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AN AMAZING FACT: Biosphere 2 was a state-of-the-art greenhouse built on three acres in the Arizona desert. It was a giant, computer-controlled environment intended to be a miniature version of the much larger biosphere 1, better known as Earth. Completed in 1991 at a cost of $200 million, it included five wilderness areas, ranging from a rainforest to a desert, and was stocked with thousands of exotic plants and animals.
Eight humans (“biospherians”) were to learn how to live off the land, isolated from the outside world except for communications. The designers envisioned Biosphere 2 as the first step toward human colonization of Mars.
But when this landlocked Noah’s Ark set sail for its two-year voyage of discovery from 1991 to 1993, it ran aground from a host of unforeseen environmental and human disasters. Oxygen levels inside the complex dropped so low that emergency oxygen was pumped in—violating the main tenet of isolation. And crop production was so poor that the starving crew got hungry enough to steal food from one another or have it smuggled in. Nearly all the birds and animals that were supposed to thrive inside died—except for “crazy ants” and cockroaches that now fill the place. Their proud vision of man making utopia on Earth became a joke—today Biosphere 2 is a tourist attraction masquerading as science.
The Bible describes the restoration of God’s people and land. It depicts the perfect home for us in which to thrive. “The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious” (Isaiah 60:13).
Someday, when Jesus returns, He will restore our planet to its state before the fall of mankind. We will enjoy the ideal environment, where all of our needs will be abundantly provided. There will be no need for stealing food. Death will be gone. The air will be pure. And we will live forever.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isaiah 35:1
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