578 - More Laws of Warfare

More Laws of  Warfare

Sometimes, Moses’ instructions are a bit disjointed… but God always has a purpose. In Deuteronomy Chapter 20: verses 19-20… Moses talks about trees…. and God is giving us a lesson on the environment.

“When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it, in order to take it, you shall not destroy its tree, by wielding an axe against them. 

You may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. 

Are the trees in the field human, that they should be besieged by you? 

Only the trees, that you know are not trees for food, you may destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks, against the city, that makes war with you, until it falls.

——————————————-

God has clearly placed humans in a position of responsibility over the earth and its creatures. 

Genesis 2:15 says “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden …to work it and take care of it.”

So, we recognize that all created things belong to God …and that we are accountable to Him, as stewards of the creation. 

God commissions us to rule over the creation, in a way that sustains, protects, and enhances His works… so that all creation may fulfill the purposes that God intended for it. 

We must manage the environment, not simply for our own benefit, but for God′s glory. Some may argue that humans are more important than the rest of the creation, …so we should focus our efforts, on meeting the needs of people, rather than addressing environmental issues. 

However, if we fail to care for the environment, in which we live, God′s people will suffer, as a result. 

Others may argue that protecting the environment is unimportant in comparison to other God-given tasks such as sharing the gospel. 

We are not to neglect the task of sharing the good news of Christ′s redeeming work in our lives, but neither should we neglect the work of “tending the garden.” 

Caring for God′s creation is part of our service to God and an integral part of our role as servants in God′s kingdom.  

In Genesis Chapter 1: v25-28…

“God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. 

And God saw that it was good. 

Then God said, 

‘Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.′ 

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. 

God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and (multiply) increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. 

Rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and over every living creature, that moves on the ground.′"

In Psalm 8: verses 3-8, David reflects the reverence we should all have…

“When I consider Your heavens, (oh, Lord) the work of Your fingers, …the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, …what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings …and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; 

You put everything under his feet:

…all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish in the sea — all that swims, in the paths of the seas.”

This is God’s word, for all of God’s people.

Praise be to God!