2 January
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful,
and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28.
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 8
God here confirms what He said before about dominion. Man
was created wit the condition that he should subject the earth to himself; but
now he is put in possession of his right, when he hears what has been given to
him by the Lord. Moses expresses this more fully in the next verse when he says
that God is granting to man the herbs and the fruits. It is of great importance
that we touch nothing of God’s bounty but what we know he has permitted us to
touch since we cannot enjoy anything with a good conscience unless we receive
it as from the hand of God. Therefore Paul teaches us that in eating and
drinking, we sin unless faith be present (Rom. 14:23).
We are instructed to seek from God alone whatever is
necessary for us. In the very use of His gifts, we are to meditate on His
goodness and paternal care. For God in effect says, “Behold, I have prepared
for for you before you were formed. Acknowledge me, therefore, as your Father,
who has diligently provided for you when you were not yet created. Moreover, my
care for you has proceeded still further. It was your business to nurture the
things provided for you, but I have taken even this charge upon myself. Wherefore, though you are, in a
sense, constituted the father of the earthly family, it is not for you to be
over-anxious about the sustenance of animals.”
FOR MEDITATION: God has wondrously provided for our needs
and given us dominion over the earth He created. It is not, therefore, a sin to
use what God has given for our use. Nevertheless, our dominion is to be
benevolent and wise; we are not to abuse or recklessly consume God’s good
creation but to care for it as good stewards.
John Calvin
365 Days with Calvin (A Unique collection of 365 readings
from the writings of John Calvin, selected and edited by Joel R. Beeke)
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