Recently, aging family members made the difficult choice to move from their long-time home into a community closer to their children. The move required them to downsize considerably, raising questions about what will happen to many of their possessions. As they chose what to keep, what to give, and what to sell, a truth from Ecclesiastes has often come to mind: once someone else has ownership of what you once possessed, you have no control over how it will be used (Ecclesiastes 2:18–19). Ownership results in control.
God’s Ownership of the World
As we begin to look at the world and its care, it is important to begin with the question of ownership. On the topic of ownership, the Bible is clear: “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD” (CSB). Even when King David and all Israel generously offer materials for the building of the Jerusalem temple, he acknowledges that their gifts to God are really from God’s provision (1 Chronicles 29:14). Simply put, everything belongs to the LORD. Furthermore, because he owns it, he has the right to determine how it should be used. His ownership results in control.
Humanity’s Authority to Rule
At the same time, God has blessed mankind with the right to rule over the earth. God declares this right when he creates humanity in Genesis 1:26–28:
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”
There is a lot to unpack from these verses. First, let’s begin with the notion of humanity created in God’s image and likeness. In the simplest sense, image and likeness refer to items that resemble or represent something else. In this case, humanity resembles God in some way. Although this concept bears numerous implications for theology, philosophy, sociology, and so forth, I will highlight one implication of the phrase within the Old Testament context: image and likeness are associated with rule or authority. These terms refer to representations, most of the time, idols.
In the ancient world, they were understood to reflect or manifest the presence of what they represented. Since, in this case, humanity represents God, that representation includes a sense of authority or rule. God creates humanity distinct from the rest of the world; he creates humanity to resemble him and represent his authority over the rest of the world. Verse 26 confirms this point since humanity’s rule immediately follows the mention of God’s image and likeness. As a result, humanity, created to resemble God in some way, carries a derivative authority over the rest of the world, which is not created to resemble God in the same way.
Second, let’s consider the context of these verses. Before these verses, the narrative has recounted several of God’s creative acts. Generally, God assesses these creative acts as good. In this narrative, the notion of good refers to something suitable or appropriate, but in context, it suggests something a bit more specific. What God sees as good is what is beneficial for humanity; his good creative acts promote human flourishing. He produces a verdant, flourishing land filled with plants and animals. In this context, God speaks of humanity filling, ruling, and subduing the earth. However, notice that this language takes place as part of God’s blessing. Verse 28 states that God blessed them. The words that follow are part of that blessing. For Star Trek fans, they are similar to saying: “Live long and prosper.” The form of the statement is an imperative, but the force of the statement is a blessing. God has granted humanity a tremendous blessing to rule over the world.
Third, let’s consider the language of ruling and subduing. Up to this point, it would seem that humanity has been the central focus of God’s creative work. He has created humanity distinct from the rest of the world and has granted them a tremendous blessing. It might seem that God created the world for humanity, so that we can do as we wish with it. Indeed, the language of ruling and subduing speaks of authority. Both words refer to exercising authority over others. These points raise the following question: Does humankind have the authority to do whatever we please with the rest of the world?
Do We Have Authority to Do What We Please?
To answer the question, I will make two observations. First, as I stated before, God owns the world, so he has the right to determine how it should be used. I have argued above that God’s good creative acts are good for humanity. In this case, I want to emphasize that the text states explicitly that they are good for humanity rather than stating that they are good for God. In other words, God demonstrates how he desires for the world to be used: for the benefit of others. God exercises his authority over the world by shaping it for our benefit. This picture is a sharp contrast to ancient texts that portray other deities as creating humanity just to do the unwanted hard labor so that the deities can indulge themselves. In contrast, the God of the Bible acts for the benefit of others. As he rules for the benefit of others, so also we should rule for the benefit of others.
Second, I think that we often confuse benefit with indulgence. God did not grant humankind authority over the natural world for us to indulge ourselves. His blessing of ruling comes with responsibilities. Just as God held those with authority accountable for using their authority improperly (e.g., 2 Chronicles 19:6–7; Psalm 82), so he will do the same for us.
How, Then, Shall We Rule?
In our contemporary setting, it may be hard to imagine an unruly world where plants and animals have taken over. The idea of ruling and subduing the earth projects this image. However, in the early chapters of Genesis, one animal poses the greatest threat: the serpent. Rather than asserting their derived authority over the serpent, Adam and Eve succumb to its influence. Their fall resulted in futility and hostility throughout the world. Their fall has deeply marred the world. Sin always has that effect. So, the first and most important thing we can do to represent God’s rule in the world and thereby care for it is to obey whatever he commands.
Often the notion of caring for the world in contemporary discussions involves big social and political movements such as environmentalism. I wish to take a more personal and practical approach. It involves our attitude towards the world and how we use it. God has granted us a blessing of authority over the world as we represent him in it. This authority comes with responsibilities. The Old Testament repeatedly shows that greed and indulgence hurt the natural world and humanity. Greed and indulgence undermine God’s ownership of the world. They treat the world as “mine” and “at my disposal.” As a result, we should reject greed and indulgence, even in relation to the natural world.
Here are some diagnostic questions to test our hearts regarding these temptations: Am I using this resource to provide a benefit for others or only to make money? Am I using this resource to provide for a need or only to bring about some pleasure? In other words, do I care about what God has provided to meet my needs or about spending what I have on my own pleasures (James 4:3)? Does my action demonstrate respect for the world as God’s world, or does it treat the world as a means to make me happy?
For some readers, I may have left out all the topics that you would expect for an article on ruling the earth to address. Perhaps I have been “too spiritual.” However, I believe that I have addressed the question within a biblical frame of mind. Obedience to God is not a personal, private spiritual duty. Obedience to God has concrete effects on the world we live in. Those effects show up in the human realm, but they extend into the natural realm as well. Ruling over the earth entails representing his rule through obedience to him in the real world in which we live.
