Genesis 1:28

[JoeBandy]

I was reading Genesis in KJV, chapter 1 verse 28 reads as if " be fruitful and multiply" are separate commands. I have always heard it stated without the comma. So what do you guys think? The more I think about it being fruitful may mean more than what I have always assumed. What is the original text?

[Esaias]

A plant can be fruitful without multiplying. Fruit on a tree houses the seeds that, if conditions permit, will eventually become more trees. Applied to humans, to be fruitful means to produce offspring, and to multiply means to increase in number.

If every family only had two kids, that would be a mere replacement of each parent, and thus, although each parent had produced fruit, so to say, they did not multiply. Now, if every family had four or more kids, then they not only have produced fruit, but have begun to multiply (increase in number).

So that in the first generation you have the original parents (2), plus four kids, for a total of 6 people. The parents will die off, leaving four kids. Each kid gets married, and has four kids, so the next generation (minus each of the original kids who grow old and die off) will be 16. See? Multiplying - 2, 4, 16...

So the idea is mankind was to not only produce fruit (ie reproduce) but multiply (ie increase in number each generation, more or less).

[Esaias]

And thus, those who get married, but who intentionally choose NOT to have a bunch of kids, are intentionally going contrary to the original command given to mankind.

This of course does not apply to those who, for whatever reason, cannot actually have kids (God is in control of that). By embracing the idea that folks should not have lots of children, society has decided to stand against God and His original design for mankind. A sort of societal suicide, if you will.

And this also should not be taken as a condemnation of those who, for whatever reason, are not married, or those who choose to remain single in order to serve God. But when society itself promotes and endorses the idea that large families are bad, and promotes conditions that are unfavourable to marriage and having children, society has perverted the original intent.

[thephnxman]

His NAME is Jesus!

Be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it;
and have dominion..."

Beloved, we must first consider the spiritual element to the
scriptures. Surely Adam and Eve fulfilled the natural element,
but could not fulfill the spiritual aspect because of sin. Today,
the church has been given the withal to fullfill the spiritual
element by: (1) believing and obeying the gospel that saves;
and, (2) preaching the gospel that saves.

Yes, I did I say, "the gospel that saves": not that there is another,
"...but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ."

The church has not fully replenished nor subdued, nor do we have
dominion over the earth because we have not yet come to "...the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God...", etc.
The natural man has gotten dominion and subdued the earth, and
are even now replenishing the earth with their corrupt teachings:
and are leading many professing christians to the lake of fire, right
along with them.

Brother Villa

[Aquila]

I know that God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply prior to the fall. However, after the fall we have seen the great flood and much death through disease, bloodshed, and catastrophe. Imagine if Adam and Eve hadn't fallen and these factors were not in play. And imagine that this "multiplication" factor were in play. We would have exceeded the planet's ability to sustain such a population long ago.

I believe that this command was given to express God's desiring to see humanity flourish and fill the earth. I don't believe it should be viewed as a universal command for all people.

Also, imagine if Adam and Eve had not sinned, we'd be living in a very organic civilization, tending the earth as a virtual garden paradise of peace and harmony with God, nature, and one another. Death and disease would not exist on account of the tree of life. We'd live lives of openness, love, and innocence without shame or fear.

Or might the story be symbolic? I prefer to think of it as literal.

[thephnxman]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I know that God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply prior to the fall. However, after the fall we have seen the great flood and much death through disease, bloodshed, and catastrophe. Imagine if Adam and Eve hadn't fallen and these factors were not in play. And imagine that this "multiplication" factor were in play. We would have exceeded the planet's ability to sustain such a population long ago.

I believe that this command was given to express God's desiring to see humanity flourish and fill the earth. I don't believe it should be viewed as a universal command for all people.
Also, imagine if Adam and Eve had not sinned, we'd be living in a very organic civilization, tending the earth as a virtual garden paradise of peace and harmony with God, nature, and one another. Death and disease would not exist on account of the tree of life. We'd live lives of openness, love, and innocence without shame or fear.
Or might the story be symbolic? I prefer to think of it as literal.

His NAME is Jesus!

IMAGINE! If God didn't know man would sin: then He would not have
made provision for iniquity and sin: and the battle for dominance would
still be in the process of being fought in eternity! God, then, would have
ceased to be God.

But God MADE a provision for our sin by SPEAKING and declaring light:
"In him was LIFE; and the life was the LIGHT of men." God created
the light of our salvation on Gen 1:3: and it was the very first thing that
He did create in this natural realm. By creating light (life) on that very
first day, God left redemption open for man! Let me paraphrase Jn. 1:1__
"In the beginning God SPOKE, and the Word that God spoke was with
God because it proceeded from God; and because the Word proceeded
from God, then it was very God, Himself."

God left no room for "imagination".

Brother Villa

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by thephnxman

His NAME is Jesus!

IMAGINE! If God didn't know man would sin: then He would not have
made provision for iniquity and sin: and the battle for dominance would
still be in the process of being fought in eternity! God, then, would have
ceased to be God.

But God MADE a provision for our sin by SPEAKING and declaring light:
"In him was LIFE; and the life was the LIGHT of men." God created
the light of our salvation on Gen 1:3: and it was the very first thing that
He did create in this natural realm. By creating light (life) on that very
first day, God left redemption open for man! Let me paraphrase Jn. 1:1__
"In the beginning God SPOKE, and the Word that God spoke was with
God because it proceeded from God; and because the Word proceeded
from God, then it was very God, Himself."

God left no room for "imagination".

Brother Villa

God created us with the wonderful ability to use our imaginations. In fact, I think the claim that God left no room for imagination... lacks... imagination.

[thephnxman]

Originally Posted by Aquila

God created us with the wonderful ability to use our imaginations. In fact, I think the claim that God left no room for imagination... lacks... imagination.

His NAME is Jesus!

Of course you are quite correct, as far as operating solely
in the natural realm.
As far as the gospel that saves, the imagination will more
often than not lead a man astray.

Brother Villa

[Amanah]

Bro Villa, your post made me think of this verse

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

[thephnxman]

His NAME is Jesus!

Originally Posted by Amanah

Bro Villa, your post made me think of this verse

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ;

Beautiful scripture