FOR THE GOOD OF MAN by Robert Soto

FOR THE GOOD OF MAN by Robert Soto

January 27, 2010

Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Yesterday we talked about being fruitful and multiplying. But man was also told to rule over the creatures that God the Creator had created before He created Man. I have often wondered what God the Creator meant when He said, "Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." What does it mean for man to rule over the animal life that God the Creator created? Did He mean that man was to take a whip and make slaves of that which God the Creator made and called good? If this is what He meant, then why did God the Creator create something that He called good for man just to turn around and make it bad?

When God the Creator created the creatures of this earth, they were meant to help man in the whole process of survival. I guess if anyone had the concept of animal life as it was intended to be, it was our People. Our people in times past never abused the creation. They never worshipped the creation, but took the creation and in great respect for the Creator who gave us the creation, used it for what it was meant to be - for the survival of mankind. They never took more than they needed. It was never a sport to hunt down. They kill what the people needed to survive for the day and prayed for the same tomorrow. The horse was more than an animal to conquer and enslave. The horse became part of man. Our people would subdue the horse, but not enslave the horse. He was treated with great respect, the kind of respect God the Creator gave His creation. The creation was not meant to be worshipped, but it was also not to be conquered, but to be treated with the same respect that God the Creator gave it when He said, "It was good."

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church