Lesson 2, July 4:The Privilege of Dominion

Monday July 4

The Privilege of Dominion

What is the “dominion” that humans were to have over the earth, as expressed in Genesis 1:26–28?

The biblical word dominion comes from the Hebrew verb radah. This word indicates a right and responsibility to rule. It implies, in this context, a hierarchy of power and authority in which the human race is positioned above the rest of the natural world. While the verb radah, as used in the rest of the Old Testament, does not itself define how this dominion is to be exercised, whether benevolently or malevolently, the context of a sinless and unfallen creation shows that the intent must have been benevolent in nature.

Similar conclusions may be drawn about subduing the earth in Genesis 1:28. The verb subdue, from the Hebrew kavash, also depicts a hierarchical relationship in which humans are positioned above the earth and are granted power and control over it. Elsewhere in the Old Testament the verb kavash is even more forceful than radah, describing the actual act of subjugation, of forcing another into a subordinate position (Num. 32:22, 29; Jer. 34:11,16; Esther 7:8; Neh. 5:5). In many of these cases, the abuse of power is obvious and God’s displeasure expressed. But again, taking into consideration the context within the Creation story of a sinless couple created in the image of God to administer the earth, this subduing of the earth can be characterized only as benevolent service to creation on behalf of the Creator. It certainly was not exploitation.

We find an additional dimension to this concept of dominion in Genesis 2:15, where God places Adam in the garden to dress (abad—to work, to serve, to till) and to keep (shamar—to hedge about, guard, protect, attend to, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve).

Keeping this in mind, we discover that dominion is caring and loving stewardship or management. Within their relationship with God, our first parents were to have all the resources and authority that they needed to execute their dominion, which would have reflected God’s divine love of His creation.

Though the word dominion today can, and often does, have negative connotations, it certainly didn’t when first expressed in the Bible. What are some principles that we can take from this pre-Fall use of the term and apply to how we relate to whatever or whomever we have “dominion” over?

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