And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. (Gen 2:7-8 NKJ)

Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever “–therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:22-4:1 NKJ)

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Rom 8:22 NKJ)

God’s creation was perfect, even when man (Hebrew Adam) who was created from the dust (Adamah) was placed in the garden and given dominion. Genesis 2:5 tells us that, “before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.” Tilling the ground would have been understood by the farming culture as the one given the charge to take care of the land. Adam then was given the responsibility of creation care, keeping everything in balance.

 “Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, therefore, the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Gen 3:22-4:1 NKJ) — Adam and his wife ate the fruit, and they are expelled from the garden.  As soon as they left the garden creation was no longer in balance but in bondage and decay. Paul tells us that, “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Rom 8:22 NKJ)

Eventually, God’s Kingdom will come down and restore and liberate creation, but what about now?  How much responsibility, as Christians to we, have to care for creation, surely we are the ones trusted with the job and will one day have to give an account?