There’s no doubt the wonders of nature inspire us and often move us like nothing else can. We see the first delicate flowers of spring peeking up through the forest floor, a mother robin feeding her babies, and breathtaking sunrises at a lakeside cabin. We often speak of nature fondly, almost as if it had a personality all its own—we’re all familiar with the term Mother Nature. For thousands of years, humans, looking outside themselves for inspiration, worshiped the sun, moon, and stars, hoping these heavenly bodies would bless them. Others, seeing bad omens in their environment, turned to the worship of rocks, trees, and animals to rescue them.
Today, many still look to nature as humanity’s search for inspiration continues. Environmentalism has become a hot potato for scientists and politicians alike over the past few decades and for many of us average citizens as well.
There’s the issue of climate change that’s gripping the world with anxiety. Millions of protesters wave signs in cities across the globe about it. Social media is ablaze over it, and nearly 200 nations have signed agreements to prevent it. Climate change may be the defining issue of our time. We are being warned that if we don’t act quickly to counteract its debilitating effects, doom awaits us in the culmination of rising sea levels, extreme weather, more frequent wildfires, crop failures, and the widespread famines that inevitably follow.
Among the attempts at counteracting climate change is the Green New Deal. Supporters of the Green New Deal say we are too reliant on fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, and coal, all of which pollute our atmosphere, streams, and soil. Activists for the Green New Deal are seeking to create an environmentally safe utopia on earth. Not surprisingly, this movement has deep roots and is moving its agenda forward at a rapid pace.
Environmental activists are energized internationally and deeply committed to influencing governments to pass environmental legislation. Some of the most prominent organizations now getting on board include the United Nations, NASA, Amnesty International, and the Vatican. Pope Francis, in fact, has become one of the strongest allies in the climate-change movement.
nature points to a Creator
Clearly, we all want our world to be a safer place. We want fresh water and clean air, and we should encourage practices that lead to less pollution and the increased use of such safer renewable resources as wind, water, and sun so we can raise healthy families and be good stewards of God’s gift of life. Protecting our planet is a responsibility that rests on all of us—after all, it’s our home.
Our planet is a very special place in God’s universe. However, secular environmentalists see things very differently from Christian stewards of God’s creation. In the arena of environmental watch care, environmentalists tap into the concept of serving Mother Nature, while creationists focus on honoring the Creator of our world. This difference impacts how we address our genuine responsibilities to our planet and the God who made it.
Nature has been called God’s second book because it points to God as the Creator, the Giver of all life. Through nature, God can teach us lessons about life, His creative genius, and how to care for His creatures.
The Bible, God’s first book, claims that we can see the Creator’s hand in nature. It says, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). The account of God’s creation has been recorded for us in Genesis, chapters 1 and 2, and is summed up in these words: “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array” (Genesis 2:1).
And it gets better. The Bible states that nature itself directs our attention to God as the Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).
“Ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?”
(Job 12:7–9).
Unfortunately, many would have us believe there is no Creator. They choose to honor creation instead of the Creator who created everything. The Bible has words of warning for them about such notions. Romans 1:25 says such people exchange the truth about God for a lie and worship and serve created things rather than the Creator. Sadly, they do this at the peril of their own souls. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (verse 20).
What is the main point in these passages? Quite clearly, we shouldn’t be using astrology to worship the sun, moon, and stars, as did the ancient cultures of the Middle East. We shouldn’t be venerating the dead through the worship of rocks and trees and creatures, as Wiccans do. We shouldn’t be honoring wildlife and even our pets more than we honor the Creator who made all these things. He alone deserves our worship.
the perfect earth to come
The Bible says our world is wearing out “like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6). Romans 8:22 tells us, “The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” The ravages of sin on this planet since the moral fall of humanity have pillaged our world, causing animals and plants to fight tooth and nail, thorn and thistle, for survival. “God created mankind in his own image” (Genesis 1:27), but humanity lives under the curse of Satan’s evil empire, suffering from the effects of deteriorating human genomes that bear scant resemblance to the image of God. Even worse, we have abused the resources of our planet and given comparatively little in return. But a day of reckoning will come. Revelation 11:18 warns us God will destroy “those who destroy the earth.” Solemn words, aren’t they?
All things considered, it’s clear God is honored when we protect our planet. Yet, no matter how hard we try, all of our human efforts can never save our planet. Our greedy, sinful natures have ensured that. Only God can save us and our world. Clearly, Jesus is the only hope for humanity. He “gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4). And His soon return in the clouds of heaven will usher in the utopia we’ve been waiting for: “In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). In heaven there will be no more destruction of forests or precious wildlife habitats, no pollution of water and air. The same Creator who made our earth perfect in the beginning will remake it into perfection again:
“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. . . . And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’
“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ ” (Revelation 21:1–5).
Bradley Booth is a professor and pastor writing from Florida. He has written dozens of books, including the end-time thriller Last Call and the God Said It series for children, available at AdventistBookCenter.com.
