Genesis 1:24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.
God created light and darkness, sky and sea and dry ground, vegetation of all kinds, the sun and moon, the creatures under the sea and the creatures on the land, and he saw that it was good. Only then did he make mankind in His likeness, to rule over the sea, the birds, the sky, the livestock, the wild animals, “over all the creatures that move along the ground.” I find this progression fascinating.
Genesis 1:25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Sometimes, often, I think humans see themselves as the star of the show of creation, and while verse 26 does say “so that they may rule over…,” it is hard for me to believe that God would create everything from nothing and then create humans to rule over everything and not expect humans to be stewards of all those things. I think sometimes we forget the stewardship part and just focus on the “ruling over all” bit. Jesus, Help us!
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Precious Savior, Your creation is awe-inspiring and sometimes terrifying. Thank You for the care that you took with all of creation. Thank You that You saw fit to allow us to be stewards of all that You created. Help us to take that role seriously. Help us to tend to Your world with love and care. Amen.
Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Have a blessed day.