The Blessing
Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV
(26) 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."
(27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male
and female He created them.
(28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,
and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
H6509 – be fruitful
פרה
parah (826a); a prim. root; to bear fruit, be fruitful: - bear fruit (2), bearing...fruit (1), become
fruitful (1), flourishes (1), fruitful (18), fruitful tree (1), increased (1), made me fruitful (1), make
him fruitful (1), make you fruitful (3).
H7235a - multiply
רבה
rabah (915a); a prim. root; to be or become much, many or great: - abundance (2), abundant (2),
abundantly (1), amounts (1), ask (1), became many (1), became...numerous (1), bitterly *(1),
boast *(1), considerable (1), continue (1), continued (1), enlarge (1), excessively (2), gave
numerous (1), give great (1), give many (1), give more (1), great (10), greater (1), greatly (1),
greatly multiply (3), greatly *(1), grew (1), grow (1), grow...numerous (1), had gathered much
(1), had many (2), heap (1), increase (14), increased (7), increases (5), large (1), larger (1),
lavished (1), long (2), made their numerous (1), made many (1), make many (1), make more
(1), makes me great (2), many (21), many which increase (1), more (3), more he made (1),
much (15), much more (2), much *(1), multiplied (21), multiplies (5), multiply (45), numerous
(3), often (2), outnumber (1), pay more (1), plenty (1), profited (1), provided in abundance (1),
reared (2), repeatedly (1), risen (1), serious *(1), surpassed (1), take more (1), thoroughly (1),
use much (1), very (2), wealth (1).
H4390 - fill
מלא
mala (569d); a prim. root; to be full, to fill: - accomplished (1), aloud (1), armed (1), become full
(1), been completed (1), come (1), complete (3), completed (9), completion (1), confirm (1),
consecrate *(3), consecrated *(4), covered (1), dedicate (1), drenched (1), drew (1), ended (1),
endowed (1), expired (1), fill (38), filled (78), filling (5), fills (1), finished (1), fulfill (6), fulfilled (10),
full (37), fullness (1), fully (8), gave in full (1), given fully (1), gratified (1), live (1), massed (1),
messengers (1), mount *(1), mounted (1), ordain *(4), ordained *(4), ordination *(1), overflowing
*(1), overflows *(1), passed (1), presume *(1), refresh (1), required (2), satisfied (1), satisfy (2),
set (1), settings (2), space (1).
H3533 - subdue
כבש
kabash (461b); a prim. root; to subdue, bring into bondage: - assault (1), brought them into
subjection (2), forced into bondage (1), forcing (1), subdue (1), subdued (5), subjugate (1),
trample (1), tread our under foot (1), under foot (1).
H7287a - dominion
רדה
radah (921d); a prim. root; to have dominion, rule, dominate: - dominated (1), had dominion (1),
have dominion (1), prevailed (1), rule (12), ruled (4), ruling (1), subdued (1), subdues (1).
The very first thing man heard after being created is recorded in Gen 1:28. God gives
man The Blessing (be fruitful and multiply) and then tells him what to do with that
blessing (fill, subdue and have dominion). God’s intent for man is contained in these
three verses. God’s will was for Adam to take the beginning concept of the garden and
multiply it until it covered the earth. He gave Adam (at that time Adam = Adam and Eve)
the authority to rule over the earth.
What happened to God’s perfect will and why isn’t it being more fully carried out today?
The Fall
Adam and Eve traded their God given mandate for a bite of fruit. Sin entered the world
and death by sin. Satan gained legal foothold in the earth to bring misery, disease and
poverty. Up to the point of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, all the kingdoms of this
world did belong to Satan (Matt 4:8-9).
The Redemption
We discovered from Gen 1:26-28 that God intended for The Blessing to be on mankind.
Adam was to take the garden of Eden and duplicate it until the whole earth was filled.
Man was given dominion over the earth – authority to say what happened and what
didn’t. There was no sickness or lack in the garden – God’s perfect will was always
done there.
Man sinned and sold his birthright to Satan. Satan became the god of this world.
The patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – had walked in The Blessing to a degree (a
high degree to be sure!) but full redemption waited for the God-man Jesus Christ. God
now had a perfect man to be in blood covenant with. Once Jesus rose from the dead
victorious the covenant could no longer be broken.
God’s purpose all along has been for The Blessing to be in operation in the earth. His
character does not change and He swore by Himself since there was no one greater to
swear by.
After the resurrection, Jesus makes an amazing statement:
Jesus won back the authority that Adam had lost. Did He say, well I have all authority
now so I guess you disciples are on your own? No He didn’t.
A police officer acts “in the name” of the government. That’s where his authority comes
from. His baton and sidearm might be the dunamis power but his badge is his authority.
Jesus told His disciples, here is your badge – now go!! In my name make disciples, heal
the sick, cast out demons and speak in new tongues.
Who would respect any police officer who had a badge but no gun? Isn’t it a good thing
God thinks of everything?
There is your gun!! You are body of Christ – His arms and feet. He has given you His
name and the power of the Holy Spirit to carry out His word.