A. Overall Lesson Objective

B. Learning Competencies

C. Lesson

Like other facets of God’s creation, living things show the handiwork of God. The smallest children begin to observe them. Living things are the subject of numerous disciplines and professions. However, at the foundation of any activity is observing. Observing from a biblical creation point of view makes a difference, because the purpose, diversity, even speciation within kinds speaks of God’s handiwork.

The consequences of the Fall and the Genesis Flood affect what we see and what is happening among living things. This perspective is unique. Although the ‘kinds’ are not accidents and continue within their ‘kinds,’ other things are not going right. Extinctions or overruns of species are frequent. The imbalances cause problems that are not “good,” which was God’s pronouncement of His creation before the Fall. Imbalances are frequently too complex to fully understand. With all this occurring, we rely on living things as a primary food source in addition to vegetation, so managing some living things is essential.

As a reminder: vegetation, while it is ‘alive’ in a biological sense, is not considered as one of the “living creatures” (nephesh chayyah) in a biblical framework. At the beginning as described in Genesis, vegetation was the primary food source. It does not, however, have the “breath of life” that the Bible’s “living creatures” have.

Other observable changes among living things are evident from the consequences of the Fall and the Genesis Flood. Animals have an innate fear and dread of man; death and predatory practices are common but did not exist at the beginning. (While there is a lot of media attention to these practices that are usually portrayed as ‘natural,’ they were not present before the Fall.)

Some ‘kinds’ and various species within ‘kinds’ are missing today. We know this from the fossil record from the period of the Flood. A large extinction event probably occurred after the Flood, when the atmosphere and surface of the earth took several hundred years to stabilize. Small but growing and moving populations of many living things were under severe duress during this period, which included the Ice Age. Some did not survive (covered in Unit 2, Lesson 10).

Nevertheless, there is so much to observe today among living things that remain. Without observation, learning about them is severely hindered, and our ability to properly govern what we have is incomplete. If living things are not observed from a biblical creation perspective, however, priorities and motivations to oversee them can easily be misplaced or be outright mistaken. Everything begins with what we see (observing) and from what perspective we see it.

The Scripture does not leave us with a description of living things that is limited to Genesis. We have many examples of living things mentioned in Job and Psalms. Two particular living things in Job are now extinct, but they were readily observable in Job’s day. The descriptions of these two creatures (one sea creature and one land creature) are quite detailed. We will read the pertinent verses. Regardless of the living thing being discussed, however, all of them point to His great ability and power.

The portions of Scripture to read are longer in this section but they are well worth a careful review.

Job 12:7-10. Although Job laments the success of those not in a bed of suffering as he is, he makes note that living creatures teach us, because their life and breath comes from God. He includes other aspects of creation as well. It is a powerful statement about how God teaches through His creation.

Job 38 to 40. These three chapters, which we have examined in part in previous lessons, have a wealth of comment about living things that comes directly from God in ‘first person’ speech. Part of God’s argument with Job uses examples of living things. Note that God’s treatment of His creation shows a variety of descriptive terms that are delivered with feeling and emphasis. God is obviously not a dry uninterested specialist. He is not an innocuous, impersonal god. Rather, He is our Personal God, describing His creation to make a point. And, the book is preserved so that we understand the same points: we are surrounded with things He has created; they speak of Him in terms of His care, detail, oversight, power, and majesty. We are unable to understand or consider creating this array of living creatures; we are created beings ourselves. The descriptions are an antithesis to the popular evolutionary view of living things.

Job 38:39-41. He provides food for the lioness and ravens.

Job 39:1-4. He states awareness of mountain goat birth, including counting months until birth occurs.

Job 39:5-8. The wild donkey’s personality and homestead are of God’s making.

Job 39:9-12. Characteristics and behavior of the wild ox are described. [Research note: unicorn is used in the King James translation.]

Job 39:13-18. The ostrich is described. It includes a description of his created lack of sense.

Job 39:19-25. The horse is described in powerful terms by God, who designed him with specific traits.

Job 39:26-30. The hawk and eagle are described.

Job 40:15-24. The behemoth is described as the largest grass eater on land, with a tail like a cedar tree. This seems to only fit one of the very large dinosaur types, now extinct. God makes the point that He created this creature along with us, so it is clearly understood that man was created at the time and with the same Author at work. In this case, God says in a very personal challenging way, ‘Look…’ at this creature. Then He describes what to look at. [Research note: what about dinosaurs?]

