THE WONDER OF ANIMAL LIFE
There are around 7 to 8 million species of animals, which would include land and water. These estimates include those that have not been cataloged yet. Other estimates are much higher, depending on what you classify as animal life. Then some research centers choose not to give a figure because there are so many species that remain undiscovered and unnamed. The Bible is full of the animal kingdom. There are over 120 species of animals mentioned. Out of all the domestic and wild animals mentioned in the Bible, guess which one is left out? CATS! That’s fine by me LOL!
Genesis 1:20-25 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. 25 God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Animals, large and small, reflect the glory, the power, and artistry of God. I pray that by the time we are done looking at a few examples of God’s handiwork in animal life, you will be in awe and wonder of God, again. There are so many creatures I could use, so many obvious ones that are large, intelligent, and powerful, like an elephant or horse, but our focus will be on some smaller creatures that don’t get as much attention.
The Weaver Bird
Weaver birds are the undisputed master architects of the avian world. These small, finch-like birds, found primarily across Sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia, are named for the astonishingly complex, interwoven nests that males build using nothing but their beaks, feet, and raw plant fibers. Unlike most birds that simply stack twigs, the weaver bird weaves a nest together as if it were fabric. He uses his sharp beak to strip long, uniform ribbons from tall grasses or palm fronds. A single nest can require over 1,000 strands of grass. He begins by tying a single blade of grass around a branch using a genuine, secure half-hitch knot. Working outward from that initial knot, he meticulously loops, weaves, and pulls individual strands over and under each other to form a hollow sphere. Building attractive and secure nests is very important because the male is trying to attract a female. Once a nest is complete, the male hangs upside down from the bottom, frantically fluttering his vibrant colored wings and calls out to passing females. A female will land and ruthlessly inspect his craftsmanship, tugging at the grass to test its strength and quality. Females prefer fresh, vibrant green nests. If the nest is too old, brown, or poorly constructed, she will fly away. A rejected male will often tear down his own work and start completely over from scratch. Some Weavers have been caught stealing fresh palm fronds and building over their old nests. A single male may build up to 25 different nests in one mating season. Then there are many species that build long tubes at the bottom resembling an upside-down funnel, making it impossible for a snake to gain access or grip and slither into the nest. In some species, they build nests with false doors to trick predators like tree snakes and hawks.
Roosters
A rooster's crow is so loud, it can deafen you if you stand too close. A crow can reach over 130 decibels, or as loud as a chainsaw. So how do Roosters not damage their own hearing? To find out, researchers attached recorders to the heads of three roosters, just below the base of their skulls. Crows lasted 1 to 2 seconds and averaged more than 130 decibels. That's about the same intensity as standing 15 meters away from a jet taking off. One rooster's crows reached more than 143 decibels. The researchers then used a micro-computerized tomography scan to create a 3D x-ray image of the birds' skulls. When a rooster tilts its head and opens its beak wide to crow, soft tissue called a meatal flap covers 50% of the eardrum. At the same time, tiny muscles in the middle ear contract to further dampen the sound.
Cuckoo Birds
The cuckoo bird has one of the oddest reproductive strategies to be found in nature. Rather than face the arduous parenting, nesting, and feeding requirements with laying twenty eggs every reproductive season, the cuckoo bird utilizes a remarkable strategy: it gets birds from other species to incubate, feed, and care for each of its twenty offspring-and it does this without the other bird species even knowing. When the cuckoo is getting ready to lay the first of its twenty eggs (it lays one egg every second day), it scouts out its neighborhood to discover the nests of twenty other birds of a wide variety of species that happen to be building nests in preparation for laying their own eggs. When the cuckoo is ready to lay its first egg, it watches in secret for a neighboring bird, such as a robin, to lay several eggs in its nest. The moment the robin parents leave their recently-laid eggs to gather more material for the nest and food for their chicks that will hatch shortly, the cuckoo swoops down on the robin's nest and lays its first egg in the nest. Before leaving, the cuckoo carefully ejects one of the robins' eggs from the nest to confuse the returning parents. Though the new cuckoo egg will differ in smell, size, and color from the missing egg, the robin parents will accept the cuckoo egg because the correct number of eggs is still present. The cuckoo mother never returns to check up on her orphaned egg. When the adopted cuckoo egg hatches, the robins will feed the new cuckoo chick as if it were their own. However, as soon as the robin parents leave the nest for the first time to acquire more food, the cuckoo chick throws the remaining robin eggs out of the nest. When the robins return, they are surprised to find only one bird in the nest, the cuckoo. Since there is only one chick to feed, the robin will now devote complete parenting efforts to feed the one surviving offspring. Through this remarkably selfish but effective technique, the cuckoo bird arranges for twenty other pairs of parenting birds from several different species to care for each of her twenty eggs. How does the newborn cuckoo chick know how to maximize its survival chances by knocking the other eggs out of the nest so that it is the only chick left to feed? How does the adult cuckoo know to spy out twenty other birds getting ready to lay eggs and lay its own egg in their nest after knocking out one of the original eggs, especially because the cuckoo chick is never taught to do this by its mother? -Jeffrey, Grant. Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God’s Design, pgs 58-59
