According to science, the speed at which light travels is 186,282 miles per second. According to Scripture, the speed at which God’s spiritual light—His authoritative word—travels is comparable: “He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly” (Psalm 147:15).
The swiftness of God’s word is readily seen in Genesis’ first chapter. Here, God said:
- “Let there be light”, and there was light (v. 3).
- “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters”, and it was so (vv.6-7).
- “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place, and let dry land appear”, and it was so (v. 9).
- “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”, and it was so (v. 11).
- “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”, and it was so (vv. 14-15).
- “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens”, and it was so (vv. 20-21).
- “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”, and it was so (v. 24).
- “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth”, and it was so (vv. 26-27).
Because of the incredible swiftness of God’s powerful word, “in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11).
Our challenge is to imitate such speed by being swift to hear and obey God’s authoritative Word (James 1:19).
