GENESIS 1:18
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. [Genesis 1:18 NKJV]
to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. [Genesis 1:18 BSB]
Bible Teacher:
By this Bible verse above, a day maybe defined as a segment of space and time below or under the sun, and a night maybe defined as a segment of space and time below or under the moon and stars. When you come under any day or night, you have also come under the rulership or a government of these Luminaries over that day or night, since God made the Sun to rule over the day, and the Moon and Stars to rule over the night. To rule over the day and over the night also means both the day and the night are brought under those rulers. There's no day above or over the sun that rules the day; rather by this Bible verse above, a "Day" means "Under the Sun," and a "Night" means under the Moon and Stars. Are you over or above your king or you are under your king? Should there a day above or over the Sun who rules the day?
In ruling over the day and over the night, these lights shall be dividing or separating the light from the darkness. God empowered them with the wisdom they would need to be able to separate the light from the darkness, and the wisdom to rule over day and night times. God is the LORD of Light and Wisdom.
The God who gave those Lights dominion to rule and divide the day and night that had been before them, is the same God who gave mankind dominion to rule and subdue the earth and seas with all their creatures that had been before them.
God made those Lights "Rulers and Dividers" of day and night, and God saw it was good and was pleased with what He saw. It is both good and pleasant in the Sight of God for both the day and the night to be ruled and divided by the Lights God ordained, instead of the day and the night being unruly or unruled.
Commentaries:
Remember, it was basically a good thing God did by setting those Lights up and empowering them to both rule and divide the day and night, or by empowering mankind to replenish, subdue and dominate the earth and seas. He did not leave it that way because it was great or small in His Eyes, but left it that way because it was good and pleasant in His Eyes. Being good and pleasant, those rulers could be trusted by God to care for those things they were empowered to rule without abusing their powers or oppressing their subjects. It was for God's Goodness and Mercy, as it is written:
[Psalms 136:7-9 MKJV] — "To Him who made great lights; for His mercy endures forever. The sun to rule by day; for His mercy endures forever. The moon and stars to rule by night; for His mercy endures forever."
Even so, your kingdom or rulership shall either be established or abolished, sustained or discontinued, according to how Good, Mercy and Pleasant, it is in the Eyes of God.
Bible Teacher:
Great Lights were made rulers over days and nights, not because it's a great thing to do but, because it's a good thing to do. Goodness is better than Greatness in the Sight of God: some men are Great, but no man is truly Good compared to God in goodness. You don't have to be great when you are little, but you have to always be good in the sight of God whether you are great or you are little. Be good, be merciful, and keep it good in God's Sight.
Commentaries:
God did not make those lights great rulers because it was great; rather He made those lights great because it was good.
Great lights were made and ordained to rule over day and night, and to divide between light and darkness, not because it was great thing to do but because it was good thing to do in God's sight.
It was not just "great works" God was doing, but "good works." "Greatness" must be subject to "goodness" for the greatness
to be sustained; and "position" must be subject to "purpose" for the position to be justified in God's sight.
Those who are "great" but in evil, have a greatness that shall be cast down and destroyed; for it is not good to leave such ones so great or to allow them keep rule forever. God used greatness to serve God's goodness: For God being good is for He is everlasting Mercy. Without God's Mercy enduring forever, God would not be forever Good. Therefore it is written,
[Psalms 136:1] - "0 give thanks to the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endures forever."
He did not say, "No man is great;' rather I said, "No man is good except God in heaven" (Luke 18:19). Many are doing "great works" instead of doing "good works," for which God called them. You will know good works, for good works will bring or keep all things into the enduring mercy of God forever.