Where in the Bible say that man should rule the earth?

Answer 1

(Genesis 3:1-6 NASB) "... Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate."

The 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad' was a symbol of God's rulership. It stood for HIS right to make the rules and set the standards.

Obediently NOT eating from it, as God commanded, was a sign of human submission to God's rulership(Genesis 2:16 + 17)(Jeremiah 10:23) and showed appreciation for God's guidance.

When Adam and Eve disobediently took that fruit, they CHOSE to reject God's rulership, and under Satan's influence, CHOSE to 'rule themselves', deciding for themselves what was 'good and bad'. (Romans 5:12) Satan lied, and contradicted what God had said to Adam and implied that Adam and Eve would not need God in order to decide what was good and what was bad for them. (John 8:44)

Another (similar) viewpoint:

God made the earth to sustain man, and He gave man rule over the earth:

"...God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth... replenish the earth, and subdue it..." (Gen.1:28).

Responsibility goes hand-in-hand with such power and authority, however. Therefore: "...the Lord God COMMANDED THE MAN..." (Gen.2:16)... regarding his conduct and responsibility in that rulership capacity.

It's presented in The Bible as a "parable"... of "trees" that bear "fruits of good and evil"... and a "Tree of Life."

This "tree" or "vine" and "fruit" analogy is carried through the Bible in the parables of Christ.

"...BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, of figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit... Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." (Matt.7:15-21)

Jesus refers to each of us as a "branch" of a "tree"... of which He is the "Root" (the foundation) from which flows Life and sustenance for bearing "good fruit" or "good works"... decent and honorable behavior that is reflected in the KEEPING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

While there may or may not have been an actual "tree" or "trees" involved in the Garden of Eden account for the sake of demonstration... the bottom line is that God COMMANDED the man in the beginning regarding His laws... His guidelines for man's conduct and behavior.

Adam and Eve "SINNED."

And the only definition of "sin" in the Bible is: "...Sin is the transgression of the law." (I John 3:4)

Paul says: "...sin is not imputed when there is no law." (Rom.5:13)

Therefore... the laws of God were given to the first man and woman... in spite of what men may teach... and they were informed by God of their responsibilities regarding how to conduct themselves, decently and "within the law."

Then... ENTER the "Serpent"... the false prophet... the "ravening wolf in sheep's clothing" who sowed the seeds of "evil fruit" in the hearts and minds of the inexperienced. He sowed the seeds of "doubt" about the trustworthiness" of their Creator:

"...For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Gen.3:5)

He planted the suspicion that God was withholding vital information from them. God was keeping them in the dark about many things. They were His slaves, bound in ignorance of the truth.

And in that little way Satan has... he was telling them "half-truths"... which means "lies"... deception.

The perfection of God cannot teach the lessons of the pain, suffering and misery that are the fruits of "sin" and "disobedience" to His laws. That's Satan's job... the original sinner.

"...ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and THE FATHER OF IT." (John 8:44)

Satan didn't say that man could rule himself. He says that man can rule himself... WITHOUT GOD!

And that just isn't True. Nearly 6000 years of man's pain, suffering and misery is teaching him this vital lesson through this evil world that he has created for himself under the ministrations of his "chosen god," Satan the Devil. A lesson that will serve him well on into Eternity - if he makes the correct choice in the end of the lessons: to choose "good fruit" and reject "evil fruit."

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, THAT BOTH THOU AND THY SEED MAY LIVE: that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy Life, and the length of thy days..." (Deut.30:19-20).

Satan is the master liar... and, unknown to ignorant and deceived man, is teaching man that he cannot govern himself apart from God. It's a lesson that will carry mankind to the brink of annihilation before Jesus Christ takes a hand and returns to earth in time to stop the lesson's inevitable outcome - the same results as it was in the beginning when Satan first "sinned" and rebelled against God's laws - an earth "without form and void."

By Satan's fruits we may know him.

Answer 2

In Genesis 1:26