Note: This series will consist of five phases: Created-parenting, Pre-parenting, Parenting, Post-parenting, and Grand-parenting. Each of these phases will have four sections.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen God blessed them, and God said to them, \u2019Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth\u201d (Gen. 1:28).<\/p>\n
The dominion mandate given to Adam in the garden is vast and all-encompassing. Adam was to multiply (the previous verse reminds us that Eve would soon be created to help accomplish this) and subdue the earth itself. The man is the tiller of the ground and the woman is the filler of the earth. He was also given dominion over all the creatures in the air, on the land, and in the sea.<\/p>\n
God\u2019s Image Bearers<\/span>. Only humans possess the image and likeness of God. The animals do not nor do the angels (the only three living creatures God has made). Only humans have a body and soul that are separate. Man, therefore, has a natural attachment to the earth (his body) and also to God (his soul\/spirit) which gives him the innate ability to rule for God on the earth. The angels do not possess an earthly body; the animal\u2019s soul dies with its body. There is no dominion accountability to God in them.<\/p>\n The Scriptural Expansion<\/span>. Genesis makes it obvious that man\u2019s dominion over the earth and its creatures will extend beyond Adam\u2019s life. Christopher Ash writes,<\/p>\n “It is worth asking why, when Adam needed a helper, God chose to make a woman, rather than another man . . . Genesis 1 suggests that it is to do with children (1:28). This makes perfect sense. For if one gardener is not enough for such a great garden, nor will two be. They need to start a whole family of gardeners!” (Married for God<\/em>, p. 36).<\/p>\n Genesis also reminds us that there will be fathers and mothers of these future families (Gen. 2:24). Farming has always been the most honored human profession. We find the Scriptures confirming the continuation of man\u2019s dominion in Gen. 9:2; Psa. 8:1-9; 1 Cor. 15:27-28; Heb. 2:5-8. These passages also remind us that the Son of Man, Jesus Christ Himself, was also crowned with glory and honor (Psa. 8:4-5); has not yet had all things put under His feet (1 Cor. 15:27); and will one day subdue all things to Himself (Heb. 2:8-9). It is also revealed that Christ\u2019s dominion will one day extend to a new heaven and earth (Rev. 21:1 & 22:3-5).<\/p>\n Governmental Expansion<\/span>. Gen. 9:1-6 reminds us that in the post-flood world God has expanded dominion to collective mankind, i.e., governments. Human beings as individuals are to submit to the collective will of organized human beings (Rom. 13:1-7). Collectively, mankind is to carry out God\u2019s natural and moral laws, punish evildoers, and protect one another from violence.<\/p>\n God\u2019s provision for Adam and Eve and their offspring will continue from year to year and season to season (Gen. 1:14, 8:22).<\/p>\n The Seeds<\/span>. Since man\u2019s dominion over the earth extends to all generations, God built into His creation the capacity to multiply again and again. On day 3 God made grass and trees with seeds, \u201cLet the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seeds, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth\u201d (Gen. 1:11). Man can manipulate seeds but he cannot invent them. God provides the reproductive ability of living vegetation from within itself. \u201cNow may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown\u201d (2 Cor. 9:10). Even animals and humans have sperm and egg from males and females to produce fertilization. Also, in the plant world, pollen from the male crosses with the stigma of the female to cross-pollinate. Bees, butterflies, birds and bats, even wind and water, can act as pollinators from one plant to another. God thus provides for the fulfillment of the dominion mandate.<\/p>\n The Kinds<\/span>. In addition to the seeds which God provides, He also made life to reproduce after its kind. We saw this with the plants and we see the same with living creatures. \u201cSo God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good\u201d (Gen. 1:21). This assures us that the life we now observe is the life God has intended for us to have. Henry Morris wrote,<\/p>\n “Implanted in each organism was a ‘seed,’ programmed to enable the continuing replication of that type of organism.” He continues, “There is a tremendous amount of variation potential within each kind, facilitating the generation of distinct individuals and even of many varieties within the kind, but nevertheless precluding the evolution of new kinds! A great deal of ‘horizontal’ variation is easily possible, but no ‘vertical’ changes” The Genesis Record<\/em>, p. 63).<\/p>\n The Command<\/span>. Man will have an unending commission to take care of the earth. Even after the fall Adam and Eve will retain the responsibility to care for God\u2019s creation though it will be with sweat and tears, thorns and thistles, and pain (Gen. 3:16-19). This responsibility continued after the flood as well (9:1-4). Paul corrected the pagan idea of false gods who control the seasons when he said of the true Creator, \u201cNevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness\u201d (Acts 14:17).<\/p>\n The dominion mandate was intended for all human beings. We still have the command to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth.<\/p>\n Continuing fulfillment<\/span>. Post-flood dominion as well as biblical history shows that mankind was made to till the ground and to have control over God\u2019s earth and creation. This original mandate for the earth has never been rescinded. Ironically, environmentalists have done more to retard dominion than to help it. We are to clean up the garden, pull the weeds, burn the trash, make it a livable space. The wilderness encroaches! If you don\u2019t cut back the weeds they will soon be at your back door!<\/p>\n New Revelation<\/span>. In addition to taking care of the earth and its creatures, man has been given successive stewardship by God. This revelation comes to Noah, the Psalmist, the apostle Paul, and the writer of Hebrews. The content of dominion in each dispensation changes to fit God\u2019s plan for the ages. Rolland McCune wrote,<\/p>\n “The program of stewardship responsibility began with the Dominion Mandate of Genesis 1:26-27 and is forwarded by the progressive, unfolding of God’s revelational light in succeeding dispensations. The dispensational program is the means or structure by which God achieves His goal of a rule of loving sovereignty and fellowship. This program culminates in the messianic kingdom of God on earth, which then leads to a\u00a0 transition to the eternal, universal kingdom” (Systematic Theology<\/em>, vol. 1, p. 139).<\/p>\n The Church. The church has a special commission to center on the gospel and the preparation of souls for the kingdom of God and also a new heaven and earth. Though all human beings still have earthly dominion, only believers who have the Holy Spirit are qualified to fulfill the great responsibility of the gospel. They are enlarging the very bride of Christ. John Frame wrote,<\/p>\n “This dominion mandate continues after the fall (Gen. 9:1-3). But human beings apart from God’s grace are unable to accomplish God’s original purpose to subdue and fill the earth to God’s glory. Hence Jesus proclaimed the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19ff), also a command about filling an subduing, but in this case by the gospel of Jesus Christ” (“Men and Women in the Image of God,” Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood<\/em>, p. 303).<\/p>\n Those of us who live in this age of grace where the church is the center of God\u2019s activities are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin. By doing this we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the church, the body of Christ. Thus we become part of the very bride of Christ and are preparing for the marriage of the Lamb. In addition we are to find a local body of believers and be baptized by immersion, showing that we in fact do possess the Holy Spirit. This local body of believers should magnify Christ as its Head in purity and obedience. Then we are to go back to the world with the good news that sinners still have time and opportunity to become part of this great body. By believing, anyone can be part of the bride of Christ which will be raptured to heaven to be married to Christ, then return to reign with Him in His kingdom, the supper of the King. \u201cTo Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen\u201d (Eph. 3:21).<\/p>\n It should also be understood that the dominion mandate was given to the first family. The family, therefore, is the ideal arrangement for us to carry out our responsibilities before God. That is why this section on dominion is included in a series on parenting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Note: This series will consist of five phases: Created-parenting, Pre-parenting, Parenting, Post-parenting, and Grand-parenting. Each of these phases will have four sections. First Phase: Created Parenting Section 3. Created Dominion – Provision \u201cThen God blessed them, and God said to them, \u2019Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[123,984],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-senior-saints"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Provision<\/b><\/h5>\n
The Progression<\/b><\/h5>\n