I grew up in the city, without pets. My appreciation for animals developed much subsequently in life. In fact, if it weren't for a Golden Retriever named Rusty that I got for my children in 2004, I might never have made my journey toward animals. Rusty was the domestic dog everyone should have—loving, playful, and eager to please. He was no Lassie, but he was plenty smart. Before long, Rusty was function of the family.

Rusty made a convert out of me. He taught me that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners who make dogs, and many other animals, bad. Animals do what they practise. They are innocent even in their cruelty because they have no concept of morality. Morality is the territory of humans. We accept the knowledge of proficient and evil, and nosotros can choose between the two.

Rusty taught me that animals deserve my respect and care. He helped me understand that animals are also uniquely God's creatures. When I considered the teaching of the Bible most animals from the perspective of my relationship with Rusty, I gained a new appreciation for all animals.

The Bible teaches usa that God created animals. They aren't the product of happenstance or fortuitous natural processes whatever more than than humans are. Genesis 1:24-25 says God created the animals, from the beasts of the earth to the creeping insects. Scripture even tells us that the breath of life resides within them (Gen. 7:xv). By virtue of our creation in the image of God, we humans are uniquely special in comparison to all of cosmos, but that does non mean the rest of creation has no value to God or that he doesn't relish information technology.

When God created animals, he declared their creation to exist "good" (Gen. ane:25). At the conclusion of the creation business relationship in Genesis 1, God looked at "all he had made" and declared it "very skilful" (v. 31). Creation was "very good" when considered in its totality, not just in reference to humans. Humans are the crowning accomplishment of God's creative activity, and as his paradigm bearers, nosotros possess something of the divine that goose egg else in creation possesses, but nosotros should not let that truth cloud our appreciation for the rest of creation or diminish our responsibilities toward it.

Here, I offer ten biblical truths nigh animals that should affect how we think about them and how we treat them.

1. God communicates with animals

This is the best caption for the migration of the animals to Noah's ark. In Genesis, God told Noah to build an ark in order to save himself, his family, and the land-abode creatures from the coming flood. Nonetheless, he didn't tell Noah to get out and round up the animals. He told him to bring them into the ark (Gen. 6:19), which meant to simply receive them. When information technology was fourth dimension for the flood to begin, the text says the animals "went into the ark to Noah" (Gen. 7:ix). The only explanation for the deportment of the animals is that God drew them to the ark. God communicated with them directly, and they responded.

Another case of God communicating with animals can be found in the experience of the prophet Elijah. When Elijah fled from Ahab, male monarch of Israel, he went to an surface area due east of the Jordan River. The Bible says God commanded ravens to bring him food while he was in that location, and they did (1 Kings 17:4-6).

These examples don't tell us that God is in regular communication with the animals, simply they make articulate that such advice has occurred. It is certainly plausible that God interacts with animals more than we realize.

2. God cares about the well-being of animals

We often quote Matthew 10:29-31 to emphasize God'southward concern for humans. In this passage, Jesus helped his listeners grasp the extent of God's business organization for them: If God cares about the death of a mutual bird, he certainly cares near the needs of humans. That isn't all we learn from this passage, all the same. Jesus also gave us insight into God'southward attitude toward animals. True, humans are "more than valuable" than a mutual little bird, but Jesus didn't say that animals have no value to God. In comparison to humans, the fiddling sparrow has little value, but God still values the life of that little sparrow enough to be moved past its death.

Information technology isn't merely that God notices the sparrow's death, like one might notice that the wind is blowing. Jesus wanted his listeners to understand that God is emotionally invested in that sparrow. He cares about what happens to it; he just cares more than about what happens to people. One time we acknowledge that God is emotionally invested in birds, i.due east., animals, as well as humans, we are now talking just about a deviation in the degree to which he is, not whether or not he is.

The story of Jonah likewise offers insight into God'southward business for animals. After Jonah preached and the people of Nineveh repented, Jonah expressed his displeasure at God's decision not to ship destructive judgment on the people. In confronting Jonah about his hard-hearted attitude, God reminded Jonah that not only have 120,000 people been spared, "many animals" were also spared (Jonah 4:11). The well-being of these animals mattered to God.

