Mankind’s Purpose As Defined by God

By Andrew Williams – September 27, 2021

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26‭-‬28 NKJV


Good morning fellow disciples.

Purpose is defined as “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.” We were created by Almighty God In His image for His purpose.

Mankind’s creation was not an afterthought. God decided that they would make them in their image, after their likeness, and then proceeded to make them. Mankind was created for a specific reason. But let us first look at creation.

God created the heavens and the Earth. God is King over both, therefore both the heavens and Earth are a part of God’s Kingdom. When it comes to Earth God created all the living creatures. He created man to have dominion over the Earth. This part of God’s Kingdom was placed under the care of mankind. It was man’s duty to take care of all the living creatures and the Earth itself.

We note also that mankind was tasked with the duty to be fruitful and to multiply and to subdue the Earth. God rules and has dominion over everything that He created. He created man in His image and gave him dominion over the Earth. What does it mean to have dominion?

Dominion is defined as,
1:control or power over, or the authority to rule.
For example, when a king has power over a certain territory, this is an example of a situation where a king has dominion over that territory.
2: the power to rule: control of a country, region, etc.
3: absolute ownership.

So we see that God gave mankind control or power over the entire Earth and everything that He created on it, along with the authority to rule over all God’s creation. In other words, mankind was given absolute ownership over this territory that is called Earth and everything that lives in it.

Mankind was also commanded to be fruitful and multiply, and when mankind multiplied they were supposed to rule over all earthly creation. So this was our original purpose! Because we are created in the image of God we’re expected to care of God’s creation the way that He would. To have dominion, to rule over Earth does not mean that we abuse it. We are supposed to take care of God’s creation and ensure that all His created beigns continue to live in ways that are pleasing to God.

Because of sin, we gave up that dominion to the devil. But Jesus defeated the devil and took back that dominion from him. Revelation 11:15 NKJV states, ‘Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

In Jesus, the kingdom of God is once again united. Both the heavens and the Earth are once again under His full control. However, we know that the devil is still loose and still deceiving the nations so that they believe that he is still in charge of the Earth.

As disciples of Christ, we are here on Earth to advance the kingdom of God and to unseat the devil and his kingdom from the places and the persons that his evil kingdom is now unlawfully keeping under subjection.

Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:18‭-‬20 NKJV?
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

We see that Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and earth. But Jesus is now living in heaven so who has He left in charge of the earth? Notice that He has sent us to go and make disciples of all the nations, and to do everything that He has commanded us to do. Just like in the beginning God was in heaven ruling but He left mankind in charge of the Earth to have dominion over it.

As Jesus’ Kingdom disciples we are left here to have dominion over the Earth, to subdue it, to be fruitful and multiply (in this case it is to make disciples of the kingdom of God), and as we multiply might I say that we will advance His kingdom until we have the absolute ownership of this entire Earth.

Prayer: Father God, help us to be fruitful and to multiply. Help us to make disciples who will make disciples perpetually, and as we go from place to place help us to take dominion over this Earth and everything that inhabits it, and bring it back into its original design. That original design is mankind ruling over Your creation and taking care of it so that all creation will give glory and honor to You.
We ask You now to help us to fulfill our original purpose. We acknowledge and accept our roles of being the ones whom You have anointed and appointed to have dominion over Your Earth and Your creation. Empower us through Your Holy Spirit to rule in Godly ways to bring prosperity and unity to Your creation, I pray, amen.