In Genesis 1:26-28, God calls humans to “have dominion” over the earth and the animal kingdom. Unfortunately humans have often used this calling to justify self-centered exploitation of animals and the environment. The truth is that God calls us to care for the earth and its inhabitants in a way that reflects how God cares for us. In the Kingdom of God, exercising dominion is not about “power over” others (the way of the kingdom of darkness). Following the example of Jesus Christ, Kingdom rulership is rather expressed in “power under” acts of self-sacrificial love and service (Philippians 2:5-8).
We see God’s love and care for the animals in the fact that God speaks of them fondly, as though they were his personal pets (Job 39:1-18 ). We also see this love and care in the fact that God considers their welfare in his decision-making (Jonah 4:11; Zechariah 2:4) and sometimes includes animals in covenants (e.g. Genesis 9:8-17 ; Hosea 2:8). God’s love for animals is also apparent in the fact that animals will be included in the final renewal of all things (Isaiah 11:6-9).
When we consider God’s love for the earth and its animal inhabitants., we realize what an important job God gave us when he entrusted their well-being to us. This is the first and most fundamental assignment God gave us, and the well-being of the earth and its animal inhabitants is still the best indication of how humans are doing spiritually.
"We have been podrishioners for several months. Our daughter, son-in-law and grandkids moved back to California after living in MN for 10 years. They attended Woodland Hills for about a year before they moved. Now we all go to the beach together on Thursdays, come home and have dinner together, then we watch last Sunday’s sermon together. It is a special day for our family."
– Dale and Patricia, from California
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.
And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left and also many animals?”
and said to him, “Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like unwalled villages because of the multitude of people and animals in it.
She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil and who lavished upon her silver and gold that they used for Baal.
6 The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.