Before the before.
Is it just assumed? Do you know? Do you care? Does it matter? Did it matter then? Does it now? Why?
These questions are things that we should be asking ourselves and actually others around us that have not considered it relevant or even if there was a before to be considered.
The relevance to this groundwork is key to knowing the whole story. The key begins in Genesis 1.3-4. So we can be on the same thought, let us read it together.
1.3 and God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Now, at first reading, we may not have noticed something or even thought about it until someone points it out. But we need to notice that if God created light and it was good, there had to have been something in contrast to say this or to acknowledge it. So the contrast to this is darkness and evil.
Now, this subtext may not be important now, in the story, but we may see it pop up later in the underlining of the narration.
Because we see the foundation being laid down in front of our eyes in Gen.1-3 literally and figuratively of God’s World, we can feel the intent in his direction.
This darkness and evil undertone you will forever ‘see’ throughout the bible old and new covenant.(I prefer to use ‘covenant’ to ‘testament’ because it was what was first used, and also how it is referenced in the old and new ‘testament’.)
So if we see this reference in the very beginning of the narrative, then it must be for a reason. We must be on the look out for it then! We now have our basis to start with in this storyline: darkness/light, evil/good.
Amazingly just off of this one little(huge) subtext, there is two more off of this one!!
(This is why I love studying the bible, so many nuances, tidbits and exciting things to see and understand) The first one is, did you notice in which order that these subtexts were introduced? Yes, it is the same in both examples, the darkness/evil were first in line of knowing in the story. We have to ask ourselves why would this be? God was in control at all times, wasn’t he? Why was there this ‘chaos’ of darkness and evil in his world? ( this will be for further study later on, goes even deeper)
The second thing that you might not of caught in this arrangement of firsts and second mentions, is that there will be a major revelation on this 1 and 2 arrangement in the first covenant and second covenant.
So if you know your narrative of the word you will see the importance of this ‘Paradigm'(my favorite word, just so you know).
If you are confused by some of the things we have gone over, relook at some of these passages, and see if you can see where I am coming from, and God is setting up his narrative of his story. Enjoy!
The Eternal Purpose 