Bible Society of South Africa

The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden to take care of it and to look after it. But the Lord told him, “You may eat fruit from any tree in the garden, except the one that has the power to let you know the difference between right and wrong. If you eat any fruit from that tree, you will die before the day is over!” Genesis 2:15-17

In co-operation with Prof Piet Naudé (currently the Director of Stellenbosch University Business School), the Bible Society published a Bible selection about God and work. In the following days, we invite you to join us as we discover what the Bible teaches about how we are to live and work with integrity. In other words, how does God want us to live and work? How should we undertake our daily work in a way that pleases God, to be sure of his blessing?

The Bible was written in another day and age, yet it is full of wisdom and speaks clearly about many issues which concern us to this day, including many of the questions we have about the workplace.

Whether you read this as an employer or an employee, whether you’re in management position or working on the shop floor, you’ll be surprised at how apt these Bible verses still sound. In the days to come, read the Bible verses, apply them to your work and discover that you can enjoy your work as well as the Lord's blessing on your life's work.

Let's get started and see what the Bible says about the workplace. In the Bible work was seen as a blessing from the very beginning. We read in Genesis that God took great joy in his work of creating and sustaining the universe. Throughout the various stages of the creation, we read: "God looked at what he had done and saw that it was good." Genesis 1: 4,10,12,18,21,25

Right from the beginning, God’s command was for us to work in his creation. When God created men and women he blessed them and put them in charge of all that he had created. He wanted them to work in obedience to him and with his blessing. What is more, they were given a very clear job description.

In Genesis 1 we read, “So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

However, when the first man and woman disobeyed God, work became a punishment. God told Adam and Eve that they would have to work hard all their lives to make a living.

The Lord said to man, “You listened to your wife and ate the fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food. Your food will be plants, but the ground will produce thorns and thistles. You will have to sweat to earn a living; you were made out of soil, and you will once again turn into soil.” Genesis 3:17-19

Is your work a blessing?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege to work. Thank you for your Word that teaches us how to live and work. Thank you for your blessings that we receive so abundantly. Amen