This notion also ties into other important ideas in the book including family, fatherhood, and the question of how these sinful families will be healed. These generations would not exist had their forefathers ignored the command to multiply. This phrase means “these are the generations,” and it is found several times in Genesis after an accounting is given of a family line through the years. It reinforces one of the central messages of this book, elleh toledot. The section of Genesis where the command to be fruitful and multiply occurs is from the latter, sometimes called primeval history. It is believed much of the Creation and Flood accounts were preserved in this way until someone wrote them down as well. Some of the Genesis narrative was part of the oral tradition of the Hebrew people, such as the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is some debate as to the author, primarily amongst secular thinkers. The Pentateuch – a term for the first five books of the Bible – is traditionally credited to Moses among Christian scholars. The origins of Genesis as a text can be hard to trace in part because of its age, as well as the immense length of time it covers. Being a parent is a chance to participate in God’s plan for humanity in a special way that can leave an impact for generations. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” ( Ephesians 6:4). Parents should raise their children to love the Lord, and follow His wisdom and guidance. But the responsibility does not end there. It is a remarkable invitation to join Him in the process of creation. The mandate to have and raise children to populate the earth was a part of God’s plan. What Does It Mean to "Be Fruitful and Multiply"? In both these instances, the Lord gave the injunction for mankind to increase their population by having and raising children. After flooding the earth, the Lord repeated to Noah, his sons, and his sons’ sons: “and you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it” ( Genesis 9:7). And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” ( Genesis 1:28).
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