The Dominion Covenant - Done Away With Too ?

All human life on earth, all marriage has the goal to be fruitful and to multiply and to subdue the earth. Adam as well as Noah were given this dominion ordinance (Gen 1:28 and Gen 9:1). With His Law, God provided the tools of this dominion, so that we might be worthy "imagers" of God and good stewards of creation, and do our share in bringing about what we are praying for: "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Mat 6:10, Luk 11:2).

Recently, we have heard the argument repeatedly that in modern society, family is not as important anymore, having many children is not as important anymore, and therefore, being fruitful and multiplying must have been something cultural, a tradition from way back when. Since today, you are not looked at strangely anymore if you don't have children at all even, this part of the dominion covenant surely can be disregarded, or re-interpreted. Surely it is not very important to God anymore that we are fruitful and that we multiply... Hmmm...

And where in the bible does it say that the dominion covenant only holds up until the earth is properly populated, so to speak, or until society determines otherwise ? Who are we to decide how important it is to God to which degree we are fruitful nowadays ? His chosen people certainly multiplied greatly wherever they lived, and their number was part of their strength. In a world of rampant apostasy, those that are loyal to God's Law are probably as much in need to multiply greatly as the Israelites were in their exile in Egypt, for example. We would not dare to judge how fruitful we are supposed to be, but prefer to cling to the biblical ordinance and example of what people were told to do, and how it was meant to be put into practice as specified in the case laws, rather than assuming that something is not as important anymore today.

Who did away with the dominion covenant of Gen 1:28 and Gen 9:1 ? Where does it say in the bible that it is not valid anymore, or even just "less important" ? It doesn't say so anywhere, so until further notice from God, we assume that He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb 13:8), and that the dominion covenant still stands.


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Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #16

Today, we would like to sum up the benefits of simple living, after having addressed so many different issues over the recent weeks. What is the fruit of a simple life that relies on God's Word alone as the standard ?

First of all, simple living under God's authority frees you from the cares and concerns of the world, thereby allowing you to focus on the more important aspects of life. Less clutter in your life, starting with the TV, fashion, gossip, and other mindless spare time entertainment, facilitates a richness of the inner life and brings you back to the roots of our existence, to man as a created being, created to serve and glorify and worship the Creator, and not the creature.

Simple, natural living promotes conversion of the mint and heart, and allows God's Spirit to permeate every aspect of life. Not that it is us that allow God to do anything, mind you. No life style can bring you closer to God if He has reserved you for damnation, and there is no way that we can save ourselves. But if God has opened your mind and heart towards him, if you are allowed to hear what He says, a simple life is going to be the only way to live everything God asks of you, and that is, to live and work as unto the Lord, and to be fruitful, and multiply, and subdue the earth, that is, to be good stewards of creation and build His Kingdom within the family. This includes living with the natural cycles as God created them, and avoid exploitation of any form.

Furthermore, living simply according to God's plan creates relationships of a different quality. Living within the multi-generational family, where everyone is of value to the whole and where everyone has his and her place and role, where everyone supports the other one on his and her way with God, is a very different form of family life than the typical nucleus family life most people are accustomed to nowadays, where the family members are more of a group of individuals who each do as they please most of the time than a family in the biblical sense. Simple Living according to God's design creates communion with each other, and it furthers communion with God, since one of its main features is studying the word of God and putting it into every day life practice.

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Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #15

Yesterday it was only mentioned as an example, as a side note, so to speak, but I want to come back to it today: I mentioned teaching your children what the bible says, and nothing else.

One aspect of God-sufficiency, of simple living according to His will, is to refrain from adding to His word or taking anything away from it. Children are to be taught the word of God, so that, when they grow up, they may not depart from it (Pro 22:6), and since you are home schooling your child so that you, and not his or her peers at school are your children's role model and orientation, you are also fully responsible for what you child learns. Be careful to handle this responsibility well, and don't let a church of some type or another take it out of your hands either.

And there is one more thing to remember: Children are children, and even if they are most teachable when they are very young, they are only to be held responsible for their actions according to God's law when they have reached the age of 12. It is important to teach them well until then, so that they know God's Law and what it means for their everyday life, and it is important to teach them after they have reached the age of 12, so that they can learn how to live a responsible life. But it is utterly wrong to instill in children of the age of 5, 7 or 9 the idea that they have sinned, and that they need to repent and return to God. If you do that, all you are doing is putting your child in an emotional frenzy. There is no need for all that. Sin comes with the knowledge of the Law, and as long as your child is not to be held accountable, don't pretend that he or she is.

In the same way, don't make your young child go out an be a missionary to non-brethren. You should know how difficult it is to be in the world and yet withstand all the snares and traps put up there, and you expect your child to be in the middle of it and happily withstand it all? We are called to come out of her (Rev 18:4), and to have nothing to so her sins, so it is certainly much closer to God's will to protect your child from worldly influences, and when they are old enough to understand the snare, to teach them what the world is like, instead of putting them out there expecting them to do what most adults have troubles with, and what is against God's command.

Why do I feel the need to stress all this?

We watched "Jesus Camp" the other night. The documentary is propaganda against people who try to teach their children God's way, yes indeed. But you don't really need to look too closely to spot the glaring inconsistencies among the people portrayed, and begin with the adults please. When it comes to the children, look at their age, and look at what they believe, those that are asked, and look at how far away from God's word it all is... They have many things right, but they have more things wrong, it seems.

Women shouldn't teach? Modest dress? Head coverings? Children under the age of 12 are not subject to the law?

And instead: Churches that are not charismatic are dead churches? This generation of children is a key generation to the end times?? We should train the young children because the enemy does so too??

Besides, Ted Haggard is a good role model for a young boy who obviously is trained to be a preacher, even if unofficially??? Oh well.

Beware, people, beware, and cling to God's Word.


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Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #14

Let me develop a thought or two about simple living by God's design in reference to the news we posted in the previous post. Many fish of the Great Lakes died last year, and obviously this year a similar scenario is on it's way. People worry about "infected water" and trying to prevent the virus that befalls the fish from spreading, and their main concern is obviously the sports-fishing industry. To provide them with strong and healthy fish populations is the goal of all the measures taken and restrictions made.

See, you can do the right thing for the wrong reason, and you will be held accountable for your reasons too, and not just for what you did. It is certainly a good thing to try and keep the fish alive, but if you do it for economic reasons, and not as part of the stewardship God appointed to men in Gen 1:28, you are nothing but one of those false prophets Jesus talks about in Matthew 7:15-23, for even if what you do looks good, you are still not doing it in His name, and therefore work iniquity, lawlessness. Just like you can think all you want about how to turn your Sunday into more of a Lord's day, unless you read the bible and do what God tells you to do on the Sabbath (including the specifics of the day itself as the last, not the first day of the week), whatever you do will be for naught. You don't buy bread rolls on Sunday mornings anymore because you don't want to further Sunday work, and Sunday work has been an issue in your church for a while now? Sounds good, but God says, not only should you do no work, but also should you neither buy nor sell on His holy day, and you should rest, and study, not to mention that the Sabbath is not a Sunday... No matter how many religious books and magazine articles you read on the matter, unless you rely solely and completely on God's word as practical guidance, the chances that Jesus will not know you on the Last Day are fairly high.

Why do I say all this ? What does it have to do with simple living ?

The simple lesson from these examples is this: Make sure that you do not come up with your own design when it comes to your simple life, make sure that your manual for life is not men's tradition, not even church tradition, but God's will and Law-Word alone. Teach your children what God says when you home school them, and not something oh so very emotional, but unbiblical. They may believe now with all their heart that churches that aren't charismatic are dead churches by virtue of the fact that their members don't jump during services, but one day your children will be old enough to realize that they made a fool of themselves by proclaiming such nonsense... Beware.


