Earth Stewardship

By Tim Gamble (Cade Shadowlight)

     Between Shadows and Light.

  

Last time (article link), I laid out why Biblical stewardship beats modern environmentalism - hands down. Genesis 2:15 started us off, but God’s Word runs deep. Let’s dig into scripture. It contains God’s playbook for tending His creation. Here are the highlights. I do recommend you look these up yourself and read the exact quotes in full context. I'll give you my brief notes on each. 

• Genesis 1:28 - Human lives first. We are to subdue the Earth, and rule over it. But good rulers don't destroy their kingdoms. 
• Genesis 1:31 - God calls His creation “good.” Nature is important, and has value on its own merits, not just for its usefulness to us.
• Genesis 2:15 - The big command from God for Earth Stewardship. Mankind is installed by God as the caretakers for His creation - "to work it and watch over it" - to cultivate it for our use and guard it with care (the word is shâmar in Hebrew).
• Leviticus 25:2-7 - The seven year cycle mirrors the seven day creation week. Six days of work, one day of rest for us. Six years of work, one year rest for the land. This resting of fields is an important concept in sustainable agriculture, and helps maintain healthy soils. 
• Deuteronomy 20:19 - Trees are important (food, producing oxygen, and many other ways). So much so that God forbids their destruction as a tactic of war. That's right. Armies are forbidden from using deforestation as a war tactic. 
• Job 12:7 - Says ask the beasts, they’ll teach you. There are actually things we can learn from nature. 
• Isaiah 24:4-6 - Mankind can, and will, bring destruction upon the Earth, and suffer ourselves for it, as our numbers decrease, and "few people are left." 
• Psalm 24:1 - The Earth and all of creation still belongs to God, not us. I've heard Christians erroneously claim that God gave us the Earth. He did not. He made us caretakers over His creation, not owners.  
• Proverbs 12:10 - It is regarded as righteous to care for animals, wicked if one doesn't. 
• Romans 8:19-22 - Creation, nature, is a reflection of coming glory. 
• Colossians 1:16-17 - God as the Creator of all things, including the Earth and nature. Shall we destroy what God created? 
• Revelation 11:18 - A promise to Reward the servants and "destroy those who destroy the Earth."  

Most of these are not direct "Plant trees" commands, but show that creation is tied to God’s purpose, and humans are given the role of guardian and caretaker. It is about balance. Humans and nature. Both are important. Both have value. 

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