"Animals Are Great"

 

“Animals Are Great”

 

On Fox News’s “The Five” program regular participant Greg Gutfeld often has a segment “Animals Are Great” which shows the humorous and unusual side of the “creature kingdom”. Since Karen and I enjoy zoos (we’ve held annual memberships at Riverbanks Park in Columbia, SC as well as Lowry Park, Busch Gardens and Sea World in Florida at various times) these snippets are right up our alley. In 1848 Cecil Frances Alexander expressed her wonder at the variety of God’s creative work in these words: “All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.” Almost 3000 years before King David recognized this truth when he wrote, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1, NASB).

There are many kinds of animals mentioned in Scripture—fish, insects, birds, reptiles, mammals—all created by God for a purpose (“…Lord…you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being,”—Revelation 4:11), And He has used many of them in unique ways. For example:

*He led Noah to send a dove from the ark to show the flood waters had receded and the earth was again fit for habitation (Genesis 8:8-12).

*He used a donkey to speak to His rebellious prophet Balaam (Numbers 22:26-31) and another one to carry Jesus triumphantly into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11).

*He had ravens bring food to Elijah during a time of famine (1 Kings 17:1-6).

*He prepared a great fish to serve as a classroom for Jonah (Jonah 2).

*A rooster reminded Peter that he’d denied Jesus as had been predicted (Matthew 26:69-75).

*He utilized the symbol of a lion to picture both Jesus’ power (Revelation 5:5) and Satan’s work (1 Peter 5:8-9).

*He provided a ram for Abraham to offer in place of Isaac, a picture of Jesus’ sacrifice for us (Genesis 22:1-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

Animals are great because they’re created by a Great God for a great purpose: to glorify Him (“…the whole earth is full of his glory”—Isaiah 6:3). And so are we as long as we’re breathing (“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”—Psalm 150:6, emphasis added). If we don’t, “,,,the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)—so let’s not be outdone by our pet rock!

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan