◄ What Does Genesis 1:29 Mean? ►

Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;

Genesis 1:29(NASB)

Verse of the Day

God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. It was right at the end of day six that God formed man in His own image and likeness. He had already created all the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living creature that moved on the face of the earth - and all that God made were created according to their own kind.

Finally the Lord said, "Let us make man in our own image and likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish, the birds, the animals and the entire earth," and it was so. Man was given a mandate to subdue the earth and take care of it because everything that God had made was very good.

God blessed Adam and his wife and then He explained to them what they were to eat. "Look," He said, "I am giving to you every plant that bears seed, which you will find on the face of the whole earth. Also, you may eat from every kind of tree that bears fruit - these herbs, seed and fruit shall be your food."

It appears that not only was man to be a vegetarian at this point, but also the animals seem to have been herbivores. This state of affairs was to change following the flood and again at the giving of the Law to Israel - and there will be another adjustment at the start of the millennial reign of Christ - when the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Sadly, due to disobedience and sin, the God-ordained authority that man had been given over the earth was transferred to Satan, who is the 'god of this age'... for a season... but the Lord in His omniscience knew that man would sin and in His goodness and grace formulated His amazing redemption plan that would span 7000 years of human history.

We, who are saved by grace through faith in Christ, are one part of that precious plan of salvation. We live in 'the dispensation of the grace of God', we are members of the Body of Christ, and we are positioned in Him. And although there is no direct revelation of the 'mystery of the Church' in Old Testament Scriptures - there are tiny hints and little pointers towards the sacrifice that Christ would make for the Church, which is His Body, for Adam was a type of Christ and Eve, Adam's bride, was a type of the Church.

Just as Eve was taken out of Adam, so the Church is quickened from the dead for we are a part of His Body - bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. Just as Adam, the husband, is the head of Eve, his wife, so Christ is the Head of the Church and we are members of His Body. Together we make up one New Man, where Christ is the Head... and we are all part of a new, perfected, and spiritual creation.

The day is coming when we will be like Him. Today, by grace, we are 'living stones' being built up into the Body of Christ: "Till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God." We are all growing in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour: "Into the maturity of manhood and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," for which we give grateful thanks and praise His glorious name.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the Word of God and the beautiful truths it contains. Thank You that despite man's sin, You placed in motion Your perfect plan of redemption. Thank You that by faith in Jesus, I am a new creation in Him and part of His spiritual Body - bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. May I live and work to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.