How does Job 28:2 connect with Genesis 1:28 on subduing the earth? Opening the Texts Together • Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.’” • Job 28:2: “Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.” What “Subdue” Means in Genesis 1:28 • The Hebrew word kāḇaš pictures bringing something under orderly control. • It includes cultivating soil (Genesis 2:15), naming animals (Genesis 2:19-20), and exercising wise dominion (Psalm 8:6-8). • Humanity’s authority is granted, not seized—God remains Owner (Psalm 24:1). Job 28:2 as a Case Study in Subduing • Mining displays humans’ God-given ingenuity: digging, extracting, refining. • The verse illustrates that dominion reaches beneath the surface—literally. • Skillful metallurgy fulfills the command without negating reverence; Job 28 later marvels that true wisdom “is hidden from the eyes of every living thing” (v.21). Key Parallels 1. Initiative – Genesis: “Fill… subdue.” – Job: “Iron is taken… copper is smelted.” 2. Discovery – Genesis assumes resources await cultivation. – Job describes finding ore where “no bird of prey knows” (v.7). 3. Transformation – Subduing moves creation toward usefulness. – Smelting turns raw stone into serviceable metal. 4. Worshipful Recognition – Genesis frames work under God’s blessing. – Job ends the mining poem declaring, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom” (v.28). Supporting Scriptures • Genesis 4:22 — Tubal-cain “forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron.” • Deuteronomy 8:7-9 — The Promised Land “a land whose rocks are iron.” • Proverbs 25:2 — “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; the glory of kings to search it out.” Practical Takeaways • Resource extraction can honor God when coupled with stewardship (Leviticus 25:23-24). • Occupational skills—from agriculture to metallurgy—are divine gifts (Exodus 31:3-5). • Subduing never excuses exploitation; it calls for cultivating creation’s potential while maintaining its goodness (Revelation 11:18b). Bringing It Home Job 28:2 provides a vivid snapshot of Genesis 1:28 in action: people uncovering hidden treasures, exercising dominion, yet ultimately confessing that wisdom and ownership remain with the Creator. Wise believers therefore mine, build, farm, and innovate—always under God’s blessing and for His glory. |
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