The phrase 'Mother Earth' is never mentioned in the Bible. Indeed, it is commonly associated with paganism, and accordingly attracts disdain from many Christians. In one sense, though, the concept is thoroughly Biblical.
It should come as no surprise that my exposition begins in Genesis, the beginning of all things. In Chapter 2 Verse 7, we read that "the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." In a very literal sense, we are made from and of the earth. God breathing His Spirit into that earth was a divine act of conception - a miraculous union of the physical and spiritual. To say that the earth is our mother is not to flirt with New Age mumbo jumbo; it is merely to state a fact. The New-Agers and their ilk are mistaken because they fail to acknowledge Father God, not necessarily because they acknowledge Mother Earth.
With that said, God and earth categorically are categorically not equal in status - not even close. The earth is God's footstool (Isaiah 66:1), not His Bride - that role is reserved for the Church (i.e. us), and is more closely analogous to the personage of Eve (Ephesians 5:22-23), the "mother of the living" (Genesis 3:20). Eve, of course, was formed not from the earth, but from Adam - a type of Christ, whose name is a pun on 'adamah', meaning 'earth'. At an even more fundamental level, before reading of man's creation, we learn in the very first chapter of in the Bible that the earth was created by God; and if it represents His creation, it can in no sense be considered equal in status to Him (Romans 1:25).
In a physical sense, though, it is still true we are born of the earth. This is not merely mystical gibberish - our bodies are, quite simply, carbon-based collections of atoms! Indeed, Jesus Himself tok on such a form when he came to the earth (John 1:14). Notice, moreover, that He did not simply appear, but was rather conceived in the womb of a woman. Recall, moreover, the supernatural process through which this conception occurred, whereby the Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38). This narrative has a clear parallel in the aforementioned creation of the 'First Adam', whereby the Holy Spirit was breathed into the earth (1 Corinthians 15:45ff). Mary is categorically not the Mother of God; but she was the mother of Jesus the man, and therefore plays a role comparable to that of the earth.
Speaking of which, there is a more direct connection between Jesus and the earth, namely that He was buried in it for three days. In the story of Christ's burial and resurrection - whereby a physical body was sown, but a spiritual body was reaped (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:35-49) - I can't help but see a picture of gestation. After all, why wait three days to be resurrected - why not simply come back to life immediately? How interesting that the earth acted not only as the tomb of Christ, but also as the womb!
The rebirth of Jesus from the earth mirrors our own rebirth, which has transpired (respired?) through a fresh impartation of the Breath of God; we have been impregnated once again with the Holy Spirit (John 20:22; Acts 2). Just as the life of a child begins at conception, so too our new life began at our own Immaculate Conception. Clearly, that life is still gestating, since we are still undergoing the process of sanctification and look forward to our 'Big Day' of glorification, the final (re)birth; but as that day approaches, we are beginning to experience "the pains of childbirth", manifesting the "first fruits" of the new creation, as it says in Romans Chapter 8 Verses 22-23.
This passage in Romans reinforces the gist of my argument, since it refers not only to people, but also the earth itself, as waiting for the final birth. Indeed, the earth ("the whole creation") is mentioned first: "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." The passage does not say that the earth possesses the Spirit in the same way that we do - which makes sense, since there is no corresponding passage in Genesis that would imply such. Remember, though, that "the whole creation" came into existence through the Word of God - his speech, which also involves His breath, i.e. His Spirit. Remember also what happened at the very moment when Jesus "breathed His last", thus "giv[ing] up His Spirit" - the earth shook, its tombs breaking open (Matthew 27:50-53; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). Remember, finally, that He "is making all things new" - not just us, but all things (Revelation 21:5). The "firstfruits of the Spirit" to which Paul refers are also the "firstfruits of His creation" (James 1:18).
