Journeying in Genesis: Mandating Dominion

“And God blessed them.

And God said to them,

“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it,

and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens

and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

We will discuss this mandate of dominion over the next few posts. These humans, made in God’s likeness, were given an assignment. They would rule over the earth as they walked with God, their Sovereign, having full access to Him and His wisdom. What a responsibility, joyful work, and labor of love! What purpose given by the ultimate Ruler!

The fall brought grievous results. We’ve already discussed that sin causes man to look like Satan, while redemption through Christ begins the sanctification process of our once again looking like our Creator. I don’t mean an unredeemed person can’t be kind to animals, obviously. But in this fallen world, some people choose to be cruel task masters to man and beast. We see the heart of God the Creator in Proverbs 12:10,

“Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

Oh, how I love HIs wisdom and His ways. Worldly wisdom is all about self and sees dominion as license to be harsh or cruel. It’s evil. James 3:17 tells us that godly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Wherever God has given us power or dominion, it is truly His and we will be held accountable for how we used it. May all rulers heed this truth and fall on their faces before the One to whom they will answer.