1:14-15 - And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.
[T]
The author takes us into Day Four of God's putting His creation together. The establishment of the heavenly bodies at this point in the narrative, after three days of attention to events on earth, is puzzling. One would have thought that once the light of Day One has been commanded into existence, the heavenly bodies would follow naturally. Framed as it is, the establishment of the heavenly bodies to serve as lights to govern the days and the seasons on Day Four balances the creation of light and the appointment of day and night of Day One (as we have seen in our consideration of How 1:2-31 is Put Together).
If the creation of light on Day One made discernment possible, the establishment of "signs and seasons, days and years" now opens the door to the idea of "the future" and "the past," and, therefore, of making meaningful decision and acting on them, and of becoming wise. Without thoughts of a future we are left only with meaningless actions with no consequences, doing what little boys do when they smash their toys not understanding that they would have no toys left to play with afterwards. Without remembrances of the past we are left doomed to keep repeating our mistakes, never becoming mature, never learning. Without thoughts of the past and the future, we would never, therefore, develop any sense of guilt and accountability, of growth and true self-satisfaction.
You may wish to read the following commentaries-expositions:
Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, 2016