Cuttlefish
The cuttlefish is found in the warm coastal waters around the world. It has a soft body and is able to change its color, pattern, and texture in seconds. They have about 10 million specialized skin cells called chromatophores that allow them to blend in with their surroundings. They use this camouflage to hide from predators and hunt prey. Cuttlefish also produce flashing patterns to communicate with other cuttlefish. Even though it is color blind, it is able to match the colors around it with incredible accuracy. Scientists have also discovered that the cuttlefish can instantly change the texture of its skin, making itself appear like rocks, coral, or seaweed on the ocean floor. In moments of danger, it can release a cloud of ink to distract predators while it escapes to safety. Its w-shaped eyes provide excellent underwater vision. When it comes to evading predators such as a shark using its electric current to hunt, the cuttlefish minimizes its electrical signal by freezing, covering their body with their arms, and slowing its breathing.
Gray Sea Slugs
Another wonder of creation is the nudibranch sea slug, which utilizes an astonishing defense system. Although sea anemones are quite unattractive to almost all fish and crabs in the ocean because they use a very unpleasant but highly effective venom to defend themselves, the gray sea slug feeds exclusively on sea anemones. The anemones are not plants, but actually predatory animals with tentacles on their backs and sides that contain barbed, poisoned sting arrows that can be instantly fired at a predator from coiled hollow tubes or filaments. The sea anemones use these poison darts to attack small organisms, to defend against large predators, and to fight battles for territory with other anemones. These tiny poisoned darts are probably the fastest defense response in any animal species. At the slightest touch or pressure from a fish, crab, or scuba diver, the poison capsule turns inside out and drives the venom-filled tube into its prey, causing enormous pain or death. While other aquatic creatures wisely avoid encounters with anemones, the gray sea slug actually makes these dangerous creatures the main source of its food. Somehow, the sea slug can tear apart the dangerous anemone and swallow its poisoned darts without triggering the explosion of venom. However, while digesting the body of the anemone, the tubes holding the loaded, poisoned darts are not consumed inside the sea slug's stomach. Instead, the gray sea slug can load these highly reactive tubes and their poisoned darts into a series of tiny tubes that extend from the sea slug's stomach right through its body to the very tips of the tentacles or spurs on the sea slug's back and sides. When a predator approaches the sea slug, it fires the poisonous missiles out of its tentacles to attack its enemy. No evolutionary scientist could ever create a logical solution whereby the sea slug could ever have gradually developed such an unusual defense system through gradual mutations over tens of thousands of generations. This symbiotic defensive system of two different species is extraordinary evidence of God's intelligent design. -Jeffrey, Grant, Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God's Design, pg. 78-79.
https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/how-sea-slugs-steal-defenses-their-prey
https://www.gwct.org.uk/wildlife/species-of-the-month/2021/grey-sea-slug/
The Bombardier Beetle
The bombardier beetle uses a method of defense that virtually defies belief. It defends itself through a complex defensive system involving precise volatile chemicals. This tiny beetle (one-half inch) uses a unique defensive system that sends an explosive, scalding hot liquid at its enemy through two specialized secretory lobes that are controlled by the beetle's sphincter muscles. When it senses danger, it squirts two chemicals, hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone, toward the enemy. In the seconds of buildup to its battle, specialized secretory lobes combine these two chemicals into a concentrated mixture. The mixture is initially stored in a storage chamber. This first chamber is connected to another compartment called the explosion chamber. When the insect senses danger, it squeezes the muscles that control the storage chamber while relaxing the sphincter muscle, allowing the mixture in the storage chamber to transfer to the explosion chamber. Small knobs, known as ectodermal glands, then secrete enzyme catalysts (peroxidase) into the explosive chamber. The key to creating the explosive mixture is the introduction of these enzyme catalysts. In the presence of the catalysts, the hydrogen peroxide quickly decomposes into water and oxygen. The oxygen now reacts with the hydroquinone, producing heat, more water, and the chemical quinone. A large quantity of heat is released, and vaporization occurs. The beetle releases boiling vapour, 212 Degrees Fahrenheit, and exploding oxygen out from the exploding chamber through its outlet ducts into the face of its enemy. Researchers are mystified as to how the beetle can have inside its body a powerful explosive system that provides no protection until all of the other parts of the system are also in place.
