Appeared in The Watchtower January 15, 2006

Animal Creation
Magnifies Jehovah

JEHOVAH’S grandeur is evident in the

animal kingdom. God takes good care of
the animals, even as he makes
provision for mankind. (Psalm 145:16)

Image Credits:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Katta_Lemur_catta.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Mam%C3%ADferos.jpg
 They Need No Human Help ALTHOUGH the man Job
was upright, he did declare
“his own soul righteous
(Job 38:39-41) . . . “Can you hunt prey for a rather than God.” So Job
had lessons to learn!—Job
lion itself And can you satisfy the lively
32:2; 33:8-12; 34:5.
appetite of young lions, When they crouch in
the hiding places, [Or] keep lying in the covert Examples drawn from animal
for an ambush? Who prepares for the raven its creation showed Job that
food When its own young ones cry to God for humans are in no position to
question God’s ways. How
help, [When] they keep wandering about
clear that becomes when we
because there is nothing to eat?”. . . consider Jehovah’s words to
his servant Job.

JOB could not answer God’s

questions about animal life.
(Job 38:39-41) Clearly, it is
without human help that
Jehovah provides for the lion
and the raven. Although
ravens fly about in search of
food, they really get their food
from God.—Luke 12:24.
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/foxypar4/1314238924
They Need No Human Help

(Job 39:1-8) . . .“Have you come

to know the appointed time for
the mountain goats of the crag
to give birth? . . . Their sons
become robust, they get big in
the open field ”. . .

JOB WAS stumped when God

asked him about wild animals.
(Job 39:1-8)
No human can protect the
mountain goats and the hinds, or
female deer. Why, it is hard
even to get near mountain
IT IS by God-given instinct that a hind secludes herself in the goats! (Psalm 104:18)
forest when about to give birth. She gives her young proper
care, but when they “become robust,” they “go forth and do not
return.” Then they are on their own.

Image Credit: http://flickr.com/matyra/762545522

 They Need No Human Help
. . . “Who sent forth the zebra free, And who loosened the very bands of
the wild ass, . . . It laughs at the turmoil of a town; The noises of a
stalker it does not hear. It explores mountains for its pasturage And after
every sort of green plant it seeks ”. . . . (Job 39:1-8)
THE ZEBRA runs
free, and the
desert plain is
home to the wild
ass. Job could not
use the wild ass to
bear burdens. It
seeks “every sort
of green plant,”
exploring the hills
for pasturage. This
animal will not
exchange its
freedom for more
easily obtained
food in towns. “The
noises of a stalker
it does not hear,”
for the wild ass
darts away if a man
invades its domain.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Wild_ass_group_female.jpg
 Winged Creatures Magnify Jehovah

(Job 39:13-18) . . . “Has the wing of the female ostrich flapped joyously, Or [has
she] the pinions of a stork and the plumage? For she leaves her eggs to the earth
itself And in the dust she keeps them warm, . . . She does treat her sons roughly,
as if not hers— In vain is her toil [because she has] no dread. For God has made
her forget wisdom, And he has not given her a share in understanding. At the time
she flaps [her wings] on high, She laughs at the horse and at its rider”. . .

UNLIKE the stork, the ostrich does not place her eggs in a
nest built in a tree. (Psalm 104:17) She scoops out a hollow in
the sand and lays her eggs there. But this bird does not
abandon the eggs. Covered with sand, the eggs are kept at a
suitable temperature while both male and female tend them. It
may seem that the ostrich ‘forgets wisdom’ when she detects
danger from a predator and appears to run away. However, An
Encyclopedia of Bible Animals says:
“This is a distraction technique: [ostriches] will make
themselves conspicuous and flap their wings to attract the
attention of any animal or person who threatens, and thus lead
them away from the eggs.” Image Credit:
http://flickr.com/photos/stignygaard/2441780894
 God Gives the Horse
Mightiness

(Job 39:19-25). . . “Can you give to the horse

mightiness? . . . Can you cause it to leap like a
locust? The dignity of its snorting is frightful. It
paws in the low plain and exults in power; It goes
forth to meet armor. It laughs at dread, and is not
terrified; Nor does it turn back on account of a
sword. . .With pounding and excitement it swallows
up the earth, And it does not believe that it is the
sound of a horn. As soon as the horn blows it says
Aha! And from far off it smells the battle, The
uproar of chiefs and the war cry”. . .

