Dan Story photograph
God Values Nature Independent of (but Never Equal to or Above) People
This is the fifth sub-doctrine of creation that supports Christian environmentalism.
The Bible does not teach that God created the earth solely for or human consumption and comfort. Rather, Scripture reveals that nature has value to God independent of humanity. Indeed, God created far more plants and animals than human beings could possibly need for survival. Why? For His own good pleasure—for His own enjoyment (Ps. 104:31–32). This is nowhere more evident than in God’s love, provision for, and delight in the animals He created—both wild and domesticated. The biblical fact is God has great concern for the welfare of animals—and all of nature—and He expects people to model His attitude. The following survey of Bible passages clearly demonstrates this.
Biblical Evidence
God created a world designed to support animal life as well as human (Ps. 36:6; Isa. 43:20). Jesus said that it is God who feeds the ravens and other birds (Matt. 6:26; Luke 12:24). Before the first creatures were spoken into existence, God created vegetation to produce “plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds” (Gen. 1:12). Thus, food and shelter were available when animal life began to inhabit the earth (Gen. 1:30). After their creation, God charged the sea life, the birds of the air, and land dwelling “livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals” to multiply and fill the seas and cover the earth (Gen. 1:20–25).
Prior to the worldwide Flood, God took great care to save both wild and domesticated animals by placing them in the ark with Noah and his family (Gen. 6:19–7:3). God didn’t recreate animal life after the Flood—He preserved it. Later, when the flood waters had receded and the animals were released to repopulate the earth (Gen. 8:17–18), God made a covenant that included all animal life, human and nonhuman—as well as the entire Earth (Gen. 9:8–11, 13.)
The Prophet Hosea spoke of another covenant that would occur in the distant, eschatological future that will also include animals:
In that day I will make a covenant for them
with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air
and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle
I will abolish from the land,
So that all may lie down in safety (2:18).
The Old Testament, animals have more than incidental roles in the affairs of people. Part of King Solomon’s wisdom was that “He . . . taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish” (1 Kings 4:33). Job told his accusers that people can learn from fish, birds, and other animals (12:7–8). Sometimes God used animals for specific and unusual purposes. When God instructed the prophet Elijah to go into hiding, He used ravens to bring him food (1 Kings 17:1–6). God used a great fish to save Jonah’s life (Jon. 1:17) and a small fish to provide the money for Jesus and Peter to pay the temple tax (Matt. 17:24–27). Wild animals even accompanied Jesus during His temptation in the wilderness (Mark 1:13). And, strangest of all, in the account of Balaam and his donkey, it was the donkey—not Balaam—that saw the angel sent to prevent Balaam from doing evil (Num. 22).
God further demonstrated His love and care for animals, alongside His love and care for people, in the Sabbath year instructions given to the Israelites. Every seven years they were told not to plow their fields or harvest their crops so that poor people “and the wild animals may eat what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove” (Exod. 23:10–11; cf. Lev. 25:1–7). Elsewhere Moses stated, “If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go” (Deut. 22:6-7).
God is equally concerned that people treat domesticated animals humanely. This is expressed in Proverbs 12:10, “A righteous man cares for the need of his animal.” Similarly, Moses wrote, “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest” (Exod. 23:12). Elsewhere Moses wrote, “If you see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help him get it to its feet” (Deut. 22:4). Even the Ten Commandments have a provision to care for domesticated animals (Exod. 20:9–10). In short, God requires humane treatment for wild and domesticated animals.
A fascinating—but less familiar—example of God’s concern for domesticated animals is found in Jonah. After the prophet warned the Ninevites that they would be destroyed in forty days unless they repented, the King of Nineveh decreed that not only the people but the domestic animals fast and be covered with sackcloth (Jonah 3:7–8). Later, after the Ninevites repented, God conversed with Jonah (who was still angry because the hated Assyrians were spared) and revealed His compassion not only for the people but for the animals: “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?” (4:11 NASB).
Why does God express such heartfelt and earnest concern for non-human life, and what does He expect from people? This will be the subject of next week’s blog article. ©
* The blog articles in this series are adapted from my book Should Christians Be Environmentalists? published by Kregel Publications in 2012. The blog articles do not contain all the chapters, data, quotes, references, or my personal experiences, which the book includes. So, for “the rest of the story” you will need to purchase the book, which is available in both paperback and Kindle. This and the following articles are copyrighted material and may not be reproduced in book or article form. But feel free to send links to those on your personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, Twitter followers, or other people who may enjoy them.