The Hebrew word for keep is ‘shamar’. It is taken as “to preserve, protect, celebrate, guard”. We first see this concept in the Book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible and the location of the two creation stories. Genesis 1:26 says, ‘Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”’ Genesis 2:15 says ‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.’ These verses state mankind’s first job, given to them by God. Since we were first created, we have been tasked with keeping, or preserving, the rest of God’s creation.
These two verses give humankind their environmental role. God sets up our position in the hierarchy of His creatures and refines our duties within the first two chapters of the holiest of books. As man, we have been given a position of honor, and God has laid out that He has an expectation for us to use that position to honor the things placed under our keep. When creating the world, God said that it was good. He was satisfied with the things that He had created. He entrusted Adam with looking after the creation that God had deemed good. A position of power comes with duty and responsibility to guard attached to it. Environmental conservation is a hot topic in today’s world. Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether the environment needs to be saved, needs to be used for its resources, or simply needs to be less worried about. So many people are shouting to make their voices heard.
But what does the Bible say?
The Bible says that our first job is doing our part to guard all of God’s creation. This is part of our holy calling. God could have put us in any position when He had first created man. God could have chose any task as the first task He gave us, and He made that first task stewardship of the environment, of the creatures and plants that are found on this earth that we live on. God made the things that He did for mankind’s use, as seen in Genesis 1. But He made those things with the expectation that we would use those resources in a way that is worshipful to God. Ruling over something comes with the responsibility towards what is under our dominion. Just as God watches out for our needs and for our good, as we are under His holy dominion, so should we watch for the needs and the good of what has been placed under our dominion. This is Biblical evidence backing up environmental conservationism. Preserving the environment is God’s ultimate task for us while we are living here on earth. Taking care of and tending to the well-being of God’s works is a perfect form of worship.
Throughout the Bible, there are chapters and verses and images of nature and the healing/soothing/restful power it has for us. A fairly well-known example comes from the beginning of Psalm 23, ‘…The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.’ God works through the environment around us to bring us healing and rest. The imagery of green grass, a calm body of water, and being surrounded by nature is one way God works to restore us. The Bible didn’t say God would lead us through brown, dead grass or lead us beside dirty, polluted water. God intended natural places to stay natural and clear. If we do not follow this intention, we not only lose sight of our first calling from God, we also lose a venue that God used to restore us and to make us feel calm and safe, as He did in Psalm 23. Make it a point to be active in our role as
keepers of creation, and you will find a beautiful venue to fulfill God’s will, to worship Him, and to give yourself rest, all at the same time. Just as it was in the beginning.
To fulfill our God given responsibility to care for the earth, Sophia recommends these resources:
Check out these articles with simple steps you can take to help the environment today!
https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/eight-simple-ways-to-help-the-environment
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/save-earth-top-ten.htm
This article provides guidelines for recycling.
https://www.ecoscraps.com/blogs/sustainable-living/76411652-a-simple-list-of-what-can-and-cannot-be-recycled
See this page to explore more of what the Bible says about respect for the environment.
Sophia is a senior at FSU double majoring in Environment & Society and Editing, Writing, & Media. When she graduates she will be going into ministry for college students. Her passions are saving the environment, hanging out with her friends, reading, and matching her scented candles to the seasons. Her favorite word is “hygge” which is Norwegian for cozy. For the past 8 years, Hebrews 12:1-3 has been her relief. She am undeserving, but despite that, the Lord is endlessly sweet to her.
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