The Role of the Church in the Community

Restoring Dominion

Lesson #2 for July 9, 2016

[1]

Scriptures: [Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15; Psalm 8:3-8; Romans 1:25; 8:20-22; Exodus 20:1-17; 2 Thessalonians 3:10].

1.    This lesson will focus on some of the other effects (Compare lesson 1, #s 10-12.) that resulted from that first sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Not only man but the earth also had by sin come under the control of the wicked one, and was to be restored by the plan of redemption. At his creation, Adam was placed in dominion over the earth. But by yielding to temptation, he was brought under the power of Satan, and the dominion which he held passed to his conqueror. Thus Satan became “the god of this world.” [2 Corinthians 4:4] He had usurped that dominion over the earth which had been originally given to Adam. But Christ, by His sacrifice paying the penalty of sin, would not only redeem man, but recover the dominion which he had forfeited. All that was lost by the first Adam will be restored by the second.—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, November 4, 1908, par. 9. [Bold type and content in brackets are added.]

2.    What does it mean to lose our dominion? In our day, the idea of dominion has developed some negative connotations. But, was that true back in the days of the Garden of Eden? Are we still responsible for the earth that we live in? (Revelation 11:18)[2] Would you feel differently about caring for the environment if you lived in the Garden of Eden?

3.    Unfortunately, many people in our world believe that we came from a long line of one-celled creatures, up through mollusks, through apes, and finally, became humans. If you really believe that evolutionary story, then there is no real reason behind our creation or our lives. An avowed atheist said that she sometimes:

“Wakes in the middle of the night, stressing over a bunch of deep questions:

‘Is this world truly the result of an accidental cosmic big bang? How could there be no design, no grand purpose to our existence and to the universe as a whole? Can it be that every life-including my own, my husband’s, my two children’s-is totally irrelevant and meaningless? Does my life have no meaning and purpose?’ ”—Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Sunday, July 3, 2016.

4.    Because of sin we not only lost our close relationship with God, but also we lost our dominion over this earth and all its creatures. And if we do not believe in the creation story and a loving God who created us for His glory, (Isaiah 43:7)[3] then what purpose do our lives really have? Evolutionists believe that, eventually, our world will just burn up or freeze up when our sun burns out. Is that humanity’s ultimate destiny?

5.    God’s plan was for us to represent Him to the rest of creation on this earth and also to the rest of the universe. (1 Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 3:8-10)[4] And that is true especially after the fall. The entire universe will learn a great deal about God as they observe how He deals with Satan’s rebellion and our rebellion.

6.    What all was involved in our dominion over the other creatures, even those in the air and in the sea, back in the days of Adam and Eve? In what ways could they possibly have had a relationship with the fish of the sea while they were living in the Garden of Eden? Were there lakes or rivers or seas in the Garden of Eden? (Genesis 2:10-14)[5] How are we to nurture, care for, or somehow minister to the rest of God’s earthly creation? Is it even possible for God to reveal Himself through us? Was Adam the head keeper of the “national park”?

7.    Could you answer the following question? As a Christian, what do you say is the great purpose of your life? Could we honestly say that by the loving ways in which we behave each day it is to correctly represent God: 1) To the onlooking universe? and 2) To those around us with whom we come in contact?

8.    Read Genesis 1:26-28[6]. What is the significance of the word dominion and of the word subdue in these verses? The Hebrew verb radah indicates a right and responsibility to rule. How do you think that was actually carried out in the Garden of Eden?

9.    The verb subdue from the Hebrew kavash also depicts a hierarchical relationship between humans and the rest of God’s creation on this earth. In our day, does the idea of subduing include subjugation or forcing obedience on the other creatures of this earth? (Numbers 32:22,29; Jeremiah 34:11,16; Esther 7:8; Nehemiah 5:5)[7] Think of the ways in which domestic animals are abused and killed in our day to satisfy the desire for their meat. Would that be considered exploitation? What about the slaughter of innocent lambs for the sanctuary service in the times of the Old Testament? How does that fit into the idea of dominion? Was that a part of God’s original plan?