Job 41: all. God ends His ‘argument’ or case with a detailed set of verses on the leviathan. This creature is also clearly unlike anything around today. The description could fit the extinct Sarcosuchus, a super-large marine crocodile that would have left marks in the mud as described in the verses. He had massive body armor in the form of huge interjoined scales (verses 15-17). The text indicates that he and the behemoth were still around for Job to observe. This creature is truly amazing. God provides considerable detail; He does so with poetic flair and with completely accurate adjectives that speak of the creature’s outstanding or notable features. It is the closing description of this creature that brings Job to reply directly to the Lord and to repent.

[Research note: behemoth and then leviathan. Ensure that you have discovered how it is possible for organisms to generate heat-producing chemical reactions.]

🦕 CT? Did human beings in Job’s day live alongside dinosaurs or live near seas with great (not then extinct) sea creatures? Answer, and support your answer from Genesis 1 and Job 41.

🦕 CT? Explain the meaning of Job 40:15? Biblically support your answer.

Psalm 104:10-14, 17-18, 20-22, 24-29. The psalm records the praiseworthy creation of earth that is the home for living creatures that rely on food and water sources provided by God. Donkeys, birds, cattle, mountain goats and sea creatures are mentioned.

Psalms 147:9, 148:7-10. Both psalms are in the context of praise that is due to God because of His provision for created life. Cattle, ravens, sea creatures, small creatures, and birds are mentioned. [Research note: consider that in a post-Fall world, God is given glory for providing even the prey of animals that are now meat-eaters, like lions. See How did bad things come about?]

There is strong reason to consider observing living creatures from a biblical view. Nearly all media portrays living things as a product of evolutionary development and states factual sounding comparisons between human and animal behavior, because we supposedly came from the same source. This facet of programming is so thorough that children and adults grow up with this understanding. This is far from biblical creation truth. Living things were created; they are meant to be observed because they show God’s handiwork. They are not, however, on the same plane as man and never will be. Many animals, as said above, are food sources as permitted by God after the Genesis Flood (Genesis 9:3).

Predatory behaviors and animal mistreatment (from natural or manmade conditions) can be observed, but they are part of the consequences of sin in a fallen world. These behaviors are not natural, any more than death was originally intended. As a result, observing from a biblical view can teach the observer about God’s variety and manifold greatness, as well as a world affected by sin and death.

Observing from a biblical view also shows the extent of God’s variety. The colors, textures, anatomy, behavior, and habitat are all there for observation and study. When children get older, the studies can be more serious, because so many animals are in habitats that are interdependent while some are food sources. Problems and issues abound in complex environments. Harvesting technologies and practices need attention. The list of things to observe and study is endless.

Observing starts with children being taught to see from a right perspective. As people gain ability to write and record observations, disciplined habits of measuring, studying and analyzing can be developed. These are not just for a specialist; it is for people who are around living things or live in the same habitat. The biblical perspective helps and encourages proper oversight and governing, whether the area of concern is a backyard, a farm, a park, the seas, or the wild.

🦕 CT? Discuss the results of the assignment for the class. Note the variety that is evident in God’s created living things, since the extremes are documented from the assignment answers.

D. Assignment

Describe in two paragraphs the way in which a person, whom you can observe for one day, can be assessed with respect to whether he/she is godly or ungodly. You want to determine if he/she can safely play with your children. You will base your decision on how he/she conducts regular life around others. What will you look for? Name five observable things that are criteria for good and five observable things that are criteria for bad. The person lives near you in a small village about 10 miles from Calamba, Laguna, Philippines.

E. Learning Activity

Once assigned to a team, quickly devise a plan to save the elephant. You are in the fictitious country of Dornatra, where civil war has ravaged the countryside for more than 10 years. Now the government is stable, but elephants are being hunted to sell more than ivory. Their dried organs are being sold as traditional medicines in Asia. Their meat, too, is in demand in many places, including powerful nearby countries. Formulate a quick plan to secure, as best you can, the future of the remaining herds. List a series of five executive orders that will begin the priority steps to help the situation. Discuss the similarities and differences in the teams’ results.

F. Concluding Assessment

The variety of living things that God created speaks of His greatness and wisdom. Even those things now extinct, in the fossil record or mentioned in the Bible, speak the same thing.