GOD NEXT asked Job about the horse. In ancient

times, warriors fought on horseback, and horses
pulled chariots carrying a driver and perhaps two
soldiers. Impatient for battle, a warhorse neighs
and beats the ground with its hooves. It is not
terrified and does not turn back on account of a
sword. At the sound of the horn, the warhorse
reacts as though saying, “Aha!” It surges ahead,
‘swallowing up the ground.’ Yet, the warhorse
obeys its rider.
Image Credit:
http://Flickr.com/photos/Ninjapoodles/505423365
 Consider the Falcon and the Eagle

(Job 39:26) . . . “Is it owing to your

understanding that the falcon soars up, That
it spreads its wings to the south wind?”. . .

JEHOVAH turned his attention to certain

other birds. (Job 39:26-30) Falcons ‘soar up
and spread their wings to the wind.’ Citing
the peregrine falcon as the fastest-flying
bird, The Guinness Book of Records says
that it “reaches record speed levels when
swooping from great heights during
territorial displays, or when catching prey in
midair.” This bird has reached a speed of
217 miles per hour [349 km/hr] at a 45-
degree angle of descent!

Image Credit: http://Flickr.com/photos/Mikebaird/2507352554

 Behemoth Glorifies
God
AGAIN turning his attention to
animal creation, God asked Job
about Behemoth, generally
identified as the hippopotamus.
(Job 40:15-24) A full-grown hippo
may be from 12 to 15 feet [4 to 5
m] long and may weigh up to
8,000 pounds [3,600 kg].
Behemoth’s “power is in its
hips”—the muscles in its back.
The thick hide of its belly is a real
Behemoth climbs out of the river to feast on “green grass.”
advantage as short-legged
Why, the greenery of an entire mountain seems necessary to Behemoth drags its body over
sustain it! Some 200 to 400 pounds [90-180 kg] of vegetation stones in riverbeds. Surely a man
go into its stomach every day. Its appetite satisfied, Behemoth
lies under lotus trees or in the shade of poplars. If the river it
is no match for Behemoth, with its
lives in overflows, the hippo can keep its head above water massive body, huge mouth, and
and swim against a deluge. Confronted with Behemoth’s powerful jaws.
mammoth mouth and formidable tusks, Job would not have
the audacity to pierce its nose with a hook.

Image Credit: http://Flickr.com/photos/Silentkids/

 Leviathan Brings God Praise

JOB NEXT heard about Leviathan. (Job 41:1-34) The Hebrew word denotes “a wreathed animal”—apparently
the crocodile.
Could Job make Leviathan a plaything for children? Definitely not! Encounters with this creature have repeatedly
proved that it is dangerous. Indeed, if a man were to lay a hand on Leviathan, the struggle would likely be so
great that he would never do that again!
As Leviathan lifts its head above water at sunrise, its eyes flash “like the beams of dawn.”

Leviathan’s scales are tightly closed,

and embedded in its hide are bony
plates hard to pierce with bullets, much
less with swords and spears.

Sharp scales on a crocodile’s belly leave

the impression of “a threshing
instrument” on mud banks.

Its fury in water stirs up a froth like

foaming ointment. And because of its
size, armor, and weapons—a
threatening mouth and powerful tail—
Leviathan knows no fear.

Image Credit:
http://flickr.com/photos/nidhingpoothully/2297965428
Job Makes a Retraction

JOB acknowledged that he ‘talked but

did not understand things too
wonderful for him.’ (Job 42:1-3)

He accepted God’s correction, made a

retraction, and repented. His
companions were rebuked, but he was
greatly blessed.—Job 42:4-17.

How wise it is to bear Job’s experience

in mind! We cannot possibly answer all
the questions God asked him.
However, we can and should show
appreciation for the many and varied
creative marvels that magnify
Jehovah.