In improver, Scripture teaches that God is personally involved in feeding the animals. Psalm 104:14 is instructive hither. Information technology says God "causes" the grass to grow for the cattle. The Hebrew text uses the causative class of the verb "to abound" to reveal this. God isn't simply passively watching nature have care of its own. Verse 21 continues this theme when it says the young lions "seek their food from God." Pulling these individual examples together, the psalmist speaks of animals in full general, proverb, "They all look for You lot (God) to give them their food in due flavour" (5. 27).

3. God enjoys animals

In Psalm 104:31, the psalmist declared, "Let the Lord exist glad in his works." Clearly the statement speaks broadly of all that God has created, but it is preceded by a long description of God'south interaction with animals—wild goats, rock badgers, beasts of the forest, young lions, animals both small and great (see vv. 18-30). In a few more verses, the psalmist used this same word translated "glad" to describe his own joy in God. He said emphatically, "I shall be glad in the Lord" (Ps. 104:34).

Information technology isn't difficult to fathom that animals bring God joy when we consider the joy we get from watching our ain children. We fifty-fifty bask watching animals with whom we have no creative connexion. Given that, it is understandable that the one who created all things would savor them.

4. Animals reveal God'south sovereignty

When Job complained that God had mistreated him, God pointed to creation to help Job empathise his sovereignty. Animals figure prominently in his response to Job'due south attempted indictment. God reminded Job that information technology is he who provides for the animals (Job 38:39-41). He appointed them their place in creation (Job 39:6). God too pointed out that he is more powerful than the feared Behemoth and Leviathan past the very fact that he is their creator (Job 40:19; 41:x). While they may be beyond Job's achieve, they are not beyond God'due south.

In response, Job acknowledged God'southward sovereignty. He said, "I accept dorsum my words and repent in dust and ashes" (Task 42:6). The fact God used examples from the creature world to convince Chore of his sovereignty suggests strongly that this is part of God'southward intended purpose for his creation of animals. God has built wonder into animals, and past blueprint, they indicate humanity to him every bit the bang-up and simply sovereign.

5. Animals bring glory and praise to God

In Psalm 148, the psalmist called on everything to praise the Lord. He included in this call bounding main monsters, beasts, cattle, creeping things and birds (vv. 7, 10). The final verse of the final psalm of the entire psalter reads: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" (Ps. 150:6). Fifty-fifty though they don't practice then with words, animals still bring glory and praise to God.

By their very beingness animals: (one) Point to God as creator. Animals are as much the product of God's creative energy as any other part of creation. (2) Point to God equally love. God loves life then much he creates information technology in seeming countless variety. (iii) Point to God as designer. Animals make full a crucial part of the symbiotic relationship between all of cosmos. (4) Bespeak to God as creative person. Animals are a living display of the natural beauty God has congenital into creation.

6. Animals are reasoning creatures

Some deny that animals are capable of reasoning. They prefer to credit instinct for their decision making skills. They believe that animals are "equally smart equally they demand to be" to survive. I believe this is only non authentic. Animals are smarter than they demand to be. I have witnessed my dogs on many occasions trying to communicate with me. They make up for their lack of language by finding other means through their reasoning abilities to communicate their will.

In the Bible, God reveals animal intelligence through the unusual see of Balaam with his donkey (Num. 22:21-33). In that incident, the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and moved aside. Balaam became angry with the donkey because it wouldn't obey him. Yet the Affections of the Lord credited the donkey's quick thinking for Balaam's deliverance. He declared, "The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had non turned bated from me, I would surely take killed you" (v. 33). The ass recognized the danger and made a decision to go out of the way of the Angel, whom Balaam couldn't fifty-fifty see.

Furthermore, we have all seen animals utilize tools to get nutrient. They don't demand to employ tools to swallow. They accept sources that don't require the use of tools, just they take the reasoning capacity to know that a tool will help them get food. Also, we take all seen animals run from danger. How does an animal know it'due south in danger? It must understand something most life in club to seek to protect itself. We credit reason for human responses to avoiding danger. Why wouldn't nosotros credit animals with reason when they exercise the same affair?

We cannot completely eliminate the concept of instinct equally nosotros think most animals, merely at the aforementioned fourth dimension, we shouldn't dominion out the prove that animals are also capable of reason.

