LAND ANIMALS

Original Post Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008

And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:24-25

Listen to how God categorizes this day’s creation: livestock, creatures that move along the ground and wild animals. From the very beginning, some animals were destined to be domestic. Farming and grazing were ordained before the Fall of Man.

This brings up a good question, however. We know from the biblical account of Creation and the Flood that mankind did not eat meat until after the Flood (Gen. 1:30, 9:3). If this is the case, why would God have ordained the keeping of livestock when He created animals? I believe it was for the benefit of animal byproducts. Wool, milk and horns could be utilized in various ways. Then, when an animal died, their hide could be used for clothing and their bones to fashion tools. Besides, the animal feces could be used as fertilizer to aid in growing the plants that humans did eat at the time.

The old saying, “Waste not, want not,” probably played a major role in human survival during this time. It’s too bad that we’ve lost that cultural value here in America.