Everyone recognizes that the earth has changed considerably over the ages. The paradise inhabited by our earliest ancestors is worlds apart from the planet we inhabit today. Man’s influence has certainly taken its toll. Who or what bears responsibility for this travesty? Our quest for discovery must begin by considering the character of the original paradise.
The Original Paradise
Overpopulation, pollution, and water and soil contamination were nonexistent when our earliest ancestors called the earth their home. A mist went up from the earth’s surface to water the whole face of the ground making rain unnecessary.1 Beautiful trees in abundance offered mankind a bountiful food supply.2 The land possessed bountiful resources undisturbed by man,3 and the animal kingdom flourished without concern for survival of the fittest.4 Vegetation grew unhampered by thorns and thistles. This was truly a wonderful paradise in which to live!
Paradise Lost
How did such a beautiful place devolve into what we see and know today? Is it merely the result of gradual change, or was there a major upheaval that sent the earth into its downward spiral? How did the earth and its inhabitants shift from perfect harmony to the pain it presently experiences?5 Is it, as claimed by some, the result of climate change, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, and overpopulation; or will our search for truth discover a much simpler answer?
Before discovering any problem’s solution, we must first discover the root cause. We cannot blame the animal kingdom since they are the unwilling subjects of the circumstances at hand.6 Additionally, we cannot justify placing blame on industrialization, since apart from man’s actions there would be no industrialization. In fact, apart from man, overpopulation, pollution, and ozone layer depletion would never be discussed as potential grounds. Man’s existence on earth serves as the only clear culprit, but perhaps there exists a deeper problem.
None of the problems commonly pointed out today were present until mankind (specifically the first man and woman) directly and consciously rebelled against the Creator of the universe. Their sin caused the earth to inherit an enduring curse7 and death passed upon all men.8 This act of rebellion against the Creator propelled the creation onto a collision course with its Maker.
The earth now waxes old like a garment in need of changing.9 This change could be identified as a “Big-Bang.” However, this “Big-Bang” is not a historical event, but a future one yet on the horizon. Nor will this cataclysmic event produce structure, but only destruction. The real “Big-Bang” will take place when God destroys this earth with fire.10 Man’s future is even more precarious than the world’s future unless each person consciously and individually puts his faith in the payment for sins provided through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. In fact, those who refuse to trust Christ as Saviour will dwell eternally in a lake of fire.11 Sin pitted man against God and God against man. Fortunately, God the Son gave Himself as the perfect, sinless sacrifice to reconcile this severed relationship.12 Although man’s willful disobedience caused the present conditions and will ultimately bring about the future judgment, God never intended for man to inhabit a cursed earth. Instead, God intends to one day restore the paradise lost through sin.
Paradise Regained
Just as paradise was lost in a garden, the restored paradise was secured in another garden.13 That which our earliest ancestors lost, Christ restored through the offering of Himself. He was not the problem, but He is the only solution.
Do not be misled, Christ did not die on the cross to preserve the earth. He died because we each needed a means of reconciliation with our Creator. Nonetheless, an added benefit of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is the privilege for men, women, boys, and girls to live forever in an incorruptible paradise.14 Much like man’s first dwelling place, this paradise will be a place of indescribable beauty. In fact, this paradise will have no need of the harmful rays of sunlight, for Christ gives it light.15 The waters cannot be contaminated,16 the fruit of the trees never experience any type of disease,17 and the curse plaguing the earth will be forever eliminated.18 In addition, the destroyer of the first paradise (sin) will be banished from this future paradise.19
Although this paradise remains free to all, its availability came at a great cost. The innocent Son of God died to pay for your wrongdoings. Though the initial sin occurred with our earliest ancestors, we too have personally rebelled against the Creator.20 The penalty for our rebellion is death, but Jesus Christ died to offer us life.21 If you want to live in that future paradise void of sin and all the resulting troubles, you must trust Jesus Christ and His payment for your sins. Won’t you bow your head right now and confess your personal guilt and responsibility for sin? Won’t you call upon the name of the Lord and ask Him to save you?22
I, who ere while the happy garden sung,
By one man’s disobedience lost, now sing
Recovered Paradise to all mankind,
By one man’s firm obedience fully tried
Through all temptation, and the tempter foiled
In all his wiles, defeated and repulsed,
And Eden raised in the waste wilderness.
Taken from Milton’s Paradise Regained
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1 Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
2 Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
3 Genesis 2:11-12 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
4 Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
5 Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
6 Romans 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
7 Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
8 Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
9 Hebrews 1:10-12 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
10 2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
11 Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
12 Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
13 John 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
14 Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
15 Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
16 Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
17 Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
18 Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
19 Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
20 Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
21 Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
22 Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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