In both stories, God gave certain responsibilities to Adam and Eve, and through them, to all of humanity. These responsibilities came in the form of blessings.
FIRST CREATION STORY
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 (Genesis 1:28)."
The original language for most of the Old Testament is Hebrew, and in this verse the Hebrew has five commands that God gave to humanity.
1. Be fruitful.
2. Increase in number.
3. Fill the earth.
4. Subdue the earth.
5. Rule over.
While the English divides these into two couplets and one command that stands alone (1&2, 3&4 with 5 alone), the Hebrew connects them all equally to each other. In other words, "Be fruitful, increase in number, fill the earth, subdue it and rule over the living things God created."
Some of these are so similar in defintion, that we could say for the use of poetry the author is being redundant. For example, "Be fruitful and increase in number" are basically the same thing. And "fill the earth" is the result of "being fruitful and increasing in number."
However, Subduing and ruling are commands that are pulling us into new territory.
Subdue the Earth
From Strong's Concordance, the Hebrew word 'kabash' means:
1) to bring into bondage, make subservient
2) to subdue, force, violate
3) to subdue, dominate, tread down
But as the word kabash is used in the Old Testament it seems that it means bringing under control. In other areas of the bible, violence is sometimes a part of the process of subduing.
Rule Over...Every Living Creature
'Radah'
1) to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down
a) to have dominion, rule, subjugate
This word is used both for violent power over others but can also be used for ruling over in a good way. It is a word used to say pretty much the same thing as "subduing the earth". When God created Adam (as male and female), before he gave them commands, God gave them this same authority, not as a commandment, but as the purpose of creating Adam.
COMMANDMENT AS A BLESSING
When God gave the commands to rule over and to subdue, He gave them in the form of a blessing. The text states that "God blessed them" when He told them to rule over, subdue, be fruitful, fill the earth, and multiply.
Blessings in Genesis were considered far more powerful than what we do today. We don't give much weight to a blessing, but in the ancient world, words held far more clout than they do today. My first thought is that this was because people of the ancient days were far more focused on the spoken word than the printed word. Being focused on the spoken word, the people would give more weight to certain forms of speech like blessings and curses, vows and so on, than over regular speech.
In Genesis 1, when God blessed humankind, He placed purpose and responsibility into Adam and Eve.
Before I introduce the responsibilities of chapter two of Genesis, I would like to point out that the day before God made Adam and Eve, he likewise blessed the animals, birds, and fish with "being fruitful, multipying, and filling the earth. However, he did not give them the blessing of ruling over other created things.
When God gave the commands to rule over and to subdue, He gave them in the form of a blessing. The text states that "God blessed them" when He told them to rule over, subdue, be fruitful, fill the earth, and multiply.
Blessings in Genesis were considered far more powerful than what we do today. We don't give much weight to a blessing, but in the ancient world, words held far more clout than they do today. My first thought is that this was because people of the ancient days were far more focused on the spoken word than the printed word. Being focused on the spoken word, the people would give more weight to certain forms of speech like blessings and curses, vows and so on, than over regular speech.
In Genesis 1, when God blessed humankind, He placed purpose and responsibility into Adam and Eve.
Before I introduce the responsibilities of chapter two of Genesis, I would like to point out that the day before God made Adam and Eve, he likewise blessed the animals, birds, and fish with "being fruitful, multipying, and filling the earth. However, he did not give them the blessing of ruling over other created things.
THE SECOND RESPONSIBILITY
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it (literally: to serve it) and take care of it (Genesis 2:15).
In Genesis 2, we have a much more earth friendly God-given responsibility. Whereas in chapter one God told Adam and Eve to dominate and control, in chapter two, God told Adam to serve, to care for, and to protect the garden. When Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, they were given the responsibility to serve the ground.
These God-given purposes did not come in the form of blessings, as chapter one's responsibilities. Rather, they were statements of fact. People were created to serve and protect the earth.
WAS GOD A CONSERVATIVE OR A LIBERAL?
In chapter one God seems far more the Conservative (as we view it in the U.S.) in that He wants us to take control and dominate the planet (some Conservative Christians even go so far as to say that Christians are told in Genesis to take control and dominate the political realm as well). But in Chapter 2, God is far more the Liberal who wants us to take care of the planet.
Putting both of these together tells us (Genesis speaks to all of humanity - not just Christians) to rule and to control the planet while protecting and caring for it.
Back to the question, though. In the beginning of creation, God shares a balance of the best qualities of both conservative and liberal. Maybe we need to be able to borrow the best from both sides.
These God-given purposes did not come in the form of blessings, as chapter one's responsibilities. Rather, they were statements of fact. People were created to serve and protect the earth.
WAS GOD A CONSERVATIVE OR A LIBERAL?
In chapter one God seems far more the Conservative (as we view it in the U.S.) in that He wants us to take control and dominate the planet (some Conservative Christians even go so far as to say that Christians are told in Genesis to take control and dominate the political realm as well). But in Chapter 2, God is far more the Liberal who wants us to take care of the planet.
Putting both of these together tells us (Genesis speaks to all of humanity - not just Christians) to rule and to control the planet while protecting and caring for it.
Back to the question, though. In the beginning of creation, God shares a balance of the best qualities of both conservative and liberal. Maybe we need to be able to borrow the best from both sides.
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