From Beginning to the End: Humans as Caretakers and Co-creators of Nature

Followers of the Christian faith ought to reconsider their role as being created in the ‘image of God,’ their interpretation of the Apocalyptic literature, and the relationship between the two. Different interpretations of these two narratives in Biblical literature (the Creation and the End Times) can create and support the view of humans as care-takers of Earth. A different perspective of the Creation story and Apocalyptic literature can lead to a different view of humans and their role in nature. By realizing their equivalence with nature and nature’s true ownership by God, humans are demoted from nature’s tyrannical kings to helpful gardeners. By observing the God-given power of decision-making, these helpful gardeners realize their power and influence over the quality of the earth. By realizing the true meaning for the Apocalypse, these gardeners use their powers to establish the dwelling place for God’s kingdom. The call for humans to become caretakers for the earth, rather than ‘flying away’ from it starts in Genesis when God formed the Creation, and continues until the end in Revelation when God will form God’s new kingdom on a renewed and restored heaven and earth.