Contradiction with Genesis 1:1
It contradicts Genesis 1:16's implication of creation order by beginning with "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," suggesting the creation event rather than specifics like the creation of lights.
Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Contradiction with Genesis 1:3
It introduces light before the creation of the sun, moon, and stars mentioned in Genesis 1:16, which creates a contradiction in terms of the sequence of creating light sources.
Genesis 1:3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Contradiction with Genesis 1:17
It places the lights in the firmament, creating a potential contradiction with the general view of the universe as an expanse rather than a solid structure.
Genesis 1:17: And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
Contradiction with Genesis 1:4
It suggests light is distinct from the lights created in Genesis 1:16 by referring to light as a separate entity that God saw was good.
Genesis 1:4: And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness. [the light from...: Heb. between the light and between the darkness]
Contradiction with Genesis 1:5
This verse claims that God called the darkness "Night," but Genesis 1:16 assigns the moon, a light, to govern the night, creating a discrepancy in terms of the role of light in darkness.
Genesis 1:5: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. [And the evening...: Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was etc.]
Paradox #1
Genesis 1:16 mentions God creating two great lights: the greater light (the sun) to rule the day and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night. The theological inconsistency arises when considering that the moon does not emit its own light but reflects the sun's light, leading some to question the literal interpretation of this verse. Additionally, the reference to "two great lights" can be seen as inconsistent with modern astronomy, which identifies numerous celestial bodies and sources of light, thus raising questions about how this description fits with scientific understanding.
Paradox #2
Genesis 1:16 talks about God creating two great lights: the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. A potential doctrinal conflict arises when comparing it to Genesis 1:3, where light appears on the first day, but the sun and moon are not created until the fourth day. This could seem inconsistent to some readers, wondering how there was light before these celestial bodies were made.
Paradox #3
Some people point out a contradiction with the creation of light. Earlier verses describe light being created before the sun, which seems inconsistent with our understanding that the sun is the main source of light for Earth. This can lead to confusion about how there was light before the sun and moon were created.
Paradox #4
The contradiction in Genesis 1:16 is that it describes the creation of the sun, moon, and stars after the Earth. Scientifically, stars (including the sun) existed long before Earth formed.
Paradox #5
Genesis 1:16 could have a numerical inconsistency when compared with Genesis 1:3-5. The inconsistency arises because light and darkness were separated and called day and night on the first day, yet the sun and moon, which govern the day and night, are created on the fourth day. This may lead to questions about how there could be day and night before the creation of the sun and moon.