7. Animals may take a more acute sensation of spiritual reality than nosotros realize

The incident of Balaam and his ass brings into focus another insight well-nigh animals. It reveals that it is possible for animals to run into angels (Num. 22:21-33). In that incident, Balaam was spared death at the hands of the Affections of the Lord because Balaam's donkey "turned aside" when it saw the affections. The text does not say the Angel of the Lord revealed his presence to the donkey. Information technology tells united states of america simply that the donkey saw the Angel.

Humans see angels when the angels desire to reveal themselves. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord without his self-revelation. In fact, judging from the Angel's comments to Balaam (see v. 33), the donkey was really acting contrary to the Angel's intentions. Nosotros could understand it if the Angel said he wanted the donkey to assist Balaam avoid the fate he had planned for him. Merely the text does not say that. A plain reading of the text suggests that the ass was actually frustrating the plan of the Angel. The donkey saw the Angel without the Angel's assist.

This conclusion gains further support when we see that the Lord had to empower the ass to speak (v. 28). If Moses recognized the need to tell the reader the Lord empowered the donkey to speak, he could just every bit easily have said the Lord enabled the donkey to see the Angel of the Lord. Yet, he doesn't tell united states of america that.

While we should not attempt to develop a major doctrine effectually this unmarried event, it withal raises significant questions about our understanding of the human relationship of animals to the spiritual globe.

viii. Animals have the capacity to relish life

The psalmist was lighthearted when he described the joy animals feel. In Psalm 104, he said God formed the sea creature Leviathan "to play" in the sea (v. 26). The Hebrew word translated "play" occurs adequately regularly in Scripture. Rex David used this give-and-take to draw his celebration equally the ark of God was existence brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel six:21). He was ecstatic. The psalmist said this creature of the sea tin also exist ecstatic.

The volume of Job supplies additional insight. At that place, God, himself, described the joy animals experience. He mentioned the ostrich flapping its wings "joyously" (Job 39:13), and the beasts of the field "playing" in their environment (Task 40:20).

This isn't some strange concept to us. We have all seen animals playing. The testimony of Scripture and our own experience remind u.s. that animals are more than than automatons driven by instinct. They are beings with the capacity for joy.

ix. Animals teach us about the nature of justice

In Robert Bolt's play, A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More than delivers a brilliant summation of God's purpose for creating the angels, animals, plants, and humanity. Regarding animals, he observes God created them "for their innocence." It is difficult to find a better clarification of animals than this. Animals announced to lack the capacity for moral reflection. They simply do what they practise. Scripture supports this understanding. It was humans who ate from the tree of the cognition of adept and evil, not animals (Gen. 3:1-7).

This observation of beast innocence is not only of import for our agreement of animals. Information technology also helps usa understand our sense of justice. When we inquire why we are offended by cruelty to animals, we recognize we are reacting to an innate sense within us that is repulsed past wanton violations of their innocence and vulnerability. This recognition helps us understand some of our motivations for our criminal justice organization. When we punish acts of aggression against our fellow humans, we are responding to violations of their innocence and vulnerability. Such violations should be punished. Our sense of justice demands it.

Furthermore, we learn about divine justice from animals. State of israel'due south biblically mandated practice of substitutionary amende provides this lesson. Scripture teaches that rebellion confronting God is sin. God's holiness demands a penalty in response to this rebellion. In other words, God requires justice. Either the guilty person or an adequate substitute must answer for human sin. God created the sacrificial organization in Israel to assist his people empathize this reality. He commanded that this system regularly kill innocent animals in society to satisfy the demands of his divine justice (Lev. 16:1-34). The innocent animals would bear the sin of the people. This bloody brandish served as a symbol for what was even so to come—when the innocent Son of God would offer himself as the true, eternal, substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of all humanity (Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:ane-18).

10. Animals belong to God

Psalm 24:1 states without reservation—"The world is the Lord'south, and all it contains." This fact is repeated regularly in Scripture. While God commanded the first man and adult female to "rule over" every living thing (Gen. 1:26), He was not relinquishing buying of every living affair.

