Restoration of the whole creation

[Pergamum]

The Bible is about more than merely our individual salvation; God is at work in the universe.

What are your thoughts about the restoration of the universe and God's New Creation?

What is the restoration of all things and what will it look like and what do we do in the meantime while we wait?

Acts 3:20,21 … Jesus Christ, Which before was preached unto you: Whom the
heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began

Any thoughts on God's returning the Universe to an Eden-like state; of our corporate (versus individualistic) salvation and this restitituion of all things and the restoration of creation? The book of Revelation, for instance, seems to draw on Edenic imagery as it explains our final state.


Any good links, quotes, Scriptures, sermons?

 

[FCC]

This is an excellent thing to meditate on, especially on a Sabbath morning! I don't have any quotes or Scriptures right now but what a blessed thought!

 

[Hamalas]

Like David I don't have anything handy at the moment, but I would have to recommend Athanasius's classic work: On the Incarnation of the Word. He talks about this at some length.

---------- Post added at 08:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 AM ----------

As soon as I said that I jumped over to the OPC website to read their daily devotional in preparation for worship this morning and found this gem: Daily Devotional

 

[Scott1]

Isaiah 65:17
17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Revelation 21
1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

(!) (!) (!)

 

[Mushroom]

Luke 23:43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Strong’s G3857 Greek - παράδεισος
paradeisos
par-ad'-i-sos
Of Oriental origin (compare [H6508]); a park, that is, (specifically) an Eden (place of future happiness, “paradise”): - paradise.

H6508 Hebrew -
פּרדּסpardês
par-dace'
Of foreign origin; a park: - forest, orchard.

Our Pastor preached on this today, out of Rev. 21 & 22, and pointed out that those hearing the Lord's words were probably surprised that He used this word, which he said was of Babylonian origin. He compared it to a walled garden, teeming with nature and beauty, where the curse of death is removed. And huge according to the measurements. He gave 5 points: 1) Life there will be eternal 2) The joy there will be that the Lamb rules 3)The substance of our joy will be Christ's presence 4) We will reign with Him, & 5) There is room there for all God's people.

He told of how we would be at rest from our labors, but we would not be idle. And he spoke of the fact that the City is of perfect proportion representing that all error and disorder will be gone. It is a real place, greater than we can conceive. There are twelve gates, 3 facing each direction, to accommodate His people coming from wherever they might be, that there is a way in for them all, and that way is Christ.

Sweet stuff.

 

[TimV]

I think the key, at least for me since I've changed my stance a bit, is that everything here will burn. And that has enormous implications for those of us who are/were really super duper postmil.

 

[Goodcheer68]

As Vos points out we are not going back to a state of pre-fall Eden, but something grander. Eden was a shadow of what our eternal place with God will be. In Eden God walked among the garden. But in the new Heavens and new Earth, God will dwell among his people.