The Story Of Redemption


DOMINION GIVEN TO ADAM.


THE earth was not always in the same condition

that it now is, for it now is under the

curse of God. It was once very beautiful, so

much so that God, whose knowledge is greater

than that of all other beings, pronounced it

good. Beautiful trees and flowers were caused

to grow on the earth, till it was a paradise. At

that time there were no ravenous beasts to hurt

or destroy, for man had power over all living

things, that lived on the earth. Also the Lord

made a very beautiful place in the earth, for a

kind of capital. In this capital, or -garden as

it was called, he caused every tree that was

beautiful to look upon, and which bore fruit

good for food to grow, and among them was

the Tree of Life, whose fruit would cause man

to live always.

Thus we see that provision was made for

man that he might live for ever. Here was a

beautiful place indeed for man to live and

reign, for he had power over all living things

that were upon the earth. And his happiness

far exceeded that of the kings of this world, for

he was not compelled to leave his dominion to

another by death, nor did he have any rebellious

subjects as the kings of earth now have.

One man would not tyrannize over another, for

they would love each other just as God designed

all his creatures should.

But man could not reign over the earth 

independent of God. The earth really belonged

to God, for he made it. The Holy Spirit has

told us by the mouth of David, that "The

earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."

But God gave man the dominion over the

earth on certain conditions. To illustrate this,

we will suppose that a man comes to the State

of New York, from England. If he expects to

stay in the State of New York, he must keep

the laws of that State. If he breaks the laws

of New York, he must expect to suffer the 

penalty for the broken law. But if he keeps the

law, he will have liberty to live in the State in

peace and happiness. Thus the conditions of

his living unmolested in New York, is obedience

to its laws.

Now God made the earth, and all the living 

creatures upon it, and last of all he made man

in his own image, and made him ruler over it.

Man was to rule the earth, and God who made,

all the worlds, was to rule man. A king cannot

govern a country without laws, and God

does not govern the world without laws, and as

he is perfect in wisdom, we might expect that

his laws would be wise and good. We have

seen that man was to have dominion over the

earth if he obeyed God's law, so it would be

right for God to take the dominion away from

him if he broke this law. God's law, or covenant

as it is often called, is the ten commandments.

Read Deuteronomy 13. Sin is the transgression

of this law. 1 John 3:4. If Adam

should break one of these commandments, he

would lose right to the tree of life in the 

beautiful garden, and die and return back to

dust, for there is nothing to perpetuate life and

prevent disease.





 E. B. SAUNDERS.