Notice the word “forevermore.” Every pleasure we experience on this earth is transient. It doesn’t last. We are left looking for more. Whether it’s the pleasures of sex, laughter with friends, the enjoyment of good food, the excitement of some sport…all of it is like water in our hands. It falls through our fingers. It is gone in a moment of time and becomes like a faded photo in the memory that senility eventually rips in two.
King Solomon concluded that the pleasures we chase are like the futility of chasing the wind, and he certainly chased pleasures. But the consolation we have is the knowledge that this futile existence isn’t the way things should be. When Adam sinned, he brought about the Genesis curse which ushered in futility, disease, pain, suffering and death. God subjected the entire creation to futility because of sin:
“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because 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. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:20-23).
The whole of creation groans because of the curse. Earthquakes, flood, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., rock this earth. Animals, fish, birds and insects devour each other. Beautiful women fade like a rose, become old and die. So do birds, fish, dogs, cats, elephants, and trees. We all whither and fade because of the curse, and groan as we wait for the promised new immortal body that God can now legally give us because Jesus reversed the curse. He satisfied the anger of God against wicked humanity. He took our punishment upon Himself, and that meant that God could lawfully commute our death sentence, and let us live. He could freely give us eternal life with pleasure that never ends. We have the promise of life from Almighty God. All we need do is repent and trust Jesus. What incredible love God has for sinful humanity. How unspeakably kind and merciful.
Photo by: Nino Barbieri