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Obstacles on the Way to God - #5

5. God is a humanist and appoints the same rights and duties to men and women.

Examples from Scripture that refute this notion:

• God's Law does not value an individual person's life as the highest value, but puts God first. If someone violates God's Law and defiles himself, the people and the land, capital punishment is necessary to wash the sin away (see the following chapters for numerous examples: Exo 21, Lev 20, Lev 24, Num 35, Deu 13, Deu 17). In Deuteronomy, the phrase "thou shalt put the evil away from among you" clarifies the concept behind capital punishment: It is a means of loving your neighbor by not allowing anyone evil to dwell among the brethren to hurt them, lead them astray or defile them (Deu 17:7, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21, 22:24, 24:7). If God was a humanist, the worst thing that could happen would be the death of a person. But God's Law ranks higher than an individual life, so a grave violation of the Law that endangers all the brethren is to be paid for by the death of the transgressor (and sometimes also his household).
• Genesis shows the different roles of men and women in the dominion covenant (Gen 1:28). Eve is called Adam's help meet (Gen 2:18), not his equal. The curses that follow the fall in Gen 3 make their respective roles more difficult: Eve is going to bear her children in pain, and Adam is going to work the soil with more difficulties. Besides, the curses clarify that it is not Eve who should "run the show", but that it is Adam's responsibility to lead his house (Gen 3:16-17).
• Paul and Peter both stress the different roles of husband and wife, men and women, several times (1Cor 11:3-16 and 14:33-35; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-24; 1Ti 2:9-15; Titus 2:1-8; Heb 11:8-12; 1Pe 3:1-7). To write off these roles (as well as God's judgments about what is abominable to Him and defiles us) as cultural, means to deny that the triune God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8), and that all Scripture is profitable for instruction (2Ti 3:16).

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Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #12

Today's lesson deals with the biblical foundation for the farming time frame. God did not leave His people without command and advice in every area of life because all areas of life are under His authority, and if we follow Him in trust and obedience, He promises that it will be well with us and our children after us, and that we will live long in the land that He gave us (Deu 4:40, and in many other places).

Exodus 23:10-13 spells out the Sabbath laws concerning the land: Just like the seventh day of the week is holy, so is every seventh year, which means that during the six years, you have to be a good steward to what you sow and reap, so that you can let the land rest for a whole year in the seventh, and then have seed to sow anew and do without its fruit for yet another year since you only sow anew in the beginning of the new year one.

Lev 19:23-24, in addition, establishes the rules for trees that bear fruit for food - for three years their fruit shall be considered uncircumcised, in the fourth year the fruit is holy and the Lord's, and in the fifth year, the fruit can be gathered and eaten. This is something to keep in mind when you plant trees for food.

And what happens to whatever does grow on the fields in the seventh year ? The fruit that is does yield without being ploughed and used you can gather as you need them, but they are also for the poor people of the land, and the wild animals. The biblical idea of charity, quite in contrast to what is practiced in churchianity these days, is very straight forward and directed to very specific people: widows and orphans, who are the poor and unprotected people of the land, and everybody who passes by. And the how of charity is as simple, and in terms of food, the biblical farming rules reflect this, not only for the Sabbath year, but for every harvest: Deu 24:20-21 explains that, when you beat your olive tree and gather your vineyard's fruit, you are not supposed to go over them again to glean what is left on the tree and the vine, but you should leave the rest for the strangers, widows and orphans.

As far as thanksgiving is concerned, Exo 23:14-19 tells you that apart from the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is very early in the year, there are basically two occasions on which the fruit of your field are presented to the Lord as thanksgiving - the time when the first fruits are gathered, and at the end of the season, when the crops are gathered in from the fields. So basically, whenever the land gives you from its wealth, you are to remember that it is not you who makes the crops and the fruit grow, no matter how much you work for it, but it is the Lord, and all our life, including our work life, is under His authority.

Remember this when you plant your garden after you moved onto your new patch of land.


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