The Sun and Moon Types
These verses show that the sun and the moon were created to give light to the earth, to divide the light from the darkness, and to provide signs, seasons and measurements for time.
They have additional significance when you study the sun and moon types. Below is a slide presentation that helped when we were introducing the types to the congregation.
The sun is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Jesus is called the “Sun of Righteousness” in Mal 4:2.
- Jesus Christ’s countenance looks like the sun shining, Rev 1:16.
- The sun sets red, picturing Calvary, where Christ shed his blood.
- The sun rises red, picturing the blood that soaks the Lord’s garments at the Second Advent, Rev 19:13; Is 63:2,3; Rev 14:20.
- Jesus Christ is the light of the world, Jn 9:5.
- The Second Advent is called “day” (Mal 4:1). The sun rules the day, like Christ will rule in the “day” when he returns (Rev 19:15,16). [The church age is “night” in the Bible (1 Thes 5:2) so the Lord’s return is like sunrise]
- The sun is like a “bridegroom” in Ps 19:4,5. And John called Jesus the bridegroom in Jn 3:29.
The moon is a type of the church.
- The moon is like a bride (Song 6:4,10), typifying the church, the bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:1-4; Rev 21:2; 22:17).
- The moon reflects the light of the sun (Matt 5:14) and is incapable of producing its own light (Job 25:5; Jn 15: 5).
- The moon rules the night (1 Thes 5:1-5).
- The moon follows the path of the sun (Jn 21:22).
- The moon can eclipse the sun, picturing the church obscuring the light of Jesus, and the earth can eclipse the moon, picturing the world getting between the church and the Lord.
After considering the sun and moon types, we find these lessons to be true.
Since we are the bride of Christ, we must remain a chaste virgin for the Lord. Stay clean and pure from sin. When the Lord points out sin in your life, deal with it to stay clean. Saints who are looking for the Lord’s return purify themselves, 1 Jn 3:1-3.
Like the moon, we reflect the light of Jesus Christ. Eph 5:14 says “Christ shall give you light”. It comes from him, not us. And we are to walk as children of light, Eph 5:8.
As the moon follows the path of the sun, we must follow the Lord. Daily we should serve him and do his will. As we follow him, he makes his plan and path for us plain.
As in a solar eclipse, we don’t want to get between Jesus and the people his light is trying to reach. Absalom put himself between the people who were coming to the king and David the king. Often the church puts itself between Jesus and the people, so that the people miss Jesus, altogether.
As in a lunar eclipse, we don’t want the world to get between us and the Lord. Instead, like in a full moon, we want Jesus’s light to shine fully in our lives.