Picture this… Adam created by God’s own hands forming him, and Eve being formed from a part of man. God planted a garden (Gen. 2:8) full of abundant life and put Adam and Eve in it, then told them to make babies (woohoo!!!), dominate and rule the earth. (Gen. 1:28) At this point, Adam must have said, ‘okay, I can live with that!’ but then God gave man his first job: And the LORD God took the man, and put (settled) him into the garden of Eden to dress (work, till) it and to keep (protect, preserve) it. (Gen. 2:15)
The first job of any man was gardener or husbandman (after His Father, God). He was to take care of the garden. This is from Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
The husbandman's calling is an ancient and honourable calling; it was needful even in paradise. The garden of Eden, though it needed not to be weeded (for thorns and thistles were not yet a nuisance), yet must be dressed and kept. Nature, even in its primitive state, left room for the improvements of art and industry. It was a calling fit for a state of innocency, making provision for life, not for lust, and giving man an opportunity of admiring the Creator and acknowledging his providence: while his hands were about his trees, his heart might be with his God. (4.) There is a true pleasure in the business which God calls us to, and employs us in. Adam's work was so far from being an allay that it was an addition to the pleasures of paradise; he could not have been happy if he had been idle:
I wonder what Adam would say about how we’ve been doing the job of protecting and preserving the earth today. You see, at some part of the past, man began to use the ‘dominate and rule’ part to make unwise decisions concerning the earth (for self gain, of course L) and they tolerated damaging the planet, decimating animal populations, destroying plants, air quality and water quality. Of course we should use the things God gave us (wisely), but He never told us to abuse them.
Many years ago when recycling first began in our area, I remember being at a friend’s house while she tidied up her kitchen. Breaking down a cereal box she proceeded to throw it in the trash. I was shocked, because she threw out something that could be recycled into another product. To me, that was not following man’s first job. Her reason: the earth will last until Jesus returns so (basically) who cares? What a poor attitude.
We are Adam’s descendents, and we should be preserving the earth the best we can. Ps. 24:1 says, “…The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof…” (fulness meaning everything in it) Every bit we do helps- recycle everywhere, reuse when able, plant trees, make more green space, push for better pollution controls, pick up litter (and don’t litter to start with), and help in other ways you are able. How much is enough? I figure, you should ask the Creator this question…
How well do You think I am doing at preserving this world You created?