Recently I was reminded of these words found in Genesis 1:28 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
What struck me as I though about it was the word "subdue" The Hebrew word for subdue used here is Kabash which is a verb meaning to conquer or bring into subjection. The noun form of this word Kabesh can be translated to mean footstool. There is the associated image of a conquerer placing his foot on the neck of one who has been conquered. We see something similar to this in Isa 66:1 where is says "Thus says the LORD:" Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool." (Do you get a sense of God telling Adam something like " May My will be done on the Earth as it is in Heaven"?)
God didn't just create man and then throw him in a garden full of tame things with nothing to do. He created man and then gave him a challenge. He said here is the earth, fill it up and conquer it. Make it your kabesh. God knows the innermost parts of man and He knows that we need a purpose. Man without a purpose becomes bored and destructive, our conquests become carnal and and inhuman. Proverbs 29:18 says "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law." When we walk with God and our vision is revealed by His Spirit our challenges are those given us by God and the result will be His will being established in the Earth.
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