Creation, (continued from page 7)

Isaiah 55:8 uses the infinite distance between heaven and earth to illustrate the infinite distance between God and man when it says, “...as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” God wants us to think about the vast distance between heaven and earth. Our modern explorations that reach into the heavens have not refuted this scripture, but have instead reinforced it, making it even stronger. Now we know how limitless is space. Now realize that this is how far God and man are apart in their ways and thoughts.

Jesus used nature frequently in his parables: For instance, he said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed...” (Matt. 13:31). In verse 32 he stresses the smallness of the seed in particular, pointing out that the mustard seed “is less than all seeds.” Once that truth has been established in our minds, then we should think on the fact that the kingdom of God also starts out small, but soon grows, becoming great. Jesus continues, “but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof” (vs. 32). Let us not become so locked into our man-made environments that we miss the innumerable lessons of creation.

Creation Reveals The Plan of God

As beautiful as the earth is, it has a curse on it. According to Genesis 3:17-19, after Adam had sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit, God said, “...cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” If the earth is as magnificent as it is with a curse on it and after having been destroyed with a worldwide flood, then how wonderful it must have been before these!

Something is wrong with the earth since it is less than what it was created to be. The earth is also growing old and winding down, as it is written in Hebrews 1:11-12, “They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall

not fall.” Here men are concerned about the environment. We know that it has changed drastically from what it was in the beginning. In our own generation, many plants and animals have become extinct, and many more will, whether through man's fault, or simply because the earth is growing old and winding down. It is all part of the plan of God.

Our planet is certainly one beautiful place! Yet, God considers the earth as nothing more than his footstool (Isa 66:1). It is temporary and just a part of God’s plan to reveal Himself to man.

Creation Reveals The Promise of God

The Garden of Eden was a special garden, planted by God (Gen. 2:8), so its beauty must have been even greater than the rest of the unspoiled creation. Still again, heaven is even better than the Garden of Eden. Heaven is the true Paradise of God (Rev. 2:8), and the true “tree of life” is in heaven (Rev. 22:2)! Heaven is a place of unexcelled blessings and beauty, so that nothing on earth compares. Heaven is the anti-type, making earth the type, or the mere shadow of the true paradise of heaven. If earth with all of its glories is merely a shadow, then what must the real thing be like? Peter says that Christians have “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). If the earth is God’s footstool (Isa 66:1), then heaven is His throne!

Don Ruhl
Klammath Falls, Or.