Genesis 1:22

Letters to the Faithful - Genesis 1:22

Berean Standard Bible

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

King James Bible

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

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To all who call upon the name of the Lord in every nation and tongue, to those redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, sanctified by the Spirit, and preserved for the day of Christ Jesus—grace, peace, and blessing be multiplied to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May the word of truth dwell richly within you, and may your hearts be fertile soil for the purposes of the Most High.

I write to you today as a fellow heir of grace, a servant of the Word, and one stirred by the ancient voice that still speaks with power. In the early pages of Holy Scripture, long before there was sin, before there was strife, before there was toil or curse, there was blessing. And in that blessing, we see the generous heart of our Creator. Consider this word from Genesis 1:22: “God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.’”

This was the first explicit declaration of blessing recorded in Scripture. It was spoken not to man, but to the creatures of the sea and the birds of the sky—those majestic and mysterious forms that filled the expanse of God's fresh creation. And though they do not bear His image as we do, He blessed them, for everything He made was good. In this blessing we find not only the benevolence of God, but also the blueprint of His design: that life is meant to be fruitful, that His creation is made to abound, and that multiplication, increase, and fullness are the marks of divine favor.

If God so blessed the creatures of the sea and the birds of the air with such words of increase, how much more shall He bless those who bear His image, those who have been ransomed and redeemed, called according to His purpose? This first blessing is not a relic of pre-human history; it is a foreshadowing of the divine intention for all who come into covenant with Him. God is a God of fruitfulness. He does not plant in vain. He does not speak without effect. When He blesses, it is not an empty wish—it is a creative command, a life-giving impulse that carries the power to fulfill what it declares.

The blessing to “be fruitful and multiply” was echoed again when man was formed and placed in the garden, and it was reaffirmed after the flood, when Noah and his sons stepped into a cleansed yet broken world. And so it continues in the spiritual economy of God: wherever His Word and Spirit dwell, there will be fruitfulness. Not only the fruit of children and increase in the natural world, but also the fruit of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit, and the multiplication of godly influence. Fruitfulness is not always counted in numbers; it is revealed in faithfulness, in maturity, in love that abounds and truth that takes root.

Beloved, we live in a world where barrenness abounds—spiritually, relationally, emotionally, even ideologically. Many toil without fruit, build without joy, and strive without blessing. But we are not of this world. We are born of incorruptible seed. We are branches grafted into the True Vine. And the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit and so prove to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Do not measure the blessing of God merely by earthly metrics—position, platform, possessions. Rather, look to what endures: are you growing in Christ? Are you producing peace, patience, and self-control? Are others being nourished by the fruit of your life?

Let us, then, respond to the first divine blessing not only with wonder but with alignment. Let us order our lives toward fruitfulness. Let our prayers be aimed not merely at survival or comfort, but at growth, increase, and multiplication of what is good. Let our churches not be content with attendance alone, but long to see lives transformed and disciples raised up. Let our homes be gardens of spiritual life, where the seeds of God’s Word are sown and watered with prayer. Let every believer view their life as ground to be cultivated under the hand of the Master Gardener.

And if you find yourself in a season that feels barren, take heart. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters in the beginning still moves upon the chaos, still speaks into the void, still calls forth life where there was none. The blessing to be fruitful is not the reward of the qualified—it is the result of the blessing spoken by God. And He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Him, the curse of barrenness is broken, and the soil of our hearts is made ready again for increase.

Remember that the first blessing was not earned. It was given. It flowed not from merit, but from the sheer goodness of God. So receive it. Align with it. Live in expectation of it. Be diligent to cultivate what God has entrusted to you, but trust Him for the growth. No branch bears fruit of itself—it must abide. So abide, dear brothers and sisters. Abide in Christ. Remain in His Word. Walk by His Spirit. Love without growing cold. Persevere when the ground feels hard. Sow in tears, and you shall reap with joy.

And may the God who first blessed the waters and the skies, who filled the earth with life and abundance, now bless you richly in every good work. May you be fruitful in every season. May you multiply grace and truth wherever you are planted. May your faith be not barren, but full of works born in heaven. May your love abound more and more. And may the generations after you rise up to walk in the fruit of the faith you now live.

To the glory of the Creator, through Jesus Christ our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen and amen.

