God’s two greatest commands are to 1) love God with all our strength, and 2) love our neighbor as ourselves. God created all of us- people and animals- for His glory. God’s living creatures might crawl, walk, run, fly, or slither. But regardless of how we look or how we get around, we’re all part of God’s creation and We all have a divine purpose.
And God wants us to take care of His animals; regardless of how many legs they have!
God’s Amazing Creation
Think about all the different animals in the world that God has created! Scientists estimate that nearly 8.7 million species of different animals populate the earth today. God created animals to show his power and creativity.
There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn.
~ ~ ~
And take some of them green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
Don’t you forget my unicorn”
God’s Variety of Animals Fulfill God’s Special Purposes
God created animals because in the Old Testament he used them for sacrifice and food.
But people did something terrible. They made them into idols. The Israelites worshipped the golden calf, the Egyptians worshiped snakes and crocodiles. God got angry when people worshipped animals because that represented running away from him. We humans re-purposed animals for our own misguided and selfish purposes, but God has other plans.
Throughout the Bible, we can see the role that animals played in the story of God’s people: both how God used them for His special purposes, and how we misused them for our sinful purposes:
- A Raven was the first to be let out of Noah’s Ark during the flood.
- Samson used the jawbone of a donkey to slay 1000 men.
- The snake tricked Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
- Daniel was thrown into the Lions Den.
- After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove.
- Jesus used money in a fish to pay taxes.
Results
Wow- Got ’em all right!!!
Missed something…. try again.
#1. To what animal was Zechariah referring when he wrote: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a ___”
Donkey
This is from the “Palm Sunday” prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9…
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, NIV
#2. Who gave Peter a four-drachma coin to pay for the Temple Tax?
A Fish
Matthew 17:26-27…
Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” NIV
#3. Where was a Raven when it flew out of a window?
On a boat with Noah
As the flood waters began to recede, Noah sent out a raven and then a dove to see if they could find dry land.
Genesis 8:6
After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. NIV
#4. What did God order some ravens to do?
Bring Food to Elijah
There was a famine, and God ordered the ravens to bring Elijah food…
1 Kings 17:2-4
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” NIV
#5. Who got told off by a donkey?
Balaam
Tip: “Balak” ends with a “K”…. as in “King.” Balaam ends with a “M”…. as in “Messenger.”
The story is in Numbers 22:28-30…
28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said. NIV
God’s Loving Purposes for Us
God made animals so uniquely. Just like us, God made us so special, so unique and so perfect in His image. That’s why we have to see ourselves in that way. He gave each of us a special purpose. And remember that MY PURPOSE IS NOT YOUR PURPOSE (see Isaiah 55:8-9).
God spoke through the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah to remind the Israelites that He still (and always) had good plans for them; even as they were being exiled to Babylon….
So how do we respond to this?
Embrace the talents and gifts that God gave you and use them to “prosper other people and to give them a future and hope“.
Yes, YOU can make a positive impact in the world. God created you for that reason. We are unique, beautiful, important, and can achieve anything we want, with God leading the way.
The Most Important Animal
Here are some “fun facts” about some of the animals that God created:
- Octopus have 3 hearts and have blue blood
- Owls don’t have eyeballs, they have eye-tubes
- Polar bears have black skin to absorb heat
- Butterflies taste with their feet
- Reindeers eyes turn blue in winter to help see with lower light
- Squirrels can’t burp
- Kangaroos can’t walk or jump backwards
- Frogs (my favorite) can be frozen several times cause they’re cold blooded.
Each animal has different strengths, weaknesses, and purposes. But what is the most important animal? (click below for the answer)…
Most Important Animal? Click Here
The Lamb!
God gave Jesus to be killed like a lamb for our sins, so that we can live forever. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:29 and Genesis 22:7-8). The Lamb of God shows innocence, purity and gentleness. Jesus paid the ultimate price, so we can belong to His Kingdom.
We praise Him for his love and His protection. We praise Him for His healing and when trouble comes and He hides us under His wings.
Praise Him for everything that he’s done and for everything that he’s created. Even the littlest bug, has a purpose in this world.
Amen? Amen
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