“If Only things were better”
No one wishes they could be poor and miserable. Within every person there is a desire for something better, and so many people live in the “If only Zone” of life. “If only I had more money, If only I lived on that street, If only I had a job, If only I didn’t have a job, If only I had a boy/girl friend. Had/didn’t have wife, Life would be better.
Ecclesiastes 2 shows that man will never satisfied without God.
Longing for Eden
Desire/Longing for better/more is spiritual, God made us from & for an earth that is far better than the earth we now live on. God made a perfect earth for us to dwell in so it is inevitable people desire things to be better. When people are desiring things to be better they are “Longing For Eden” for God’s original perfect sin free world.
In God’s Perfect creation the air was free of pollution, global warming didn’t exist, animals had no potential of extinction, the human body & human relations were faultless, relationship with God was perfect. It was an earth we have never experienced but soon will when God restores all things.
Lost because of Sin
Adam and Eve brought Sin into this perfect creation. Sin is rejection of God’s Word, Will and Ways. Sin sets us outside of God’s Plan, Protection and eternal Perfection. Genesis 3
In an effort to satisfy their Longing for Eden, people have turned to; satisfying themselves, serving others or saving the planet. "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15) It is good to serve others and it is commanded in scripture to care for the planet however, as many do today, it is never good to exclude God. Not a week goes by without the Media reporting bad news about environmental issues, we are constantly challenged to save energy and reduce our carbon foot print; this is an effort to restore Eden. Environmental efforts will not save the planet or fill the hole in the ozone; it will grow old and wear out like a garment (see Isaiah 51:6).
Removing the Curse
Consequence of Satan / Sin and Adams fall was a Curse came upon the earth, Gen 3:17 "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Where the first Adam failed, the Second Adam who is Jesus has succeeded 1Cor 15:20-28. The first Adam was defeated and fell into Sin and thus the Curse and its consequences continue upon the earth, however, the second Adam, Jesus, was victorious and is in the process of reversing the damage of Sin. (see Col 2:15, Heb 2:14. 1Jh 3:8, Matt 16:18)
Jesus work on the cross meant he became a curse to free us from the curse.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13
The final reversal will of course be the removing of the Curse upon the earth, Rev 22:3.
Renew & Restore
However, despite the pessimistic predictions of environmentalist, God has promised to Renew and Restore this earth (see Acts 3:21, Matt 19:27-28). We must never forget; The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” Ps 24:1 “Psalm 89:11; 1 Corinthians 10:26 God began a good work with His earth and God is not going to abandon or destroy His handy work because of Sin and Satan’s damage, he says “He will renew all things.” This will be the restoring of the earth to God’s New Earth that will be full of His glory. (See Isa 65:17, Isa 66:22, 2Pet 3:13 Rev 21:1)
The New Earth will therefore be the old Earth Restored just as passing away for a believer does not mean forever destruction they will be raised to life again with the body God originally intended them to have. See Acts 3:21 note restore does not mean start over again with new stuff.
A few more things to think about.
Have you ever been homesick? What did it feel like? Because of our connection to Adam and Eve, can you see how we could be homesick for Eden? How might that make us long for a New Earth?
Comparing Genesis 2-3 with Revelation 20-21, cite at least two examples of the perfect symmetry of God’s plan.
How does God’s plan for resurrection and a New Earth demonstrate that “matter matters”?
When Revelation speaks of the old Earth passing away (21:1), does it mean that the earth will be utterly annihilated, and will cease to exist? Explain.
Why is it significant that the world to come is called not a non-earth, but a New Earth?
Revelation 22:3 tells us there will no longer be any curse. Imagine what life will be like when the Curse is lifted! What will change? What will remain the same?
What is Christ’s role as the “second Adam”? How will he fulfil his role as the second Adam as he occupies the throne in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth?
In addition to rescuing human souls from ultimate destruction, for what other reason did Jesus come to Earth?
You Can listen to this message at www.preaching.co.nr
Thanks to Rany Alcorn for his book on Heaven
