Series 1 - The Bible and You: Practical Answers—Real Hope
Hi friends! Welcome to the eighth lesson in our series about "The Bible
and You: Practical Answers—Real Hope." In the last three lessons we've
looked at the real hope of the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ will come
soon to bring practical solutions to our problems of inept and corrupt
governments, of bad and unjustly enforced laws, and of violent and selfish
human relationships. Now let's look at a fourth wonderful benefit of the
Kingdom of God—how it will transform this earth into a planet-wide Garden
of Eden! And always remember: This awesome hope for the future has real,
practical benefits for making your life now more meaningful and fulfilling!
Lesson 8: The Earth: Real Utopia Is Coming!
Humanity is bringing our planet to the point of destruction, but the Bible shows Jesus Christ will intervene. How will His government, laws and citizens change the world? What will the wonderful benefits of the Kingdom of God be?
"At 1:24 a.m. on Friday, April 26, [1986,] unit 4 of the Chernobyl
Nuclear Power Plant exploded. There were two enormous explosions within
three seconds of each other and they blew the roof off the building.
Radioactive gases, debris and materials from inside the reactor building
were thrown two-thirds of a mile into the air. Pieces of the reactor's
superhot fuel rods flew through the air and landed almost a mile away,
setting radioactive fires that added to the exposure in the area.
"Two workers were instantly killed, and twenty-nine were bathed in so much
radiation that they were essentially dead from that moment on, even though
most of them lingered on for a couple of weeks in the hospital, suffering
through the final stages of extreme radiation poisoning" (Stephen
J. Spignesi, The
100 Greatest Disasters of All Time, pp. 112-113).
Some estimates said that 400 times more fallout was released in this nuclear
accident than had been released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in
World War II.
A United Nations report in 2002 concluded that about 2,000 cases of
thyroid cancer had so far been diagnosed among young people exposed
to radioactive iodine. "According to conservative estimates, this figure is likely to rise
to 8-10,000 over the coming years" (The
Human Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident, Feb. 6, 2002).
Even the efforts to enclose the radioactive ground zero provoke new
worries for the future. "The cement enclosure was poorly built, however, and it began
to leak radiation a few years after construction was completed. More work
was done to ensure its integrity but there are still doubts as to its safety"
(Spignesi, p. 113).
As terrible as this accident was, it is only one of many human-caused catastrophes
that—through carelessness, mismanagement, greed and violence—are destroying
this earth.
Share Your Story
From the Brink of Destruction
What does God say He will do to those who are destroying the
earth?
Revelation 11:18
"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time
of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward
Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name,
small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth."
Humans have been selfishly abusing the water, soil, plants, animals and
air around them since the beginning. But as our technological prowess
has increased, so has our destructiveness. War, deforestation, industrial
pollution, wastefulness, greed and shortsightedness are pushing our planet
toward the edge, and God is not happy with humanity for mismanaging the
planet He has entrusted to us.
How does God personify the emotions of His creation?
Romans 8:21-22
...because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage
of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For
we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together
until now.
This world was put under man's control (Genesis 1:26), and when humanity
chose the way of selfish greed—of sin—the earth also felt the destructive
effects.
What has God promised throughout the Bible to stop this cycle
of abuse and destruction?
Acts 3:19-21
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom
heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which
God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world
began.
Conversion of people is a necessary step in freeing the earth from the
bondage of humanity's destructive choices. Jesus Christ's return will
bring a refreshing change, restoring the beauty and harmony of God's creation.
By choosing to change (repent and be converted), we can begin that process
of restoration in our own lives now!
What Will the Kingdom of God Be Like?
How does the Bible describe the world under the benevolent rule
of the Kingdom of God?
Isaiah 51:3
For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden
of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and
the voice of melody.
Instead of expanding deserts, the world will become like the idyllic
Garden of Eden God first gave to man.
What will the cities and farms of that future world be like?
Amos 9:13-15
"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when the plowman shall
overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the
mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with
it. I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build
the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink
wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled
up from the land I have given them," says the Lord your God.
Zechariah 8:4-5
"Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Old men and old women shall again
sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand
because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys
and girls playing in its streets.'"
No longer will war, captivity or disaster cause people to lose the fruits
of their efforts. People will work and enjoy the benefits of their labor
in a world of sustainable abundance. And cities will be safe for young
and old alike.
How does the Bible describe the health of the people in God's
Kingdom?
Isaiah 35:5-6
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall
be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of
the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams
in the desert.
The persistent human tragedies that have afflicted all generations will
finally be removed! Health and vitality will replace the pain and disabilities
that afflict so many throughout their lives and all of us as we age. The
quality of life will reach heights not experienced since the Garden of
Eden.
Will this utopian condition extend even to the wild animals?
Isaiah 11:6-9
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie
down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling
together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall
graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall
eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole,
and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall
not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
People will feel safe everywhere, as there will no longer be dangerous
jungles or concrete jungles. All of these wonderful conditions are based
on the spread of the knowledge of God's way around the world. Acting on
this knowledge will be the cause of peace and prosperity then, and it
can bring great benefits to our lives now (see 1 Timothy 4:8).
Apply Now
Jesus Christ's return and the Kingdom of God are the only real hope for
the future. But these wonderful promises from God are not just about the
future. They should transform our lives now. Matthew 6:33 is a pivotal
scripture many Christians have committed to memory. Read and deeply consider
this verse and the priorities and direction it gives to your life today.
For example, how does it affect what you pray most about (see Matthew
6:10)? How does it affect your entertainment, spending and giving choices
(see Matthew 6:19-24)? How can this approach decrease your worry (see
Matthew 6:25-34)?
Write down two things you will do starting today to put higher priority
on preparing for the Kingdom of God and living by the laws of that Kingdom
(His righteousness, defined by His commandments; Psalm 119:172; Exodus
20:1-17).
Next Lesson: The Answer to Your Prayers
Questions about this lesson? Feedback about
this lesson?
Related Resources:
What
the World Tomorrow Will Be Like
The
Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ from the booklet You
Can Understand Bible Prophecy
The
Wonderful World Beyond Today: A Return to Eden: When Hunger and Disease
Disappear
What's
Important in Your Life?
