The First Commands

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” – Gen. 1:27-28

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” - Gen. 2:15-17

The first commands or directions from God to humanity are recorded in the two creation stories in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2-3. In the first story God creates humans in His image and gives these directions:

1) Procreate and fill the earth with the human species (Done That!)
2) Subdue the earth by governing the animal kingdom (Done a poor job!)

To "rule over" is to govern one’s subjects, not to exterminate them. While we have named all the animals and created safe habitats for them, many species have become extinct because we humans have not learned how to share this planet with the animals that depend on the free things of God’s good earth. Nor have we have learned how to share with each other.

In the second creation story the author moves to a more localized story than a general one. It is the story of God’s garden or orchard. Many kings of the ancient world kept courted gardens... beautiful, fruitful, and magnificent with flowing pools. These gardens were a sign of the gods' blessing on the king and his kingdom. In a similar way Eden is the King of the Universe’s garden and God created Adam to tend it.

Babylonian myth has the gods creating humanity as a slave race to build the great walled city states of the ancient near east.  The God of the bible is generous, giving Adam freedom to eat of any tree in the garden (Man was initially vegetarian). There was a singular exception.  Adam was told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To break this command would bring death.

So we arrive at two more commands

3) Tend and work the Garden of Eden for God
4) Do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of God and Evil

Do these early directives to humans apply to us today? One's response to this question is dependent upon how they understand scripture. (See post "Toward a Biblical Understanding")

Some have taken the command to “rule over” the animals and “tend and work” the garden as a theology for ecology, to care for plant and animal life as a caretaker does for a garden or wildlife preserve. Some accept the command to be fruitful and multiply as meaning make lots of good little church going babies. This sentiment is present in Malachi’s writings against intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles. God wants godly offspring (Mal. 2:1).

But if we read Genesis 1-3 as written to Israelites, it may carry a very different meaning for us. To be fruitful is to be a living sign of God’s blessing upon this people who serve Him. God takes the unformed barren earth and makes it fruitful, teeming with living creatures. In the same way God makes a once barren womb bear children or a people who were once no people at all into a great nation, a holy people (1 Pet. 2:9-10). God blesses His chosen and blesses those who bless Israel (Gen. 12:2-3). The prosperity of God’s people is a sign of God’s blessing, providence and approval.

Does that mean Christians should pursue wealth as a means to be a sign of God’s blessing? How does the covenant with this chosen people drive US foreign policy and voter support for Israel? Do you think God commands Americans to support the nation of Israel in its political, military and economic policies concerning the Palestinian population and other Arab neighbors? Is America cursed if we do not?

What if we understood the Garden of Eden as a special place set apart from the rest of creation where humans serve God and care for His work under His generous blessing as a model for how life in the covenant community is meant to be? How might church life be lived out if we tended to the work of God? How would life in our church be if we did what God commanded and did not do what God restricted to keep us from death?

What moral direction do you think these stories give to Christians for the living of their lives? Recognize that there is no written Law of Moses. Man heard from God and knew in his heart what was right for him to do, care for God’s works and be fruitful as a sign of His blessing. He also knew he was to trust God by not eating the forbidden fruit. He understood that God was protecting him from death. But as the story of Adam and Eve illustrates, within the very nature of humanity is a fear that keeps us from fully trusting God and His life giving commands. The serpent gives voice to this fear.

"No! You will not die," the serpent said to the woman. "In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:4-5)."

We worry that perhaps God is keeping us from the good stuff.
We fear God rules over us by keeping us ignorant.

What would you say your understanding of good conduct or moral behavior is as a result of reviewing these stories?

I consider the dominance of humanity throughout the planet, depleting natural resources, human suffering due to political inefficiency and in some cases pure evil, and the declining state of the environment.  It leads me to conclude that commands to the first humans do not apply or at least need to be heard differently.  To be fruitful and multiply doesn't mean simply procreation.  Speaking anew the command is to nurture life and support people who find life difficult.  It is to love my neighbor.

Jesus told his disciples that it is God's desire for his disciples to bear much fruit, fruit that glorifies Him. Love full grown is the fruit God desires. It comes by a relationship with Jesus Christ. I remain in Him and He remains in me (John 15:1-17)

"This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (Jn. 15:8-9)."

I understand "to tend" to God’s garden means to care for the work of God. It is to treat with sacred respect His creation, but not to worship created things. It is to recognize myself as a reflection of God’s divine image and to live as He lives and do as God does. To govern over the animal and plant kingdom is to do so as God’s emissary as His trusted steward given responsibility over His property. All the earth, all creation is God’s possession. I adopt an attitude as God’s trusted servant and make decisions that are for God’s best interests.

The way to know what is best is to ask God. Searching the scripture may cause me to hear Him speak to me. Praying to Him, I may hear His decision. But when there is no clear direction from God, the servant trusted to represent Him must choose. That is best carried out in community where others can counsel me. To be biblically moral, I must obey God’s voice and His written commands if I truly love Him, if I am going to be a worthy servant.


“If you love me, you will obey what I command” – Jesus (Jn. 14:15)