From Garden to Glory: 10 Days Through the Bible's Grand StorySample

Day 9: Waiting for Our King to Return

DOMINION AND RIGHTEOUS RULE

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:27-28, emphasis added).

If you have seen Disney’s The Lion King, you know what the opening scene looks like as the sun rises over the Serengeti. The land is beautiful, the animals are flourishing, and the world is functioning as it should. Why? Because the good king Mufasa is on his throne. But what happens to the land when Mufasa’s evil brother, Scar, becomes king? It dries up and the animals starve.

Why? Because when dominion is used for evil, everything suffers. God gives dominion so his creation will flourish.

In Matthew 28, we read that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. As a result of this authority, he tells us to go into all the earth and make disciples. Like Adam and Eve, we have been given dominion. I had a professor ask me one time, “Who is flourishing because of your influence?” I now ask myself that question on a regular basis. Why? Because the reason we are given influence or dominion at all is for the flourishing of others. Dominion and influence are given so that the kingdom of God can grow by filling the earth with the knowledge of God and his Word. As this happens, disciples are made.

Who are we to be? Image bearers. What happens when we do this well? We bring the rule and reign of God to bear and the kingdom of God advances, filling the whole earth. As a result, people are blessed and all of creation flourishes. One of the most amazing aspects of this is that God is at work repairing, redeeming, and restoring what man broke (remember Genesis 3). And instead of pushing man aside and saying, “Get out of my way; I’m having to fix what you broke,” he calls us back into his work and entrusts us again with his mission. He is a God of grace, a God who redeems us even as he is using us in his mission of redeeming all things.

This mandate to mission should cause us to ask these questions: How do I participate, where do I go, and what do I do? If the call is to fill the earth and be a blessing to all peoples, then we need to know what areas of life need to be redeemed. So we ask, What areas of life have been stained by sin? Has business been affected by sin? Politics? Art? Families? Education? Absolutely, on every count! And the list is endless. So where does God send his people? Into all areas!

Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” That is our calling—where to go and what to do.

Let God use you to fill the earth with the knowledge and worship of him.