Lesson 10 for March 9, 2013

The earth is the Lords, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1)
Everything is Gods; the Earth and its wealth, the vegetation, the animals, us and everything we own. By His grace, God allows us to administer what is His. We are GODS STEWARDS.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace (John 1:16)

1. Stewards of the environment. 2. Stewards of health. 3. Stewards of possessions and gifts.

When God created the man, what did He make Him steward of? (Genesis 1:26)
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxeneven the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas (Psalm 8:6-8) After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life had been called into existence, man, the crowning work of the Creator, and the one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up, was brought upon the stage of action. To him was given dominion over all that his eye could behold; for God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over ...all the earth.... So God created man in His own image; ...male and female created He them. Genesis 1:26, 27
E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 2, pg. 44)

Here is clearly set forth the origin of the human race; and the divine record is so plainly stated that there is no occasion for erroneous conclusions. God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of mans narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was the son of God. Luke 3:38
E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 2, pg. 44)

As stewards, how should our relationship with animals be alike?

We must be kind-hearted to them.

If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it (Ex. 23:5)

We must care about feeding those animals we are in contact with.

You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain (Dt. 25:4)

We must not be cruel to them.

A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Pr. 12:10)

But we must not forget that the life of the animals is less worthy than the life of human beings for God. That is why God allowed man to kill animals for diverse reasons,

For dressing: Genesis 3:21. For sacrificing (until Jesus death): Exodus 29:38. For feeding: Leviticus 11:3.

How does Sabbath help us in being better stewards of the Creation?

God designs that the Sabbath shall direct the minds of men to the contemplation of His created works. Nature speaks to their senses, declaring that there is a living God, the Creator, the Supreme Ruler of all. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. Psalm 19:1, 2. The beauty that clothes the earth is token of Gods love. We may behold it in the everlasting hills, in the lofty trees, in the opening buds and the delicate flowers. All speak to us of God. The Sabbath, ever pointing to Him who made them all, bids men open the great book of nature and trace therein the wisdom, the power, and the love of the Creator

E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 2, pg. 48)

How are we responsible for taking care of our bodies before God? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The importance of caring for the health should be taught as a Bible requirement. Perfect obedience to Gods commands calls for conformity to the laws of the being. The science of education includes as full a knowledge of physiology as can be obtained. No one can properly understand his obligations to God unless he understands clearly his obligations to himself as Gods property. He who remains in sinful ignorance of the laws of life and health, or who willfully violates these laws, sins against God
E.G.W. (Counsels to parents, teachers and students, cp. 40 Health and efficiency, pg. 295)

Read the verses we used before (Psalm 24:1; John 1:16) and compare them to the parable of the talents that Jesus told (Matthew 25:14-30)

What can you learn about being steward of the possessions and gifts God gives us?

The Creator of all things, He is the original proprietor. We are His stewards. All that we have is a trust from Him, to be used according to His direction. This is an obligation that rests upon every human being. It has to do with the whole sphere of human activity. Whether we recognize it or not, we are stewards, supplied from God with talents and facilities and placed in the world to do a work appointed by Him. Money is not ours; houses and grounds, pictures and furniture, garments and luxuries, do not belong to us. We are pilgrims, we are strangers. We have only a grant of those things that are necessary for health and life.... Our temporal blessings are given us in trust, to prove whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches. If we endure the proving of God, then we shall receive that purchased possession which is to be our own glory, honor, and immortality
E.G.W. (The Adventist Home, cp. 60 Stewards of God, pg. 367)

God gave Adam and Eve control over the whole creation, but that was not an unlimited control. The human control was limited so they could not do anything they wanted to; the prohibited fruit is an example of that. In addition, humanity was placed at Eden to serve and to protect the Garden, not to exploit it and destroy it.

Finally, we must consider this, why should we care about the environment if Jesus is coming back soon?

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18)