“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 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” (Romans 8:19-22).
About four hundred years ago, English poet John Donne wrote:
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
Because all humans are interconnected by a common Maker, my sin has a horrific impact on others. Sin’s devastation has also been inflicted upon our created universe.
The consumption of the forbidden fruit in the Garden inflicted a horrific price on Adam and his sons (Genesis 3:19), plus Eve and her daughters (Genesis 3:16). In addition, the soil from which humanity was taken became cursed with thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:17-18).
Because of human wickedness (Genesis 6:5), the cataclysm of Noah’s day ultimately resulted in seasons (Genesis 8:22) and a shortened life expectancy (cf. Psalm 90:10 with Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27).
Human imagination is challenged beyond its capacity when striving to adequately conceptualize the pristine-ness of our created world prior to sin’s ruination.
Oh, the horrific devastation of sin!