10.    Read Genesis 2:15[8]. In this verse Adam was instructed to dress and keep the garden. The Hebrew words abad and shamar suggest that he was to work, to serve, to till or cultivate, to hedge about, to guard, to protect, attend to, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, or reserve that over which he had dominion. In what way do you think Adam and Eve did all of that? Surely, God intended for Adam and Eve and all of us still to be living in the Garden of Eden with a loving relationship not only with other human beings but also with all of God’s other creatures.

11.    Read again Genesis 1:26[9]. What is implied by having dominion over “all the earth”? Does that mean that we are free to do whatever we like with that over which we have dominion? Would that be good stewardship? Or, does good stewardship have boundaries? Clearly, there were boundaries intended for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was supposed to be off-limits! (See Genesis 2:15-17[10].) By stepping out of the bounds of God’s plan for their lives, Adam and Eve plunged all of us into the great controversy and into sin. That disaster continues to our day. (See Romans 8:20-22[11].)

12.    In what ways does humanity overstep its boundaries in caring for our world today? The pollution of air and water? Destruction of animal life and/or their habitats? Global warming? Raising meat for human consumption-one of the largest causes of carbon dioxide production? Are the rich taking responsibility for the poor of this earth?

13.    Read Exodus 20:1-20[12]. In the giving of the Ten Commandments, what was God’s intention? What was the human response? They had their faces in the dust!

14.    The first commandment tells us to worship God exclusively. The second commandment tells us to worship God directly and not through any substitute. The third commandment tells us to worship God sincerely and not flippantly or disrespectfully. The fourth commandment tells us to worship God with all our hearts, regularly, and repeatedly, every seventh day.

15.    The last six commandments speak of our responsibilities to other human beings. We are to honor our parents, human life, our marriage, the truth, and other people’s property; and according to the tenth commandment, we are not even to want to commit those sins.

16.    There is an almost endless list of human dictators, despots, and people in various kinds of authority who have abused their rule over others. Consider the case of Pharaoh as recorded in Exodus 1-14 or Herod as recorded in Matthew 2. But, Satan is the ultimate abuser of others. (See Revelation 13[13].) Satan and those under his control will abuse and control others over whom they have no rightful dominion.

17.    In light of that, what will be the cause of the seven last plagues? Will they be sent by God as suggested by many, even Christian theologians? (Revelation 7:1-3)[14] Or, could they be caused by our abuse of the environment around us through misuse, pollution, or even war?

18.    There are also examples of people who should have taken responsibility and used it properly but who did not. Consider the cases of those who were given talents in the parable told by Jesus. (See Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27.)[15]

19.    So, in what areas of life are we neglecting our responsibilities to God and to the environment? What is within our current boundaries of responsibility? Clearly, Christ intended that we exercise self-control in our personal lives. (See 1 Corinthians 9:25-27; Galatians 5:22-23.)[16] He also clearly intended for us to care for the earth and His creatures-as far as we are able. (See James 1:17 and Matthew 25:14-30.)[17] Are we recognizing our God-given limits and boundaries as we deal with family, friends, even coworkers? What would happen if we actually succeeded in practicing the golden rule-seeking to always do good and not evil? (See Matthew 7:1,12[18].) Is God responsible for everything which He allows?

20.    Read again Genesis 2:15[19]. In our daily activities, are we recognizing that everything belongs to God and that we need to take care of everything as if we recognized that fact?

21.    After Adam and Eve sinned, all of nature seemed to rebel against them. As we look around the world in our day, do we seem to be powerless in the face of the elements-weather, agriculture, and the animal kingdom?

Among the lower creatures Adam had stood as king, and so long as he remained loyal to God, all nature acknowledged his rule; but when he transgressed, this dominion was forfeited. The spirit of rebellion, to which he himself had given entrance, extended throughout the animal creation. Thus not only the life of man, but the nature of the beasts, the trees of the forest, the grass of the field, the very air he breathed, all told the sad lesson of the knowledge of evil.—Ellen G. White, Education 26.4-27.0.

