Dominion

“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.’” (Genesis 1:26)

When first the word dominion is uttered, it can at times conjure up images of kings and lords, either in their kingly and lordly robes or whatever they want to wear, sitting on top of it all, calling all the shots, “dominating” the action and other people. And this is pretty much the way a lot of people like to think of this “gift from God,” whether they are applying it to man’s universal dominion over the created order or their own dominion in one of their own little kingdoms: home, marriage, self, business, church, state, friendships, or wherever else we find ourselves in some kind of pecking order.

Well, there is certainly a bit of truth in that take on things, but as with other “bits of truth,” it is in leaving out all the other bits that we always get ourselves into trouble. If, for example, a man perceives his role as “lord” in the home simply as his right to “make the final decision,” micromanage his wife’s and children’s affairs (“as long as they are under my roof”), order other folks around, having them serve him, then he is going to have a house out of order and a miserable one at that. If on the other hand, he gets a handle on what dominion really means and all it includes, he, by the grace of God, can have the peace and order, joy and happiness he’s looking for.

The same is true in every other sphere, and it is obviously true generally for mankind’s dominion over the earth. Some men interpret dominion as man’s right simply to catch as many fish, shoot as many birds, slaughter as many cattle, and eliminate as many snakes and bugs as one possibly can. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard Genesis 1:26 referred to as somebody’s child is squashing a June bug on the concrete driveway. OK, well, yes; but, again, if that is the primary application made, and certainly if it is the only app. made, then squashing, catching, shooting, slaughtering, smashing, controlling, manipulating, using, discarding, etc. becomes for us not only our God-given right, but our God-given responsibility.

Responsibility. There is a good word if we will look to God how to use it correctly. Man was created in God’s image, according to His likeness. If we want a good take on dominion, our only hope is to see how God applies the concept. It is true He calls all the shots. It is true He is the lawgiver and that all is created for His glory. But God is Trinity, and His dominion is for the sake of serving others. God exercises dominion through taking responsibility for giving, loving, serving, sacrificing, caring, nurturing, planning, growing, protecting, and providing. God cares for His creation and, in Christ, even died to redeem it and restore it—that is the “other bit” that makes all the difference in how we exercise the dominion God has given man over the world at large and over his multiple sub-kingdoms.

“Lord God, we give thanks to You this day for creating man in the image of God and for granting him lordship over all creation. We thank You that this lordship ultimately belongs to the Man our Lord Jesus Christ, and we thank You for His perfect dominion. We pray You would teach us to be like Him and that we would take up all of our responsibility to rule in our own sphere as He does in His—through grace and by faith, by justice and mercy, through service and sacrifice, with love and gentleness. Teach us to take care of the world in which we live, to be good stewards of it all, including those people and things entrusted to us in our own little kingdoms, we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.”