News - PETA and Genesis 1:28

Source for news story: PETA slams "shocking" Hamas TV clip (AP)

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (though tempted, I will not make the whole post about this contradictory, severely "off-balance" group) is condemning Hamas for some YouTube clips of a TV show that depicts its characters "mistreating" animals at the Gaza Zoo.

While unnecessary violence against animals should be deplored, why does it take animal abuse for the hierarchy of a major NGO to protest against a proven terrorist regime? What about the suicide bombings, subjugation of women and children, and the brainwashing of young men to ideas of martyrdom? "Oh, turn the news off, I don't feel like hearing about killing innocent human beings...what??? animal abuse?! we must spring into action right away!"

Despite the ridiculous nature of PETA, they did bring to mind an idea that my Bible Study partner and I were speaking about the other night: The idea of dominion over animals and the environment, most notably Genesis 1:28.

"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (NASB).

The phrase "rule over" in this verse comes from the Hebrew radah: to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off -- (come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r, over), take.

Other places this word is used in the Old Testament refer to a king's rule (Levicticus, 1 & 2 Kings), both over his people and over his enemies. So, naturally, many Biblical scholars have taken this to mean that man rules nature with complete control, some go as far as to legitimize environmental abuse.

But, the most objective way for a Christian to determine what God is trying to impart through Scripture, is to study it in light of other Scripture. A verse that seems to be in conflict with this verse is Genesis 2:7.

"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (NASB)

While God still created us, we are created of nature, like plants and animals were in Gen 1:12 and 1:20, respectively. So, which is it? Are we supposed to rule over nature with an iron fist, or do we exist to care and be responsible for nature?

Like many of the doctrines in God's Word, it is necessary to study further and not take a single verse or passage at face value. The synergy of these two verses helps us to understand what the Bible says about our manner of "dominion" over the Earth. Now, I am not going to go as far as PETA and say that an animal life is equal to a human life, nor will I say that God is not in control and human beings are destroying the Earth with global warming, and there is nothing He can do to stop it. But our King of Kings, while all-powerful and mighty, also cares for us and protects us, both from harm and from ourselves. In that spirit, Christians should take an active role in caring for animals and the earth itself, but fall short of joining and subscribing to the mantra of those groups which place human actions and the lives of the "beasts of the field" alongside or above God's sovereignty.

God is in control. I wouldn't want to live in a world where he did not radah everything. Now that would be a disaster!