“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:19)
In case you’re wondering who are the sons of God, let me invite you to read John 1:12-13: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -children born not of naturel descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”….
Also, we note that sons of God and children of God are used interchangeably with the former often in the context of inheritance from God. Moreover, Paul remarks in Romans 8:14 that “those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Accordingly, sons of God are on earth already but they are yet to be revealed.
Most of us don’t realize that God’s creation is vast and living, that is, doing the Creator’s will by functioning according to His design (purpose). Hence, the idea that the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed is not easy to grasp, yet it is true and here apostle Paul is not using a figure of speech but means it literally….
Paul’s choice of words is interesting. He writes, “the creation waits in eager expectation” as to suggest that the creation itself cannot wait to see the sons of God revealed. This expression evokes the picture of something longed for by the creation, or something the creation finds not quite right until the sons of God are revealed.
Accordingly, in the next two verses (20&21) Paul adds: “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 glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Obviously, the creation is subjected to frustration until the sons of God are revealed as free children of God (not slave to sin, nor under the dominion of darkness, not agent of destruction or abusers…). Then, the creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
In other words, the creation itself waits in eager expectation to be brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We cannot help the thought that, by their very nature as glorious free children of God, the sons of God relate or treat the creation differently, not the same way as those who are not sons of God.
We noted above that we find Paul’s choice of words interesting also because the idea of waiting “with eager expectation” evokes possible memory of what is expected, which would make more sense in the case of the creation.
See, it is interesting to note that the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 ends with “Adam the son of God.” (Verse 37) And, we know that Adam was given dominion over God’s creation (physical realm) (Genesis 2:26). He was created to take care and look after creation as God’s son -think of how a perfect son would look after his father’s property….
It is important to know that God’s will was done on earth then, with Adam fully functioning as the son of God.
Sadly, however, Adam sinned and the bible describes it as “falling short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and also in terms of sin entering the world through one man and death through sin (Romans 5:12) -Paul’s hint at creation being in bondage to decay is evidence of the principle of death prevailing since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. Hence, the creation cannot wait to see sons of God as glorious free children of God rule over it again (the old good days?). Praise the Lord!
The context of the passages we’re looking at makes clear that sons of God are already in the world (on earth), but they are yet to be revealed (unveiled). You are one of them if you have believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour; you could become one by doing the same today.
How are sons of God expected to live on earth whilst awaiting to be revealed? The life of Jesus of Nazareth answers the foregoing question. He lived on earth being fully aware that he was in his father’s property which belonged to him as well by virtue of being the son. Jesus treated no part of the creation with disdain because he knew every part of it belonged to God the Father -see him talk about the Lilly of the field and the bird of the air….
Strangely, most of us like quoting Psalm 139:14…. the fact that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, yet some of us don’t treat our fellow human beings as such (fearfully and wonderfully made) forgetting that the psalmist here describes himself as a human being created by God. He says “Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV) Is it normal to praise God whilst insulting his creature/creation or treating him/her/it as trash?
It is said that Serving by filiation is different from serving based on a contract. That was made evident by Jesus of Nazareth on earth. He cared about creation, as his father’s property, as his own to the extent of dying to save it, something a hired person could never do (John 10:13).
Sadly, Christians are not always renowned for taking care of God’s creation, or relating to the creation as sons of God, as belonging to us as well by virtue of our being sons of God. The fact that we are already sons of God but not relating to the creation as such suggests that we’re lacking daily awareness of who we are and what belongs to us.
We hope this meditation quicken us to develop consciousness of who we are on earth already even though it is to be revealed (unveiled). We are reminded that being sons of God has practical implications in terms of how we relate to the creation, that is, differently with personal care.
We believe the creation itself is noticing already some changes as to be waiting in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
May God help us all.
