God created animals before he created man, and placed them in the perfect serenity that was then earth. He has breathed the same breath of life into all living beings from the beginning of time through today. Adam, the first man was formed by God’s hands from the clay of the earth in God’s own image, and was given the directive to care for the earth and her inhabitants.
Our generous and caring God then decided that it was not good for man to be alone and he created a being from Adam’s rib to be a help meet for him. Besides procreation, I am up in the air about how much help woman has been to mankind. The first event recorded in the Bible following Eve’s creation is a conversation she has with an animal that not only talks, but appears to have outwitted her quite easily.
Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV)
1: Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2: And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Conclusions:
1. The serpent knew about the tree of life.
2. The serpent knew God.
3. Eve was not surprised by a talking animal.
4. Eve and Adam both were very quickly persuaded to disobey God.
My questions: Was the serpent a spiritual being or an animal inhabitated by a spiritual being? Is “that old serpent” found in the Book of Revelation and the physical serpent from the Garden of Eden one and the same?
The second talking animal is not as well known, but the story of Balaam’s ass, tucked away in the book of Numbers, teaches us about ourselves, God, angels and animals.
Balaam is a non-Israelite prophet who had a reputation in the day of successfully cursing enemies. As the tribes of Israel are sweeping through the promised land, destroying all in their path; Balaam is called upon by a Moabite king to curse them and save his city. Balaam actually talks to God, and is told by God that he must not go to curse the Israelites because they are blessed. After some transactions with the Moabites, Balaam decides to go, and this is what happens on the way.
Numbers 22:21-33 (KJV)
21: And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22: And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23: And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24: But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25: And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26: And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28: And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29: And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30: And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
31: Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32: And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
Conclusions:
1. The animal could see spiritual beings the humans could not.
2. The ass had independent thoughts which were spoken when God opened her mouth. The words spoken sound decidedly female.
3. Balaam did not seem surprised that the ass spoke, and he answered her back rather rudely.
4. The angel of the Lord had contemplated killing Balaam.
5. Disobeying God may cause your path to be blocked, and we cannot see what the blockage is.
Questions:
Do we have angels around us today with swords drawn? If so, can our pets see them? Could there be more to animals’ intellect than we are willing to admit? As descendants of man and woman, are we taking care of our earth co-inhabitants as we should today?
Reference:
- www.biblegateway.com/ ; Free searchable Bible with an impressive number of different translations and languages. www.blueletterbible.org/ ;- a great searchable Bible site with study guides, daily devotions, commentary and more.
