Delegation 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…
Delegation
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. – Genesis 1:26-27
We are back to exploring the personality and attributes of God, and His trait which we will be considering today is delegation. God delegates and does not take everything on Himself. From our reference passage today, we can see the reason God decided to create humans. He created us, not just for the vanity of making a creature like Himself, but for a specific purpose: to rule over His other earthly creatures.
This throws a light on another unique nature of God. He is not just methodical in His ways; He is also very structured. Having made the heavens and the earth plus everything in them, He needed an authority figure to entrust His works and who would perform oversight functions over them.
Why is this so? Because God does not live on earth, therefore He needed an earthling to oversee the affairs of the earth. That was the reason He created humans for that very purpose. After creating humans, He delegated His authority to them saying:
“…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 1:28)
Apart from underlying the fact that God delegates, this passage also offers us an insight into His structured mindset. He is hierarchical and is a stickler for protocol. That was what made Him create man to oversee His earthly estate and why He delegated authority to him so that man could fulfill his role effectively.
Understanding God: He is Methodical Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the…
Understanding God: He is Methodical
Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:20-21
In continuation of our meditation on the nature of God, another of His attributes which we shall explore today is process and organization. He is a methodical God. I remember a scenario that happened some years ago, two of my colleagues were talking and one cited an African saying that “the chicken was feeding on something else before the maize was created.” This maxim is often used to chastise someone who is depriving another of a means of livelihood, thus implying that the person being denied would get by, nonetheless.
Although, I was not part of the conversation, I couldn’t help myself from cutting in and refuting that the adage could not be farther from the truth, as God did not create the chicken before the feed. He is not mindless. Rather, He created everything in a logical sequence such that none was left hanging because the support system they needed either in form of feeding or housing were not in place.
He is very methodical and is systematic in His ways. If you read the story of creation again, you would appreciate the thoughtful way God does His business. He had everything planned out and did not put the horse before the cart in any of His works. Everything He created had the facility to nurture and sustain the next creature, thus showing a natural progression until the very end. He had the oceans in place before He created sea creatures; the same way with animals, He had created the earth before making them. By the time He was creating His masterpiece, humans, He had everything in place for their basic sustenance.
He did not launch into creating humans first because He was eager to replicate Himself only to start wondering what they would feed on and where they would stay. He had all those in place prior. This is a big deal attribute because the world is full of people who literally put the cart before the horse and jump into things without first pausing to think through what they need to do and how they would need to achieve it.
The good news is that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. The question is how methodical and organized are you? Do you think through before you start or you are the type who starts first and then start to figure out the intricacies as you proceed?
Another lesson we can learn from God is His disposition to a balancing act. He is not a God of extremes. Even though some who profess to follow Him go to extremes in His name or make extreme claims on His behalf, extreme is not a label that one can pin on God. He balances the acts.
Understanding God: He is Not Moved by Sentiments
Another lesson we can learn from the personality of God is that sentiments do not move Him. Therefore, He cannot be deceived into making a wrong judgment or call, as humans tend to do.
Understanding God: He is A Creator
He is a Creator. This is not to be interpreted loosely, particularly in the light of our contemporary use of the word. God is the ultimate Creator, as He created all things, even the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28).
Understanding God: God of the Beginning
There is no better way to begin this journey of exploring the people and entities in the Bible than to start with God. He is not just the beginning but is the origin of all things.
Women in the Bible: A Paragon of Beauty
What made Sarah’s beauty so compelling that kings and nations took notice? Explore the deeper layers of grace, favour, and mystery surrounding one of Scripture’s most unforgettable women — and discover why her story still provokes wonder today.
Men in the Bible: A Man of Ambition and Adventure
Terah may not have reached Canaan, but his courage to start a life-changing journey laid the foundation for Abraham’s destiny. Discover how ambition and bold steps mark a life of significance.
Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man
A revealing glimpse into a man whose choices exposed deeper issues of character, showing how hastiness and entitlement can quietly shape a destiny, and why his story still speaks to us today.
Men in the Bible: A Man with Little Foresight
Sometimes what looks like a smart choice can hide the seed of a mistake. This reflection from Scripture invites us to think again about how foresight — or the lack of it — shapes a man’s story.
Men in the Bible: The First Man to Tithe
Before laws, temples, or traditions, one man honoured God with his substance. Abraham’s tithe was not commanded, demanded, or enforced. It flowed from reverence.
Fathers in the Bible: A Destiny-Shaping Father
What makes a man a truly aware father? Discover how one man’s prophetic foresight shaped his son’s destiny and changed generations forever.
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