What if the divine interplay of light and darkness could radically transform your understanding of the world around you? Brace yourselves as we journey into the heart of creation, casting a new light on the biblical account in Genesis, where the divine command separated light from darkness and labelled the light as 'good'. We'll spin the word 'good' on its head, exploring its implications beyond our standard moral context, and revealing its broader meaning, indicating desirable, beneficial, and approved.
Settle in as we delve into the deep symbology of the eternal dance between light and dark. We'll share how their balance directly shapes our everyday lives - from the science of our sleeping patterns to the growth of plants, from our emotional highs and lows to the very life cycles of our world. Finally, as a token of gratitude for your continuous support, we'll share how you can further enrich our podcast community. Remember, this enlightening journey is aired every Sunday night at 7 pm. Don't miss it!
What if the divine interplay of light and darkness could radically transform your understanding of the world around you? Brace yourselves as we journey into the heart of creation, casting a new light on the biblical account in Genesis, where the divine command separated light from darkness and labelled the light as 'good'. We'll spin the word 'good' on its head, exploring its implications beyond our standard moral context, and revealing its broader meaning, indicating desirable, beneficial, and approved.
Settle in as we delve into the deep symbology of the eternal dance between light and dark. We'll share how their balance directly shapes our everyday lives - from the science of our sleeping patterns to the growth of plants, from our emotional highs and lows to the very life cycles of our world. Finally, as a token of gratitude for your continuous support, we'll share how you can further enrich our podcast community. Remember, this enlightening journey is aired every Sunday night at 7 pm. Don't miss it!
Hey, welcome to the bartender's perspective. I'm so happy to have you here. Work is done for the day. Pull up a chair, have a seat, I'll pour you a drink and let's get started. So on tonight's podcast.
Speaker 1:
You know, I know everyone here is, for the most part, familiar with the beginning of creation. However, tonight, you know, I want to talk about what happened before the beginning of creation. I want to discuss my perspective on what I think the Almighty had set out to do from before our beginnings, when he first encountered the darkness and what role it would take when he created light, separated the two and then put into motion how the two would shape our existence as he began to then build creation. But before I begin, you know, I just want to remind everybody, like I've always said since the beginning of my podcast, I want to remind you that it's just my perspective and nothing that I say should be taken as doctrine. This is some seriously deep stuff and it's just a perspective. So, with that in mind, the book of Genesis into the first book of the Bible, is not just a creation story but a profound exploration of the concepts of light and dark as they relate to God's creative power, and you want to understand this. You know, let's look at the scripture and the opening verses, you know, of Genesis. We encounter, you know, the famous line in the beginning you know, god created the heavens and the earth. You know, the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep. So these words, you know, they paint a picture of absolute darkness. You know, a canvas, if you will, upon which God would soon unleash his divine light. The concept of darkness and Genesis, and not just the absence of light, but also a symbol of chaos, you know, emptiness and formlessness, if you will, it's the raw material from which God would craft the universe, bringing order, you know, from purpose to the void, you know. Then the transformative moment arrives. You know, god said let there be light. And there was light. You know this demand, divine command, you know, brings light into existence, illuminating the darkness, you know, and setting the stage for creation. But you know what people are not talking about. What about the darkness? It's important, you know, to note that darkness too has its place in this narrative. It doesn't, it's not banished, it doesn't go away. The light was established to bring balance to the darkness. They're both integral and necessary parts of creation and as a part of that establishment of balance, you know God separated the light from the darkness, as it was written, and he called the light good. But before we move on, you know, I want you to ask yourself for a moment what does make that light good? You know why did he call it good.
Speaker 1:
You know the word has got multiple meanings and I know the generally the definition that most people want to follow, and it's the one where it's the definition that states you know, that which is morally right and or righteousness. You know, and that is just one definition. But there's another. You know several other definitions of the word good. You know one is to be desired and or approved. So check it out. Imagine you're looking to buy a new car and you ask for recommendations from friends and family. You know they suggest a particular brand and model Because they had a good experience with it. So you know, in this case, you know the car is considered good because it is desirable and approved, you know, by those who have used it, making it a suitable choice based on the definition of the word good. So, as you all know, you know we live in that world when all these places want reviews, reviews, reviews reviews, where people can Find out about an item and or product before they buy it. You know. So in this case, people heavily rely on the opinions of others and you know, in this case, you know what's. What do people find desirable? You know. What do people approve? You know so on and so forth. So you know.
