Lesson 12: The Light of the Sun

 A Healthy Lifestyle for Your and Your Family

Lesson 12: The Light of the Sun

1. Who is the source of all light? 1 John 1:5

2. What did God give us for light? Jeremiah 31:35

3. What did God set in the firmament to divide the light from the darkness? Genesis 1:16-18

4. To whom did God give the host of heaven? Deuteronomy 4:19

The same verse declares that mankind is not to worship the sun, moon, stars, or any other heavenly object. To do so is to break the first commandment. God declares what He will do to those who worship the sun. “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them” Ezekiel 8:18.

5. What thing is pleasant? Ecclesiastes 11:7

We know that we cannot look directly at the sun without damaging our eyes, but we do see its effects. The light of the sun is sweet, for it brings us so many benefits. Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis (photo means light) in plants and for Vitamin D production in humans. The sun is necessary for growth of plants, animals, and humans. Without the sun, life would cease.

Vitamin D is essential for proper bone growth in children. Without it they will develop rickets which causes the long bones to bend and large nodules to form on the ends of the bones. A deficiency in adults causes loss of strength and vitality. It is necessary for the proper metabolism of calcium. Vitamin D can be artificially produced by irradiating milk and eggs with ultraviolet rays. This form of Vitamin D, however, is much inferior to that which is produced in the body by the sun.  Because it is a fat soluble vitamin, there is always the possibility of an overdose if too many fortified foods are used. You can get all the vitamin D you need for one day by taking a 15 minutes walk in the sun with the light hitting only your face, even in New England in the middle of winter.

6. What did God divide? Genesis 1:4, 5

7. What did Jesus say is the light of the body? Luke 11:34

It is through the eyes that light enters the body and is sent along the energetic path of the optic nerve to the brain.

8. When darkness comes, what do people do? Job 17:12

People artificially illuminate the darkness. Light and dark are both necessary for the formation of good health. When light enters the eyes it is directed to the pineal gland deep in the brain. All the work of this important little gland is regulated by light. The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. This hormone is very important to the circadian (sleep) cycle. It alters brain waves, influences sexual functioning, and sleepiness. But melatonin is produced only during darkness. The pineal gland becomes most active in the dark. Rats kept under constant light matured earlier sexually due to low melatonin levels. Melatonin levels peak in the body from 1 to 3 AM and are lowest about 2 PM. 

Cortisol, an adrenal gland hormone, rises and falls with the melatonin cycle. High levels of cortisol are associated with hyperglycemia, a symptom of diabetes. High levels are also associated with decreased antibody production which leads to a weakened immune system. People who get more sunlight have fewer colds and infections.

Artificial light does not take the place of sunlight. People who work indoors away from natural light either outside or from a window will be more prone to suffer from the symptoms of a faulty biological cycle. They may experience more colds, flu, and other illnesses, like insomnia and depression.

9. What has God promised concerning the sun’s light? Genesis 8:22

The sun is not going to burn out or go nova or explode while the earth remains.

10. As the sun rises during the day, what does it do? Exodus 16:21

11. Where did the Lord find Abraham during the heat of the day? Genesis 18:1

12. What can happen as a result of too much sun? 

A. Jonah 4:8

B. James 1:11

C. Song of Solomon 1:6

D. Exodus 16:21

Tender plants must be shaded during the heat of the day.  Without a deep root system, they cannot obtain enough water to protect them from the hottest part of the day.

Protection from a hot sun is necessary to prevent heat stroke and skin cancer in people. Heat stroke and prostration are often precipitated by dehydration. People don’t drink enough water on hot days. You cannot wait until you feel thirsty to drink. If you are working outside, make it a point to drink at least a glass of water or sport beverage every hour. 

Use sun screen plus hats and clothing to protect the skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. A suntan is not healthy. A tan is caused by the pigment in the skin reacting to the sun in an effort to protect itself. Sun exposure leads to skin cancers, particularly melanoma, a deadly cancer that spreads throughout the body if not caught early.

Sun glasses can help protect the eyes from ultrviolet radiation which can help lead to the development of cataracts, a condition in which the lenses of the eyes cloud. They also protect the delicate skin around the eyes where sunscreen cannot be applied.

13. How did God protect Israel in the desert during their forty years of wandering? Nehemiah 9:12, Exodus 13:21.

“For the lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” Psalm 84:11.

14. What can sometimes cover the sun? Job 36:32

Clouds bring relief in the form of shade and rain.

15. What is brighter than the sun? Acts 26:13-15

16. What is another name for Jesus? Malachi 4:2

17. Name some things that the Bible describes as having or being light.

A. Proverbs 4:18

B. Psalm 119:105

C. Proverbs 6:23

D. Micah 7:8

E. Matthew 14-16

F. Luke 11:34

G. Romans 13:12

H. 1 John 1:5

18. What have the people that walked in darkness seen? Isaiah 9:2

19. What was that great light? John 8:12

Have you ever had the experience of being in a cave and all the lights were turned off? A cave is the only place on earth, except perhaps for the deepest parts of the ocean, where total darkness can be experienced. There is not even a hint of light. Nothing at all is visible. The darkness is so thick, it can be felt. You lose all sense of direction. You can’t tell up from down or left from right. You dare not move. All you can do is sit and wait for the light to come on. To move around is to take the chance that you might injure or even kill yourself in a fall. Such is the darkness of sin. These lessons that you are studying contain light from God’s word about how to have a healthy, joyful life. Are you following the light?

When we find the light; when it shines on us, we are to follow it wherever it leads us. The True Light will never lead us into darkness.

20. What has God promised if we walk in the light? 1 John 1:7

21. Does man have light in himself? John 11:10

22. How can you know if you are in the light? 1 John 2:9, 10

Next Lesson: Fresh Air and Exercise