The Blessing of Life and the Filling of Creation
Genesis 1:20–23 (NASB95)
20Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” 21God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
The story of creation takes a dramatic turn as God’s word brings forth a teeming abundance of life in the waters and the skies. Divine speech once again echoes with artistry and authority, commanding the waters to “swarm with swarmers” and the skies to be filled with birds in flight. Even as the waters and earth are invited to participate in this creative process, it is clear that true creative power still belongs to God alone, who brings forth life by His word and will. The narrative singles out not only the vast variety of aquatic creatures and birds but also the “great sea monsters.” In ancient cultures, these formidable creatures were often seen as cosmic adversaries, yet Genesis distinctly places them under God’s dominion, not as rivals, but as part of His good creation.
A significant moment unfolds as God bestows the very first blessing in Scripture. Blessing, in the biblical sense, is synonymous with multiplication. When God blesses, more of what He has called good comes into being. God’s blessing upon the living creatures is articulated as the command to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill” their respective domains. This divine empowerment to reproduce and flourish marks the living creatures as participants in God’s ongoing work of creation. It is by God’s word and blessing that life continues to overflow, filling the earth and seas with movement, diversity, and abundance. The capacity to multiply is a distinguishing mark of all living creatures and underscores the value and favor God places upon the animal world.
God’s creative work is also marked by order and distinction, as each creature is created “according to its kind.” This divinely established pattern ensures both diversity and stability within creation, reflecting the wisdom and intentionality of the Creator. The fifth day thus beautifully parallels earlier acts of separation and order, now filling the previously empty domains of water and sky with vibrant, multiplying life.
As the reader, you are invited to see God’s blessing as both a call and a promise. Just as God’s blessing brought multiplication and fullness to the waters and the skies, so His blessing on His people brings life, growth, and fruitfulness to their communities and witness. Rather than striving in our own strength, we are encouraged to seek, receive, and extend the blessing of God—trusting that wherever He speaks favor and life, multiplication and goodness will follow. Let us celebrate the diversity and abundance of God’s creation, care for the living world entrusted to us, and pursue lives marked by fruitfulness and generosity, knowing that God’s blessing is always meant to overflow for the good of all.