This week’s big news is about multiple volcanoes erupting around the globe. Earlier this week, a Russian volcano erupted for the first time in half a century. Scientists believe it was due to the recent earthquake in Russia that triggered tsunami warnings.
Now there are fears of glacier melting. Additionally, there have been eruptions or warnings of eruptions in the US mainland and Alaska. There are also fears over air-quality alerts due to volcanic ash. These eruptions also contribute to destructive lava and mud flows. Volcanoes are part of nature that has spiritual emphasis for this fallen world:
- End time warnings
- Threats to life
- Divine creation process
Most of us fear volcanoes and the destruction they cause; however, they are part of the natural creation process. Volcanoes expand continents and create new islands like the Hawaiian Islands.
Furthermore, volcanic eruptions fertilize the soil and spread mineral deposits. Although we fear natural disasters, they are evidence of God’s power and divine creation (Genesis 1:1-8, Psalm 19:1, Hebrews 1:10).
What Is Create
While most Christians understand God is a Creator, they fail to understand the depth and purpose of His creating power. We cannot pigeonhole God into just creating beautiful and positive things; He is the Creator of all things, good and bad, in this world.
Create is defined as, “To bring into existence; cause.” There is nothing in existence that isn’t a part of God’s creation; even man-made objects are created in God’s creative purpose (Deuteronomy 8:18, Proverbs 2:6).
Everything God created is good; it is the sin of mankind and this fallen world that corrupts things and makes them bad. However, God uses the bad things we choose for our good (Romans 8:28).
Most human inventions and technology are based on God’s divine creation and natural processes: electricity, air conditioning, and plumbing each mimic natural events in creation.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about creating and creation (Genesis 1:1-31, Romans 1:20, Hebrews 11:3). God formed the foundations of the world and knows every event and invention that will occur from the beginning to the end (Psalm 102:25, Revelation 1:8).
He forms and knows each of us in our mother’s womb and has a plan for every human being He creates (Psalm 139:3-13, Jeremiah 1:5; 29:9-12). God creates for His purpose, not solely our pleasure (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:16). The Apostle Paul remembered his Jewish education about how and why God creates.
Bārā’
The Torah begins with the creation story about how God created everything in the universe simply by speaking it into existence (Genesis 1:1-8). God created all life on the earth, formed a man with his own hands, and breathed life into His creation (Genesis 2:4-7).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for create is bārā’, and it can also mean, “Shape, form, or begot,” depending on the context it is used in. One of the many names of God, Elohim, is often interpreted as Creator.
Judaism emphasizes God as the creator of everything, and it is rooted in God’s command to His greatest creation, mankind (Genesis 1:15-28):
- Be fruitful and multiply
- Fill the earth
- Subdue the earth
- Dominion over other creatures
- Working the land
- Do not eat from the tree of knowledge
The New Testament writers present Jesus as a creator and giver of life (John 1:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6, and Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2-3). Jesus spent much of his earthly ministry healing and bringing life (Matthew 4:23; 8:5-13; 9:35, John 11:1-25).
He emphasized his oneness with God the Father (John 8:28; 10:30-33). Our Lord promised that He would leave and create a place for His Bride, and He will return for them to share new life (John 14:2).
That is a basic Jewish practice of a man and woman leaving home and becoming one to create a new life together (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6, Ephesians 5:31).
God’s people should want to leave this old and broken creation behind to enjoy an eternal and better life with God, not rule over this fallen kingdom a demonic man and political party want to rule (Matthew 16:26, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Besides, one day God will burn it all down (2 Peter 3:7).
Wildfires
In other big news this week, smoke from Canadian wildfires and wildfires in the West are harming air quality in the US to dangerously unhealthy levels. Despite man’s technology and creativity, we have not been able to stop this temporary kingdom from burning up. The garden is clearly cursed.
Poor air quality contributes to many health risks that can decrease our quality of life in this fallen kingdom. It is clear these natural disasters will continue to burn up this fallen kingdom, that no man or political party can save.
Ironically, wildfires also promote life and reforestation. Here we see spiritual truths about this fallen kingdom; the old must pass away to make room for the new. New life begins after the old has passed spiritually and physically (Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 John 2:17).
God’s Word will remain forever, even after this fallen kingdom and its pleasures are gone (Matthew 24:35). It was God’s Word that created everything in the beginning, and it will be His Word that destroys everything in the end (John 1:1-51, Revelation 1:8; 22:13).
As God’s people we must choose between true life or what leads to eternal death (Romans 6:23; 8:13, Revelation 21:8). Our Lord made it clear we don’t get to live the best of both worlds if we truly belong to God, regardless of what the snakes in the church want to believe (Matthew 6:24; 7:19-23, James 4:4).
Just like our Jewish forefathers exiled in Babylon, many believers want to create a life and be great in a foreign land, but God will destroy them (Jeremiah 29:10-20). Our God has a bigger and better plan for His people and the new heaven and earth He will bārā’ (Isaiah 43:18-28, Revelation 21:1)!
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