There is a word in verse19 which is found 18 times in the Textus Receptus – the Greek Bible. 3 out 4 times in the Bible that word is translated “revelation.” Once it is translated “coming”, once “appearing”, and once “manifestation.” It is the Greek word “apokalpsis.” “Apokalpsis” is found in the first verse of the Book of Revelation. And from that word the title is derived. It is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” And a part of the revelation, the coming, the manifestation of Christ will be fiery judgment upon the wicked. Hence the misconception that war is some kind of apocalypse.
Quite often that word is used in reference to the coming, or revelation, of the Lord Jesus. But here in Romans 8, Paul speaks about another “apocalypse” – yours. Remember that Paul is trying to encourage those believers in the midst of their trials. Just because you are in pain, just because you are being persecuted, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you, that he is ignoring you, or that you have been spiritually disowned. In fact, those who suffer with Christ shall be glorified with Him. It is guaranteed. And that glorification can be called our “apocalypse.” “The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the apocalypse of the sons of God.”
So there is going to be an apocalypse soon. It will be a double barreled apocalypse of both Christ and the Christian. It will be the manifestation of the Son of God and the Sons of God. It will be the revelation of God from Heaven and his people on earth.
This evening, let’s think about the anticipators and the anticipating of this apocalypse.
But Paul doesn’t speak about the anticipation of the Saviour here. He talks about the yearning of the creature for that great day. The word “creature” is “ktisis” in the Koine Greek. And the word is translated four ways: “ordinance,” “building,” “creature” and “creation.” Of those four translations “creature” is the most common, and “creation” is the second most common. Here in Romans 8, Paul is talking about “every creature” in the sense of “all creation.” It’s not the same thing in English, but it’s similar to the generic use of the word “church.” There is only one kind of church – it’s an assembly of saints in a particular location. It is a congregation of people who have covenanted together to serve the Lord according to His Word. But sometimes that word is used to describe all those individual churches at once. Similarly, “the creation” is made up of a few billion “creatures”, and that is how the word “creature” is sometimes used in Greek – speaking of all of them at once. Please notice the way that “ktisis” is translated in verse 22: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
When God created this universe, He looked at it and said that it was “good.” But tragedy struck it not long into its initial perfection. (At least as far as the innocent creation was concerned it was tragic.) The animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms were all cursed when Adam sinned. But no beast, bass, bovine or broccoli sinned or had anything to do with Adam’s sin. The highlight of creation, the pinnacle of creation – man – chose to rebel against God’s authority. And when Adam sinned, God determined to subject the entire creation – all creatures – to corruption. Creation was polluted by the sin of man. Sin is the reason that flowers die, and iron rusts. Sin is the reason that lions eat lambs and vipers spit venom. Science may not agree, but that is the teaching of the infallible Word of God. If “tree-huggers” really loved creation as much as they say they do, they’d all be servants of the Saviour. But, again, why is creation afflicted with this curse of sin? Creation, per se, committed no crime against God. But, as Paul says, “The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same IN HOPE.” Paul personifies creation and says that today, it groans and travails in pain waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Creation, as beautiful as it is under the curse of sin, longs for it’s true perfection, and it will take place when the children of God are glorified. That apocalypse is coming soon.
The second character anticipating this apocalypse is the CHRISTIAN – the child of God. As undeserving as I am, I have been born again, and my spirit has been given life – eternal life. But there is a part of me that is still subject to vanity. What is this “vanity”? It is a word which refers to transient uselessness. It seems with each passing day, I’m finding that the word “vanity” fits the condition of this body of mine. I can see that it is transient, as my eyesight dwindles, muscles weaken, and stamina staggers. But there is a new tabernacle, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, awaiting me. I’m referring to those new bodies which the Lord has prepared for each of the children of God. Our bursitis will some day be gone, and with it our rheumatism and high-blood pressure. And our minds – wow – we will begin to use the 90% which we mostly ignore today. Every physician and micro-biologist should yearn for the apocalypse. “This corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality.” I think that I can hear my ankles and knees whispering, “Apocalypse soon?” My back utters out loud, “One of these days, one of these days, apocalypse.” My eyes groan within themselves waiting for the redemption of this body. And I’m just referring to my body – at the same time my spirit screams within me, “Why not now?” “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” One of these days Christ Jesus is going to be revealed, manifested, and we shall be manifested with Him. I want to see my saviour’s face, and His wounds on my behalf. I want to feel his heart beating. I want to shake His hand and kiss His feet, thanking him for His saving grace. Both my body and my spirit groan within me waiting for the adoption – the apocalypse.
What about the EXPECTATION? Verse 19 – “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Paul personifies creation by giving it a mind and a heart. Of course, it doesn’t really have a mind in the sense of a single living creature. But a great many living creatures can think and do think. Of course, Pantheism and Mother-Naturism are lies devised by Satan to rob Jehovah of His glory. But taking poetic license, Paul gives creation intellect and emotion. He says that the creature has hope, patience and desire. And why should it have this expectation of apocalypse? Doesn’t it begin with the fact that God is just? Creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly. I don’t know how valid my argument, but Creation deserves to have it’s original perfection reinstated. Unlike you and me, it can’t be said that creation has ever sinned against God. In a sense, it deserves to be returned to its Edenic condition. And still speaking poetically, whenever it sees a child of God it might say, “O, boy! Soon, pretty soon, those Christians will be perfected, and so will I.” I won’t try to pronounce the Greek word translated “expectation.” Let it suffice to say that it is long and complicated – formed out of three root words. They are “head,” “await” and “afar.” Put together they say, “to wait with the head raised and the eye fixed on that point on the horizon from which the expected object is to come.” In this case – creation watches for its Creator – with a glance at you every now and then. Because when we are manifested, then it shall be restored to its original glory.
The second word used in regard to this waiting is MANIFESTATION – “apocalypse” or “revelation.” When I left my father and mother and went off to university it was with a scholarship and major in “evolution.” Actually it was biology, but those two things are basically one and the same in secular education. However, I am not an “evolutionist” – I am a “REVOLUTIONIST.” Today, I am a “tranformationist.” The only real and substantial improvement that can take place in sinners is through the miracle of grace. Evolution is not getting the job done, because it is only a product of sinful man’s imagination. The first required miracle is the new birth which gives man a regenerated heart. And then following other miracles eventually there shall be the transformation of the former sinner’s body. We shall be glorified like as to our Saviour’s glorified body.
And when shall this take place? It will occur at the most important apocalypse – the revelation of Christ. It will happen when the Lord Jesus, the one slain and buried… the One who arose victorious over death and the grave, returns. The Apocalypse will occur when Christ returns to reclaim His Creation. “And every eye shall see him,” says the Word of God. “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” That will be the moment of the saint’s apocalypse. And soon after that will come the restoration of the creature.
The third word about this waiting is RECTIFICATION. Creation will be delivered from the bondage of its corruption. And “the dead in Christ shall rise first and we shall be changed.” “We shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” “This corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality.” The Apocalypse will include a great correction – a rectification.
Then lastly, Paul speaks about REDEMPTION; the redemption of our bodies. Exactly why the Lord is interested in this moth-eaten tabernacle – this old tent of a body – I don’t know. But I do know that He has promised to come for it. Christ has bought the children of God – body, soul and spirit.
So, Paul tells the Romans, “Don’t loose any sleep over what the world might try to do you.” “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” And “who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Actually, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Why? Because there is an apocalypse coming up soon.