For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of
God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 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. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our
body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for
what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance, we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:19
In his discourse, the apostle Paul accentuates that redemption is not limited to humans but
extends to the entire creation. This is an instance where Paul uses personification, in which
human attributes are ascribed to something non-human, as seen in Psalms 98:8-9. One may have observed how animals react to humans in the wild, where they bolt at the first sight of us, and even fish dart for cover when they perceive our shadow on the surface of the water. Or the devastation caused by weather, volcanos, shifts in the earth, and deadly disease. This was not how creation was initiated. When humanity fell in the garden, all of creation fell as well. Hence, all of creation eagerly anticipates the revelation of God’s glory in humanity once more.
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