Kingdom 101: Have Dominion!
Image by Joachim_Marian_Winkler from Pixabay
Dominion: The authority and responsibility given by God to mankind to govern, manage, and steward His creation. It is rooted in the idea of stewardship. We are caretakers of the earth and all that is in it, answering to God for the management of His creation.
When God gave Man dominion, he was created to manage the earth, not to abuse it. The motivating purpose, for the creation of humanity was to have dominion over the earth and its resources. It was the result of the Creator's desire to extend His rulership from the supernatural realm to the physical realm. His plan and program was to do this through a family of spirit children He would call His sons and daughters, ambassadors of His Kingdom. You can find the record of this act here: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
This statement is God’s first declaration for all mankind. It encompasses the total purpose, assignment, passion and design of man as an entity. May I also point out: This statement is the key to man's natural desires and sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. There are several critical principles embedded in the Lord God's mission statement concerning the creation of man.
First, the word image here is not referring to a physical likeness, but is translated from the Hebrew words "tselem" and "demut", both meaning essential nature, copy, characteristics and essence. This explains that man is a spirit being and is an expression of the Lord God's moral and spiritual nature and His attributes..."god-like". So this places man above and beyond all earthly creation. In essence, man was created by the Lord God to be like Him and was given the responsibility to exercise that quality as God's representative on earth.
Also note that He never gave mankind dominion over other people. Man’s drive for power and control are misdirected use of the God-given authority of having dominion. Remember that dominion is both authority and responsibility. But the Lord God was very specific in Genesis 1 as to what we would have dominion over. Our fellow mankind was not in that list!
Second, the Lord God created man. The word man is very important because it does not refer to gender, as in male, but was the name given by the Source and Creator for the species of spirits that came out of His Spirit. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Man was both created and made. Both of these words are important and are distinctly different in the original Hebrew language. The word created is from the Hebrew word bara which means to create from nothing. Whereas, the word make is from the Hebrew word asah which means to form from something that is already created. For example you were created from nothing by the Lord God. You are an eternal spirit. But you were made in your mother’s womb. Your parents didn’t create you, they made you.
This truth is critical when discussing mankind having dominion. It is also noteworthy at this point to understand that the word source in the original Hebrew is the word Abba which we translate as father. This is why the Lord God is considered the Father of all mankind. He is definitely the source of all and in this we possess His nature and likeness.
Third, the Creator stated: "let them" have dominion over the earth. That was a very important statement, that contains the secret to the transfer of power and authority from God to man. This authority and power comes from heaven to earth and from the unseen to the seen world. This is the foundation of our ambassadorship by charging us with the responsibility of management and rulership over the earth. It also set the boundaries of that authority. When the Lord God spoke these words, He established the conditions of His relationship to the earth. That would have given Him legitimate access to the earth without reference to man. By these words: "let them have dominion", the Lord God established man as the only legal authority on earth, with the power of attorney to act on His behalf. This is why God doesn’t do anything on earth without the cooperation of a human entity. This was part of His divine plan. If you understand this principle, you will see that when we say “God is in control” we are attempting to cast off our God-given authority and responsibility!
This was the ultimate reason for the necessity of His entrance into the human race as a human being. Remember what Jesus called Himself, "Son of Man". No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. John 3:13
Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:28-29
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10
Lastly, think about this: Keep in mind the difference between the words earth and world. Back in Genesis 1 the authority He spoke of was specified to the physical earth He created. The world is the cultures, attitudes and spiritual state of people on this earth. It refers to human society, culture, and invisible systems of power that often run apart from or against God. It is where Satan operates and influences. It is where the "battle" is for your soul. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:16
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Remember, your faith in His Word is your greatest asset in God’s Kingdom.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie & D. Arlene Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
When God gave Man dominion, he was created to manage the earth, not to abuse it. The motivating purpose, for the creation of humanity was to have dominion over the earth and its resources. It was the result of the Creator's desire to extend His rulership from the supernatural realm to the physical realm. His plan and program was to do this through a family of spirit children He would call His sons and daughters, ambassadors of His Kingdom. You can find the record of this act here: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
This statement is God’s first declaration for all mankind. It encompasses the total purpose, assignment, passion and design of man as an entity. May I also point out: This statement is the key to man's natural desires and sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. There are several critical principles embedded in the Lord God's mission statement concerning the creation of man.
First, the word image here is not referring to a physical likeness, but is translated from the Hebrew words "tselem" and "demut", both meaning essential nature, copy, characteristics and essence. This explains that man is a spirit being and is an expression of the Lord God's moral and spiritual nature and His attributes..."god-like". So this places man above and beyond all earthly creation. In essence, man was created by the Lord God to be like Him and was given the responsibility to exercise that quality as God's representative on earth.
Also note that He never gave mankind dominion over other people. Man’s drive for power and control are misdirected use of the God-given authority of having dominion. Remember that dominion is both authority and responsibility. But the Lord God was very specific in Genesis 1 as to what we would have dominion over. Our fellow mankind was not in that list!
Second, the Lord God created man. The word man is very important because it does not refer to gender, as in male, but was the name given by the Source and Creator for the species of spirits that came out of His Spirit. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Man was both created and made. Both of these words are important and are distinctly different in the original Hebrew language. The word created is from the Hebrew word bara which means to create from nothing. Whereas, the word make is from the Hebrew word asah which means to form from something that is already created. For example you were created from nothing by the Lord God. You are an eternal spirit. But you were made in your mother’s womb. Your parents didn’t create you, they made you.
This truth is critical when discussing mankind having dominion. It is also noteworthy at this point to understand that the word source in the original Hebrew is the word Abba which we translate as father. This is why the Lord God is considered the Father of all mankind. He is definitely the source of all and in this we possess His nature and likeness.
Third, the Creator stated: "let them" have dominion over the earth. That was a very important statement, that contains the secret to the transfer of power and authority from God to man. This authority and power comes from heaven to earth and from the unseen to the seen world. This is the foundation of our ambassadorship by charging us with the responsibility of management and rulership over the earth. It also set the boundaries of that authority. When the Lord God spoke these words, He established the conditions of His relationship to the earth. That would have given Him legitimate access to the earth without reference to man. By these words: "let them have dominion", the Lord God established man as the only legal authority on earth, with the power of attorney to act on His behalf. This is why God doesn’t do anything on earth without the cooperation of a human entity. This was part of His divine plan. If you understand this principle, you will see that when we say “God is in control” we are attempting to cast off our God-given authority and responsibility!
This was the ultimate reason for the necessity of His entrance into the human race as a human being. Remember what Jesus called Himself, "Son of Man". No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. John 3:13
Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:28-29
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10
Lastly, think about this: Keep in mind the difference between the words earth and world. Back in Genesis 1 the authority He spoke of was specified to the physical earth He created. The world is the cultures, attitudes and spiritual state of people on this earth. It refers to human society, culture, and invisible systems of power that often run apart from or against God. It is where Satan operates and influences. It is where the "battle" is for your soul. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:16
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Remember, your faith in His Word is your greatest asset in God’s Kingdom.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie & D. Arlene Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