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Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of heaven and earth, who by the power of Your Word spoke all things into being and who saw that it was good, we come before You in awe and thanksgiving, humbled by Your majesty and warmed by the radiance of Your kindness. You, O Lord, are the Author of life, the Fountain of abundance, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Before time began, You desired fruitfulness, and into a world fresh with beauty and order, You spoke blessing over Your creation. You said to the creatures of the sea and the birds of the sky, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And Your word did not return void, for what You bless, You empower; what You command, You equip to fulfill.

Lord, we worship You as the God of blessing, not of barrenness; the God of increase, not of lack. And we thank You that Your first blessing recorded in Scripture was not given to man alone but extended even to the creatures of land and sea and sky. In this, You have shown us that Your heart delights in abundance, in fullness, in flourishing. From the very beginning, You intended that life should not merely exist, but should expand. Not merely survive, but overflow. We bless You, Lord, for the generosity that flows from Your throne. We stand in awe that before humanity ever worked or toiled, before we ever asked or sought, Your blessing was already spoken into the world.

O Lord, as we reflect on that blessing, we ask that You would cause the same spirit of fruitfulness to take root in our lives. You have not only formed us from the dust but have given us Your image, and in Christ, You have given us new life. Therefore, we do not ask for survival—we ask for fruit. Not for fame or ease, but for spiritual increase that brings You glory. Plant us deep in the soil of Your will. Make us fertile in obedience, rich in mercy, and overflowing with good works. Let our lives reflect the purpose embedded in creation itself—that all living things, especially those created in Your image, would be fruitful.

We confess that we have often lived below the blessing You declared. We have settled for dryness when You offered rivers. We have hidden in barrenness when You called us to growth. We have looked to the world for abundance, while neglecting the blessing that flows from Your Word. Forgive us, Lord, for forsaking the fountain of living waters. Forgive us for measuring our fruitfulness by worldly metrics and forgetting that the first command of blessing is fulfilled not by striving but by remaining—remaining in You, in Your presence, in Your Word, in Your love.

O Spirit of God, hover once again over the waters of our lives. Where there is chaos, bring order. Where there is emptiness, speak fullness. Where there is stagnation, breathe wind and life. You who brought form and beauty to the formless void, bring clarity and purpose to every believer who feels lost or unfruitful. Revive the weary. Restore the dry places. Reignite the cold heart. Let Your voice be heard again, calling forth life from lifeless ground, speaking blessing over all who belong to Christ.

Lord Jesus, You are the Vine, and we are the branches. Apart from You, we can do nothing. In You is all life and all abundance. You are the Seed that fell into the ground and died, and by Your resurrection, You now bear much fruit—bringing many sons and daughters to glory. Let that resurrection power be at work in us, causing us to multiply what You have planted. Let our love increase, our hope endure, and our faith be fruitful. Let every area of our lives—our relationships, our ministries, our words, our work—be governed by the same creative blessing You declared in the beginning: be fruitful and multiply.

Father, we pray also for the Church, Your Body in the earth. Let her not be stagnant or sterile, but living and vibrant, abounding in fruit for every season. Raise up shepherds who feed the flock, and laborers who sow in tears that they may reap in joy. Send out workers into the harvest fields, and let every nation and tribe taste the blessing that was first spoken in Eden but fulfilled in Christ. Let the waters be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Let the skies echo with the praise of Your name. Let the earth be filled with the fruit of righteousness, planted by Your hand and watered by Your Spirit.

And Lord, we pray for those who are in seasons of apparent barrenness. For those who labor and see no fruit, who pray and see no breakthrough, who sow and feel no return—remind them that You are faithful. That seasons shift, that seeds take time to grow, and that Your Word never fails. May their roots grow deep even in drought. May they trust in Your blessing, even when the evidence is hidden. May they lift their eyes and remember that You are the God who brings life from dust and harvest from desert.

God of Creation, let the original blessing echo anew in our day. Not only over fields and waters and skies, but over hearts and homes and churches. Let us be fruitful—not for our names, but for Yours. Multiply in us what is of eternal value. Fill every empty place with the abundance of Your Spirit. Let our lives overflow with the blessing that comes not from man, but from the mouth of our Creator.

We receive the blessing You first declared in Genesis 1:22—not merely as history, but as present truth. And we yield ourselves to it. Let it shape our expectations, transform our prayers, renew our faith, and govern our way of life.

In the name of Jesus, through whom all blessings flow, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, who makes all things new, we pray.

Amen.