Human-Induced Environmental Disaster

There is much debate today on whether or not humans have anything to do with the environmental disasters affecting the earth. Make no mistake, humans have everything to do with it.

Alec Motyer writes in his excellent commentary on Isaiah: "It is intrinsic to the doctrine of creation that human beings in sin are the supreme environmental threat."

Note two very important words in Motyer's sentence: "in sin." The world in which we live is not in the "very good" state that God created it (Genesis 1:31). Environmental meltdown began, not with the invention of the automobile or the industrial revolution, but with a single bite of forbidden fruit in the garden (Genesis 3:17-19). Man's sin subjected the world to calamity (Genesis 9:11-13). Thus Paul says in Romans 8:19-25 --

19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Romans 8:19-25 (NASB)

Yes, we are guilty of the environmental disaster, because of the universal condition of human sin -- a course that was charted by Adam and Eve in the garden. And while politicians and policy makers argue in vain over what can be done to remedy the problem, the true sons of God look with expectation to the only One who can fix it. Indeed, even creation itself looks to Him groaning in hope for the day of consummation when Christ shall come and grant the redemption of our bodies in resurrection and the restoration of the created order in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:21). Until that day comes, we have this promise from God:

"While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease."

Gen 8:22 (NASB)