Where we left off last time, the land was mourning. However, the land whithering away is not the end of the story. Throughout the Bible, and in the prophets, a restored Creation is promised over and over again.
In my first groundwork post, I laid out some of my primary theology, including that I believe God will succeed in restoring (not destroying) all creation, forming it as a place for us to exist in right relationship with Him. As I write this, my grandparents are visiting, and we’ve had many fruitful conversations about the theology of the end times1. In the past few days, we’ve dreamed together of what that restored creation will look like: my grandfather hopes all four of the springer spaniels he’s raised over the years will be there, and I couldn’t be happier than if I were given a garden to tend. Although these are hopes and prayers without specific scriptural grounding, the Bible does give us a beautiful, poetic vision of what restoration holds. In Isaiah, we read:
6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together;
And a little boy will lead them.
7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.
-- Isaiah 11:6-9, NASB
Reading this passage, my first reaction is one of confusion. Of course I would never set my 9-month-old near a cobra’s hole; but if poison is part of how God created the cobra, do I truly want that poisonous bite to be done away with? Similarly, is a lion even biologically capable of surviving on the straw?
*deep breath*
I know these questions are not the same ones the author and listeners asked. They are questions asked out of a Western mindset, valuable in their own right, but not what is being communicated here. If I ask with my artistic mind rather than my scientific one, drawing on the Eastern and Hebrew resources I’ve sought over the years, I see something else painted with words:
peace.
safety.
gentleness.
fullness.
trust.
We can look forward to these in the restored, made-new creation.
Another passage from Ezekiel:
9 And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 And by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
-- Ezekiel 47:9-12, NASB
What I love about this passage is the emphasis on water. Not only do we see fresh water, living water (hello Jesus!), but we also see swampy, marshy, salty water. In our time, when wetlands have been drained and swamps built over, this piece of restoration feels especially important. The health of the whole watershed is represented, from cold mountain springs to mingling estuaries. And the health of the waters is the foundation of life, fruitfulness, and healing.
These and other passages show us the beauty of restoration. As you think on this, some questions to consider:
What is promised for creation?
Do you hold a hopeful vision of what could be? What is it? Why is hope important?
References:
Awakening to God’s Call to Earthkeeping. Kim Winchell, ELCA Diaconal Minister. 2006.
My grandmother pulled my copy of Surprised by Hope (N.T. Wright) off the shelf, is halfway through, and plans to take it with her to finish it. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a hopeful, accessible, challenging theological read. But I’m afraid I can’t lend it to you; my copy has been borrowed.
I like that restoration is a bigger reality than the decay. It's hard to think what I hope in - my own growth, improved relationships and work
Would you like a new copy in return...one without note added? Or do you want this original with the added note? No matter which, it's a great read.