dominion mandate
Definition
The dominion mandate is the commission God gave humanity at creation: to rule over the earth and all its creatures as his image-bearers (Gen. 1:26-28). It is inseparable from the imago Dei — humanity rules not as autonomous owner but as God’s image and vice-regent on earth. In this corpus the dominion mandate functions as a bridge between creation doctrine and soteriology: the fall forfeited the mandate; redemption restores it. Jones approaches this juridically through the Jubilee principle, Nee/Lee through the receiving of God’s life, and Noordzij through the eschatological calling of the sons of God as liberators of creation.
Uses per Author
Stephen Jones
Jones connects the dominion mandate to his number symbolism: the number 22 (letters of the Hebrew alphabet) symbolizes the joint fulfillment of sonship and dominion. Both components of Gen. 1:28 — fruitfulness and dominion — form one birthright mandate:
“The number 22 links two dimensions: the fruitfulness commission and the dominion commission of Genesis 1:28. Sonship is the fulfillment of the image; dominion is the fulfillment of the mandate. Both are inseparably one in the calling of humanity.”
(The Biblical Meaning of Numbers, Chapter 22)
The fall meant for Jones the juridical forfeiture of the exousia (authority) God had granted to Adam. Redemption through Christ and the Jubilee principle restores that authority — first to the firstfruits-overcomers (Rev. 20:4), then universally.
Watchman Nee & Witness Lee
Nee sees image and dominion as one indivisible unity: God created humanity in his image and simultaneously gave the command to rule — two dimensions of the same reality:
“God’s image, God’s likeness, and God’s authority form one indivisible unit in the creation of man.”
(The All-Inclusive Christ, Chapter 1)
For Nee/Lee, exercising the mandate presupposes receiving God’s life through the Tree of Life: only a person filled with God’s zoe-life can truly carry out the dominion mandate. Redemption therefore restores both the image and the mandate.
Cees Noordzij
Noordzij connects the dominion mandate with the eschatological calling of the sons of God. Gen. 1:26-28 is the creation basis of Rom. 8:19-22: creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God because they are the appointed liberators:
“Adam received the mandate to rule over the earth. In Christ that mandate is restored and extended — not to one man but to a multitude of sons, who together liberate creation from its captivity to corruption (Rom. 8:21).”
(Moses and the Way to Sonship, Chapter 6)