The Creation in Travail

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. —Romans 8:18-23

Michael Brann

As we enter another new year perhaps we all are reminded of the question, Will this be our last one? Will this be the year in which we may find the answer to the prayers of all of the Lord’s people for the establishment of his kingdom on earth? Will the church be completed? Will this be my own personal last day on earth?

Many are disinclined to set any further dates for such things, but we are convinced that such a time will indeed come and end the reign of sin and death, which has plagued mankind for over six thousand years, and usher in a new era of everlasting peace, joy and eternal life for all the obedient. The question remains, When shall these things be?

Is it close at hand or shall we expect it to be delayed further off into the future? We will not put forth any specific date, but merely suggest that the scriptures seem to point to our day as that time.

In Romans (8:18-23) the Apostle Paul makes reference to a time when all of mankind shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption into a glorious liberty. He expresses that time in terms of the pain and labors of a woman about to give birth to a child. (vs. 22). This illustration is more than a mere surmising on the Apostle’s part, for he declares most emphatically "For we know" this to be the case. In one sense, mankind has been in travail for 6,000 years.

Labor Pains

Ever since the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden mankind has been laboring to bring forth to a birth, that is, to the time when their dark night full of pain, sorrow, sickness, and death will end and a time of rest ensue.

If we carry out this illustration of labor pains prior to the birth, we would see that towards the end the time span between the pains is quicker, the pain is more intense and it lasts longer. These aspects seem to generally apply to world conditions as we have seen them develop over the last hundred years or so. As people today are made more aware of news items, both locally and globally, many ask the very question, "What is this world coming to?" It is probably true that each succeeding generation may lament "the good old days," but now it seems to be approaching its furthest boundaries of evil.

Extremes of depravity seem to be reaching the youth of today at younger and younger ages. The sheer numbers of our population guarantee that evil is more predominant now than at any other time. Now there are nearly six billion people infected at the same time with the disease of evil, sin, and death.

According to United Nation experts, even natural disasters are increasing. Over the past 30 years, the number of such disasters (defined as a natural event causing death, injury, or destruction on a large scale) has risen an average of six percent a year. Between 1963 and 1967 there were 89 disasters with death tolls of 100 or more people. Between 1988 and 1992 there were 205 disasters!

Besides such facts, added to the words of the Apostle Paul, we have our Lord’s words found in Matthew 24:21-22, "For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no-one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."

As we witness the climax of God’s timetable in regard to his permission of evil, we are naturally experiencing the pain and misery about us. As Paul states "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:23).

Above this, however, we are also in full expectation, standing on our spiritual tiptoes as it were, waiting for our deliverance, the completion of the body of Christ!

What a privilege we have to know the purpose of God as it is now revealed to his people. What a hope we have, not only for our own selves but additionally in knowing about his plan for all mankind. As we see the final chapter of this great time of evil, let it inspire those who are truly his with the hope that after the soon deliverance of the church, this dark night of sin and evil are to give way to the golden age of deliverance for the world!

During our Lord’s last night on earth, he gave some parting words of comfort to his disciples, most likely intended for his saints at this end of the age in particular. He says in John 16:20-22, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."

We travail and pain together with the world, but we are expecting that pain to end with the birth of the new order or age, the time when the last of the church members are gathered to the Lord in heaven and the kingdom of God is ready to be fully established on the earth. That joy will be so magnificent and transcending that we will nearly forget the sorrows we have experienced.

With the thought of such things on the present horizon, what shall we do who have been called out of darkness into his marvelous light? Let us do simply as is suggested to us in Hebrews 12:1-3: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."

Urgency, Not Desperation

A sense of urgency is quite different from a sense of desperation. Rather than serving the Lord from an attitude of "I must or else," let us focus on an attitude of "may I participate?" or "Is there still time for my little sacrifice to be added to the ones acceptable to the Lord?" Our hopes and expectations may not hinge so much on what we did yesterday or what we will do tomorrow, but rather, what we are presently doing for the Lord. Am I seeking today to do what the Lord wills? Am I willing to be what he wants me to be today?

May the Lord bless us as we seek to be pleasing to him until the day of our personal and the church’s collective deliverance.