In fact, God did non relinquish ownership of anything (Col. ane:sixteen; Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:ten). He put the man and the woman in the Garden to "cultivate information technology and keep it" (Gen. 2:fifteen). He even gave humans authority over it, and after the Alluvion, he gave us all of the rest of creation for food. Only none of this assignment of authority and power included a transfer of ownership. Humans serve a stewardship role toward creation, not an ownership role (Gen. 2:15). This stewardship pertains to everything and is intended to include an attitude of respect (Lev. 25:3-v; Num. 35:33). The animals are subject to humans, but they are not ours to do with as we will. They vest to God (Job 41:eleven; Ps. 50:10-xi).

Conclusion

The reader will no doubtfulness notice that nearly of my biblical references are from the Hebrew Scriptures. When one looks to the New Testament for testify of the place of animals in God'southward creation, in that location is less to work with. There are adept reasons for this famine. First, the New Attestation is built on the revelation before information technology. It assumes the foundation of the Hebrew Scriptures. So, at that place is no need to repeat what has been previously stated. Unless the New Testament affirms that its teachings supervene upon the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures, we are to accept their infallible guidance and truth as nosotros do those of the New Testament. Second, the New Testament is dealing principally with the establishment of the church. The writings that contain it are mostly related to the immediate demands of this endeavor.

Drawing from this entire biblical witness, we tin make some of import conclusions most how to think about animals. First, we must recognize that animals may very well be co-inheritors with us of the new cosmos. When we consider that animals were part of God'southward original design for his creation, it is plausible that they are office of his eternal design, every bit well. In his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul said all of creation was subjected to the corrupting furnishings of the Fall and that the day is coming when it too shall be freed from this corruption (Rom. 8:18-22). There is no reason to suspect that animals are not function of this vision of a redeemed creation. The prophet Isaiah saw a twenty-four hours when humans and animals would live again in perfect harmony (Is. 11:6-9). The Apostle Paul may be telling us this is a vision of eternity, not only of the millennium.

I'll confess that I am not one who believes that animals become to heaven when they dice. I don't encounter any biblical prove for this. But given these statements from Isaiah and Paul, nosotros should requite more consideration to the place of animals in eternity. They may non be the same animals we have come to dearest in our lifetimes, only it seems they accept a future beyond the Fall. Whether we are talking only virtually the millennium or virtually all of eternity, animals deserve to be treated with the nobility such a future bestows.

2nd, we must lose some of our anthropocentric view of creation and replace it with a theocentric view, where God is engaged with all of creation, not merely humanity. While a theocentric view of creation should not crusade usa to equate humans with the residuum of creation, information technology should cause the states to treat the residual of creation with more respect. God is interested in all of creation, not only humans. After the Inundation, he covenanted with all flesh on the world, including the animals, never again to destroy the earth with a overflowing (Gen. 9:11-17). The fact that God would enter into a covenant with the animals tells us something of his love for them. We, therefore, should exist more concerned about all of cosmos, including animals, too.

Third, these biblical truths virtually animals mean we should be engaged in activities that assistance the balance of creation fulfill God's blueprint and interest in information technology. Possibly, we don't know all that means. For case, who would have guessed that God would apply the ravens to feed his prophet? He might very well be doing like things in some part of the world today. Consequently, we should help to empower cosmos, not as its slaves or its equals, but as its caretakers.

Fourth, nosotros must abandon unbiblical notions most animals and embrace a more than biblical view of our animal co-inhabitants. The Bible compels us to develop a improve appreciation and respect for them. I'm glad science is revealing many enlightening truths nigh the animal world. But it is clear that Scripture has already revealed much of what science is discovering. Animals are much more complex than they at start appear to be. We should do all nosotros can to ameliorate empathise them and their place in God's creation. It will not merely be expert for them, but us likewise.

God put animals on the planet and gave them a mandate as well. Office of the homo calling is to help them fulfill this mandate in a manner that enables them to achieve their full potential in creation. They not only enrich our lives. They point to the creator of all things. Animals are not merely worthy of our respect. They deserve it.

Barrett Duke

Barrett Duke is now the executive manager of the Montana Southern Baptist Convention. He is the former vice president for Public Policy and Inquiry at the Ethics & Religious Freedom Committee. Read More by this Author