Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4 As contrast between light and dark sharply defines an object’s visual shape, so God uses the same element to define the shape of the covenant line He has drawn at Eden. On one side of the line is the light of God’s righteousness, and on the other side is the darkness of human sinfulness. The stark contrast between them defines the shape of the growing battle line between the seed of the serpent and the Seed of the woman. In time, the wickedness on earth becomes so great that God judges the world with a mighty flood. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8), and God makes a covenant with him as a seed of the woman, perpetuating humanity through his family alone. Building on His covenant with Adam, with its decrees of fruitfulness and stewardship, God promises: to preserve the earth and all its vital cycles of life; to give man every living thing for food; and to demand the death penalty for murder, thereby saving humanity from self-destruction so God can continue His development of a more beautiful covenant form. The war of the seeds rages on, and the faithful line of Shem is now chosen by God to carry His covenant blessing toward its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory, that you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great? Job 38:19-21
The elements of design that we see in nature are revealed by the quality, quantity, and direction of light. This is especially apparent at sunrise and sunset, when the low angle of the sun puts the land into shadow while the sky remains light. The contrast in this situation is too great for the eye (or film) to resolve, and the resulting image is a silhouette of the earth’s horizon, which outlines its shape.
When I want to emphasize a subject’s shape, I frequently wait until sunrise or sunset to record the image. Low levels of light at the beginning and end of the day often limit visual information to light and shadow only, and the shapes of the earth’s landforms are highlighted as they are silhouetted against the sky. The striking similarity of shape in these geographically diverse subjects is emphasized by silhouette lighting. If more visual information were provided—revealing form, texture, and color—that emphasis would be greatly weakened.
O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions. Psalm 104:24