Wednesday: More Restoration
In the world that we know, predation is a common way of life among the animals.
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
The term “food chain” is a familiar reminder of the importance of predation in our ecology, and we have difficulty imagining a world without it. But in the beginning, all land creatures ate green plants (Gen. 1:30). No animals fed on other animals. Genesis 1:30 does not mention the food of the sea creatures, but the same principles would likely apply, so that God could review the entire Creation and declare it “very good.”
Read Genesis 6:11-13, 9:2-4. By the time of the Flood, what changes had occurred in nature? What further deterioration occurred in the relationship of humankind and beast after the Flood?
What had started as a peaceful kingdom had become filled with corruption, violence, and evil. These are the results of sin. The world that once was “very good” had become so bad that it called for its own destruction.
After the Flood, the animals became afraid of humans. This included the creatures of land, air, and sea. This is obviously in contrast to the previous situation. It appears that the dominion of humans over the animals was reduced at this time.
Read Isaiah 65:25, 11:6-9. How are the relationships among the creatures in our present world different from those promised by God in the future?
Through the beauty of this poetic language, Isaiah shows us that there will be no violence in the new world. Corruption and violence, those characteristics of the pre-flood world that called for their destruction, will both be absent from the new one. It will be a world of harmony and cooperation, a peaceable kingdom. We are so used to violence, predation, and death that it’s hard for us to imagine anything else.
As we can see, the gospel is so much about restoration. Though, of course, God alone can do the final restoration, what choices can we make that can help to bring about some needed restoration now?
(0)
Thank you Lord for the wonderful creation, but all have turned against each other! But with your unending love and mercy, you can still accept us.
You are always ready to receive us at every moment as we turn to you, thanks for the forgiveness!
this day I pray for humility to be part of our life,as we wait for second coming, forever and ever, amen!
Amen! Thank you for the thoughts, Richard. I also thank the Lord for His forgiveness, love and mercy. I thank Him for life and hope each new day. He can help me to walk humbly with Him.
I have seen our house cat go after a small wild rabbit, I heard its screams and went outside to rescue it. It was painful to see one of God's creatures so scared. It is even more difficult to see how humans terrorize each other and I long for a peaceful earth and wonder what can I do to add to a peaceful earth and I think I found the answer in Isiah "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." So by spreading the knowledge of God we spread peace. But I first need to acquire that knowledge. Makes me glad to be a primary teacher.
Indeed the present world can not be compared to the one we rae longing for.Thanks to the Grace of God for this wonderful promise of the a new world where predation will be a thing of the past-once more Eden blosoms on earth recreated.
However, I need some help. Will the new world to come have marriages? I ask because according to Isaiah 11:6-9 we are given a picture of children playing at snakes' dens without being harmed.Then if we read fron Mark 11:24-25, we find there Chirit answering a question posed to Him regarding a woman who was marriad to seven men.The quetionaires wanted to know whose wife she will be at resurrection. Christ answered, V25 "For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven"
Children comes as a result of marriage, where will these children come from in the new kingdom? Please help!
In heaven there is no marrying because when we will go to heaven we will be given new bodies with no feeling and lust of evil.
I look forward to finding the answer when I get there. Meanwhile I wait with longing for that day!
Isaiah 11 speaks of little children,How is That so, If the babies go to heaven for a thousand years , while eating from the tree of life, Will they remain as little children still?
Isaiah 11 is written in poetic language in an attempt to help us understand what the earth with Jesus as King will feel like. It will be a place where babies will be safe around creatures that are here considered dangerous.
The text does not say that babies will not grow up. 🙂
the gospel is given by Christ, it's a proposal to a women , I want to make you my bride and you become my wife, I will provide the wedding garments from head to toe ,I 'am make you like me in mind ( hate sin ) and love righteousness .I would provide a home for you out of this world ,never seen by you before. Where a child can play with a serpent
in other words I will restore you to a beauty that will be awesome, a new creation. o what a blessed assurance.
God created man and everything good I think if there were no sin we could be enjoying this beautiful environment. But through his we have been promised new heaven if we do his will
Somebody assist me in Isaiah 65:20 please.
I think the New World will be like this one now but cleansed of sin. Than we can have a lion but without big teeth and mind to sin.
If there is evolution that is only in matter of adjustments to sin. Like growing of teeth to adjust to violence and predation.
I just want to comment on the topic of creation again. We behold the image of God reflected as in a mirror in the work of nature and in his dealings with men but then we shall see him face to face without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in his presence
Isa 65:20 I think are part of texts that promises new life with David-Jesus reign on earth, if Jesus was not killed but live on earth like eternal king. Because Jesus was killed we put all hope in final restoration.
What a wonderful LORD that we are dealing with.Upon all our sins He still loves us and restored us in the blood of Jesus Christ.In Christ we are save and now we are not under the wings of satan.God help us to abide by your words
The hundred years of Isaiah 65:20 is the same as the little season for the resurrection of the wicked Revelation 20:3. I believe that there will be no change to the status of the lost , there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth of wicked, men, women and children.That is what hell will be like, should any one of us be lost.
Good morning! This is my very first posting. I am confused with the verses of Genesis 9:2-4 where it states that God has given permission to eat flesh. I thought the original diet was fruit and seeds. Did Noah and his family make this request after the flood and the Lord gave permission? I would appreciate clarification in this area. 🙂
Barbara, you are correct that the original diet was fruits, grains and nuts. After sin, outside the Garden of Eden, "herbs" or vegetables were added to the diet, because humans, in their fallen condition, needed the nutrients in these "herbs."
It is likely that in their wickedness, the pre-Flood people already killed animals and ate them without God's permission. However, after the Flood, God permitted the eating of animals that were "clean." (If Noah and his family had eaten any others, they would have become extinct, because there was only one pair of each animal in the ark, except for "clean" animals, of which there were seven pairs.)
We see that after the addition of flesh to the diet, the lifespan of humanity dramatically declined -- first from 900+ years to 300+ years, and then quickly to under 100 years.
To Renford: There will be NO marriage in heaven and according to the gospel of Mark, those who are saved / righteous will be in a form of an Angel. Angel's never marry or reproduce a child. And we knew that when Jesus c0me, those dead in Christ and the righteous will transform to immortality. Here is the support statement from Ellen White's first vision in her book the Early Writing with regards to the little children,
"As we were traveling along, we met a company who also were gazing at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border on their garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white. As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were. He said they were martyrs that had been slain for Him. With them was an innumerable company of little ones; they also had a hem of red on their garments (means they were slain too.). Mount Zion was just before us, and on the mount was a glorious temple, and about it were seven other mountains, on which grew roses and lilies. And I saw the little ones climb, or, if the chose, use their little WINGS and FLY, to the top of the mountains and pluck the never-fading flowers."
May we all be there and let us start to live right here on earth as it is the place of preparation for heaven. It is the Lord's desire that we shall grow in grace and kn0wledge of Christ, that our love shall abound m0re and m0re, that we all shall be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God. Let us strengthen one an0ther and help to build each other up. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. He longs to see His children reveal a character after His similitude. That's why our Saviour came to restore the lovely image of God in us and to have our relation back to the Father. Let us ask and receive the gift of His righteousness. In Jesus name. Amen.
“The diet appointed man in the beginning did not include animal food. Not till after the Flood, when every green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did man receive permission to eat flesh.” (Ministry of Healing, p. 311) but to be only for a short time till vegetation grew again