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sabato 25 agosto 2012

MOTHER EARTH


MOTHER EARTH
In the Bible we read that after Adam had taken the forbidden fruit, God not only drove man from the garden of Eden, but also pronounced a curse upon the ground, or, in other words, upon the earth itself. Because of that cursed, brought about by Adam's transgression, man had to work the soil by the sweat of his brow because the ground would no longer easily yield up its fruit. But in doing so, the earth became part of man's way of learning about salvation.

There are two ways that man receives his food: either by farming it or by hunting it. Adam was commanded to be a farmer. Farmers are usually patient, hard workers, and wise. They are "patient" because must wait in faith for the harvest. They are "hard workers" because it takes hard, long work to grow food from a seedling to the time its fruit is harvested. They are "wise" because there is a greater return from planted food than comes from hunting.
In addition to this, the farmer learns to depends on God's divine mercy for a good harvest. To have a good harvest there must be water in its season, sunshine in proper amounts, good nutrition in the soil and a lack of hail, pestilence and other damaging events. All of these things man cannot fully control. Therefore he must depend of God to provide the things necessary to produce an abundant crop.
On the other hand, hunters are concerned only about the present day. They don't need to look in faith toward tomorrow the way the farmer does. Generally speaking, they don't have to work by the sweat of their brow. Usually, they also don't need to worry about the effects of rain, sunshine, and pestilence upon their efforts to obtain food. Furthermore, the results they achieve come from their own efforts, rather than from dependence on divine mercy. In addition to this, the hunter destroys while the farmer has to learn to preserve and reclaim. What the farmer learns are all the things which are necessary to achieve salvation. What the hunter learns doesn't teach him those lessons.
But there is even a more profound relationship between mankind and the earth. Adam called his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20). The earth is called our mother because she too is the source of life for all that live upon her. The Lord has commanded us to multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28), but in so doing, there is created an eternal symbolic bond between mankind and the earth. She was created for us, and we were created from its dust. As such, we are part of the earth and the earth is part of us.
According to Paul the earth has feelings and is groaning and in travail, the same as us as we wait for our redemption (Romans 8::22-23). We know from the scriptures that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was in pain and sadness at the time of her Son's death. The scriptures also records that the earth itself groaned at His death, with earthquakes and lightning's that even a Roman Centurion was impressed to exclaim, "Certainly, this was a righteous man" (Luke 23:47).
Like us, the earth became corrupted. Like us, she was baptized by the flood and had all her sins (sinful people) washed away. This baptism was by total immersion. Noah and all the righteous people were saved in an ark by obeying the commandments of God. Likewise, all who obey God's commandments and are righteous will be saved in the day of God's last judgment. After the flood for the first time God Himself mentions an agreement between Him and the earth (Genesis 9:13).
We also know that the earth will eventually receive sanctification through the baptism of fire (2 Peter 3:10-13).
Jesus told his disciples that the meek would inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). When will this happen? Certainly not while Satan reigns on the earth. John saw that after Christ comes again the second time and the righteous are resurrected, they would rule and reign with Him upon the earth (Revelation 5:10). Furthermore, John saw that there is going to be a new earth, because "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Revelation 21:1). The meaning of this is clear. When the scriptures say the FIRST earth will pass away, that means it will die. But then there will be a new earth to take its place. Thus, the earth will die and then become resurrected, JUST LIKE US! And it is upon this earth that the righteous shall live forever with Christ.
The earth is not just a temporary place for us to live. It is our mother. It is the means of our salvation. It is part of us and we are part of it. Because of that, the righteous in Christ, will live together with the earth throughout all eternity. This is the plan which God has for us and the earth.

Romans 8:19
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:20
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope,

Romans 8:21
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Romans 8:22
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 

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