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The dominion mandate God has given mankind does not include the permission to enslave one another…
Mankind as imagers of God were given this world as their domain (Gen. 1:26-28). After their deception and the great fall, Satan became the illegitimate ruler over earth in our place (2 Corinthians 4:4). The biblical narrative takes us on a journey of how God partnered with His imagers to take back our rightful dominion from Satan. Jesus Christ put on flesh, became sin, sacrificed His life for our redemption then rose with all power in His hands (Ephesians 1:20-23).
Within His own established system of authority, the Lord legally recovered the domain of earth from Satan; restoring dominion back to His sons and daughters, the believers in Jesus Christ. With the original dominion mandate reinstated, we as the imagers of Yahweh, must take our position as the divinely appointed kings of this kingdom. Jesus is the King of kings, the King of the citizens of His righteousness.
Now with this new found ability to rule as co-heirs with Christ, we must not let this power go to our heads. We must reign on earth the way the Lord rules in heaven. To do this we must know what part to play and how to play it. Knowing what to rule and how to rule it appropriately is the key difference between governing through power plays or oppression through power trips.
Power plays
Let’s use a sports analogy to explain the difference. A "Power play" in sports refers to a period when one team has more players on the field thus having the advantage. This is typically due to a penalty against the other team. A power play provides the edge. When one of the opposing team's members is out of line, they must sit out of the game. This upper hand often clears the playing field in a way that the team of integrity can dominate the game.
power trips
In stark contrast, a “Power Trip” is an action or behavior that gives an individual a sense of power, done primarily for the satisfaction of exerting control over others. This is an illegal tactic that lacks integrity. By illegal, I am referring to this being done outside of or in rebellion towards the established system and program God requires for His imagers to partake in. It’s a small minded person who attempts to flex their muscles, literally and figuratively, in order to manipulate or dominate people.
Reign, Not rebellion
As we’ll see in a bit, God’s desire is not for His kings to rule over other kings but to reign over the earth and its creatures. By the way, we as imagers of God are not creatures. We are not animals but children of the Most High God. Though we are called to shepherd or steward (to receive or be given, by way of gift or responsibility, that which belongs to another to care for and cultivate as if it were your own) over one another, it is against the Lord’s dominion mandate for us to rule over each other by way of oppression. We voluntarily serve one another. If God, our Creator, will not force us to act against our own will, we must not enforce that type of behavior against each other.
A power trip occurs when we let our authority go to our heads and like Proverbs 16:18 warns us, pride comes before the fall. The strength of godliness is meek. In whatever authority or power the Lord has granted us to operate in, we are to be disciplined, exerting self-control. The abuse of power is not taken lightly (Ezekiel 34).
Ever since that wicked serpent tricked humanity in the garden of Eden, the Lord’s plan of dominion for His people has been under attack. Man’s rejection of God’s divine purpose is a destructive rebellion fanning in the flames of our sin nature. The consequence of losing sight of the Lord's intended dominion mandate has left mankind frustrated without purpose or fulfillment. Without a true understanding of our dominion, we are bound to live beneath our status just like the foolish prodigal son who became impoverished by his lack of self-control and understanding (Luke 15:11-32).
in-depth word study & scriptural analysis
DOMINATION
Leviticus 25:42-43
42 Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves. 43 You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.
-rule [radah]; sin will not tread you down, crumbling you off - away from the grace of God’s mercy and deliverance. Sin will not prevail against you.
-Key word (harshly); [perek]
perek: harshness, severity
Original Word: פֶרֶךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: perek
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-rek)
Definition: harshness, severity
This is a rigorous domination; a condition of strictness and strictness that is extremely thorough and exhaustive; a system that is strictly inflexible to a belief, opinion, or way of life. Don’t be harsh in your rule but fear [yare’; yaw-ray’] (honor with reverence); respect your God [Elohim], the ultimate Ruler in His statutes and grace as our Savior, Redeemer, and Judge.
*New Testament Reference
1 Peter 5:1-3 (NASB)
1 Therefore, I urge elders among you, as your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and one who is also a fellow partaker of the glory that is to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. [emphasis added]
DOMINION
Genesis 1:26-28
26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
*dominion; rule; reign
radah: reign (Strong’s Hebrew: 7287.)
Original Word: רָדָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: radah
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-daw')
Definition: to have dominion, rule, dominate
This is pretty straight forward but with some additional underlining principles that may escape our modern way of thinking. To rule with dominion belongs to the realm of a king. A kingdom is a kings domain. To rule isn't just to dominate with force but to cultivate with love, compassion, and security. A king is responsible for his subjects, who are his citizens. The better the quality of life of the citizens, the greater the reign of the king.
*blessed
barak: to kneel, bless (Strong’s Hebrew: 1288.)
Original Word: בָרַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: barak
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-rak')
Definition: to kneel, bless
c. things: בָּרוּךְ פרי בטנך blessed be the fruit of thy womb Deuteronomy 28:4 compare Deuteronomy 28:5; 1 Samuel 25:33; Proverbs 5:18.
To be blessed in this sense is to be given the ability to produce within the grace God measure's out the success of our harvest. We are to be grateful that the Lord has blessed the man and the woman both with the authority to reign as co-hears, equals, in the realm of the earth. In Jesus Christ, our dominion mandate has been renewed so that we can operate in the power of government and triumph, according to our God-given purposes. It is our duty to reign in a way that glorifies God through our efforts of love, cultivation, and productivity.
*New Testament Reference
Romans 6:14
13 Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. [emphasis added]
kurieuó: to be lord of, rule (Strong’s Greek: 2961.)
Original Word: κυριεύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kurieuó
Phonetic Spelling: (ko-ree-yoo'-o)
Definition: to be lord of, rule
Usage: I have authority, rule over.
2961 kyrieúō (from 2962 /kýrios, "lord") – properly, to exercise rights over one's own property as an owner with full dominion (lordship) over this jurisdiction.
STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED
Please take the time to look further into these scriptures on your own. Do the work of studying these words in their appropriate context, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in revelation. It is important to learn as the Bible instructs and not as our cultural pretexts navigate. When we apply the Word of God properly, we are transformed in a way that promotes excellence in the kingdom of God.
Thank You and God Bless!
Thank you for reading this blog. Your support and contribution is treasured here. Please continue to share this content so that God may work through us to be a benefit to others. I invite you to leave a comment and stay tuned in for the next blog. I pray that this blesses you and honor’s God. Let’s continue growing together as Kingdom Citizens in Christ. Show love, be kind, and trust in God. Thank you and God bless.
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