Part Two: “Why Did God Create So Many Animals if Only a
Few of Them Benefit People?” *
I recently
heard the host of a well-known, nationally broadcast, talk radio program make
this statement: “There is no reason for animals to exist unless people exist.” Although there is no doubt that God had
the human race in mind when He created the earth (Ps. 115:16) and that humans
are the “crown” of creation (Ps. 8:4-8), his comment was both presumptuous and overly human-centered. Nor can
it be substantiated in Scripture. As we move along in this series, I will demonstrate
that animals are extremely important to God. In fact much of the earth was created
to be a home for wild animals.
Nevertheless,
the pundit’s remark does raise a valid
question. Did God create all the animals that inhabit the planet solely for
human use and pleasure? To it put differently, if animals have no purpose
except to serve people, why did God create so many varieties that have
absolutely no instrumental value for humans?
To answer these questions, we must begin with
the Bible’s earliest comments on the relationship between humans and animals.
According
to the biblical narrative, God created animals and the first humans on the same
day—and in that order. Sometime afterwards He placed Adam in the Garden of Eden
to “work it and take care of it” (Gen. 2:15). Because it was “not good for the
man to be alone,” God brought “all the beasts of the field and all the birds of
the air” for Adam to name and to be his “helper” (18-19). We’re not told how
long, but for a spell animals were Adam’s only companions. God knew all along,
however, that animals would not be a “suitable helper” for Adam, so God created
Eve (20b-22).
At
this point in incipient human history, assuming the Genesis narrative is in
chronological order, animals continued to be the first couple’s only
companions, until Adam
and Eve were banished from the Garden and had children (3:23 - 4:2). In fact
humans and animals probably continued to enjoy peaceful relationships for many
generations beyond Adam and Eve. There
is no biblical record of antagonism between humans and wild animals in the
first eight chapters of Genesis. It wasn’t until after the
worldwide flood, which occurred during Noah’s generation, that humans began to
eat animals—and that animals began to fear humans (Gen. 9:2-3).
There
are two significant things revealed in this account. First, God’s intended
relationship between people and animals was one of companionship and peaceful
co-existence. Second, animals were not only companions they were also “helpers.”
Apparently, God intended for some animals to become domesticated and serve the
human race: “Abel kept flocks,” Genesis 4:2 tells us, probably to provide wool
for clothing and perhaps milk for food.
Domestication
reached new heights when wild canines became more than helpers, when they
became our friends. They initiated a remarkably new relationship between humans
and animals; the first of an amazing menagerie of creature that over the
centuries would become our pets: cats, horses, hamsters, rats, monkeys, rabbits,
parakeets, parrots, fish, turtles, lizards, snakes, and even insects (think ant
“farms”) have been welcomed into our homes. Some of you can add to this list.
Nevertheless,
the Genesis account doesn’t explain why God created so many “kinds” of animals
that are of no benefit to humanity—and sometimes a nuisance. The animals
most of us are familiar with represent only a tiny fraction of the total number
of creatures that inhabit the earth. Tens of thousands of incredibly amazing
and wonderfully diverse animal species have so far been scientifically named, and
it is estimated there may be many millions more yet to be discovered. Considering these statistics, it seems
evident that God had other purposes in mind than just serving humanity and
providing us pleasure when He created so many animals. I believe He also
created them for His own good pleasure, His own enjoyment (Ps. 104:31).
The Bible
clearly teaches that God loves, finds joy in, and carefully provides for the
survival and welfare of non-human life—not above, but independent of His
even greater love, joy in, and provision for human life (Ps. 36:6). We’ll look at the biblical evidence for this
beginning in my next article. ©
* The blog articles in this series are adapted
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