Connect Isaiah 11:7 with Romans 8:21 on creation's liberation from corruption. Setting the Scene - After the fall, the whole created order was subjected to decay (Genesis 3:17-19). - Scripture keeps pointing forward to a time when that curse is reversed. Isaiah’s Picture of Peace “ ‘The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.’ ” (Isaiah 11:7) - Carnivores become herbivores. - Natural enmity disappears. - The verse sits in a larger messianic prophecy (Isaiah 11:1-9) that centers on the reign of the “Shoot from the stump of Jesse,” a clear reference to Messiah. Paul’s Vision of Liberation “ ‘…the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.’ ” (Romans 8:21) - Creation is presently in “bondage to decay.” - That bondage ends when God’s children are glorified. - The liberation is physical and universal, not merely spiritual. How the Two Passages Interlock • Same Problem Addressed – Isaiah shows the effects of the curse undone in the animal kingdom. – Paul explains why the curse exists: creation was “subjected” because of humanity’s sin (Romans 8:20). • Same Agent of Change – Isaiah’s peace comes under Messiah’s righteous rule (Isaiah 11:4-5). – Paul locates creation’s hope in the consummation of Christ’s redemptive work (Romans 8:32-34). • Same Outcome – Predator and prey live harmoniously (Isaiah 11:7). – All creation enjoys “glorious freedom” (Romans 8:21). Additional Scriptural Echoes - Hosea 2:18 — covenant of peace with the beasts. - Isaiah 65:25 — “The wolf and the lamb will feed together.” - 2 Peter 3:13 — promise of “a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.” - Revelation 22:3 — “No longer will there be any curse.” What This Means for Us Today - The reversal of nature’s hostility is as certain as Christ’s resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). - Our own future transformation (Philippians 3:20-21) is inseparably linked to the renewal of the cosmos. - Environmental stewardship makes sense because God values creation and will redeem it, not discard it (Psalm 24:1). Looking Ahead to the Fulfillment - When Christ returns, He will reign from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:9). - Human society and the natural world alike will experience the shalom Isaiah described. - Finally, in the new heaven and new earth, the liberation Paul foresaw reaches its climax (Revelation 21:1-5). Until that day, creation groans, we groan, and the Spirit intercedes (Romans 8:22-26). The promise stands: the cow and the bear will graze together, and creation will be set free. |
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