Title: Protect Nature / Genesis 1:28
“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Conservation of nature is Heavenly Father's first command to mankind. Before God told us not to eat the forbidden fruit, God first told us to guard the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Joy (Genesis 2:15-17).
“And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
This was not only addressed to Adam, but also to us now. As we ponder this command deeply, let us put into practice the Father's words and become saints who enjoy His grace and blessings.
First, nature is a creation of God.
Nature is God's work of God's hand made in God's will and providence. In the eyes of fallen human beings, nature is nothing more than a product of evolution. However, nature is a work of art that reveals the majesty and mystery of God the Creator. God reveals the eternal power and divinity of the Lord through this work. The Bible says, “The things that are not seen from the foundation of the world, even his eternal power and divinity, have been clearly seen and understood in all things that have been made; therefore they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Therefore, in the eyes of the saints, even one insignificant flower is incomparably beautiful with the glory of Solomon. That is why we praise the God who made the flower.
Nature is also a creature that reveals and glorifies the glory of God. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows the works of his hands” (Psalm 19:1) However, fallen humans deify and worship nature, God’s creation, and on the contrary, they have exploited it or destroyed it. . As a result, various superstitions and nature worship are still prevalent in our society, and we are facing the crisis of the end of mankind due to serious environmental destruction. Nature is not something humans fear or destroy at will. Nature was a very good creation in God's sight. Therefore, if we destroy nature, we are destroying the joy of God.
Second, nature is the foundation of human life.
When nature is destroyed, humans who rely on nature as their source of life cannot sustain life any longer. Nature is an expression of God's love for man. All things in the universe and nature belong to God. But God has given all these things to man. To Adam, the 'Garden of Eden' was, like its name, a 'Garden of great joy'. God's love continues even now, even though humans have sinned and fallen. The Bible says, “God makes his sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). Therefore, when we destroy nature, we are committing a sin of rejecting God's love, and we are committing a crime against our descendants who will receive this love in the future.
Then, what is the way to live happily in the nature that God has created for us? When we keep the word of God, our foundation of life is blessed. God commanded the rest of the earth in Leviticus 25. And he promised to bless you if you obey that word. “I will command that I bring my blessing upon you in the sixth year, that their produce may be sufficient for three years” (Leviticus 25:21).
The laws of the Sabbath and Jubilee recognize God's sovereignty over the earth and entrust our lives to God. But selfish humans have used and damaged nature as if it were their own. As a result, the land where there was no shortage of food and drink became uninhabitable, and the land that was very pleasing to the eye turned into a place that yielded thorns and thistles. Both humans and the earth must rest before God. It is not simply to rest, but to acknowledge and declare that I, the earth, and nature are 'God's'.
Third, saints are stewards of nature
The Lord's stewards value the things of God. Modern people, immersed in material versatility and consumption pleasure, like new things unconditionally. But Jesus taught that nothing should be wasted. After performing the miracle of feeding 5,000 men and tens of thousands of women with five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather the leftover pieces and let nothing be thrown away” (John 6:12). The purpose of Jesus' education through this was, first, a spirit of economy, and second, to protect nature. Therefore, we should not be greedy for anything. Greed must not even call its name (Ephesians 5:3). Covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Therefore, we must bear the fruit of self-control so that we do not forsake the things of God.
Fourth, nature benefits as much as it protects.
When Denmark was defeated in the war, Pastor Grundtby was able to save the country from crisis by starting the 'Three Love Movement' of 'love God, love the country, and love nature'.
To destroy nature is to destroy man, who was made of earth. Humans cannot live without oxygen, and 70% of the human body is made up of water. However, people are destroying forests, secretly dumping pollutants into rivers and seas, and ravaging the land with pesticides and various wastes because of their greed to make money. There can be no peace between humans without peace with nature. Currently, food shortages due to environmental degradation and disposal of waste and nuclear waste are becoming the subject of international, regional and personal disputes. This is the price of destroying nature. Conservation of nature yields milk and honey, but destruction in the name of development yields nothing but thorns and thistles.
Small actions to protect nature bring great joy. We know all too well that the main causes of river pollution and air pollution are domestic sewage and automobile exhaust. Therefore, we all need to get rid of the "I'm the only one" thought. If the body is dying from poverty in North Korea, we are drowning in monarchism and our bodies and souls are getting sick from waste, luxury, and overconsumption.
We must try very small actions: conserve electricity and water at home and in public places, promote separate collection and recycling, and reduce food waste. This is the way I live, the way the country lives, and the way to save and protect nature. We should all practice nature conservation from the smallest things to become saints who are loved by God and enjoy benefits from nature.
The whole universe and everything in it was created "for the Lord's sake." Therefore, stewardship humans must preserve and nurture nature in accordance with the Word of God. In that case, we can reveal the glory of God the Creator and pass on God's love and joy to future descendants.
- Prayer -
Heavenly Father, help us all who have believed in Jesus and have been saved by being filled with the Holy Spirit and practicing the Word of God, so that we can become stewards of nature, your creation and the foundation of our lives. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen