Romans 8:19-21 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Creation was affected by the fall of humanity. We can only imagine what the world was like during the time of the Garden of Eden. There was no pain, death, or decay. Genesis 2:16 implies that Adam and Eve were vegetarians. Perhaps animals did not die at that either but all creation survived from the earth itself and not one another. Whatever the case, the world as it stands today is in much need of restoration. The groaning creation is a personification of how the different parts of the earth deteriorate or are destroyed by humanity. The increase in human population has burdened the earth and destroyed much of creation. This will only get worse as the population grows and technology increases. The “him” of v. could refer to Adam or humanity who subjected creation to this problem because of sinning against God and bringing death into the world. “Futility” expresses the hopeless situation the world finds itself in today. But there is a deep hope embedded within creation by the Creator for new life. It is found in the fungi that eats radioactive wastes and Chernobyl or the grass the grows over a dump. Creation moves towards restoration but is stopped by human pollution and growth. Even creation will be restored when Jesus comes again. Paul recenters all of creation, including humanity, in Christ and what has and will do.
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