As Christians we say the world (Earth) is not our home, rather, our home is in Heaven. While this is true, God has created us to live and dwell in our mortal bodies on planet Earth. So much has been done to explore space and other planets, but what do we really know about Earth [1]? I believe the best place to learn about Earth is to look to the Bible. Here is what we can learn about Earth from the Bible.
Earth did not just happen – God created it:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
When God created Earth, He then molded it into the planet that could sustain life. His Spirit moved to make it a suitable place for all life, plants, sea life, animals and humans:
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
God sent a flood to destroy the Earth because all of the human inhabitants were continually evil. He saved only Noah and his family along with many animals. (Read Genesis Chapters 7-9):
Genesis 7:17–24 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
After the great flood God made a covenant with Noah that He would never destroy the Earth again with water. A sign of the covenant was the rainbow in the sky. We should remember this promise whenever we see a rainbow:
Genesis 9:11–17 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Sometimes God uses the Earth to let us know He is angry:
2 Samuel 22:7–8 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God: And he did hear my voice out of his temple, And my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven moved And shook, because he was wroth.
More evidence that the Earth was created by God is found in other parts of the Bible too. It is not magic that the Earth is suspended in space – it is the work of the Master Creator:
Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, And hangeth the earth upon nothing.
There is no Mother Nature – the LORD is the One who “owns” and cares for the Earth, including all that live here:
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.
It is prophesied that the Earth is full (will be full) of God’s glory, even when it is difficult to see this today:
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.
We have an enemy on Earth (world) and the Earth will not exist forever. But the devil is not the victor in the end:
Matthew 13:38–39 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
The Bible tells us some signs that the end of the Earth (world) is near. Jesus taught this to His disciples when He was here on Earth. (Read all of Matthew 24):
Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Jesus promised that He would be with us even until the end of the world (Earth):
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
This Earth will pass away, but God will make new heavens and a new earth. The good news is that all believers will be in the “New Jerusalem” and will have no remembrance of the former earth:
Isaiah 65:17–19 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: For, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
Revelation 21:1–8 And 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. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And 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. And 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. And 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. And 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. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Final Thoughts
Even though the Earth is not our permanent dwelling, God has given us the responsibility to take care of it (Genesis 1:26-28). We should be thankful for this planet that God created for us and make sure that we help others to show thankfulness by sharing what we know about what the Bible can teach us about Earth.
Some related reading for you: Did Humans Exist With God Before They Were Born on Earth? [2]
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version