[592]That the people will be brought to a condition of health and be cured of their sickness the Lord assures us through his Prophet.  “Behold, I will bring in health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.” (Jeremiah 33:6) “And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”—­Isaiah 33:24

PARADISE RESTORED

[593]The restoration means the bringing back to earth of the Edenic condition for man’s benefit.  Some may think there will be not sufficient room upon the earth for all the restored ones.  According to the best authority, there have lived and died about 20,000,000,000 people.  There are now on earth approximately 1,700,000,000 persons.  This is a total of 21,700,000,000.  In order to be liberal, let us suppose that all the human race will total 50,000,000,000.  As a suggestion that there will be ample room for all on the earth, let one take his pencil and divide the area of the state of Texas by 50,000,000,000; and he will find that that number of people could be placed in the state of Texas alone, giving each one about 146 square feet of land upon which to stand.  Of course it is not to be expected that the earth will be crowded thus; but when we remember that only a small portion of the earth’s surface is now inhabited, that a great portion of it is desert, and when this desert shall become productive and all parts of the earth habitable, then we may see that 50,000,000,000 of people could comfortably be taken care of in the earth and have plenty of room to spare.

[594]But will the earth produce sufficiently to feed this multitude?  The Scriptures answer:  “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon:  they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God....  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.” (Isaiah 35:1,2,7) “The desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.  And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.” (Ezekiel 36:34,35) When the whole earth’s surface is brought up to a condition of high cultivation like unto the garden of Eden, then indeed the earth will be a fit habitation for man.  The reclamation of desert land such as the Imperial Valley of California has now begun.  Only a few years ago that valley was a desolate wilderness in which no animal or human being could live; and now it produces abundant crops because it has been watered.  When all the vast deserts of Sahara, Arabia, and America are fully irrigated and blossom as the rose, they will produce abundantly for man’s needs.