22.    As we almost daily hear about devastating damage done by weather and our apparently deteriorating ecosystem, do we blame God? (Isaiah 45:7)[20] Has our sin somehow caused all of those problems? Or, is God just allowing Satan to have more and more control of this earth? Is caring for our earth a moral, ethical, and theological issue?

Seventh-day Adventists advocate a simple, wholesome lifestyle, where people do not step on the treadmill of unbridled consumerism, goods-getting, and production of waste. We call for respect of creation, restraint in the use of the world’s resources, reevaluation of one’s needs, and reaffirmation of the dignity of created life.—In “Official Statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Environment,” 1995.

23.    There are some in our world who almost worship the environment and the earth. In the end, our world will be destroyed. How can we strike the right balance among our responsibilities to God and our fellow human beings and our responsibilities in caring for our environment?

24.    Read Romans 1:25[21]. Never should we place our responsibility toward created things above our responsibilities to God. But, in practical terms, what does that mean?

25.    How does the life and death of Jesus restore our dominion? Will that take place only after the third coming? There are numerous passages both in Scripture and in the writings of Ellen White suggesting that God will restore things to an even better condition than the original Garden of Eden. Don’t we know that our world is going to be completely destroyed and remade? If so, should we just give up and say whatever happens will happen?

26.    Read [Deuteronomy 15:7-15; Luke 14:13-14; 1 Peter 3:15-16; James 1:27; Isaiah 58:7; and 2 Thessalonians 3:10][22]. These verses emphasize the fact that we should reach out to the poor and needy. We should invite them to our homes and feed them when we have opportunity. But, we also need to share the gospel with them. As Paul stated in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, we should not encourage them to be lazy and idle. He said, “Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat.” So, what does restoring dominion to the poor involve? Are we going beyond our requirements if we provide not only help for their physical needs but also spiritual help? In our daily lives, are we becoming beacons of light and hope to those in need? Are we correctly representing Jesus Christ by our daily lives?

27.    Immersed as we are in a sinful world, it is hard for us to imagine what it was really like in the Garden of Eden. What would it be like to speak with God face-to-face and do it comfortably? Think of the immediate response to sin.

The thorn and the thistle (Gen. 3:17, 18), the aftermath of the Flood (Gen. 7:12), the desert and the wilderness, the groaning of the earth for deliverance (Rom. 8:19-22) are some of the word pictures the Bible uses to describe the effect of sin upon the world.—Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald® Pub. Assn.), vol. 12, p. 254.—Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Friday, July 8.

28.    We truly cannot even imagine (See 1 Corinthians 2:9; compare Isaiah 64:4 and Jeremiah 3:16.)[23] what it will be like to enter heaven.

29.    How much longer do you think our world can survive? What would it mean to be a worshiper of the environment? Would you feel incredibly frustrated if you thought the only hope for the future was to preserve our current world in the best possible condition? We know that everything living on planet earth is interconnected. Is it possible that we could pollute our way to destruction if God did not intervene in time?

30.    How could we be good stewards of the earth? Or, are the effects of what our ancestors and others who lived on our planet in the past so overwhelming that anything that we could do now would not make any difference anyway?

31.    In trying to understand the significance of our dominion over the lower creatures of the earth, could we learn something about how God exercises His dominion over us?

32.    Is it God who will destroy the earth? Or, us? What would happen if we started a nuclear World War III? Soon after World War II and the dropping of the first nuclear bombs, it is reported that someone asked Einstein what kind of weapons would be used in World War

III. His response was, “I don’t know; but, I can tell you what kind of weapons they will use in World War IV!” The questioner was somewhat surprised and asked what kind of weapons? Einstein’s response was, “Rocks!” He was implying that everything would be destroyed by a major nuclear war on planet earth.

33.    Is it a sin to use more than our share of the earth’s resources? Americans certainly have lived wastefully with respect to the earth’s resources for a long period of time!

34.    As Seventh-day Adventists, we choose to worship the God who we believe is our Creator. We do not worship created things. But, do we sometimes idolize things in this life?

35.    What should be the correct hierarchy in God’s universe? God is certainly over all; then come the angels. Would that include the other heavenly beings? And under them come human beings. Finally, under human beings, we would find the animal kingdom. Is that a correct picture?

