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The LXX (Gen. 1:28) translates the word 'subdue' by katakurieuo,
meaning 'to rule imperiously', 'to lord it over', 'to get the mastery'. Its
occurrences in the New Testament will give further light on its meaning:
'Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them'
(Matt. 20:25; see also Mark 10:42).
'Neither as being lords over God's heritage' (1 Pet. 5:3).
'The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them,
and prevailed against them' (Acts 19:16).
The creation of Adam, his very name, and the dominion given to him, all
foreshadowed the subduing of all enemies beneath the feet of the Lord Jesus
Christ. An enemy is most certainly in view in Genesis 1:26-28, and in
chapter 3 he is revealed -- 'that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan'
(Rev. 12:9). Leaving this aspect of our subject, let us consider another yet
related theme:
The essential difference between a mechanical and a moral creature (Genesis 1
and 2)
The reader will have already observed that in Genesis 1 where creation
is the theme, the name under which the Creator reveals Himself is that of
Elohim ('God'), while in chapter 2, where we enter into the realm of human
activity, the name changes to Jehovah Elohim ('the Lord God'). It is not our
purpose at the moment to enlarge upon either of these Divine titles. We are
simply recording the fact that the change coincides with the transition from
creation in general, to that of the responsible creature. It has been said
that all creatures lower than man are 'held', but that man himself is 'held
accountable'.
The Divine government of Genesis 1:13-25 is set forth as absolute:
'He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast' (Psa.
33:9).
The original Hebrew of Genesis 1:3 is impressive in its extreme
simplicity:
'And God said, Light be; and light was'.
Even this rendering does not impress the eye as would a reading of the
original, which is made more striking by the similarity of the two forms of
the Hebrew verb 'to become', that are used.
At the close of the record of the second day's work we read, 'And it
was so' (Gen. 1:7), and this phrase is repeated in verses 9,11,15,24 and 30.
Again, in verses 4,10,12, 18,21 and 25 we have the repeated phrase: 'And it
was good'. The appearance of light, the appearing of the dry land, the
gathering of the waters, the growth of grass, herb and tree, the rule of the
sun and moon, the creation of the monsters of the sea, the fowl of the
heavens, the beasts, cattle, and creeping things, are all said to be 'good'.
Light is certainly 'good', but light is physical, not moral. It is
impossible for the mind to conceive of the idea that light could have refused
to come into being when God spoke. It would be equally impossible to think
of promising a reward to the sun for ruling the day, or of punishing the moon