"Look; It's ALL New!" (Part I)

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“The heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up... But according to His promise we are looking for NEW heavens and a NEW earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
- Peter the Apostle

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Part I - Part II - Conclusion

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~"Look; It's ALL New!"~

A Theological Fantasy
by Duncan Cary Palmer

I wake up a bit on the hungry side.

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I rubberneck for a minute trying to figure out what to do about it.

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I'm surrounded by trees in full fruit (source)

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It appears there won't be a problem,

as I'm surrounded by a staggering variety of trees in full fruit.

Birds trill novel choruses. Sporadic breezes waft delicious fragrances under my nose, further stirring my appetite. Leaves flutter, and mottled patches of sunlight reveal small, furry creatures nosying around my legs and feet. They tickle.

Two or three weeks have now passed since what some call "The Ultimate Reboot," and as I pluck an orange within easy reach, I ponder that time span. Peeling and anticipating the sweetness of the orange, I recall how it began⁠—that unforgettable day not long ago, a day I'd yearned for my entire life.

The Trumpet/Voice/Shout—the sound I'd been straining forever to hear—finally rang out. Almighty Jesus/God himself, like a bolt of lightning, split the skies above. Just as in the song good ol' Johnny Cash used to sing, Jesus—obviously and unquestionably "The Man"—had finally "come around" to make everything new.

Graves, tombs, mausoleums, and even the ocean depths, all burst open⁠—every last one of 'em⁠—and quite suddenly, all the dead were dead no longer.

Sadly for some, it was only a terrifying and mercifully brief respite. But that's a story for another day⁠—probably for another author, as I have much more cheerfully pleasant stories to tell.

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I want to enjoy this orange... (source)

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Besides, I want to enjoy this orange.

A squirrel leaps up on my knee, then pads onto my belly, rears back on his haunches, and tries to stare me down. He seems to be strongly implying I ought share some of my orange with him. I decline and keep on eating. Go get your own breakfast, little guy; it's not like there's a food shortage around here.

So, I finally have the answer to one of the burning questions which haunted me most of my natural life on old, fallen Earth. I often found myself wondering which of two major forks The Reboot would take.

Well, now I know.

So I don't leave you wondering, let me describe the two contending options.

C.S. Lewis, an author I was very fond of back in the Dark Ages of the world, imagined that on the Last Day, when God's holy fire swept through the universe, it would purge and purify everything but not totally destroy it. In the Lewisian version of that future (now past) reality, a cleansing plasma would literally "burn the shit" out of the universe while leaving whatever was good behind.

Clive, I hope I'm not misrepresenting your thoughts. Just for the record⁠—I also hope you and I can get together one of these (endless) days and get to know each other.
 
Could we take a walking tour through the countryside? As I recall, you're quite fond of that activity, and it would give me a grand opportunity to pump you for details of how you really imagined things.
 
By the way, profound thanks for sharing your very fecund imagination with us in your books and letters. You, sir, are an inspiration!

As I best understand it,

Lewis imagined that London (for instance) would still exist after The Reboot; only in a totally cleaned-up form, sparkling in the light of a new day. He envisioned the city absolutely scoured clean of all filth and evil scum of any kind. It would truly be a "New London," yet recognizable as itself, able to be nostalgically enjoyed for the good it had once provided.

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London, rebooted? (source)

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Other writers,

including myself, imagined things quite differently. We pictured a total reset of everything back to a purely natural state. A recreation of a very Edenic garden world, all traces of human meddling utterly absent. Planet Earth, done all over again, restarted in a lush and entirely pristine state of nature.

Two brightly and colorfully decorated butterflies heave into view, one chasing the other in dizzying loops and swirls through the cool morning air.

As I idly follow them with my eyes, enjoying their antics, I'm suddenly and strongly reminded of my current dilemma; I could eat a triceratops... The orange was great, but it's served only to whet my appetite. Spotting some really ripe looking guavas—my favorite fruit—nearby, I chow down on a few. That ought to tide me over long enough to finish my backstory.

Quite a few of us figured that when Jesus/God restored all things, they would be restored to their original state with not even the most minuscule trace of man's tampering⁠—and screwing up⁠—what God had originally done.

Well, we won that bet...

...though not quite completely.

As things actually turned out, neither scenario transpired exactly, though the reality is certainly closer to the "Eden" version of the universe. And I have to say, I am deeply grateful to Jesus, the Creator of All Things, that he's seen fit to handle the matter the way he did.

It is true that all works of man—the Egyptian Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, all houses, skyscrapers, subway tunnels, Moon bases, highways, war machines, spacecraft, etc. and etc.⁠—have been completely erased from physical existence. Only their memory remains.

In their place we find the original geography, flora and fauna, waterways, and other purely natural elements. In other words, only what has come directly from the mind and hand of Jesus the Creator; these are the only things left.

However, there are a few "extras" that I'll share with you as my tale unfolds, some rather important and unanticipated surprises.

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Eden, Revisited—Unsullied Nature (source)

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But, let me assure you, every newly minted feature is spectacular. There is nary a trace of anything that could be considered a flaw, or a mistake, or an omission, to mar a single thing.

Better yet,

though the same perfection could also be ascribed to original Eden, this new creation boasts at least one radical difference; the very possibility of another fall has now been permanently removed. Hallelujah!

I thought my hunger was satisfied; but as my glance falls on some blueberry bushes, I suddenly discover another chink in my appetite that needs filling⁠—right now—with some sweet, deep blue goodness. Is it possible to pick and munch on berries while telling you my story?

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Deep Blue Goodness (source)

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I intend to find out.

Be sure to check back when the next installment drops, and we'll get right down to it...

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~ To Be Continued ~
(click here)

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NOTE: Throughout my posts, you may notice hyperlinks like this one that lead to supplemental material. Most images are also hyperlinked. While not essential to the enjoyment of my writing, you may find the additional background information enlightening (or at least mildly interesting).

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