"The Groaning of Creation"

[Romans 8:19-22]

Romans 8:19-22 says: “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."

First, let us consider what the Apostle Paul means by "creation."

Apart from the Triune God, everything else is creation. The Triune God created the entire universe and everything in it (Genesis 1-2). In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), and He saw that everything He created was very good (Genesis 1:31). So, what kind of "creation" is being referred to in Romans 8:19? In the heavens, there are angels, created by God; in the sky, there are the sun, moon, and stars, all created by God; and on the earth, there are animals, trees, and humans. But what kind of "creation" is mentioned in Romans 8:19? This "creation" does not include angels in the heavens or humans on earth. In other words, those beings capable of expressing thoughts or intentions are excluded from this "creation." The "creation" being spoken of here refers to beings that cannot think or express themselves, such as trees, fish, etc.

The Apostle Paul says that “the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it” (Romans 8:20). What does "its own choice" mean? How can creation, which cannot think or express itself, have a "choice"? The phrase "its own choice" means that the creation did not subject itself willingly to frustration. Instead, it is God, who subjected it, that allowed creation to be subjected to this frustration, so that through it, the glory that will be revealed in the future (Romans 8:18) may be made known to us. This "future glory" cannot be compared to the "present sufferings" (Romans 8:18; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17). Time-wise, there is no comparison. The present sufferings are brief and momentary, while the future glory is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17). In terms of weight, there is no comparison either. The present suffering is light, while the eternal glory is exceedingly great and weighty (Romans 8:17).

We should not only regard the suffering we face in this world for the name of Jesus as a gift of God's grace (Philippians 1:29), but we should also remember that we are blessed (1 Peter 4:14, modern translation). The reason for this is that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of glory, dwells in us (1 Peter 4:14, modern translation).

Now, what does the "subjection" mentioned in Romans 8:20 mean? How can creation, which was created by God as "very good" (Genesis 1:31), be subjected to frustration? (Romans 8:20). The reason for this is found in Genesis 3:17-18: “To Adam he said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.’” The reason is that Adam disobeyed God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). As a result, the ground was cursed because of him (Genesis 3:17).

The Apostle Paul says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together and suffering together until now” (Romans 8:22). Because of the sin of one man, Adam, the entire creation has been groaning and suffering together until now. Therefore, what the creation is eagerly awaiting is the revealing of the sons of God (v. 19). This means that the creation is longing for the glory that will be revealed in the future (v. 18). The God of the covenant, although He cursed the creation because of Adam’s sin, gave it hope. That hope is the manifestation of the sons of God in the future (v. 19).

Finally, second, let’s consider what the Apostle Paul says about the “manifestation of the sons of God.”

Let’s look again at Romans 8:19: “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” Here, “the sons of God” can be divided into two main groups based on 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17: (1) The first group is “those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). “Those who sleep in Jesus” (v. 14) refers to “the dead in Christ” (v. 16). These saints are those who died believing in Jesus, whose souls are already in heaven, and whose bodies have returned to the dust. (2) The second group is the saints who are still alive and believe in Jesus. In other words, we, the living saints who believe in Jesus, are the “sons of God.” Because we have a regenerated soul within us, when we die, our souls will go to heaven, just like “those who sleep in Jesus” or “the dead in Christ.”

The creation eagerly waits for the manifestation of these two groups of sons of God because of the glory that will be revealed in the future (Romans 8:18-19). When Jesus returns, “the dead in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) or “those who sleep in Jesus” (v. 14) will be resurrected first (v. 16, Modern Version). In other words, when Jesus returns to this world, the bodies of the dead in Christ, which have decayed in the earth, will be united with their souls in heaven and will be resurrected in powerful, incorruptible, glorious bodies that will no longer decay or be dishonored (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). Additionally, when Jesus returns, we who are alive until then (1 Thessalonians 4:17) will be transformed in an instant (1 Corinthians 15:51). We will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; this perishable body will be clothed with imperishability, and this mortal body will be clothed with immortality (v. 52-53).

Look at Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

When Jesus returns to this world, our “lowly body” (the body that is perishable, weak, dishonorable, and of the flesh) will be transformed into the glorious, resurrected body of Jesus Christ. And with the dead in Christ who have risen first, we will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with Him forever in heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). At that time, the creation will also enter into the glory that will be revealed (Romans 8:18-19).

Look at Revelation 5:13-14: “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever.”

In heaven, there is the Triune God sitting on the throne, and before Him, the 24 elders are seated in white robes with golden crowns (Revelation 4:4), along with the four living creatures (Revelation 4:8; 5:8; 19:4), the sons of God, and all of creation. The four living creatures and the 24 elders each have harps and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They fall down before the Lamb (Revelation 5:8, Modern Version), worshiping God, who sits on the throne, and say, “Amen! Hallelujah!” (Revelation 19:4, Modern Version).

Furthermore, the sons of God, who have overcome the beast (the Antichrist) through faith in Jesus and endured all persecution and tribulation to the end, the ultimate victors, will stand on a sea of glass mixed with fire, with the harps of God (Revelation 15:2), singing “The Song of Moses, the servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb” (v. 3). The victorious sons of God will sing the “Song of Moses, the Song of the Lamb,” that is, the song of victory and the song of salvation, before God’s heavenly throne (v. 3). And every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them, will cry out, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13).

Therefore, we must eagerly await the glory that will be revealed to us in the future, a glory that cannot be compared to the present sufferings (Romans 8:18) (v. 19). Just as the deer longs for streams of water (Psalm 42:1), our souls must earnestly desire the glory that will be revealed to us. Let us all eagerly anticipate the return of the Lord, preparing ourselves to welcome Him, so that, in His glory, we may behold Him and praise and worship Him forever in heaven.