Sermon Central
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Welfare Of Ecosystem Series
Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on May 20, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Romans 8:18-25 discusses the place of suffering in the lives of God's people. A parallel experience shared between creation and the children of God. Three principles for peaceful coexistence with God’s creation in the post-COVID-19 era.
Theme: Welfare of Ecosystem
Text: Romans 8:18-22
Introduction:
Romans 8:18-25 discusses the place of suffering in the lives of God's people. A parallel experience shared between creation and the children of God. All created beings animate and inanimate are waiting for the revelation of God (Romans 8: 18-19), They are subjected to suffer much by the sin of man are introduced by a rhetorical figure, as waiting for deliverance and restoration to their Paradisiacal estate(Romans 8: 20-21), so till date, they are groaning (Romans 8:22).
Dear friends, today the earth is full of viruses of all kinds. The microscopic nano micro-organisms are threatening the very existence of the human race. They are unfriendly too. COVID-19 has become a deadly disease. Earlier we were afraid of safe return to home because of the speedy vehicles and friction of natural laws, I mean accidents, but today, we are uncertain of one more thing, i.e., healthy return to home.
The fear has entrapped humanity. Fear of touching one another, fear of sitting in any place. COVID-19 made all of us are untouchables within homes and offices. Therefore the whole ‘Creation waits with eager for the revelation of the sons of God to be revealed. So Paul writes ‘the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time’ (Romans 8:22).
I would like to bring out in this passage three principles for peaceful coexistence with God’s creation in the post-COVID-19 era concerning some important Bible verses:
1. Till the Earth
2. Fill the Earth
3. Still the Earth
God has commanded the first family in Garden of Eden to ‘Till the earth’, then he commanded the first family after the flood ‘to Fill the earth’, Finally the Bride of Christ, the Church after the resurrection was commanded ‘to Still the earth’.
1. TILL THE EARTH – Genesis 2:15-20
God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Earth: The word ‘Earth’ means the nature, the ground, the soil, all organic and inorganic materials, all living and non-living elements on the globe. Earth is the only astronomical object to harbour life. its spherical form conjuncts with other planets. Bible refers to Earth plainly to the inhabited globe. From the beginning of creation, Earth is an active partner with humanity. God created Adam from Adamah. Adam means ‘human being’. Adamah means ‘ground or earth’ (Genesis 2:7). The wordplay by the author of Genesis also implies the connectivity between the Human Race and other beings on the earth. God created Adam and placed him in the garden of Eden and gave him responsibility “to Till the Land.”
The word ‘la’avod’ in Genesis 2:15 is translated by many scholars with different English words, such as, “to Dress it and Keep it”(KJV), ‘to cultivate and keep it”( Amplified Bible), “to work it and watch over it”(Complete SB), ‘ to cultivate and care for it’ (Complete Jewish Bible), ‘to take care of it and to look after it’ (Contemporary English Version), ‘to till it and look after it’ (Expanded Bible & Orthodox Jewish Bible), ‘to work the soil and to take care of the garden’(Easy to Read Version), ‘to cultivate it and guard it’(Good News Bible). The names of God Bible puts the verse as ‘Then Yahweh Elohim took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to farm the land and to take care of it’. All of them bring very clearly one understanding is that God gave the Earth to Human race to TILL it and keep it safe.
The creation was handed over to human beings to take care of it. The responsibility was laid upon human beings to handle it carefully, to give an account of it to God. We are not owners of the creation but only workers and labourers. Also Co-governors of entire creation with God. The command is to keep them under control and not to misuse them (Genesis 1:26-27). The Hebrew word ‘Kabash’ was translated as ‘subdue’ and ‘rada’ was translated as ‘dominion’. The ruling does not give the power to destroy but to maintain harmony and prosperity.
Subdue and dominion are to be understood in terms of caring and nurturing and not exploiting. It is like a shepherd who cares for, tends of and feeds on the sheep, upholding the principles of law and justice and promoting the peace and prosperity for all subjects. They were allowed to enjoy but not to destroy. We are uniquely accountable and answerable to God. Whereas today, man has tilled the land to the extent of killing the earth by deforestation, environmental ruins, endangering of various species of organisms and displacement of entire creation (Bhushanam, Earth Bible Sermons).
All creatures have intrinsic value and worth. Every creature is important whether it is small or big, whether it is significant or insignificant for us. I come from a farmer family, I am very familiar with farming. Let me explain the intrinsic value of Snakes. Snakes are friends of farmers like frogs, and earthworms, etc., But, whenever young people saw the snakes they used to kill them out of fear. In the eco-system snakes play a very vital role. Snakes eat rats and Frogs, frogs eat mosquitos. Then we live a disease-free life. A simple misunderstanding leads to extinction of one specie from the earth.