Think about it: Christians spend their entire lives talking about when they can leave earth and "go to heaven and live with Jesus forever".
But that's not why the Bible says man was created. Read it!
Genesis 1:26
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
And Genesis 2:15
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
God created this beautiful planet, with its marvelous diversity of creatures, put man in charge of it all...because he wants man somewhere else. I'm just saying...
Here's another one... in Malachi, God is remonstrating with the children of Israel, and He actually tells them why He wants not just men and women - but also why He wants them to become one...
Malachi 2:15
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
A godly seed, children that will serve Him. God not only wants mankind to take care of the place and its creatures, but He also wants him to produce seed. Seed. Now that's an interesting word. What do you do with seed? You plant it.
After which it must be watered, fed, and protected, at which point it produces fruit and, hopefully, more seed... which is again planted. Each planting bringing yet a bigger harvest. Oh, I almost forgot, God's first commandment:
Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Everything I find out about God's will for humanity shows man being a part of the life on this world that God created. Filling it, controlling the creatures, taking care of the environment. I don't find anything about God's will being to get man off the planet as quickly as possible so that man can "live with God".
And yet...
Numbers 14:21
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
Not all the heaven...all the earth.
Could it be that God actually loves this earth He created?
I looked it up. I could not find those actual words, but I found many scriptures stating again and again that "the earth is the Lord's". Not, as some people imply, the devil's.
I also found a very interesting verse that I had not seen before:
Isaiah 45:18
18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
WOW! God not only created man to take care of the earth, but He created the earth to be inhabited. With people. "Not in vain"... that means He did it for a reason. Somehow I cannot believe it was just to find people good enough to take off of it.
Here's a thought: Instead of treating our tenure on this planet as something we have to "endure", why not go to live with Jesus, forever, just like we planned.
Right here.
Right now.
On earth... in our homes, on our jobs, with our children, our friends, our neighbors, and, of course, our spouses.
How much faster could "all the earth be filled with the glory of the Lord" if we started spreading it - instead of sitting on our hands waiting for it?
Just a thought....
Julie
Wow - that is awesome!
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ReplyDeleteI enjoy everything you write, but this is the first time which in principal I agree with everything you wrote. In the history of the world, resurrection and the afterlife are relatively new concepts, championed and almost invented by the New Testament. For those who do believe in immortality eternally, ironically the surest way to get there is to be here now. Gotta go subdue some fish, your natural brother Dave. I tried to post this as a comment on your page, but I can't seem to get thru. Please copy and paste where desired.
ReplyDeleteDave (Jules posted it here because Dave could not get it to post.)
Thank-you. I appreciate the additional thoughts.
DeleteVery well written, Julie! I so enjoy reading your articles - you are such a good writer! How's everyone doing? Better now, I hope. We really loved being there with you - thanks so much for letting us come! Love you...:0)
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