Genesis 1:25 – 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.
The Meaning of Genesis 1:25
At the close of six days’ work, God reviews everything He has created. He finds that every thing was good; but man is still very much under trial, and not yet as good as he should be.
God gave man dominion over the earth and over all its creatures. This was not to be the sovereign, autonomous ruling, but to be under His stewardship.
He commanded man to till the ground, and to keep it. This was to be done in order to develop and utilize the earth’s resources, and not for selfish pleasure.
It was also to be cultivated in such a manner as to provide for future generations and the needs of the present. This, in turn, was to be done in a manner that was to be conducive to the glory of God and his service.
And this is the meaning of verse 1:25: That God made all things after their kind, both in genus and species, so that their several races were kept distinct from the foundation of the world until the present day.
In a broader sense, however, it is to be understood that all that was made on this earth was so formed in God’s image and likeness, that they were each uniquely fashioned in the spiritual nature of their Maker. As such, they possess a spirit which possesses moral conscience, abstract thought, an appreciation of beauty, an emotional feeling, and the capacity for worshipping and loving their Creator.
