Topical Bible: Man: Dominion of

◄ Man: Dominion of ►

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The concept of man's dominion is rooted in the biblical account of creation, where God grants humanity authority over the earth and its creatures. This dominion is first articulated in Genesis 1:26-28, where God declares His intention to create mankind in His own image and likeness, bestowing upon them the responsibility to "rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:26). This passage establishes the foundational principle that humans are to exercise stewardship over the earth, reflecting God's sovereign rule.

The dominion mandate is further emphasized in Genesis 2:15, where God places Adam in the Garden of Eden "to work it and take care of it" . This indicates that dominion involves both authority and responsibility, requiring mankind to cultivate and preserve the natural world. The task of naming the animals, as described in Genesis 2:19-20, also signifies man's authority and the relational aspect of his dominion, as naming implies understanding and stewardship.

The fall of man, as recounted in Genesis 3, introduces sin into the world, complicating the exercise of dominion. The ground is cursed, and humanity's relationship with creation becomes fraught with toil and struggle (Genesis 3:17-19). Despite this, the mandate to exercise dominion remains, though it is now marred by the consequences of sin.

Throughout the Old Testament, the theme of dominion is revisited in various contexts. In Psalm 8:6-8, the psalmist reflects on the honor and responsibility given to mankind: "You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet" . This passage reaffirms the dignity and authority bestowed upon humanity, even as it acknowledges the vastness of God's creation.

In the New Testament, the concept of dominion is transformed and fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. As the second Adam, Christ embodies perfect dominion, exercising authority over nature, sickness, and spiritual forces. His life and ministry demonstrate the intended harmony between humanity and creation. In Matthew 28:18, Jesus declares, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" , signifying the restoration of dominion through His redemptive work.

The apostle Paul, in Romans 8:19-21, speaks of creation's eager expectation for the revelation of the children of God, anticipating a future restoration where creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay. This eschatological hope points to a time when humanity's dominion will be fully realized in accordance with God's original design.

The dominion of man, therefore, is a profound biblical theme that encompasses authority, stewardship, and responsibility. It calls for a balance between exercising control over creation and caring for it as God's stewards, reflecting His character and purposes in the world.

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Genesis 1:26,28
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
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Genesis 2:19,20
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them: and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
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Genesis 9:2,3
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, and on every fowl of the air, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
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Jeremiah 27:6
And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.
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Jeremiah 28:14
For thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
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Daniel 2:38
And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold.
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Hebrews 2:7,8
You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands:
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Library

Psalm 8:1. SM God's Sovereignty and Goodness; and Man's Dominion ...
... THE Psalms of David, In Metre. Psalm 8:1. SM God's sovereignty and goodness;
and man's dominion over the creatures. 1 O Lord, our ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms of david/psalm 8 1 s m gods.htm

On the Dominion of God Over the Creatures, and Chiefly Over Man
... FIFTH PART ON THE DOMINION OF GOD OVER THE CREATURES, AND CHIEFLY OVER MAN. The
dominion of God over the creatures rests on the communication ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/on the dominion of god.htm

Man, by Birth, is Placed under the Dominion of the Devil through ...
... Book II. Chapter 15."Man, by Birth, is Placed Under the Dominion of the
Devil Through Sin; We Were All One in Adam When He Sinned. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 15 man by birth is.htm

The Noble Inclination Whereby Man Thirsteth after Riches and ...
... THE FIRST CENTURY 23 The noble inclination whereby man thirsteth after riches
and dominion. The noble inclination whereby man thirsteth ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/23 the noble inclination whereby.htm

The Doctrine of Man
... b) Nor Are the Expressions "Image" and "Likeness" Exhausted When We Say That They
Consisted in Man's Dominion Over Nature, and the Creation of God in General. ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of man.htm

Rome, Socinus, Arminius, Calvin.
... to support this false view of Christ's Godhead, the Socinians falsified the doctrine
of the image of God, and made it equivalent to man's dominion over the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/vi rome socinus arminius calvin.htm

The Son of Man
... fact, and told (if we have ears to hear), that the Apocalypse relates to the coming
of "the Son of Man" to exercise judgment in and assume dominion over the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bullinger/commentary on revelation/the son of man.htm

The Complement of Genesis.
... Man's dominion ceased and Satan's begun (iii.24). Satan's dominion ended and man's
restored (xxii.). Sun, moon and stars associated with Israel (xxxvii.). ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the complement of genesis.htm

On the Free Will of Man and Its Powers
... is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" (Romans 8:7;) therefore,
that man over whom it has dominion, cannot perform what the law commands. ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 11 on the free.htm

On the Creation of Man after the Image of God
... Its dominion over the creatures which belongs to the whole man as consisting of
body and soul, may he partly considered as belonging to it according to the ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation xxvi on the creation.htm