God's Fivefold Commission to Humanity
By Susan Benjamin and Dr. Eric Gondwe
Genesis 1:28, which says: “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.” 1) Be fruitful,
2) and multiply,
3) and replenish the earth,
4) and subdue it,
5) 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.” A. Before the Fall 1) Be fruitful,
Can be paraphrased, "be productive." Not productive in offspring numbers but in being resourceful in our lives, maximizing our God-given talents, gifts and skills. 2) and multiply,
Herein lies his mandate to have many children, as many as possible per couple's convictions, per means and resources. No limits. 3) and replenish the earth,
His mandate to fill or populate not just one area or region of the earth but it's entirety, with our offspring. 4) and subdue it,
His commission for us to manage the earth. To subdue in its wider sense, and in relation to this mandate, means to bring under control, to master, to govern, to manage strategically, etc -the earth. 5) 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
Commission to rule the earth. While the former talked about the earth physically, i.e. land, water, minerals, and other non-living objects, this one focuses on "every living thing that moveth upon the earth." God uses even a stronger term, "have dominion," in relation to non-human creatures. They're subject to us and their lives are literally in our hands. In the perfect he created this did not equal to a license to abuse or exploitation of animals. This scripture, right up to verse 30, is God's title deed to the human race to inherit what he had created -the earth and all that is in it. He gave us the keys to the earth, putting us in charge of his handiwork. This is like being given a large plot of land by a landlord to do whatever one wishes with it -farm it, mine it, built real estate, etc -no limit. B. After the Fall of Adam and Eve After the fall of mankind, God did not take back the inheritance he gave us. What followed was that humanity entered a spiritual death that isolated us from God and his divine protection. It also gave access to the serpent (Satan) to influence humanity. Being cast out of the Garden of Eden, a protected sphere of influence where we could receive God's guidance, exposed us to a corrupted nature of living. Sin entered and humanity has continued to govern the earth in a reckless and destructive way. Mankind has been a bad steward. 1) Be fruitful,
People are still productive and resourceful but largely for selfish, sinful and ungodly reasons. "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power," 2 Timothy 3:2-5 2) and multiply,
The human race is multiplying according to God’s commission. World population growth continues to be positive in nearly all regions. However, it’s outside God’s ultimate objective of populating the earth with his people, in the spiritual sense, who have his nature and are under his kingdom of authority. After the fall Satan gained entry to influence the human race thus bringing his evil kingdom on earth. The bible says, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one,” 1 John 5:19. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who’s in control just by looking at the world state of affairs (current and historical). Those who God has rescued from the power and influence of the evil one (Satan), are the ones that now represent God’s intended population growth. Heaven, God’s plan B of the new earth, will be populated with these souls from all generations since creation. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away," Revelation 21:1, 4. 3) and replenish the earth,
The human race is actually populating the earth in nearly every region of the earth but with offspring that inherit the nature of Adam. They're not children of God until they receive the nature of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive," 1 Corinthians 15:22. "As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven," Corinthians 15:38. 4) and subdue it,
The human race is doing an irresponsible job on this mandate to bring under control, to master, to govern, to manage strategically, etc -the earth. Pollution (of air, water and land) is multiplying at alarming rates in our industrial age. Threats of global warming are being ignored even as weather related destruction is on the increase. A worst case scenario of rising sea levels due to the melting of the ice caps could soon put coastal cities like New York, Boston and thousands worldwide, under water. This does not show a bright future, environmentally, for our future generations. Our man-made environmental problems have so little to do with population growth while so much to do with our mismanagement of resources on earth - lack of environmental mindedness. For example, it is said that the US emits 25% (1/4) of the worlds total pollution levels. The US only makes up less than 5% of the world's total population. 5) 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 The human race is not just unwisely having dominion over "every living thing that moveth upon the earth," we are also unable to live in wise coexistence with our own kind. The result has been unhealthy division between classes, gender, race, language, religion, and other distinctions that sin has corrupted. Instead of coexisting people are largely busy trying to see how they can win over others and use others to their own advantage, like not paying employees their fair share, accumulating wealth at the expense of others, etc. In the fallen world the dominion commission is used for mankind against mankind. No wonder we have poverty and other inequalities in this world. Poverty and other vises born from greed and exploitation are actually on the increase, even in the US. It is said that while income levels among the lower income groups have continued to decline, the number of billionaires and the "filthy" rich has been increasing. "The top 0.25% owns more wealth than the other 99¾ percent combined," says Michael Parenti on CommonDreams.org C. Our Role as Christians - The Redeemed Scripture says we're the salt of the earth, the only hope in preserving it. Our role is to fulfill God's commission for us according to his word. 1) Be fruitful,
We're to be productive and resourceful in our areas of calling and given talents. "By their fruit you will recognize them," Matthew 7:16. Our fruit is not how much we accomplish quantitatively but qualitatively, with the right motives and convictions. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law," Gal 5:22-23. 2) and multiply,
As we multiply within the institution of marriage our offspring live under a spiritual covering and can be better brought up in the fear of the Lord -the greatest foundation in this life and for eternity. Their influence will be more positive on society and generations ahead, creating an increasing "blessed cycle," instead of an ever increasing viscous cycle -a curse cycle. We're also to multiply as children of God by bringing others into his family. This is our New Testament mandate where our main focus for multiplication ought to be. We're to not just make physical offspring but spiritual ones more so. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," Matthew 28:19-20. 3) and replenish the earth,
We're commissioned to advance God's spiritual kingdom to every region of the earth through having godly offspring and through evangelism -the Great Commission. So we still have a lot of work in to fill every region of the earth with offspring that are God's children in the spiritual sense. Many parts of Asia and the middle East where more than half the world's population is are yet to be evangelized. 4) and subdue it,
We're to manage responsibly his mandate for us to bring under control, to master, to govern, to manage strategically, etc -the earth. With us, pollution (of air, water and land) is not to be tolerated but addressed constructively. 5) 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
We're to wisely have dominion over "every living thing that moveth upon the earth," and confront the vises of unscriptural dominion over animals, exploitation of fellow humanity, greed, poverty, crime, etc with the word of God (the sword of the Spirit) and all our spiritual weapons of warfare. | 
