The First Blessing

Genesis 1 20-23 NetBible
1:20 God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 1:21 God created the great sea creatures and every living and moving thing with which the water swarmed, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. God saw that it was good. 1:22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 1:23 There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.

On the fifth day living creatures are brought forth, filling the oceans and the air. Here we see the first mention of a blessing. It is bestowed on the creatures that are given life and able to move, except for those who live on the ground. That comes tomorrow, the sixth day.

The blessing is the word of God expressing His will that the life of these creatures is fulfilled to the full measure of His intention. Being fruitful is the first commandment God requires of life. It sounds pretty easy, unless you reach for the wrong tree.

These creatures do not fail to carry out this mission. We can see the effect of His blessing in the number and variety of those wonderful creatures. It should remind us that when we are blessed by God, we are blessed indeed.