What Happened to God's Creation?
WHAT HAPPENED?
Let me fast forward through the details of God’s exquisite creation to one particular catastrophic event. The universe was created perfect. Humankind lived in paradise. God Himself interacted personally with them. All of creation displayed God’s power and glory. One particular species (the human one) was created uniquely, in the very image of God. Wow! What a statement…in the very image of God.
Not only that, but we were granted authority over the entire world. We were caretakers of God’s marvelous creation. Through us God’s glory would shine brightly to all of creation both earthly and heavenly. We were “kings and queens” of the world. But, as you know, such authority and power requires responsibility.
It was not enough to be created in the image of God, to be royalty over God’s stunning creation, and to have the authority to rule over the universe. No, we wanted more. We wanted to be gods ourselves. Therefore, the rebellion began with Adam and Eve. It continues today.
THE EFFECTS
The effects of the sin of Adam and Eve devastated the world and the souls of mankind. Our own sin has the exact same consequences. Suddenly paradise became paradise lost. God’s intent to show forth His glory and power and creativity and love through mankind now, instead, had the opposite result. The serpent’s (Satan’s) darkness and cruelty and disobedience and sin and evil and selfishness and rebellion now reigned in the hearts of mankind and throughout the universe itself. Since mankind was given dominion over the entire creation, when Adam and Eve “fell,” they took the entire world with them.
All is now hopeless. God’s precious creatures He so meticulously and lovingly created in His own image had rebelled against Him. God by nature is a just, righteous, and holy God. Holiness and sin cannot cohabitate. Judgment must be rendered on His own creation. God initiates His sentencing in Genesis 3 beginning with the serpent and subsequently curses him. The woman is next, followed by Adam. Adam’s punishment includes a curse on the very earth itself from which Adam was created. Finally, as an act of mercy, God removed them from the Garden of Eden and tree of eternal life. It would be utter torture to live forever in this tragic, fallen state. It still is!
WHAT HAPPENED?
Let me fast forward through the details of God’s exquisite creation to one particular catastrophic event. The universe was created perfect. Humankind lived in paradise. God Himself interacted personally with them. All of creation displayed God’s power and glory. One particular species (the human one) was created uniquely, in the very image of God. Wow! What a statement…in the very image of God.
Not only that, but we were granted authority over the entire world. We were caretakers of God’s marvelous creation. Through us God’s glory would shine brightly to all of creation both earthly and heavenly. We were “kings and queens” of the world. But, as you know, such authority and power requires responsibility.
It was not enough to be created in the image of God, to be royalty over God’s stunning creation, and to have the authority to rule over the universe. No, we wanted more. We wanted to be gods ourselves. Therefore, the rebellion began with Adam and Eve. It continues today.
THE EFFECTS
The effects of the sin of Adam and Eve devastated the world and the souls of mankind. Our own sin has the exact same consequences. Suddenly paradise became paradise lost. God’s intent to show forth His glory and power and creativity and love through mankind now, instead, had the opposite result. The serpent’s (Satan’s) darkness and cruelty and disobedience and sin and evil and selfishness and rebellion now reigned in the hearts of mankind and throughout the universe itself. Since mankind was given dominion over the entire creation, when Adam and Eve “fell,” they took the entire world with them.
All is now hopeless. God’s precious creatures He so meticulously and lovingly created in His own image had rebelled against Him. God by nature is a just, righteous, and holy God. Holiness and sin cannot cohabitate. Judgment must be rendered on His own creation. God initiates His sentencing in Genesis 3 beginning with the serpent and subsequently curses him. The woman is next, followed by Adam. Adam’s punishment includes a curse on the very earth itself from which Adam was created. Finally, as an act of mercy, God removed them from the Garden of Eden and tree of eternal life. It would be utter torture to live forever in this tragic, fallen state. It still is!