Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 January 2025

Reading From Genesis 7-9

“Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

—Genesis 9:8-11

     God is love and here in Genesis He makes a covenant to never again destroy the earth with a flood.  I do not understand why God, who is thoroughly and completely loving would say that He won’t destroy the world with a flood, He’ll do it with fire.  This is partly why I believe that the fire of God that will cleanse the world will only consume all that has been corrupted by sin, leaving the majestic and beautiful works of His creation, purifying them in the flames and then renewing them to their paradisiacal glory.  We know from Moses’ first encounter with Yahweh that the bush was on fire but was not consumed.

     We know from other prophecies that there will be animals in the New Heaven and the New Earth and we will all live in peace with one another.  This should change the way we live in our present reality.  We need to share the love and message with others, partner with the Spirit in making disciples, and be good stewards of the environment.

“O Lord, You are a good God.  You are good to Your people and good to Your creation.  I know that You will keep Your promise, every promise You’ve ever made.  Thank You for who You are and all that You do for us.  I give all honor and glory to You.  Please give me the strength I need to continue in the faith, obeying Your Great Commandment and fulfilling Your Great Commission.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

He set the earth on its foundations;
    it can never be moved.

—Psalm 104:5

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.—Genesis 2:15

Generations come and generations go,
    but the earth remains forever.

—Ecclesiastes 1:4

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

—II Peter 3:10-13

The nations were angry,
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.

—Revelation 11:18

The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearlingtogether;
    and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

—Isaiah 11:6-9