Speaker 1:
Another definition for the word good you know it's having qualities required for a particular role. You know. So I got one. I got one. So an example of this will be a job candidate. You know who possesses the qualities required for a specific role. If a company is looking to hire a project manager, you know, and the candidate has excellent organizational skills, leadership abilities, you know, and a strong understanding of the industry, they can be described as good for the role of the project manager Because they have the qualities required for that position. I mean another one here. This one's good, it's having a benefit or advantage to someone or something. You know I Got. How about installing solar panels? You know installing solar panels on a home is considered good because it provides, you know, a benefit to both the homeowner and the environment. You know the homeowner benefits from reduced electricity bills, while the environment benefits from reduced carbon emissions, you know, and a decrease on the use of fossil fuels. So, yeah, you know the definitions I just gave you.
Speaker 1:
The light was not good in the sense of good and bad, you know, righteousness or not righteous, but it's good in the sense of it being approved, you know, a desire, you know, required, you know, and in a benefit and advantage, you know, to us in order for our creation to begin. You know, I've read about pastors that interpreted that, when God called the light good, that automatically made the darkness bad, you know, and while those pastors they did have a very valid point, they did a guy give credit where credit is due, but I think it is much, much more than just good and bad In our time of interpreting the will of God. You know, everybody else gets to do it, so I'm gonna do it too. We missed that. We missed out on what message was actually being conveyed when God saw that the light was good, making the light and then separating it from the darkness and Seeing the balance that light gave to the darkness. You know, this is why I believe the context with which I provided you is why God called the light good. What do y'all think? Think about it. Yeah, for the rest of this episode, you know.
Speaker 1:
I just I want to talk about, you know, some of the symbolisms of the balance between light and dark. You know we talked enough about the balance, you know. So let's get into the nitty-gritty of our world and how this stuff you know in Genesis, from Genesis can be applied to our own lives. I Mean light. In Genesis, it does represent God's creative power. You know himself, his knowledge and Order and what would later define in one unique way as we're made in his image. You know it's the force that dispels chaos and gives life to the world and it truly is a symbol of divine revelation. So, sunsets and sunrises, you know the transition from day to night and night to day. It symbolizes the eternal balance between light and darkness.
Speaker 1:
Well, most of us go to bed when you know, when it becomes dark out and for the third shift, or when you know the shift is over, we still need, in those instances, darkness in our circadian rhythm, you know, or the sleep wake cycle, if you will, and sleeping in the dark is advised to be most effective. You know to achieve REM sleep and you know to fall into a deep sleep. But if that cycle is broken there really is an increased risk to your health. You know you've got neurological problems, you could end up overweight and a much higher likelihood of heart troubles at a later age. In this instance we need darkness to help us with the production of melatonin, you know, and ultimately the sleep that we get and everything helps us with our, the strength of our immune system and fighting off diseases and such. So you know this one's big Plant growth y'all In the beginning seed sprout in the darkness of the soil, you know, and then they reach for the light as they grow.
Speaker 1:
You know this phenomenon. You know it showcases the delicate equilibrium between both elements and as part of our very existence. You know we need plants to grow so we have food to eat. The livestock that we use as our food source also requires that plant growth. You know that grass-fed angus beef needed that plant growth. Life and death you know the circle of life. I mean there's so many other examples in belief systems, but in this particular case the circle of life involves the birth of new beings and the light and their eventual passing into the darkness, you know, representing one version of the eternal cycle here in the now, from our birth, opening our eyes for the first time to seeing the light of the world, to when we take our final breath and our bodies return to the darkness. Oh, deep stuff y'all.
Speaker 1:
So the modern world embodies a balance between the innovation technology, light, and then the preservation of a natural ecosystem, in some cases in the darkness. So in this instance, just one. Anyways, I want to talk about what happens when that balance is upset. There's a problem in our world today. It's called light pollution and it's the brightening of the night sky caused by street lamps and other manmade sources that have disrupted the effect on natural cycles. Nighttime lighting. It disrupts wildlife again.
Speaker 1:
Nocturnal species that have adapted, for some, are dependent on dark environments. They're particularly affected by light pollution. These species, they've evolved evolutionary speaking, with enhanced senses and smell, eyesight, hearing and echolocation. These adaptations to dark environments are vital for their ecology, migration behavior and downright survival. A couple examples evading day, active predators and reduced competition for resources are just a couple examples of many benefits to those species.
Speaker 1:
And in our world, you upset the balance on one thing. Well, you do the math. The flicker of a candle's flame to the light from a cell phone in the darkness demonstrates the harmony of light and darkness in a simple, everyday way. From that light we are given the ability to see. From seeing we are given understanding and knowledge. The old expression paying that bill to keep the lights on it's super relevant in this case. If we don't have lights, we can't run a grocery store, drive in a dark highway, see that blind date you spend all that time talking to and then you finally meet. Well, without new lights, who knows? You know what else, though, and sometimes it takes extinguishing brighter light to illuminate what is hidden in the darkness, or a lesser light, if you will Like, that glow stick or glow in the dark t-shirt, for instance, in our minds. From the noise of this world, we close our eyes in order to meditate in a dark place. It is there that we can find peace, seek God in the darkness with no distractions. For those of you who do so, man, this is deep stuff. I gave this a lot of thought. Y'all.
Speaker 1:
Emotions like joy and sorrow, representing light and darkness respectively, are integral to the human experience. They're forming a constant, ever-progressing equilibrium. Joy and sorrow can be thought of as an emotional experience. They're intertwines and with that constant equilibrium between light and darkness. And in our life, joy is often associated with light, happiness, you know, and positive experiences. It represents moments of brightness and positivity in our lives. It can be seen as light breaking through the darkness, providing a sense of hope and happiness.
Speaker 1:
Sorrow, on the other hand, you know, is often linked to darkness, you know, sadness and challenging times. It represents the difficult, you know, and trying moments in life. Sorrow can be seen as the moments when the light diminishes, you know, when we experience the darkness, the pain and loss. So the equilibrium between these emotions, you know it, reflects the ebb and flow of life. Excuse me, joy and sorrow are interconnected and often follow each other. Sorrow can make us appreciate joy more when it comes and joy can help us cope with sorrow. This constant balance between the two is what makes life meaningful, you know, and it helps us grow emotionally and spiritually. So, in essence, you know the interplay between joy and sorrow. It mirrors the eternal dance between light and darkness in our lives. It creates this profound tapestry of human experience.
Speaker 1:
So the art world is a great example. I mean a great example y'all. I actually talked to a regular last week who told me about this. You know. They're like, oh, you're going to use it in your podcast. I'm like, yep, I sure am, because this really pertains to what I'm talking about this week.
Speaker 1:
So anyways, going off in a tangent, in visual art, you know, the interplay between light and shadow is essential, you know, emphasizing how both elements create depth, you know, and creates beauty. So the term in this case it's I practice this one, I say it's Italian chariot scuro, and this is an Italian term which literally means light, dark. You know, in paintings, the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modeling of the subjects, you know, depicted. For you enthusiasts gotta give credit where credit is due. You know, artists who were famed for the use of chariot scuro, you know, include Leonardo da Vinci, you know, and Caravaggio, that one, it's so much easier to say. Leonardo employed it to give a vivid impression of the three dimensionality of his figures, while Caravaggio used such contrasts, you know, for the sake of drama. But yeah, both artists, you know, were also aware of the emotional impact, you know, of these effects. Super cool stuff, you know.
Speaker 1:
I went and actually looked at a bunch of this artwork and it is indeed exactly as it is great examples of light and darkness in this case, and examples they are in, so I was so excited to present this to you. Anyways, you know, these examples, all this stuff, it illustrates how the balance between light and darkness, you know it's intricately woven into the fabric of our daily lives and the natural world. All this shows, you know, at least from my perspective, that while the formation of light was good, you know, so is the formless void of darkness. If we didn't have it, our existence would most likely never have been. Without that balance we wouldn't have the world or the universe that we live in today, and I know it's a bold statement. I understand that.
Speaker 1:
You know there are so many other examples, you know, but there's too many to name, you know, for this one podcast episode, so I'm just addressing, I'm only addressing, you know, the sheer awe, the reverence and, honestly, it's amazing, I can't even fathom it. You know, at the thought, the love, you know and care that the creator of the universe put into our creation. So, as final notes, you know, of our discussions, you know, on the balance of necessity between light and darkness, fade away. You know we're left with a profound realization. You know, just as the stars illuminate the night sky. Our lives are enriched by the interplay of contrast. You know, in this delicate dance between illumination and obscurity we find the beauty of existence. You know, remember everybody. You know it's in the shadows that our inner strengths are forged and often in the light that we find our way forward.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, but anyway, as in closing, if you'd like my podcast, please, please, feel free to tell at least three people about my podcast If you think they'll get something out of it. You know this was a really good one. You know I really enjoyed this and I really hope you'll like it. But, yeah, this will help me continue to get my message out there to more people. If you wanna support the show, you know you can visit my website. Leave me a tip on the tip jar, but unless you went into the drink, as always, thank you for stopping in, like really all thank you. Here's your check your regular podcast hours. There's always every Sunday night at 7 pm, till you come back and see me then. Have a great night.