SECTION 6

What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?

GOD created the earth to be mankind’s perfect home. His Word states: “To Jehovah the heavens belong, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.”—Psalm 115:16.

Before he created the first man, Adam, God chose one small part of the earth called Eden and there planted a beautiful garden. The Scriptures state that the Euphrates and Tigris (Hiddekel) rivers had their source in Eden.a The garden of Eden is thought to have been located in what is now eastern Turkey. Yes, the garden of Eden really did exist on earth!

God created Adam and settled him in the garden of Eden “to cultivate it and to take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15) Later, God created a wife for Adam—Eve. God commanded the couple: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28) Clearly, God “did not create [the earth] simply for nothing, [but] formed it even to be inhabited.”—Isaiah 45:18.

Adam and Eve, however, rebelled against God by deliberately breaking his law. God therefore put them out of the garden of Eden. Paradise was lost. And the damage caused by Adam’s sin went further. The Scriptures tell us: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.”—Romans 5:12.

Did Jehovah abandon his original purpose—that the earth be a paradise inhabited by happy people? No! God states: “My word that goes forth from my mouth will . . . not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Paradise will be restored on earth!

What will life in Paradise be like? Consider the Scriptural promises shown on the following two pages.

a Genesis 2:10-14 says: “There was a river issuing out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it began to be parted and it became, as it were, four heads. The first one’s name is Pishon . . . the name of the second river is Gihon . . . the name of the third river is Hiddekel [or, Tigris]; it is the one going to the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.” The location and identity of the first two rivers are not known.

A Coming Earthly Paradise

The dead will be resurrected: “All those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.”—John 5:28, 29.

No more old age, infirmity, or death: “No resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) God “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:4.

Plenty of good food: “The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us.”—Psalm 67:6.

Fine homes and satisfying work: “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy . . . The work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full.”—Isaiah 65:21, 22.

No more war, crime, or violence: Jehovah “is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth.” (Psalm 46:9) “The wicked . . . will be cut off from the very earth.”—Proverbs 2:22.