I think it is accurate to say that, while we carry the Spirit in a special, personal way, the entire earth - indeed, the entire universe - is pregnant. The physical is laden with the spiritual. At this point in time, we cannot fully perceive it, seeing only as in a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 15:12; 1 John 3:2); but just as John the Baptist, who would herald the first coming of the Messiah, leaped in the womb when the expecting Mary greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-45), so too we, who contain within us the testimony of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Romans 8:16; John 15:26; Hebrews 10:15-18), can feel the immanent creation kicking, squirming, pushing. It is painful at times; but it is nothing when "compar[ed] with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
It should come as no surprise that my exposition begins in Genesis, the beginning of all things. In Chapter 2 Verse 7, we read that "the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." In a very literal sense, we are made from and of the earth. God breathing His Spirit into that earth was a divine act of conception - a miraculous union of the physical and spiritual. To say that the earth is our mother is not to flirt with New Age mumbo jumbo; it is merely to state a fact. The New-Agers and their ilk are mistaken because they fail to acknowledge Father God, not necessarily because they acknowledge Mother Earth.
With that said, God and earth categorically are categorically not equal in status - not even close. The earth is God's footstool (Isaiah 66:1), not His Bride - that role is reserved for the Church (i.e. us), and is more closely analogous to the personage of Eve (Ephesians 5:22-23), the "mother of the living" (Genesis 3:20). Eve, of course, was formed not from the earth, but from Adam - a type of Christ, whose name is a pun on 'adamah', meaning 'earth'. At an even more fundamental level, before reading of man's creation, we learn in the very first chapter of in the Bible that the earth was created by God; and if it represents His creation, it can in no sense be considered equal in status to Him (Romans 1:25).
In a physical sense, though, it is still true we are born of the earth. This is not merely mystical gibberish - our bodies are, quite simply, carbon-based collections of atoms! Indeed, Jesus Himself tok on such a form when he came to the earth (John 1:14). Notice, moreover, that He did not simply appear, but was rather conceived in the womb of a woman. Recall, moreover, the supernatural process through which this conception occurred, whereby the Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38). This narrative has a clear parallel in the aforementioned creation of the 'First Adam', whereby the Holy Spirit was breathed into the earth (1 Corinthians 15:45ff). Mary is categorically not the Mother of God; but she was the mother of Jesus the man, and therefore plays a role comparable to that of the earth.
Speaking of which, there is a more direct connection between Jesus and the earth, namely that He was buried in it for three days. In the story of Christ's burial and resurrection - whereby a physical body was sown, but a spiritual body was reaped (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:35-49) - I can't help but see a picture of gestation. After all, why wait three days to be resurrected - why not simply come back to life immediately? How interesting that the earth acted not only as the tomb of Christ, but also as the womb!
The rebirth of Jesus from the earth mirrors our own rebirth, which has transpired (respired?) through a fresh impartation of the Breath of God; we have been impregnated once again with the Holy Spirit (John 20:22; Acts 2). Just as the life of a child begins at conception, so too our new life began at our own Immaculate Conception. Clearly, that life is still gestating, since we are still undergoing the process of sanctification and look forward to our 'Big Day' of glorification, the final (re)birth; but as that day approaches, we are beginning to experience "the pains of childbirth", manifesting the "first fruits" of the new creation, as it says in Romans Chapter 8 Verses 22-23.
This passage in Romans reinforces the gist of my argument, since it refers not only to people, but also the earth itself, as waiting for the final birth. Indeed, the earth ("the whole creation") is mentioned first: "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." The passage does not say that the earth possesses the Spirit in the same way that we do - which makes sense, since there is no corresponding passage in Genesis that would imply such. Remember, though, that "the whole creation" came into existence through the Word of God - his speech, which also involves His breath, i.e. His Spirit. Remember also what happened at the very moment when Jesus "breathed His last", thus "giv[ing] up His Spirit" - the earth shook, its tombs breaking open (Matthew 27:50-53; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). Remember, finally, that He "is making all things new" - not just us, but all things (Revelation 21:5). The "firstfruits of the Spirit" to which Paul refers are also the "firstfruits of His creation" (James 1:18).
I think it is accurate to say that, while we carry the Spirit in a special, personal way, the entire earth - indeed, the entire universe - is pregnant. The physical is laden with the spiritual. At this point in time, we cannot fully perceive it, seeing only as in a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 15:12; 1 John 3:2); but just as John the Baptist, who would herald the first coming of the Messiah, leaped in the womb when the expecting Mary greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-45), so too we, who contain within us the testimony of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Romans 8:16; John 15:26; Hebrews 10:15-18), can feel the immanent creation kicking, squirming, pushing. It is painful at times; but it is nothing when "compar[ed] with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
