In Earth's re-creation, God first brought light, with all its benefits for the future inhabitants of this world. Then He prepared the seas and the dry land, both of which he filled with vegetation, food and oxygen for all His Earthly creatures, human and animal. Only then did He create animals and then, human kind. He began with the animal creatures which were all for the benefit of His supreme creation, people, in His very "image and likeness". All of His meticulous preparations were for them first and then for animals, second. After each thing that God created, seven times He said that, "it was good". It all had a purpose, but God's primary purpose was for the people and after that for the animals.
The Old Testament "Good" of God's Animals:
1. God claims all of the Animals as His own for His special care.
"For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beast of the field are mine." Psm.50:1011. They are His, don't abuse them.
2. God provides food for people first and for animals second.
"But the seventh year thou shalt let it (the land) rest... that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat." Exodus 23:11. "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry." Psm.147:9. Don't be too crop-stingy with God's animals.
3. God provides them water for their thirst also.
"... Thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink." Num.20:8. Leave your animals and the birds enough water. The water is God's too.
4. When God's animals do what He created them to do, they "honor" him.
"The beast of the field shall honour me ... because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert ...." Isa.43:20. If animals "honor" God for their water, surely we should do as much as they.
5, God says that Animals can teach us valuable lessons if we study them.
"Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee." Job 12:7-8. "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Prov.6:6-8. God's animals can be of great benefit and knowledge if we listen and observe.
6. It is not ourselves but God who "preserves" us ... and his animals, for His purposes.
"O LORD, thou preservest man and beast." Psm.36:6.
7. God's most important purpose, in the O.T., for the "clean" (edible) animals, was, as blood and burnt sacrifices for the sins and ceremony of His people, as types of the future appearance of their Messiah, the Lamb Of God.
"Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering." Lev.9:3. Animal sacrifices have been offered since Adam and Eve until those types were fulfilled by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, when He died on the cross.
8. "Therefore, if a person is "right" with God, they do not abuse, misuse or neglect their animals.
"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." Proverbs 12:10.
So please do not have an animal if it has to spend all of its time in a cage or on a chain.
New Testament Freedom of believers to eat whatever God provides
1. God gave the Apostle Peter the N.T. revelation of Christian, diet freedom to eat all manner of animals... "if it be received with thanksgiving". Afterward Peter shared what God had told him with his Christian brethren.
"...I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."Acts 11:6-9.
Later, the Apostle Paul explained that the important thing about food, in the New Covenant, is not what meat we eat, but giving God thanks for the meat He gives us whatever it is. He warned us to be wary of those who come our way mocking marriage and teaching their followers to "abstain from meats".
"... Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving." 1 Tim. 4:3-4.
2. The Apostle Paul also reminded the Jewish Christians that they were not saved or justified by only eating certain meats, as was required under the Old Covenant, but it didn't benefit their souls, though they were obsessed (occupied) with its observance. Even the priests couldn't eat the prescribed (clean) meats which had been offered on the altar for all their sins. Paul emphasized the thing which did benefit and establish Christian Jews was the "grace" of God.... not meat.
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." Heb. 13:9-11.
3. Someone asked me if there would be any animals in heaven. The answer to that is, there already are. Forty eight times in the book of Revelation beasts are mentioned and described... in heaven. A few of those 48 times are in reference to the "Beast" representing the Anti-Christ. The others are of good and heavenly animals who are there worshiping God. Why would God include multi-faced species of animals, which obviously represent the entire animal kingdom, in John's description of them, in heaven, in the Revelation, if animals didn't have this single part there, and if there were none there?
"And round about the throne, were four beasts.... And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man (monkey?), and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts ... rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty ...." Rev.4:6-8. How else can these verses be interpreted than exactly what they say?
In the Garden of Eden, before man sinned and the curse was put upon the whole earth, animals were all harmless to people and to each other. Sin caused the change. After sin has been finally dealt with and banished ... again, the wolf and lion will lay down with the lamb, and they too will worship their Creator God.
So, that being true, let us be kind to others and considerate of God's animal kingdom, but without trying to elevate animals to human status and thereby debauch the good you might otherwise do. RB
6. It is not ourselves but God who "preserves" us ... and his animals, for His purposes.
"O LORD, thou preservest man and beast." Psm.36:6.
7. God's most important purpose, in the O.T., for the "clean" (edible) animals, was, as blood and burnt sacrifices for the sins and ceremony of His people, as types of the future appearance of their Messiah, the Lamb Of God.
"Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering." Lev.9:3. Animal sacrifices have been offered since Adam and Eve until those types were fulfilled by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, when He died on the cross.
8. "Therefore, if a person is "right" with God, they do not abuse, misuse or neglect their animals.
"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." Proverbs 12:10.
So please do not have an animal if it has to spend all of its time in a cage or on a chain.
New Testament Freedom of believers to eat whatever God provides
1. God gave the Apostle Peter the N.T. revelation of Christian, diet freedom to eat all manner of animals... "if it be received with thanksgiving". Afterward Peter shared what God had told him with his Christian brethren.
"...I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."Acts 11:6-9.
Later, the Apostle Paul explained that the important thing about food, in the New Covenant, is not what meat we eat, but giving God thanks for the meat He gives us whatever it is. He warned us to be wary of those who come our way mocking marriage and teaching their followers to "abstain from meats".
"... Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving." 1 Tim. 4:3-4.
2. The Apostle Paul also reminded the Jewish Christians that they were not saved or justified by only eating certain meats, as was required under the Old Covenant, but it didn't benefit their souls, though they were obsessed (occupied) with its observance. Even the priests couldn't eat the prescribed (clean) meats which had been offered on the altar for all their sins. Paul emphasized the thing which did benefit and establish Christian Jews was the "grace" of God.... not meat.
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." Heb. 13:9-11.
3. Someone asked me if there would be any animals in heaven. The answer to that is, there already are. Forty eight times in the book of Revelation beasts are mentioned and described... in heaven. A few of those 48 times are in reference to the "Beast" representing the Anti-Christ. The others are of good and heavenly animals who are there worshiping God. Why would God include multi-faced species of animals, which obviously represent the entire animal kingdom, in John's description of them, in heaven, in the Revelation, if animals didn't have this single part there, and if there were none there?
"And round about the throne, were four beasts.... And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man (monkey?), and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts ... rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty ...." Rev.4:6-8. How else can these verses be interpreted than exactly what they say?
In the Garden of Eden, before man sinned and the curse was put upon the whole earth, animals were all harmless to people and to each other. Sin caused the change. After sin has been finally dealt with and banished ... again, the wolf and lion will lay down with the lamb, and they too will worship their Creator God.
So, that being true, let us be kind to others and considerate of God's animal kingdom, but without trying to elevate animals to human status and thereby debauch the good you might otherwise do. RB
No comments:
Post a Comment