In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
God existed before anything else ever was. The beginning of time was when God created the earth on which we now dwell.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Colossians 1:16-17
All of creation was created for Jesus Christ and His glory. He is preeminent over all creation. Everything exists to show the greatness of Jesus; this is called glorifying Him. All of creation exists to glorify Jesus.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14
The earth will perfectly reflect God’s glory. That is the end of all creation.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:26
God made man to bear or reflect His image. Man was then given authority over all of creation; this is called dominion. The idea of dominion is that man is to exercise authority over creation so that it might be an accurate reflection of Who God is. In other words, God is orderly, good, creative, fruitful, holy, righteous, beautiful, etc. Mankind is therefore given the task of making the whole earth orderly, good, creative, fruitful, holy, righteous, beautiful, etc.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:27
This image bearing and dominion is for both male and female. We will later see that God has given both men and women different roles in this task of dominion, but they both bear God’s image and the responsibility for dominion.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28
God orders mankind to multiply by having many children. This command is rendered as a blessing; in other words, we are blessed by having many children and making the earth reflect God’s glory. That is the pathway of blessing. This command or blessing is repeated to Noah twice, Hagar, Abraham twice, Ishmael, Isaac twice, Jacob twice, and Joseph in just the book of Genesis.
The multiplication of the human race is essential to making the whole earth reflect God’s glory. Adam and Eve cannot make the entire planet reflect the character of God. They need help in the task that God has given them, and that help comes in the form of children.
0 Comments