We love our animals at Makanalani. They are a constant delight (even when they are sometimes a trial) & always a reminder of the goodness of God.
We thought it would be fun over the next few days to look at animals in the bible. The people of that time lived close to nature & interacted with their animals every day. The animals were a source of food & clothing & we important to the well being of the community, just as they are today.
And where better to begin than Genesis & the creation of all the creatures of the world?
From Genesis 1: 14-25:
14 Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. 15 Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. 16 God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, 18 to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. 25 God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Here we are surrounded by the fish the fill the sea & the birds that fill the air. And, of course, our livestock who provide for us & the wild animals that are our delight.
And for all of this & more, we praise God.
