Genesis to Revelation

For those who believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God, the book of the Revelation to John cries for interpretation. It is filled with mysterious beings and personages without names, people that are not clearly identified, and occurrences that are terrifying to contemplate. However, one thing is clear and that is the parallel between the beginning, or creation, of the Earth and the ending or re-creation of the Earth. As was his intent in the beginning, Yahweh will restore His fellowship with man. There will again be a "garden" like dwelling place and the tree of life will be made available to those with clean robes, and they may freely eat. Just as the creation was completed in stages, so too, the destruction of the earth follows a pattern. Examining this beginning and ending process provides several points for comparison and some thought provoking events.

In the beginning, Yahweh began creation with light, the darkness was already there, and He divided the two. He established the dry ground and separated the waters for the waters and on the third day He created everything necessary to sustain man. All the fruits and plants and all growing things were created. The lush Garden of Eden is designed as a self-sufficient paradise when God can commune with man. Revelation reveals that the fate of the well-established dry ground of Genesis is to be shaken by hailstones and fire. A third of the earth is burnt and the trees and green grasses are turned to ash in the His wrath. Man is no longer at ease in the Earth as he watches everything being destroyed.

The fourth day God placed the sun, moon and stars in the sky to mark times and seasons. All of these things He called good. As wrath is poured out at the end of the age, one-third of the stars, sun and moon are destroyed. Much of the light that was given fails, as the light is turned to darkness. The earth, which was designed in Genesis with loving care, created to provide for all of man’s needs, now turns against man. The earthquakes, the sun turns black at times, the moon turns blood red and stars fall from the sky. All that Yahweh created as good is now in tumult and a source of fear and destruction for disobedient mankind.

In the same manner, the fifth day of creation sees the waters teeming with life and abundance and birds soaring freely through the air. This is a stark contrast to the desolation that follows in Revelation, when a third of the rivers and springs are turned to wormwood, or bitterness and people find death by drinking it. A third of the sea is turned to blood and one third of the creatures in it die. Just as Adam and Eve fled from the presence of God after the fall, mankind will hide in caves and ask the mountains to fall on them to hide them from Yahweh’s wrath. However, there is more to come. Super locusts swarm over the land and torture those who are not marked with God’s seal and there is torment for five months.

Next angels are released to slay a third of mankind. It is hard to believe that the progeny of the man and woman so carefully placed in the garden, cherished and cared for, should come to such an end. But, Yahweh’s intolerance for disobedience was evident, even in the garden, and his wrath is a righteous one. Even after all the plagues, mankind does not do homage to the Creator. The presence of the devil in Revelation should not be a surprise. He is in the garden in the beginning and with deception and wiles, encourages man to sin against Yahweh. And here in Revelation, his job is the same, to mislead and beguile mankind. He is thrown to earth with his angels and many are deceived. He helps to establish the Beast and persecutes the church and god’s people. He tempts many to again rebel after the millennium, when he is loosed for a time. Ultimately, here in Revelation the prophesy of Genesis is fulfilled, as finally the Son of Man crushes the serpents head once and for all.

As a new heaven and new earth are established, the old passes away and once more Yahweh communes with man. Indeed, his abode will now be the New Jerusalem. He will care for the people as he wished to do in the beginning, wiping away their tears, ending the curse of death and terminating the old order. The holy city will not need the light of the sun or moon; the light will be the Father and the Son. All mankind will find welcome there. The gates that were blocked and guarded in Eden are now open wide for the faithful. Again, the times for festivals will be kept and all nations will bring their offerings to Jerusalem. Flowing from God’s throne there will be life-giving water, trees with fruit for all twelve months and leaves that heal. Eden is now found in the great city of Jerusalem. Those with washed robes, those obedient to the commandments and carrying a testimony of Jesus, will be invited to eat freely of the tree of life and the thirsty will have access, through Jesus, to the water of life. The creation has come full circle, and the Father has what he desired from the beginning, a faithful and obedient people, who worship Him freely.

Laurie Kuiper