Paul declares even the Earth is in Suffering
Romans
8:19-22 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the
revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not
willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the
creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation
groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. NKJV
Paul has testified to us from his own personal
experience and to that of other saints that we will suffer here in our bodies
for our faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ and now he declares to us that
because of Adam’s sin and rebellion in the Garden of Eden even the earth itself
suffers. Adam’s disobedience thrust even the planet into internal turmoil that
it was not originally designed to bring forth. God the Father cursed the ground
of the earth when Adam sinned (Genesis
3:17). Now the inanimate earth yearns for the true sons and daughters of
God to be made visible so it too can be recreated. God the Father has made this
earth’s ability to remain stable and beneficial to the animal population and to
the human population short-lived because of Adam’s sin. Sin is not only the
ruin of man but when sin entered into the world death entered and that death is
not only relegated to human beings but to the animals and the creation itself
(the earth). The violent and vicious killing that takes place day after day and
year after year on the plains of Africa and in the jungles in South America as
the carnivorous animals kill the plant eating animals for food was not the way
it was in the Garden of Eden and it only came to be as it is because of Adam’s
sin.
The climate change and global warming that has
become the hot button problems that man needs to find some sort of solution for
are among many other physical changes being experienced in our earth is all due
to the destruction brought in by sin. Unregenerate man puts the cause of these
changes and the depletion of the earth’s natural resources on the growing human
population according to an article by David Morgan May 15, 2012, here is what a
portion of his report disclosed, “The Earth’s population is depleting our
planet’s natural resources at a rate faster than what is needed for those
resources to be replenished, putting increased pressure on biodiversity and the
health of ecosystems, according to a new report by the World Wildlife Fund.” However,
the Apostle Paul says that the earth or creation was made subject to vanity or
futility and these English words come from the Greek word mataiotes which means frailty; a want of vigour, energy, or
dynamism; inutility or quality of having no practical use, uselessness, transientness
or short-lived. In other words Paul is telling us that God the Father made this
earth frail and only short-lived and practically useless to sustain life
successfully for a long period of time all because of Adam’s sin and rebellion
in the Garden of Eden. This earth cannot be allowed to go on in its present
state or condition just as man will not be allowed to live in sin continually before
God the Father without penalty.
The Apostle Peter affirms this by what he wrote as
God the Holy Spirit inspired him, 2
Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which
the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. NKJV
This earth in its present condition suffers internally from the fall of man
and this is why Paul uses the Greek word mataiotes
to speak of its short-lived condition. Our Lord Jesus told us that earth quakes
and other natural disasters would be constant and would increase in number and
intensity shortly before His Second Coming (Matthew 24:7). The earth is not as the above article suggests being
depleted of its resources because of the population of humanity, but on the
contrary it is because it is decaying internally due to sin bringing death into
the earth. When Adam was in the Garden of Eden walking in obedience to God the
Father there was no death in the earth and therefore, none of the animals or
plant life would have ever died because in the midst of the Garden of Eden was
the Tree of Life and as long as Adam walked in obedience all human, animal, and
plant life, as well as the earth’s condition was continually sustained by God
the Father (Genesis 2:9).
This earth will be recreated when all of us who have
been regenerated and born again are all made visible when our Lord Jesus
returns to earth with us at His Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 3:13 & 2 Peter 3:12-13 & Jude 1:14-15). The
new heavens and new earth are also spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ when He
said to the Apostles, Matthew 19:28 So
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the
Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also
sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” NKJV Our Lord
Jesus is speaking of the time after His Second Coming when all the kingdoms of
this world will be under His Lordship and there will be no longer a cursed
earth, but that glorious new heavens and earth spoken of by the Apostle Peter in
2 Peter 3:13 (Revelation 11:15). The earth internally is pregnant with judgment
and ready to give way and give birth to the wrath of God that our Lord Jesus
would then fulfill Matthew 19:28 as
He stated above. (see the article entitled “Pregnant with Judgment (Trust Christ to Escape)”, http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=83958
).
Psalms
96:10-13 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly
established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.” Let
the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its
fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the
trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is
coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the
peoples with His truth. NKJV
Revelation
21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first
earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. NKJV
“There is an impurity, deformity, and infirmity,
which the creature has contracted by the fall of man: the creation is sullied
and stained, much of the beauty of the world gone.” Matthew Henry
“If you ever think that one sin is not so much, then
step back and observe what the first sin did to the entire earth (Genesis 1:31) giving us earthquakes,
fires, floods, and volcanic eruptions just to name a few things (Romans 8:22).” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
“We believe that to Christ belongs creative power--that
“without Him was not anything made which was made.” We believe that from Him
came all life at first. In Him life was as in its deep source. He is the
fountain of life. We believe that as no being comes into existence without His
creative power, so none continues to exist without His sustaining energy. We
believe that the history of the world is but the history of His influence, and
that the centre of the whole universe is the cross of Cavalry.” Alexander
MacLaren
If you do not
know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus,
I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You
shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving
that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask
You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want
You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...Sincerely in Christ,
Author
of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and
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Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s
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