Man & Beast
(Symbiotic Relationship)
Genesis 24:11
And [he made the camels kneel down] outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and [fill the earth and subdue it,] and [have "dominion" over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the
earth.”]
Naming-
Man's naming the animals was a part of his "dominion" as the head of creation (1:26-28).
He lost this dominion because of sin (Psalm 8), but we have regained it through Christ (Hebrews 2:5).
2:19-20
Now out of the ground [the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens] and brought them to the man to see what he would call them.
And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
The man gave names to all [livestock] and to the birds of the heavens and to every [beast of the field.] But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
Psalm 32:9
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, [which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.
(stubborn animals needed to be broken)
A Place of Goodness:
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
You cause [the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food] from the earth.
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.
The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.
Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.
These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
(Psalm 104:10-11, 14, 16-18, 21, 23, 25, 27)
"He provides life, water, food and homes for man and beast and also the birds, and He sees to it they are cared for."
-Warren Wiersbe
Deuteronomy 8
"When we neglect His word, He must remind us that His word is our very life. If we love Him and feed on His word, we will rejoice in Him and not just in His gifts."
We need things to live, and God provides these things for us; but acquiring things must not be the main goal of life.
The solution is to put God first and start living with eternity's values in view.
Psalm 23
"The Good Shepherd"
He will never lead you where He cannot care for you.
Matthew 6:11, 25-26, 31
"Give us this day our daily bread"
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
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Genesis 2:10
[A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden,] and there it divided and became [four rivers.]
Genesis 9:3
[Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.] And as I gave you [the green plants,] I give you everything.
some things (creatures), were considered clean and unclean.
Unclean:
Carrion (carnivorous, scavenger) and predatory eaters (aka Man eaters), and scavengers.
Examples of Carrion/Predatory and Sea creatures (Non-Fiction):
Daniel 6:16-17, 19-24
Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
--->[My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me,] because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den.
--->So [Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.]
And the king commanded, and [those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions]—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, [the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.]
Jonah 1:17
And "the Lord appointed" a great fish "to swallow up Jonah." And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2:10
And "the Lord spoke to the fish," and "it vomited Jonah out" upon the dry land.
(Web addresses/Jpg links @ bottom of page under resources ie; Great White Shark & Sperm Whale)
In listing the animals that should not be eaten, God forbids the consumption of scavengers and carrion eaters, which devour other animals for their food.
Leviticus Chapters 11-15
focuses on the concept of "clean and unclean" in the areas of Food Ch. 11, Birth Ch. 12, Diseases Ch. 13-14, & Normal bodily functions Ch. 15
(We'll be focusing on Foods Forbidden, and unclean animals)
Foods permitted and Forbidden:
Leviticus 11:4-7
Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you "shall not eat" these:
The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.
11:10, 12-20
But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you. Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you. “And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. “All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you.
However, vs. 21-22 support this cross reference in Matthew-
Matthew 3:4
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and "his food was locusts and wild honey."
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Unclean animals:
Leviticus 11:26-27, 29-31
Every animal that parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. And all that walk on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, “And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, the great lizard of any kind, the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are unclean to you among all that swarm. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening.
11:42, 44-47
Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, any swarming thing that swarms on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable.
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
Why does God identify some animals as suitable for human consumption and others as unsuitable? God didn't give laws to arbitrarily assert control over people. He gave His laws (including those of which meats are clean or unclean) "that it might be well" with those who seek to obey Him.
God's people have three responsibilities when it comes to His commandments: hear them, learn them, and do them.
God's law are clear and simple; man's laws are complex.
Deuteronomy 5:29
"Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!"
This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.
Defilement-
Although the laws certainly served a practical hygienic purpose, there was also a spiritual principle involved.
As God's people, Israel had to be separated from everything that God called "unclean."
Other nations might be able to do those things, but the Jews could not (44-45).
Discernment-
The dietary laws were temporary (Mark 7:14-23; Acts 10:9-18; 1st Timothy 4:1-5), but the principle is permanent: believers must have discernment & avoid what is unclean
(2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 1:9-11; Hebrews 5:14).
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Resources-
http://www.ucg.org/booklet/what-does-bible-teach-about-clean-and-unclean-meats/which-animals-clean-or-unclean/
ie; Jonah
Great White-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1540443/Man-swallowed-by-great-white-says-it-was-like-being-trapped-in-a-cave.html
JPG (Link to photo)-
http://scienceblogs.com/lifelines/files/2014/01/13243547332073393725diving-with-great-white-sharks.jpg
Young great white sharks eat fish, rays, and other sharks. Adults eat larger prey, including pinnipeds (sea lions and seals), small toothed whales (like belugas), otters, and sea turtles. They also eat carrion (dead animals that they have found floating dead in the water).
Sperm Whale-
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1991/PSCF12-91Davis.html
JPG (Link to photo)-
http://whaleman.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/sperm-whale.jpg
Sperm whales are known to eat giant and colossal size
squid, octopus, cephalopods, cuddle fish and a variety of other fish.
Their primary diet however consists mainly of squid.
ie; Daniel
Lions-
Because lions are carnivores they eat all the meat they can find. When the lionesses hunt they look for herds so there's more of a chance for the kill. Lions mainly eat zebras, antelope, birds, lizards and the occasional elephant. It is said, like dogs, lions eat grass too for a balanced meal, but only when relaxing and hungry.
JPG (link to photo)-
http://www.todayifoundout.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lions.jpg
No humans on the Menu! Not that these three very different creatures (Shark-elasmobranch chondrichthyans, cartilaginous fishes)
/mammals, are NOT capable of attacking, consuming/ devouring and swallowing humans, but it is NOT part of their normal diet.
Isaiah 11:6
"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them."
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Recommendations-
http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Book-Bible-about-Fitness/dp/0964425351
