As God created the heavens and the earth, He created all living things from microbes to whales. He also told Adam and Eve to multiply and have rule over all living things. Some living things are harmful to man’s health. Others, like alligators and sharks, are a threat to man under certain circumstances. But these same things are vital to our ecosystems.
Perhaps God could have created a world without these things, but whatever He does, there’s a purpose behind it. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We don’t know for sure what purposes He has in mind, but the Bible tells us to trust in Him and to not lean on our own understanding.
But the Bible also acts as a teacher, and to that end we can gleam what it is that God expects from us. He expects us to have rule over all living things, even those that could cause us harm. A clue as to why he would put on earth things that could harm us might be found in Exodus 20:2-5 in which He says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am A JEALOUS GOD…”
In His jealousy He reminds us of what He did for us, and perhaps He created things that could harm us, such as disease, with the knowledge that those who love Him and know that He exists will turn to Him for help, as the Hebrews turned to Him when they were enslaved in Egypt. In this manner, He keeps us in line and he uses disease to test our faith in Him. James 1:2-3 - 2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
And, perhaps, as we put our faith in Him, we carry out his command to have rule over all living things. Here is something you might think about. Certain God-fearing groups don’t believe in treating disease; they leave it up to God to cure them. But if God told us to have rule over all living things, wouldn’t it be acceptable to Him for us to find cures that put life-threatening organisms at bay, thereby ruling over them?
God made it clear that we should multiply, but He also made it clear we are to rule over all living things. The two are not related, they exist independently. But for those who seek Him and love Him, God is here to help us in both when we need Him.
Perhaps God could have created a world without these things, but whatever He does, there’s a purpose behind it. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We don’t know for sure what purposes He has in mind, but the Bible tells us to trust in Him and to not lean on our own understanding.
But the Bible also acts as a teacher, and to that end we can gleam what it is that God expects from us. He expects us to have rule over all living things, even those that could cause us harm. A clue as to why he would put on earth things that could harm us might be found in Exodus 20:2-5 in which He says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am A JEALOUS GOD…”
In His jealousy He reminds us of what He did for us, and perhaps He created things that could harm us, such as disease, with the knowledge that those who love Him and know that He exists will turn to Him for help, as the Hebrews turned to Him when they were enslaved in Egypt. In this manner, He keeps us in line and he uses disease to test our faith in Him. James 1:2-3 - 2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
And, perhaps, as we put our faith in Him, we carry out his command to have rule over all living things. Here is something you might think about. Certain God-fearing groups don’t believe in treating disease; they leave it up to God to cure them. But if God told us to have rule over all living things, wouldn’t it be acceptable to Him for us to find cures that put life-threatening organisms at bay, thereby ruling over them?
God made it clear that we should multiply, but He also made it clear we are to rule over all living things. The two are not related, they exist independently. But for those who seek Him and love Him, God is here to help us in both when we need Him.
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