Although God created the universe and retains ultimate ownership of it, he has delegated responsibility for the well-being of the earth to the human race. This stewardship includes the care of the animal kingdom and the earth's natural resources.
God's creation is to be respected
The earth belongs to God
Psalm 24:1–2 See also Exodus 19:5–6; Leviticus 25:23; 1 Chronicles 29:14; Psalm 50:9–12, Psalm 89:11; Haggai 2:8
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Responsibility to rule and care for the earth has been delegated to the human race
Genesis 1:26–28 See also Genesis 9:1–3; Psalm 8:6–8, Psalm 115:16; Hebrews 2:8; James 3:7
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 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, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
God himself maintains a caring supervision of his creation
Matthew 6:26–30 parallel Luke 12:24–28 See also Deuteronomy 11:10–15; Psalm 65:9–13; Matthew 5:45
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Respect for all nature and animals
Deuteronomy 20:19 NIV footnote. See also Exodus 23:4–5, Exodus 23:10–11; Deuteronomy 22:4, Deuteronomy 22:6–7, Deuteronomy 25:4; Proverbs 12:10
When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?
Respect and care for the earth's natural resources
Exodus 23:10–11 See also Leviticus 25:1–7; Nehemiah 10:31
For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce, but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat from the field and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.