Romans 8:19 – Eagerly Anticipated Revelation
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Truth to Learn
All of God’s physical creation is anticipating the glory that we will receive one day from our Heavenly Father.
Behind the Words
The words translated, “earnest expectation” are translated from the Greek word apokaradokia. This is a double compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “before,” kara, meaning “the head,” and a form of dokeō, meaning “to think, suppose, or watch.” Putting these all together we see that it literally means “to watch or look forward with the head.” Thus we can see why this word has the meaning of “intense anticipation” as one would strain the neck forward looking intently into the distance expecting to see something very soon.
“Creation” is a translation of the Greek word ktisis. This word means “a thing created,” but it can be taken to mean a single created thing (creature) or the singular collection of all created things (creation).
The word translated “revealing” is apokalupsis. This is a noun form of apokaluptō, which we looked at in yesterday’s verse. It refers to that thing which is “uncovered or revealed.”
Meaning Explained
Here, once again, we have a verse of Scripture that has been highly debated for centuries. The controversy revolves primarily around the word translated “creation.” Without going into an extensive exposition of this word, let me simply state that I’m in the camp of those who believe it refers to all of creation (apart from mankind and angelic creatures). Others who believe that it refers to Christians as “a created thing” (for we are a “new creation” according to 2Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15) have a valid a reason to believe that as the correct interpretation. However, Paul uses this word repeatedly in this and the following few verses, and in verse twenty-two he refers to “the whole creation,” literally “all the creation (singular).” Therefore, since he uses the same word throughout and makes no obvious distinction, it is reasonable to assume that he uses the term the same in all of these verses.
One could reasonably ask why this would refer to all of creation apart from mankind and angelic creatures rather than all of creation including mankind and angelic beings. Much of mankind (those who are not saved) clearly is not eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God, and angelic beings were not subjected to futility as declared in the next verse.
In the previous verse Paul stated that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us some day (when our salvation is consummated and we receive our glorified bodies). In this verse I believe he is saying that all of physical creation is eagerly anticipating this revealing of the true sons of God in our revealed glory.
Application
If all of creation is figuratively straining its neck in eager anticipation of the revelation of the glorified sons of God, how much more should we be, we who will receive that glory. When we Christians suffer for our witness, we need to keep in mind that we will receive such marvelous glory from our Heavenly Father that the revelation of that glory is eagerly anticipated by all of creation. That’s something to think about!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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