Romans 8

This is such a great passage for a world that is eagerly waiting, and living through this messed up world, while seeking out the redemption of our hope!

[Rom 8:18-25 LSB]  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. [19]  For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. [20]  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope [21]  that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. [22]  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. [23]  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. [24]  For in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he already sees? [25]  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we eagerly wait for it.

Our hope is not rooted in this life.  This life is not what it is all about.  Our hope is rooted in the Age to Come!  The next age on the timeline is the Millennial Reign of Yeshua, our God, our Creator here on this earth.

The Day of the Lord is the day when everything done in secret will be revealed.  We each will be rewarded according to the deeds done in this earthly body.  Justice is coming!  Justice doesn't always show up in this current life.  Sometimes bad people, who do evil things, seem to get away with it in this life.  However... Justice, Righteous Judgment, is coming!

We are waiting for the renewal of all creation.

[18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 

So, here in Romans 8, Paul says "Look guys, I know life is hard.  I know that there's suffering in this age.  Sometimes, it can be very overwhelming."

But then he goes "But I consider the sufferings of this present age, this present time, they're not even worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us!"

Sometimes people go through horrific events, life breaking, debilitating accidents, trauma, and diseases, etc..  "Why me?  Why do I have to suffer through this?"

Even Paul went through those sufferings.  He says, these sufferings?  They're real, to be sure, but... it's not even worthy of dwelling on.  The glory that will be revealed is unfathomable and all the pain of this life, this age, will be completely forgotten!  We won't even look back on it... it will literally be forgotten as if it didn't even happen.

[19]  For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

When you sit in church and everyone is like "oh, be strong!  Stop being so worried about things!  Stop being so fearful!  Stop being so sad!"  No! You Stop!  All of creation says something is wrong here... this isn't the way things are supposed to be!  All of creation is groaning!  Why are we not groaning?!

It's groaning eagerly for the sons of God!  We are the children of God, we're adopted into His family, but at the resurrection the adoption papers are signed!  We are officially now the sons/daughters of the Birther of all things!  As soon as our decayed and corrupted corpses are resurrected and transformed into our glorious new bodies we are adopted fully!

[20]  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 

Yahweh, Himself, allowed the curse in hope that the creation itself will be set free from slavery.  All of creation will be set free!  Set free from corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 

In the same way that we will be resurrected and given our glorified bodies, all of creation will be resurrected and renewed.  

[22]  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 

There's that childbirth analogy again.  All through childbirth are growing pains, and then labor pains begin, and finally we're getting close to the birth.  Those labor pains strike more often and come closer together.  They increase in intensity, and the pain is almost unbearable right up to the end... right up to the birth.

That is the analogy used all throughout Scripture.  It's used for the sufferings of this life and even Daniel's 70th week.  There is suffering, and endurance, right up to the end... when finally... the birth of the next age comes forth.

That's one reason preterists drive me crazy... "Oh, the birth pains are all in 70AD!".  No, you idiots... have you ever experienced the birth of a child?  Birth pains do not occur and end in 70AD.  Birth pains occur right up to the end... and get worse in fact.  You don't have birth pains, and then 2000 years later give birth.

[23]  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

We know that all of creation is suffering the pains of child birth together with us.  Not only that, but we feel it - because we have the first fruits of the Spirit (because God is in us).  We should be groaning... this world is not the way that it was intended to be.  It won't be this way forever.  It will become what it is intended, but not until it gives birth.

There it is again, in verse 23 - "the redemption of our body".  This is speaking of the first resurrection of our bodies!  Not our souls, not our spirits, but our bodies... when our spirit will be rejoined with our earthly bodies and transformed into the glorious likeness of our risen Savior.

That is our hope!  It's not visible to us yet... we can see it, because God's Spirit lives in us, but it's not really visible to us yet.  It's the same with all of creation... it's discouraged because it knows that it's not right.  We can see it though because we have the first fruits... God lives within us.

[24]  For in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he already sees?

Hope can't be seen - it you could see it... it wouldn't be hope.

That's what Paul's getting at here - one of his his little sort of rabbinic, subtle statements. But if we do hope - for that which we don't see yet, with perseverance, we wait eagerly for it.  We don't see it... we see the Word of God, we believe it, but we don't see it yet.

[25]  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we eagerly wait for it.

There is a perseverance. There is a longsuffering that's involved in waiting for that which we don't see. And long-suffering, that patient endurance, are one of the primary overriding Christian virtues throughout all of the Scriptures. 

The righteous are defined by having longsuffering, patient endurance, but it's hardly ever preached in churches today.  One of the main characteristics of the righteous is that we can suffer for a long time and continue to hold on to hope. 

That's who we are called to be. 

Whatever, you may be suffering today, or are discouraged, or sad, or just feeling blah... that's normal.  All of creation is waiting for Yeshua to set it all right again.  

We can bow our heads and be thankful through anything this world throws at us... it's won't even be worthy of discussion when we're face to face with the Glory that is coming for us.  The Glory that He has designed specifically for us!  Justice will be served and all of this current world's troubles will be wiped from our memories.

Persevere through it with a thankful heart. 

[Heb 11:1 LSB]  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

[Heb 11:6 LSB]  And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.