Genesis 1:22 (NKJV)
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
Genesis 1:28 (NKJV)
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be 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."
Genesis 9:1 (NKJV)
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth."
"Be fruitful and multiply." These are the words God spoke to Adam and Eve at creation. These are the same words he declared to Noah and his sons after earth's destruction. These are words linked in Scripture to God's declaration of a blessing bestowed on those who were the crown of his creation.
I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be the direct recipient of God's blessing. Likewise, I suspect I've already received his blessings and haven't taken enough time to even notice. And what does a blessing really mean? Surely it isn't limited to what we say at the dinner table. And wow would a blessing from God change my life? Surely I'd be changed for the good.
While we might discover some answers to these over the course of this study, from these initial verses, I don't think we would be wrong to conclude that God's blessing is still upon us. And this blessing comes with a mandate - be fruitful and multiply and have dominion.
God's intention is for us enjoy his creation, that we dominate creation, that we serve as a reflection of who he is upon this earth. And in this enjoyment and dominion, I think our Lord wants us to get a glimpse of his creative genius in setting not only this world, but the entire cosmos in order.
Of course, this mandate doesn't mean we should be a sort of "anything goes" occupant, wasting what we've now discovered to be limited resources, and killing off who species at a time by our appetites. We do have a responsibility here to take care of things. Otherwise, it will be difficult to be fruitful and multiply after we've wasted all we've been given!
The point is, God blessed us with both a position and a responsibility on this planet, and the whole world is there for us to enjoy. Every sunset, every ocean wave, every majestic mountain, every towering pine, and on and on, they are there to be enjoyed. So that's what we need to do. Let's make it our plan to get out, to celebrate the earth our Lord has given us, and as you do, thank God for blessing you in this way.
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