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will be a solution to man's pollution
problems because humanity, at last,
will learn to deal with the causes of
his pollution problems.
Why Man Jumped the Track
There is a reason why manis such a
great polluter. Why human nature
is filled with so much selfishness,
narrow-mindedness, shortsighted–
ness and greed. These are the atti–
tudes that lead to pollution and
degradation of the environment.
Where did they come from? lsn't it
time we found the causes?
Humans could have possessed
the knowledge needed to compre–
hend when tools, machines and
technology would produce serious
damage to themselves and the envi–
ronment. We humans could have
discerned in advance damaging
inventions or technologies and
stopped them before they became
widely disseminated.
But man has cut himself off
from the source of this essential
knowledge- the Creator.
Humanity has chosen instead to
follow the "get" way of life. ·"Suc–
cess" under this "get" way is gain–
ing as much power, riches, material
wealth for self as quickly as possi–
ble. But who originated t he "get"
way?
First Environm ental Destroyer
Before the creation of the material
universe, God created spirit beings
to assist him in all his great pur–
pose. One of the most powerful,
wise and beautiful beings God
created was an archangel whom we
call Lucifer . This is a Latín name
meaning Light-bringer. He was lat–
er sent to bring God's laws to the
angels under him and to administer
God's government over the earth.
When God originally created the
earth and the heavenly bodies
(Gen. 1:1 ) , all the angels of God
shouted for joy. The earth at its
creation was immensely beautiful
(Job 38:7).
But Lucifer allowed a spirit or
attitude of competition , which is
contrary to God's way, to enter his
mind. He chose to rebel against his
Maker. He wanted to exalt his
throne to supreme ruler over the
universe. He and the host of angels
swayed with his evil attitudes
32
attempted to knock God off his
throne. But they were ftung back to
earth. These events are revealed in
lsaiah 14:12-15, in Ezekiel 28:12-
15, in Luke 10: 18 and Revelation
12:4. Lucifer's name was changed
to Satan, meaning the Adversary.
H is fallen angels became demons,
spirits with deceitfu1, twisted atti–
tudes.
The earth became a ruin. But
God renewed the surface of the
earth and made it habitable forman.
He created flora and fauna suitable
for the needs of man (Gen. 1 and
2).
Man was created with awesome
powers of intellect, reasoning and
creativity no animal possessed. God
had said, "Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness" (Gen.
1:26). When God created Adam
and Eve he commanded them to
multiply, to subdue and to rule over
all on earth. He placed them in the
choicest spot on earth, the Garden
of Eden, "to d ress it and to keep it"
.(Gen. 2: 15).
Note, God did not instruct the
man to ravage and despoil the envi–
ronment over which he ruled. Man
was to have dominion, rulership
and "dress"-maintai.n and beauti–
fy-the earth. God's purpose was
to allow Adam and bis progeny the
opportunity to develop character
like God has and to learn to rule
and to be ruled through being a
proper caretaker , or steward, over
his immediate physical domain.
God had· set in motion physical
and spiritual laws that would auto–
matically bring every right and
beautiful result man could want.
God created wholesome and nutri–
tious food, a beautiful and clean
environment and revealed a way
that would maintain contact and
peace with God and peace with
neighbor. But the first humans
were also
fre~
moral agents. They
could choose God's way or choose
to go ways of their own devising.
Genesi's, chapter 3 , reveals
Satan, in the guise of a serpent,
injected into the first man and
woman rebellion and doubt about
God's authority. They chose to
experiment for themselves and to
decide what was right and wrong.
They became filled with Satan's
attitude of "get" and rebellion.
God drove them from the Gar–
den of Eden and cut off human
access to bis Spirit, typified by the
"tree of life." Caín, in the very first
generations born, soon rose up and
killed his brother Abe!, because
he-Cain-was "of that wicked
one"
( J
John 3:12). Cain's attitude
was, "Am 1 my brother's keeper?"
(Gen. 4:9).
That attitude that was in Caín
has filled humanity ever since. It
has led to every evil: competition,
war
1
violence, greed, and environ–
mental degradation.
The apostle Paul explained to ear–
ly New Testament Christians that
Satan is the unseen "god of this
world" (11 Cor. 4:4). That all
humans in one way or another have
walked "according to the prince of
the power of the air"-Satan (Eph.
2:2).
Twentieth century humanity is
repeating the same tragic attitudes
and mistakes of past generations.
Only today, misguided humanity–
in both developed and undeveloped
nations- possesses vastly more
power ful technology to rapidly
destroy the earth' s life-giving hab–
itat- the narrow band of air, water
and soil that sustains all physical
life.
Mankind as a whole still doesn' t
believe his ways are evil. Many
people don't yet recognize, much
more bate, the evil consequences of
their selfish attitudes. These conse–
quences will yet bring much
greater environmental pollution.
The book of Revelation in particu–
lar graphically depicts this awe–
some environmental crisis.
Yet there is great hope for those
who truly want to understand. Mil–
lions do not know that the true gos–
pel- the good news Jesus Christ
preached- included a message
about saving the environment! lt is
summed up in the expression " the
times of restitution of all things"
(Acts 3:21 ).
Jesus Christ is returning again to
earth, this time as the all-powerful
. King of kings. He will set up the
government of God over the whole
earth. Those who now overcome
their selfishness and fulfill the law
of God will share Christ 's power
and authority over the nations.
Here, at last, is the
only
hope man-
The
PLAIN TRUTH