Last week we turned page on 2022 and ushered in the new year. The new year can certainly be a time of hope. But it won’t be long before folks realize that the world is still plagued by the same old problems.
Not uncommonly, I hear Christians talk about how our true home is in heaven. Such sentiments are often accompanied by trenchant observations of the world’s travails. This year is no different. Each day brings new, tragic stories of murder and mayhem. There are some new faces in Congress, but political corruption and deceit certainly aren’t going away. Inflation continues to gobble up people’s paychecks and savings accounts. And while the depths of the covid pandemic have passed, sickness will continue to afflict us. Moreover, the pandemic lockdowns caused tremendous damage, resulting in a precipitous decline in mental health. Countless people around the world are suffering with anxiety, depression and alienation.
Amidst this steady stream of rotten news, even naturally cheerful people can become disillusioned. Many churchgoers find great solace in the thought that one day they shall depart this vale of sorrows and escape to heaven where they will dwell in bliss forever. Particularly in times of heightened distress, it’s quite comforting to think of ourselves as refugees, now displaced, but eagerly expecting to return to a heavenly home where we truly belong.
At times, it might seem like the Bible lends credence to this perspective. The writer of Hebrews, for instance, speaks of those who have put their trust in God: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” The apostle Peter expresses a similar thought: “I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul.”
This viewpoint is so prevalent that it’s well worth asking some pointed questions. Are Christians like fish out of water? Are we meant to be someplace else? Where is our true home? And why does it matter?
In order to answer these questions, the best place to look is the book of Genesis, which addresses the origin and purpose of mankind. There we read: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26) The importance of this verse can hardly be overstated; it lays the foundation for the rest of the Biblical story. Thankfully, the text is very clear: the fundamental purpose of mankind is to govern God’s creation. It must be stressed that this is not a temporary assignment; it’s God’s permanent intention.
The Hebrew word for ‘man’ in this verse is Adam. Even readers who didn’t go to Sunday School realize that Adam is the proper name given to the first man. However, the Hebrew word Adam can also refer to a generic man (‘the man’ or ‘the human’), or collectively to all human beings (‘mankind’ or ‘humankind’). In the first two chapters of Genesis, the writer often uses the word Adam in the latter sense, referring to all human beings. The point is that God has granted all humanity the responsibility to govern his creation.
Now the Hebrew word for earth or ground is Adamah. Obviously, this word is very close to Adam. The similarity is hardly coincidence. By choosing these specific words, the ancient writer given us a clear message: humans and the earth are inextricably intertwined.
The author is reinforcing two key points. The first is that man (Adam) was formed from the earth (Adamah). In Genesis 2:7 we read, “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” From a scientific perspective, this is absolutely true. Your body is made up of the same stuff (elements like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, calcium, potassium, etc.) of which the earth is composed.
The second point is that mankind was formed for the purpose of having dominion over the earth. Later in Genesis chapter two we learn that “the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” The garden of Eden – while it may be a specific place – also serves as a symbol for God’s whole creation. Thus, the Adam was put in charge of the Adamah. God has given us the responsibility to watch over the earth, to work in it so that it becomes a place of abundance, joy, peace and life.
This discussion is reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Two Towers. Part of Tolkien’s tale involves two hobbits named Merry and Pippin who stumble into the ancient Forest of Fangorn. There they unexpectedly meet a creature named Treebeard, one of the most delightful characters in all of literature. Treebeard is an Ent: a tree that walks and talks. Treebeard and his fellow Ents are shepherds of the forest: they have responsibility for watching over Fangorn, to ensure that the forest is thriving. They are tree-like creatures, drawn from the forest in order to watch over the forest. Tolkien’s Christian faith is well documented and I for one am quite certain that this is an allusion to the early chapters of Genesis, where humans are formed from the earth in order to rule over for the earth.
Let’s now tie this together. God created mankind in his image. We are called to reflect God’s character so that we might wisely rule his creation. The book of Genesis makes it indubitably clear that we are people of the earth. Our substance was drawn from the dust of the earth so that we might govern the earth. The earth is our home.
What then of the scriptures we noted above, which speak of Christians as being “aliens and strangers”? The key is to recognize that the creation at present is clearly not the place God wishes it to be. Because of human rebellion, the world is full of violence, enmity, immorality, corruption, poverty, and death. It’s entirely appropriate that people have a deep sense that things are badly out of joint. However, it is incorrect to conclude that the earth is not our home. When we reflect on the sorry state of our planet, we rightly feel a strong sense of disaffection. But this sentiment does not come about because we’re in the wrong place. Rather, this experience stems from the fact that our home is a mess.
The whole point of the Biblical narrative is that, through Jesus the Messiah and the power of the Holy Spirit, God is working to restore his creation so that it can flourish as he intended. If we understand the story of the scriptures, we ought to be filled with an overwhelming sense of optimism, even as we engage the broken world around us.
Now let’s address the most important question: why does this all matter? Perhaps you’ve been led to believe that this world is not your home, but that God will someday transport you to heaven. If that is the case, you are at high risk of misunderstanding and failing to engage in the great task to which God has called his people. The God who formed and fashioned the world has enlisted his followers to join Him in a grand rescue mission.
Sadly, many Christians believe that God intends to give up on the present world. If it’s not our true home, then why should we care about all the bad news? This attitude leads to a bunker mentality faith which simply hunkers down and waits for God to whisk us away. It’s like a scene from Star Trek, but instead of “Beam me up Scotty!” it’s “Beam me up God!”
Rooted in the scriptures, people who are loyal to God must recognize that we have a sacred responsibility to confront the dark powers wreaking havoc upon the creation. This is a sobering task because we face formidable enemies. Victory will require sacrifice, suffering and above all, total commitment to Jesus.
Thankfully, we’ve been given a glimpse of how the story ends. Redeemed humanity will again be set in authority over God’s redeemed creation. “And they shall reign on the earth.” The Adam reigning over the Adamah. Then our eyes shall be opened, and we’ll fully recognize this earth as our true home, a place of eternal joy, abundance, peace and life.
