Today is National Earth Day. Now, before you decide to bypass reading this devotional, thinking it’s a propaganda piece for the far left, let’s understand where it all came from before delving into the nonsensical foolishness it’s become.
In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote a book titled Silent Spring. The book focused on the harm being caused by man-made chemical pesticides, especially DDT. Suffering from breast cancer that would take her life in 1964, Carson used her education from John Hopkin’s University to shed light on the danger the chemicals were causing to the environment as well as humanity. These chemicals were first used and weaponized in WWII. Now, they are available to the public and heralded as the best way to control pests. Carson’s exposure of the side effects caused great backlash from the chemical companies, calling her “a fanatic defender of the cult of the balance of nature” and “probably a communist,” among other things.”1
The pesticides weren’t just affecting humans. They were leaching into the water and soil, contaminating animals, killing them or causing genetic mutations.
Protecting ourselves from animals and foods bathed in chemicals is something most of us would agree with today as we discover the links of the chemicals to cancer. This is why there is such a push currently in our society to eat organic and to shun processed foods. Though “The American Cancer Society reports lower overall cancer death rates,” the “incidence [of cancer] is increasing for many common cancers.”2 Much of this is traced back to the foods we eat.
By 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin managed to establish the first Earth Day. “The objective was to get a nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy,” Senator Nelson said, “and, finally, force this issue permanently onto the national political agenda.”3
Earth Day has been around now for 55 years, but it didn’t take long before it became a governmental overreach project. By July of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency began. Again, this perhaps began with noble intentions of trying to reduce the amount of pollution dumped into the air, land, and water. But things quickly morphed into regulatory nightmares that tied the hands of American companies, escalating prices so that manufacturers found other countries to be more conducive for production.
This is not a political piece and I’m not advocating for careless dumping of cancer-causing agents into our environment, certainly not into the foods we eat. That would be exceptionally ignorant and foolish on my part. So, let me share with you what I’m driving at. It all has to do with the religion of environmentalism. 
The Scripture makes it very clear that God gave us the planet. Genesis 1 tells the story of creation. It was HIS work.
Man was given dominion over all God’s creation. Creation was not supposed to have the dominion. Genesis 1:26-28 clearly says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
The animals and plants were placed here for our consumption and use. Genesis 9:3 says, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”
The planet is not supposed to be worshipped! It sure seems that environmentalism has turned into one of the world’s most popular religions with worshipful attitudes turned toward trees, underground resources of oil, and plants and animals whose scientific names are unpronounceable. Environmental “evangelists” preach their message with passion and tears, begging for people to save the planet.
This is a sign of the times that the Lord addresses in Romans 1:20-23. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
And, you and I cannot save the planet anymore than we can destroy the planet. Earth Day and environmentalist have their own doomsday clock associated with how our carbon footprint, El Nino, climate change, fossil fueled vehicles, ozone depleters, and a host of other things are destroying our planet. Eventually, we are warned, the planet will extinguish itself thanks to the irresponsibility of you and I.
Nonsense!!!!
The Bible makes it perfectly clear that the planet IS going to be destroyed but the Destroyer is also the Creator of the planet. 2 Peter 3:10-13 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, 
what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
If Jesus were to return today, there will be at least 1,007 years before this happens (7 year Tribulation Period followed by the Millennial Kingdom). We will not hinder nor speed up these events. It’s all in God’s perfect timing.
Yes, be a good steward. Yes, stay away from known cancer causers. Yes, take dominion. Yes, use the God given resources. NEVER worship the planet. And never forget the truth of Deuteronomy 10:14, “Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.”
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-27/rachel-carson-silent-spring-published
2https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/facts-and-figures-2024.html
3https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-22/the-first-earth-day
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
