A New Heaven and a New Earth

 A couple of days ago, a willy wagtail came so close to me, one pace away. Then my wife held out some food and the dear little wild bird ate out of her hand. 

I love online videos showing pet budgies playing with the family cat, or the family cat and dog showing playful affection for each other.

There is a story on social media about a pet dog discovering a baby magpie that fell out of the nest. The female dog adopted the magpie and cared for it like a mother, with the help of the dog’s owner. The magpie grew up loving its dog mother and human family. 

The magpie was free to fly away, and it came and went, playing with its human family and its beloved dogs. It learned to bark like a dog.

You will find the story if you google Molly and Peggy.

In the Bible God created all the animals, and he gave the first man and woman responsibility to rule over the natural world, to love and care for the animals, not to exploit them.

When Adam and Eve listened to the Prince of Darkness, they became mortal and death also entered into the animal world. Cats killed birds, foxes killed chickens and lions killed antelopes.

In the Old Testament, we see prophecies where God promises to restore the peace and friendship between animals.

The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. Is 65:25 NIV

We do not know exactly when and how this will happen, but God’s promises are trustworthy. Even now, we see foretastes of this. I see videos on YouTube of animals which rescue humans and other animals from death, even animals of different species.

This world is full of violence and killing. Chickens and ducks bully their own kind, picking on the weak ones, but this world is temporary. God is planning something far better, a new creation. It will surely come.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Re 21:1–5 NIV