36.    In recent times, evolutionists and those in the field of biology who have been trying to claim that we are naturally descended from apes have tried to remove the distinction between humans and animals. But, the Bible makes it very clear that only human beings were made in God’s image.

37.    Can we honestly claim to be different from the animals? Could you explain that successfully to an evolutionist?

38.    In the beginning, God gave Adam and Eve a wonderful diet of fruits, nuts, and grains. The serpent tried to convince Eve that their diet was not complete. He said that if she would just taste of the forbidden fruit, she would be even wiser, in fact, become like God. That is a technique called spin in which the truth is changed or twisted to imply something which it does not mean. Spin makes the real unreal and makes the unreal seem real.

39.    How does spin affect our lives today? How much of what we hear in public media is corrupted by spin?

40.    In the original Hebrew wording of Genesis 3:1-4[24], the serpent almost implied that God had forbidden them to eat from any tree in the garden. That, of course, was absolutely not true. Then, the serpent, in effect, said: “Well, then, you can eat of every tree; right?” And we know what happened.

41.    Read Mark 10:37[25]. How do you think Jesus felt when James and John came asking to be given seats next to Him in His new kingdom? Was He seriously disappointed in them? Would He be seriously disappointed in us?

42.    By washing the disciples’ feet on that incredible final evening He had with them, He gave the ultimate lesson suggesting that those who are Christian leaders are leaders because they serve others. Have we learned that lesson? If everyone in the Adventist Church was prepared to exercise his/her abilities in that direction, how would it affect the world?

43.    Can you think of any truly great people who have exhibited the kind of “true greatness” that characterized Jesus?

44.    Pets play a very important place in the lives of many human beings. But, where are they in the hierarchy that we have talked about today? Do we sometimes treat our pets better than we treat other human beings?

45.    What kinds of things could we do on a regular basis to make our world better?

© 2016, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.    Info@theox. org

1-Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild,[a] large and small.” 27 So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, 28 blessed them, and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.

2:15 Then the LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.

Psalm 8:3 When I look at the sky, which you have made,

at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places—

4 what are human beings, that you think of them;

mere mortals, that you care for them?

5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself;[a]

you crowned them with glory and honor.

6 You appointed them rulers over everything you made;

you placed them over all creation:

7     sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too;

8     the birds and the fish

and the creatures in the seas.

Romans 1:25 They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.

8:20 For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will, but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope 21 that creation itself would one day be set free from its slavery to decay and would share the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth.

Exodus 20:1 God spoke, and these were his words: 2 “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.

3 “Worship no god but me.

4 “Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth. 5 Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation. 6 But I show my love to thousands of generations[a] of those who love me and obey my laws.

7 “Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the LORD your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.

8 “Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. 9 You have six days in which to do your work, 10 but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. 11 In six days I, the LORD, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the LORD, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.

12 “Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.

13 “Do not commit murder.

14 “Do not commit adultery.

15 “Do not steal.

16 “Do not accuse anyone falsely.

17 “Do not desire another man's house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns.”

2 Thessalonians 3:10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, “Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat.”

2-Revelation 11:18 The heathen were filled with rage,

because the time for your anger has come,

the time for the dead to be judged.

The time has come to reward your servants, the prophets,

and all your people, all who have reverence for you,

great and small alike.

The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth!”

3-Isaiah 43:7 They are my own people,

and I created them to bring me glory.”

4-1 Corinthians 4:9 For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like people condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of human beings.

Ephesians 3:8 I am less than the least of all God's people; yet God gave me this privilege of taking to the Gentiles the Good News about the infinite riches of Christ, 9 and of making all people see how God's secret plan is to be put into effect. God, who is the Creator of all things, kept his secret hidden through all the past ages, 10 in order that at the present time, by means of the church, the angelic rulers and powers in the heavenly world might learn of his wisdom in all its different forms.

5-Genesis 2:10 A stream flowed in Eden and watered the garden; beyond Eden it divided into four rivers. 11 The first river is the Pishon; it flows around the country of Havilah. (12 Pure gold is found there and also rare perfume and precious stones.) 13 The second river is the Gihon; it flows around the country of Cush.[a] 14 The third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria, and the fourth river is the Euphrates.

6-Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild,[a] large and small.” 27 So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, 28 blessed them, and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.

7-Numbers 32:22 and takes possession of the land. After that, you may return, because you will have fulfilled your obligation to the LORD and to the other Israelites. Then the LORD will acknowledge that this land east of the Jordan is yours. 29 “If the men of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan ready for battle at the LORD's command and if with their help you are able to conquer the land, then give them the land of Gilead as their property.

Jeremiah 34:11 but later they changed their minds, took them back, and forced them to become slaves again. 16 But then you changed your minds again and dishonored me. All of you took back the slaves whom you had set free as they desired, and you forced them into slavery again.

Esther 7:8 He had just thrown himself down on Esther's couch to beg for mercy, when the king came back into the room from the gardens. Seeing this, the king cried out, “Is this man going to rape the queen right here in front of me, in my own palace?”

The king had no sooner said this than the eunuchs covered Haman's head.

Nehemiah 5:5 We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us.”

8-Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.

9-Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild,[a] large and small.”

10-Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. 16 He told him, “You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, 17 except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.[a] You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.”

11-Romans 8:20 For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will, but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope 21 that creation itself would one day be set free from its slavery to decay and would share the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth.

12-Exodus 20:1 God spoke, and these were his words: 2 “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.

3 “Worship no god but me.

4 “Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth. 5 Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation. 6 But I show my love to thousands of generations[a] of those who love me and obey my laws.

7 “Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the LORD your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.

8 “Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. 9 You have six days in which to do your work, 10 but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. 11 In six days I, the LORD, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the LORD, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.

12 “Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.

13 “Do not commit murder.

14 “Do not commit adultery.

15 “Do not steal.

16 “Do not accuse anyone falsely.

17 “Do not desire another man's house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns.”

The People's Fear

18 When the people heard the thunder and the trumpet blast and saw the lightning and the smoking mountain, they trembled with fear and stood a long way off. 19 They said to Moses, “If you speak to us, we will listen; but we are afraid that if God speaks to us, we will die.”

20 Moses replied, “Don't be afraid; God has only come to test you and make you keep on obeying him, so that you will not sin.”

13-Revelation 13:1 Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads; on each of its horns there was a crown, and on each of its heads there was a name that was insulting to God. 2 The beast looked like a leopard, with feet like a bear's feet and a mouth like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave the beast his own power, his throne, and his vast authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have been fatally wounded, but the wound had healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 4 Everyone worshiped the dragon because he had given his authority to the beast. They worshiped the beast also, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who can fight against it?”

5 The beast was allowed to make proud claims which were insulting to God, and it was permitted to have authority for forty-two months. 6 It began to curse God, his name, the place where he lives, and all those who live in heaven. 7 It was allowed to fight against God's people and to defeat them, and it was given authority over every tribe, nation, language, and race. 8 All people living on earth will worship it, except those whose names were written before the creation of the world in the book of the living which belongs to the Lamb that was killed.

9 “Listen, then, if you have ears! 10 Whoever is meant to be captured will surely be captured; whoever is meant to be killed by the sword will surely be killed by the sword. This calls for endurance and faith on the part of God's people.”

11 Then I saw another beast, which came up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb's horns, and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It used the vast authority of the first beast in its presence. It forced the earth and all who live on it to worship the first beast, whose wound had healed. 13 This second beast performed great miracles; it made fire come down out of heaven to earth in the sight of everyone. 14 And it deceived all the people living on earth by means of the miracles which it was allowed to perform in the presence of the first beast. The beast told them to build an image in honor of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was allowed to breathe life into the image of the first beast, so that the image could talk and put to death all those who would not worship it. 16 The beast forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, slave and free, to have a mark placed on their right hands or on their foreheads. 17 No one could buy or sell without this mark, that is, the beast's name or the number that stands for the name.

