A Paradise Interrupted
When my wife and I were engaged, one sunny summer day, we drove down the coast of California’s beautiful Highway 1, heading south out of Monterey toward Big Sur. It is one of the most scenic highways in the country. We found a gorgeous spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean and spread our blanket on the grass to enjoy a picnic lunch while enjoying nature’s scenery. The field was a verdant green with colorful wildflowers, and the ocean was a rich blue. A more perfect spot would be hard to find anywhere. I commented to my wife that it was a little bit of paradise. But that would change soon as an army of ants decided they wanted to have some of our lunch, and the blanket was quickly covered with them. Our paradise was no longer, and we had to move twice to find an undisturbed spot.
I’ve often used this as a sermon illustration of the condition of the world after sin entered. Adam and Eve left their earthly paradise, the Garden of Eden, when they were ushered out after their fall. This earth no longer has a paradise, and it won’t until God creates a new heaven and new earth.
We often try hard to make a paradise here with beautiful homes or seek a paradise on a vacation, but we eventually find there is no earthly paradise here and now. We discover that problems always arise and ants come to disturb our peace. Families will face difficulties, health challenges arise, age creeps up on us and we all eventually die. That’s why the blessed hope of Christ’s appearing is such an encouragement for us.
Before we were Seventh-day Adventists, we were simply Adventists. Our pioneers were looking forward to the soon coming of Christ to take us home to be with Him, our loved ones and the saints of all ages. They considered themselves pilgrims and strangers here, just waiting for a better time and a better place. They had lost a desire to live in this world and wanted to go to heaven to the place Jesus had prepared for them. They had found in their Bible studies that there was an almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, and the conditions of the world indicated that the coming of Christ was near. Their one desire was to be ready and share with others the blessed hope that they had.
If that was the case in their day, how much more is it true today? I believe that there is in each of us a desire for a place like paradise. We long for a place where the troubles, pain, heartache, suffering and death of this world will be no longer.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts, and in Revelation, John sees a new heaven and a new earth, where we are told, “He will wipe away 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.” Revelation 21:4. John continued by telling us that there will again be the tree of life and that there will be no more curse.
Jesus is coming. It is later than it has ever been. Now is the time to draw close to Jesus, to know Him in a personal, intimate way. We also need to tell the world of the good news of Calvary and the blessed hope of Jesus coming, for He is coming soon.
