Our Place in CreationWhat does the Bible have to say about ecology?

What do you think our responsibility for the Earth is?

Who does the Earth belong to?

Do our actions reflect our beliefs?

Read Genesis 1

What does this scripture say about our beliefs about the Earth and ecology?

Subdue, control or what?

Various translations of the Bible use subtly different words in God‟s command to the first humans in Genesis 1:28“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

Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth. CEV

“

Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in

the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." The Message

Genesis 1:28 has been used to justify our use of the Earth and its resources to

satisfy our own needs and desires. Mines, forestry, even clearing land for farms all assume that we have the right to do whatever we want. Is this really what the

scripture says?

What would real mastery of the Earth look like?

God still owns the Earth!Psalm 24

1 The earth is the LORD‟s, and everything in it.The world and all its people belong to him.

New Living Translation

The Psalms talk a lot about God and Creation. The world is seen as evidence of God‟s power and

goodness. This attitude is carried forward into the New Testament as Paul quotes Psalm 24 in 1 Corinthians 10:26. It is a message that we too often forget.

Creation GroansRomans 8:18-2218 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God‟s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God‟s children in glorious freedom from

death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. NLT

What does this mean to the way we live? Are we part of creation‟s suffering or its healing?

Biblical Green LivingWhat Does the Bible say about living “green”?

Leviticus 25:2-4a2 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you have entered the land I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath rest before the LORD every seventh year.

3 For six years you may plant your fields and prune your vineyards and harvest your crops, 4 but during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of

complete rest. NLT

Biblical Green LivingEcclesiastes 3

3 For everything there is a season,a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die.A time to plant and a time to harvest. NLT

How do we follow the seasons? How do we ignore the seasons and how does that effect the

environment?

Biblical Green LivingMatthew 6:9- 13Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.10 May your Kingdom come soon.May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.11 Give us today the food we need,

12 and forgive us our sins,as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

13 And don‟t let us yield to temptation,but rescue us from the evil one. NLT

What would it be like to say “Enough!” and stop buying more things?

Biblical Green LivingMatthew 6:28-3428 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don‟t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?31 “So don‟t worry about these things, saying, „What will we eat?

What will we drink? What will we wear?‟ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you

everything you need. 34 “So don‟t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today‟s trouble is enough for today. NLT

Now what?It can be overwhelming to look at the global problems of pollution, climate change and the rest. If we try to solve all the problems at once it is impossible. What we can do is alter our own lives a little bit to make our own impact on the environment smaller. There are lots of resources out there to help. Talking about the

need for change and putting it into the context of our call as Christians to care for God‟s Earth will

make a difference.

I hope you enjoyed this Bible Study.

Alex