For the present time, man gropes to solve seemingly insurmountable problems of his own making. Consider one terrible instance:

"At 1:24 a.m. on Friday, April 26 [1986], unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded. There were two enormous explosions within three seconds of each other and they blew the roof off the building. Radioactive gases, debris and materials from inside the reactor building were thrown two-thirds of a mile into the air. Pieces of the reactor's superhot fuel rods flew through the air and landed almost a mile away, setting radioactive fires that added to the exposure in the area.

"Two workers were instantly killed, and twenty-nine were bathed in so much radiation that they were essentially dead from that moment on, even though most of them lingered on for a couple of weeks in the hospital, suffering through the final stages of extreme radiation poisoning" (Stephen Spignesi, The 100 Greatest Disasters of All Time, 2002, pp. 112-113).

Some estimates said that 400 times more fallout was released in this nuclear accident than had been released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in World War II.

A 2002 United Nations report titled The Human Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident concluded that about 2,000 cases of thyroid cancer had so far been diagnosed among young people exposed to radioactive iodine. It further noted that, "according to conservative estimates, this figure is likely to rise to 8-10,000 over the coming years."

Even the efforts to enclose the radioactive ground zero provoke new worries for the future. "The cement enclosure was poorly built . . . and it began to leak radiation a few years after construction was completed. More work was done to ensure its integrity but there are still doubts as to its safety" (Spignesi, p. 113).

As terrible as this accident was, it is only one of many human-caused catastrophes that—through carelessness, mismanagement, greed and violence—are harming our planet. How will this be turned around?

In the last three studies we've looked at the real hope of the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ will return soon to bring practical solutions to our problems of inept and corrupt governments, of bad and unjustly enforced laws, and of violent and selfish human relationships.

Now let's look at a fourth wonderful benefit of the Kingdom of God—how it will transform Earth into a planet-wide Garden of Eden! And always remember: This awesome hope for the future has real, practical benefits for making your life now more meaningful and fulfilling!

From the brink of destruction

What does God say He will do to those who spoil and destroy the planet?

"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18, emphasis added throughout).

Human beings have been selfishly abusing the water, soil, plants, animals and air around them since the beginning. But as our technological prowess has increased, so has our destructiveness. War, deforestation, industrial pollution, wastefulness, greed and shortsightedness are pushing our planet toward the edge, and God is not happy with humanity for mismanaging the planet He has entrusted to us.

How does God personify the emotions of His creation?

". . . The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now" (Romans 8:21-22).

This world was put under man's control (Genesis 1:26), and when humanity chose the way of selfish greed—of sin—the earth also felt the destructive effects.

What has God promised throughout the Bible to stop this cycle of abuse and destruction?

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21).

Conversion of people is a necessary step in freeing our planet from the bondage of humanity's destructive choices. Jesus Christ's return will bring a refreshing change, restoring the beauty and harmony of God's creation. By choosing to change (repent and be converted), we can begin that process of restoration in our own lives now!

What will the world be like under the Kingdom of God?

How does the Bible describe the world under the benevolent rule of the Kingdom of God?

"For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51:3).

Instead of expanding deserts, the world will become like the idyllic Garden of Eden God first gave to man.

What will the cities and farms of that future world be like?

"'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,' says the Lord your God" (Amos 9:13-15).

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets'" (Zechariah 8:4-5).

No longer will war, captivity or disaster cause people to lose the fruits of their efforts. People will work and enjoy the benefits of their labor in a world of perpetual abundance. And cities will be safe for young and old alike.

How does the Bible describe the health of the people during the Kingdom age?

"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert" (Isaiah 35:5-6).

The persistent human tragedies that have afflicted all generations will finally be removed! Health and vitality will replace the pain and disabilities that afflict so many throughout their lives and all of us as we age. The quality of life will reach heights not experienced since the Garden of Eden.

Will this utopian condition extend even to the wild animals?

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:6-9).

People will feel safe everywhere, as there will no longer be dangerous jungles or concrete jungles. All of these wonderful conditions are based on the spread of the knowledge of God's way around the world. Acting on this knowledge will be the cause of peace and prosperity then, and it can bring great benefits to our lives now (see 1 Timothy 4:8).

Apply what you've learned now

Jesus Christ's return and the Kingdom of God are the only real hope for the future. But these wonderful promises from God are not just about the future. They should transform our lives now. Matthew 6:33 is a pivotal scripture many Christians have committed to memory. Read and deeply consider this verse and the priorities and direction it gives to your life today.

For example, how does it affect what you pray most about? (See Matthew 6:10.) How does it affect your entertainment, spending and giving choices? (See Matthew 6:19-24.) How can this approach decrease your worry? (See Matthew 6:25-34.)

Write down two things you will do starting today to put higher priority on preparing for the Kingdom of God and living by the laws of that Kingdom (His righteousness, defined by His commandments—Psalm 119:172; Exodus 20:1-17).

Also, to better understand this coming Kingdom, be sure to read our Bible study aid booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom.