A Normal or Abnormal World, that is the Question
“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Gen 1:31 NKJV).
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4 NKJV).
Many Christians think that this world is “normal”. Therefore, our duty is to improve the current living conditions and thereby make this world a better place to live. Although we are to be good stewards of what God has given us, our primary task is to preach the gospel (Matt 28:18-20; Rom 1:16-17).
The Word of God says that this world is not normal. The original creation was “very good” – a pleasant place without sin, suffering and spoilage (Gen 1:31). This creation is described in Genesis 1-2. In Genesis 3, the fall of man brought a curse that affected life on every possible level. The life that we observe today can therefore not be considered normal, but abnormal.
There is good news, though. The Bible talks about a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1). What we see in Revelation 21-22 is again the normal world. This is a world free from the current curse and with no death, sorrow or pain (Rev 21:4; 22:4). From Genesis 3 to Revelation 20, we simply see God’s perfect restoration of all things. What an encouraging truth, is it not?