Sun

The sun (Hebrew: shemesh) is first presented in Scripture as a created luminary appointed by God to govern the day and to mark seasons, days, and years (Gen. 1:14–18) — a deliberate contrast with surrounding cultures where the sun was a major deity. Israel was explicitly forbidden to worship the sun as the nations did (Deut. 4:19; 17:3), though sun-worship repeatedly tempted Israel and was condemned by the prophets (Ezek. 8:16). The sun's sovereignty over the day reflects God's ordering of creation for human flourishing.

The sun serves as a powerful image in biblical poetry and prophecy: the Lord is "a sun and shield" (Ps. 84:11); his face shines like the sun in its strength (Rev. 1:16); and the messianic hope speaks of an age when "the sun shall no longer be your light by day" because God himself will be the eternal light (Isa. 60:19–20; Rev. 21:23). Joshua's command for the sun to stand still at Gibeon (Josh. 10:12–13) and Hezekiah's sign of the retreating shadow (2 Kings 20:11) represent God's sovereign authority over his own creation.