Topical Bible: Man: Every Herb and Tree Given To, for Food

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the provision of herbs and trees for food is a foundational aspect of God's creation and His care for humanity. This provision is first articulated in the Book of Genesis, where God establishes the relationship between man and the natural world.

Creation and Provision

In Genesis 1:29 , God declares His provision for mankind: "Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.'" This verse underscores the divine intention for humans to utilize the earth's vegetation as sustenance. The emphasis on "every seed-bearing plant" and "every tree whose fruit contains seed" highlights the abundance and variety of God's provision, ensuring that all necessary nutrients and sustenance are available to mankind.

Dominion and Stewardship

The provision of herbs and trees for food is closely linked to the concept of dominion and stewardship. In Genesis 1:28 , God commands humanity to "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." This dominion is not a license for exploitation but a call to responsible stewardship. The availability of plants and trees for food is part of the harmonious relationship between man and creation, where humans are to care for and manage the earth's resources wisely.

Dietary Laws and Restrictions

While the initial provision in Genesis is broad, later biblical texts introduce dietary laws and restrictions. In the Mosaic Law, certain plants and foods are designated as clean or unclean, reflecting God's covenantal relationship with Israel and His desire for them to be set apart. However, the original provision in Genesis remains a testament to God's generosity and the sufficiency of His creation.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

The provision of herbs and trees for food also carries symbolic and spiritual significance. Trees, in particular, are often used as symbols of life, growth, and sustenance throughout Scripture. The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9) represents eternal life and God's ongoing provision. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Himself as the "true vine" (John 15:1), drawing on the imagery of plants to convey spiritual truths about sustenance and dependence on God.

Eschatological Fulfillment

The theme of God's provision through herbs and trees finds its ultimate fulfillment in the eschatological vision of the new creation. In Revelation 22:2 , the Tree of Life reappears, bearing "twelve kinds of fruit, yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." This imagery reflects the restoration of creation and the perfect provision of God in the new heaven and new earth.

In summary, the biblical provision of every herb and tree for food is a testament to God's abundant care and the intended harmony between humanity and creation. It serves as a reminder of the responsibility to steward the earth's resources and the spiritual truths embedded in God's creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

I Would Also Say, O Lord My God, what the Following Scripture ...
... truth, seeing Thou art the Truth, and every man a liar ... Thou hast given unto us for
food every herb bearing seed ... is upon all the earth; and every tree, in which ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xxv i would also.htm

He Explains the Fruits of the Earth (Ver. 29) of Works of Mercy.
... truth, since Thou art the Truth, but every man a liar ... Thou hast given unto us for
food "every herb bearing seed ... the face of all the earth, "and every tree in the ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xxv he explains the fruits.htm

Of the Fall of Man.
... woman said unto the serpent, We eat of every tree of the ... forth to thee; and thou
shalt eat the herb of the ... given by holy Scripture of the history of man and of ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxi of the fall of.htm

On the Fall of Man
... "The earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed ... So "God created man in his
own image; in the ... And a sufficient remedy; every way adequate to the disease. ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 57 on the fall.htm

The Heinous Sin of Drunkenness
... When God first made man, and had breathed into him the ... over the works of his hands;
and every herb bearing seed ... Of every beast of the field, every fish of the ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the heinous sin of drunkenness.htm

Essay
... they have supposed, he might have the appearance of a man of fifty ... creepeth on the
earth, wherein there is life, 1 have given every green herb for meat. ...
/.../an essay on the mosaic account of the creation and fall of man/essay.htm

The Noachic Covenant
... be meat for you, even as the green herb have I ... to pretend to be a converted Christian
man who knows ... great, wise, loving God, by whose will every tree grows and ...
/.../kingsley/twenty-five village sermons/sermon xi the noachic covenant.htm

Mosaic Cosmogony.
... that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb
for meat ... day, and with a view to the future nourishment of man and beast ...
/.../temple/essays and reviews the education of the world/mosaic cosmogony.htm

Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew the Apostle.
... a calf, and words of meekness better than every herb of the ... 2286] and from the top
of the tree shall flow ... that swim and creep; and in it the man-eaters shall ...
/.../acts and martyrdom of st matthew the apostle/acts and martyrdom of st.htm

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... not any green thing in any tree or herb of the ... and mortals." Again, "God holds not
communication with man, but through a demon in every conference:" In ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm