIM is no darkness at all."
So the first act of CREATION wasn't making something external.
It was GOD releasing HIS own nature into the world.
Now here is where it gets personal.
If GOD's first creative act was releasing light, and if we were made in HIS image-then we were created to be a CARRIER of that same light.
An image bearer.
A reflector of HIS nature.
This is why Jesus said:
"You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14)
In the Bible, LIGHT symbolizes guidance, truth and the presence of GOD, illuminating the path for believers and revealing hope in a dark world. As Christians we are to reflect GOD's light through our actions, promoting goodness and righteousness in our lives.
Everything GOD is by nature, we are called to express by assignment.
This is why the enemy fights us so hard.
Because when we walk as children of LIGHT-we are doing the exact same thing HE did in Genesis 1:1.
We are inserting ourselves into chaos.
We are fulfilling the Genesis 1 mandate.
We are carriers of divine LIGHT.
And darkness cannot survive where LIGHT is released.
It's not just what we do.
It's who we are.
Now go release it.
BE THE LIGHT.
"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are the light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8