Keeping God’s Commands
The second in our series of articles on “Why care for creation?“
The Lord’s Dominion
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 air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)
It is worth mentioning that what is translated here as “dominion over” cannot be read as a justification of merciless, unheeding exploitation of creation – some more thought belies this.
Genesis tells us we are made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26). Just as the image of a king in the ancient world suggested the very presence and authority of the king, the human vocation as being “in the image of God”, is implied to be that of representing God both in and to the rest of creation. The Genesis story reveals to us that we are to rule in ways that embody God’s whole agenda. Above all, then, we must represent and embody God’s care, delight, and sustenance. In short, we are here to maintain and enhance the goodness of it all.
With this in mind, we can see more clearly that the “dominion” which Genesis 1:26 shows given to human beings is God’s sharing of what belongs to Him. This is where the Christians idea of the “stewardship of creation” arises, framing this insight that we are gifted the opportunity to work alongside our loving Creator, exercising our powers responsibly before Him. Being made in God’s image, we are to share with God in blessing creation, serving its flourishing and its abundant goodness.
For Christians, then, “dominion” means sharing in God’s own delight in and care for what is created. And now more than ever, perhaps, we are aware of just how much the wellbeing of the earth both depends on us, and in turn sustains our own existence.
Keeping Sabbath
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Laws of the Old Testament such as this reveal to us our own part in God’s plan for the renewal of all creation. Most Christians are familiar with the concept of the Sabbath day: on the seventh day of creation, God rests from his work and commands humans to follow him by setting aside time for their own rest (Exodus 20:8: “remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy”). Christians across the world continue to find opportunities in their week to prioritise rest in accordance with God’s plan because we know that rest is sacred and has always been part of God’s vision for life on earth.
In addition to the Sabbath day, Leviticus points towards the ancient Israelite practice of the “Sabbath Year”; a time dedicated to “complete rest for the land” (25:5), when humanity would become responsible for extending God’s allotted time for rest to the earth and all its creatures. In the book of Exodus, we are reminded that during the Sabbath Year, followers of the Lord were not to sow new seed or reap beyond what was necessary for the sustenance of their households; excess crop was to be shared with those in need- not only with humans but with “the wild animals” too (Exodus 23:11).
The Sabbath Year tells us of God’s desire for humans to take part in his renewal of social and ecological balance. By paying close attention to the laws of the Sabbath, we as Christians discover our call to care for creation and deepen our reverence for the natural patterns of restoration gifted by our Creator to his creation.
Giving to God what belongs to God
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
for he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.” (Psalm 24:1-2)
We do not own the earth; rather, scripture tells us that we make a temporary stay. Although our time here is fleeting, the contemporary world often treats the earth’s resources as human property to be used to our own ends. Yet we are told in Leviticus that the earth belongs to God the Creator (Leviticus 25:23). So, how are we as Christians to relate to the earth around us?
Psalm 24 outlines the dynamic relationship between God, humankind, and all of creation, reminding us that God created the earth and that it belongs to him alone. This psalm tells us that enter into God’s presence, we should come to him with pure hearts and motivations (Psalm 24:4); practically speaking, we can begin this process by acknowledging that which is rightfully God’s.
During our time on earth, we are called not to mistake creation as our own, or to use it to human ends, but to realise that God has set apart a purpose for all things. By acknowledging that which belongs to God, we might begin seeking right relationship with God and God’s creation.
Seeking justice
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
The Lord requires his followers to seek justice. Along with Isaiah, we must “learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed”.
Climate change will deeply impact us all, but already those living in the poorest of countries are experiencing the most devastating effects of our current ecological crisis and the worsening of conditions will only continue to bite harder at the earth’s most vulnerable communities. With this in mind, we must remember that care for the climate is care for our neighbour. Seeking justice for our human neighbours means demanding justice on environmental matters.
This is the second of four articles trying to answer the question, “Why care for creation.”