From all the life forms that lived on Earth, God chose one to rule all the others at the end of the sixth season. By removing the overburden of unbiblical perfection theology, the ancient text matches the evidence perfectly.
Genesis 1
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (NIV).
Well, we surely obeyed this command—sorta-kinda, maybe. For most of our existence, we simply moved nature over, subjugated it, or helped it go extinct.
We are entering a new season of awareness. To rule effectively, we must understand nature but not just the parts we can domesticate. The poet of Genesis 1 says God made everything, and then he called everything good. Good is not perfect, or passive, or unproblematic. The wording is quite clear; everything means everything. That means God made pathogens and tsunamis good for something. We must learn to appreciate that something. No other force or deity produced these things.
We should not condemn events as “natural evils.” God did not give those things a choice to be anything different then what they are. Only our choices include evil.
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so (NIV).
This passage does not feel entirely scientific. Some plants are poisonous or indigestible.
However, as in Days 3, 4, and 5, this description contains a human perspective. Our fondness for grains and fruit has made every culture collected, cultivated, and domesticate multiple forms. It is a hereditary obsession.
What about the poisonous plants? How are they good for us? It is possible that we do not understand how to process those plants into food or medicine. Plus, animals eat more types of plants than humans. That includes microorganisms that decompose plant material. Therefore, since something eats even these, the passage does not contradict science.
These verses do not imply humans and animals were exclusively vegetarian. Not mentioning something does not negate the existence of something.
Poetically, this passage continues the intertwining of humanity and nature. We are part of God’s good creation, not separate, not an abomination.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day (NIV).
God considered creation good, never perfect, even his imperfect humans. He has given us time to tame our animal instincts, distinguish good from evil, and accumulate knowledge. That shows the everlasting love, mercy, and forgiveness of our Creator. We must strive to be one as our Creator is one.
To be continued:
