Genesis 1:28 Animals
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living

By Marni Montanez

Genesis 1:28 New King James Version

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God created animals for a reason.  He found them pleasing and important to Him.

Luke 12:6 New International Version

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Genesis 1:25 New Life Version

25 Then God made the wild animals of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every thing that moves upon the ground after its kind. And God saw that it was good.

God gave us the responsibility to take care of the animals on the earth. This responsibility was issued when He instructed us to have dominion over the earth and over the animals.  We were given a book of instruction on how to care for His animals and this book, known as the Bible also gives us wisdom and understanding of God’s heart toward His created beings, all animals.  We are not here on earth in God’s place; we are here as an extension of His heart and will. We need to know what He requires and expects in caring for His valuable possessions. Obviously, animals are important enough to God for Him to mention them throughout the bible.  Look at scripture.

Proverbs 12:10 New Living Translation

The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.

Proverbs 27:23: Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds;

God is calling us to be godly and part of that is in the way we treat and care for His animals.  This is a very important job and requires a walk that is gentle and kind.

The Bible is very clear that we as humans need salvation because we are sinners.  Animals are not included in the need for salvation, and yet there is evidence that animals go to heaven and they are present on the new earth. People who have had the awesome experience of being in heaven for a brief period have witnessed animals of all kinds in heaven and some have even seen pets they had long ago and who had died.  

The Bible says that God is love and all that He does is through love; therefore His actions of love are not just for people, they are for all His creation which includes animals.      

Psalm 36:6 New Living Translation

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.

Psalm 145:9 New Living Translation

9 The Lord is good to everyone.   He showers compassion on all his creation.

In the beginning, God instructed humans to care for animals, but we have failed this task in many ways.  Animal cruelty is rampant all around the world. Animal cruelty is not God’s heart; He hates cruelty of any kind; especially against the weak and defenseless.  Animal cruelty is severe to the Lord and is stated in this verse:

Exodus 22:19 New King James Version

19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.”

God’s calling was for us to treat His creation with the utmost dignity, respect and compassion which is stated inIsaiah 40:11: Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

God intentionally created animals knowing our need for them.  We as humans could learn a great deal from animals: even God knows this when it is stated in Job 12:7 New International Version

7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

To God animals are precious and important. He has created them in such a way that resembles Christian characteristics. They represent a key truth in what Christians should act like.

We are supposed to be stewards of what God possesses; this includes animals.

Psalms 50:10-11:

"For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine.”

Too many Christians judge the heart of Christian animal lovers and yet it is God’s heart to love and care for animals.  

If we don’t have God’s heart regarding animals then we will misunderstand our role as keepers of the earth blinded by the fact that we are just as vulnerable as they are.

Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 New King James Version

For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.

All of God’s creatures are allowed and have the greatest opportunity on earth; to worship God.

In the following verse it is obvious the value that God puts on animals, allowing them to worship Him alongside of human beings.  

Revelation 5:13 New King James Version

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Challenge: Pray for God’s heart regarding animals and our role in their lives.  

God bless,

Marni

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The purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.