18 This calls for wisdom. Whoever is intelligent can figure out the meaning of the number of the beast, because the number stands for the name of someone. Its number is 666.

14-Revelation 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so that no wind should blow on the earth or the sea or against any tree. 2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east with the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels to whom God had given the power to damage the earth and the sea. 3 The angel said, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we mark the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”

15-Matthew 25:14 “At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. 15 He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip. 16 The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand. 17 In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand. 18 But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. 20 The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. ‘You gave me five thousand coins, sir,’ he said. ‘Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.’ 21 ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’ 22 Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, ‘You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.’ 23 ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’ 24 Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed. 25 I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.’ 26 ‘You bad and lazy servant!’ his master said. ‘You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed? 27 Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. 28 Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins. 29 For to every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him. 30 As for this useless servant—throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.’

Luke 19:12 So he said, “There was once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to come back home. 13 Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them, ‘See what you can earn with this while I am gone.’ 14 Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.’

15 “The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned. 16 The first one came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the one you gave me.’ 17 ‘Well done,’ he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.’ 18 The second servant came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned five gold coins with the one you gave me.’ 19 To this one he said, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’ 20 Another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘You bad servant! I will use your own words to condemn you! You know that I am a hard man, taking what is not mine and reaping what I have not planted. 23 Well, then, why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then I would have received it back with interest when I returned.’ 24 Then he said to those who were standing there, ‘Take the gold coin away from him and give it to the servant who has ten coins.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he already has ten coins!’ 26 ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘that to those who have something, even more will be given; but those who have nothing, even the little that they have will be taken away from them. 27 Now, as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence!’”

16-1 Corinthians 9:25 Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever. 26 That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. 27 I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.

Galatians 5:22 But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these.

17-James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning.

Matthew 25:14 “At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. 15 He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip. 16 The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand. 17 In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand. 18 But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. 20 The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. ‘You gave me five thousand coins, sir,’ he said. ‘Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.’ 21 ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’ 22 Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, ‘You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.’ 23 ‘Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’ 24 Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed. 25 I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.’ 26 ‘You bad and lazy servant!’ his master said. ‘You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed? 27 Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. 28 Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins. 29 For to every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him. 30 As for this useless servant—throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.’

18-Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, 12 “Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets.

19-Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.

20-Isaiah 45:7 I create both light and darkness;

I bring both blessing and disaster.

I, the LORD, do all these things.

21-Romans 1:25 They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.

22-Deuteronomy 15:7 “If in any of the towns in the land that the LORD your God is giving you there are Israelites in need, then do not be selfish and refuse to help them. 8 Instead, be generous and lend them as much as they need. 9 Do not refuse to lend them something, just because the year when debts are canceled is near. Do not let such an evil thought enter your mind. If you refuse to make the loan, they will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be held guilty. 10 Give to them freely and unselfishly, and the LORD will bless you in everything you do. 11 There will always be some Israelites who are poor and in need, and so I command you to be generous to them.

The Treatment of Slaves

12 “If any Israelites, male or female, sell themselves[a] to you as slaves, you are to release them after they have served you for six years. When the seventh year comes, you must let them go free. 13 When you set them free, do not send them away empty-handed. 14 Give to them generously from what the LORD has blessed you with—sheep, grain, and wine. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God set you free; that is why I am now giving you this command.

Luke 14:13 When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.”

1 Peter 3:15 But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, 16 but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say.

James 1:27 What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.

Isaiah 58:7 Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, “Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat.”

23-1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as the scripture says,

“What no one ever saw or heard,

what no one ever thought could happen,

is the very thing God prepared for those who love him.”

Isaiah 64:4 No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him.

Jeremiah 3:16 Then when you have become numerous in that land, people will no longer talk about my Covenant Box. They will no longer think about it or remember it; they will not even need it, nor will they make another one.

24-Genesis 3:Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the LORD God had made. The snake asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”

2 “We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,” the woman answered, 3 “except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.”

4 The snake replied, “That's not true; you will not die.

25-Mark 10:37 They answered, “When you sit on your throne in your glorious Kingdom, we want you to let us sit with you, one at your right and one at your left.”

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