Michael J. Behe wrote about the complex defensive strategy utilized by the bombardier beetle in his book, Darwin's Black Box, which demonstrated that evolution could never account for the irreducibly complex biological systems we find everywhere in nature. By "irreducibly complex," Behe means a biological system, such as the eye or this beetle's chemical defence system, that could never have developed gradually as evolution claims because it won't function at all unless every part of the complex system is present. The defensive system of the bombardier beetle totally refutes the theory of evolution because this system is irreducibly complex. Until every single part of this system is in place, the beetle is without defenses. The only logical conclusion is that this complex chemical weapons system was intelligently designed by the Creator and was given to the beetle from the very beginning. -Jeffrey, Grant. Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God’s Design, pgs 56-58
Honey Bees
The honeybee is an absolute wonder of God's Creation. Bees construct their hive into a complex honeycomb structure using beeswax produced from their own bodies to house a colony of up to 75,000 bees. All honeycombs found in the hive and in all hives throughout the world are constructed to the same precise engineering specifications. The hexagonal structure of the honeycomb has intrigued scientists for a century because mathematicians have calculated that it is the best possible geometric structure to maximize storage. This structure uses the least amount of beeswax in its construction because each cell utilizes the walls of surrounding cells.
The honeycomb cells are inclined precisely thirteen degrees on two sides to prevent the honey from escaping. One of the most astonishing aspects of a hive is that the tens of thousands of worker bees simultaneously begin construction of their hive from three different starting points and directions. The completed hive has thousands of individual cells that are precisely joined together with hundreds of separate angles, forming a perfectly engineered hexagonal comb structure that rivals anything produced by computers and human engineers. To have the final structure so perfectly engineered, the bees would have to know at the very beginning and throughout construction the precise distances between each starting point, and adjust the construction accordingly. Engineers have wondered how the bees can possibly accomplish this marvel of construction without using a computer to do the calculations. The only logical conclusion is that the tens of thousands of bees are receiving instructions from the inherent design of their Creator.
The bees collect flower nectar during the summer months and combine this with chemicals secreted from their body to produce honey, one of the most perfect foods on Earth. The bee marks the flower that it has visited with a small drop of scent that tells every other bee to ignore it, as the pollen is already consumed. This unusual action is very efficient because it saves other bees from wasting time on an empty flower.
The bee locates pollen from flowers in an area up to half a mile from the hive. The bee that finds the flowers returns to the hive to let its fellow workers know precisely where they must fly to locate the food source. Incredibly, rather than lead the others back, the bee instructs the other bees where to find the pollen through the means of a very complex dance. Biologists have determined that the precise information regarding the direction, distance, and amount of pollen is conveyed to the other bees through a repeated zigzag dance following a figure-8 pattern. The precise line between the Sun's position and the hive and the angle between the zigzags of the dancing bee provide the exact location of the food source. Other body movements include wagging its bottom and producing air currents through wing movements. For example, to communicate to the other bees that the pollen is located five hundred yards from the hive, the bee will wag the bottom of its body twenty times per minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu-gOGbzVPM&t=140s
There is an apparent problem in providing precise orientation to the other bees in that, during the time taken by the bee to fly home to the hive, the Sun's position keeps changing. Every four minutes the Sun moves one degree longitude. However, the bee has remarkable eyes composed of hundreds of microscopic hexagonal lenses that focus on a narrow beam enabling the bee to identify the Sun's position based on the time of day. As the minutes pass, the bee alters its precise dance to adjust its instructions to compensate for the Sun's movement. Only the Creator could have formed such a masterpiece of engineering.
God's gift to mankind, honey, is one of the most complex foods produced in nature. The primary components of honey are sugars including fructose and glucose. It also contains vitamins B₁, B2, B3, B, B, and C, as well as minerals including calcium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur phosphate, magnesium, potassium, and iron. The products of the honeybee are remarkable in their nutritional and disease-fighting powers. It is well known that honey, bee resin, and royal jelly are all extremely helpful in the cure of many diseases. It is very unusual that the bees that use honey for a food source for the bee colony during the cold months of winter actually produce a great abundance of honey, far beyond their own needs. Why? It appears that this overproduction is part of the Creator's plan to provide a perfect food source for humanity. This phenomenon of over production beyond the species own needs is also seen in cows that produce amounts of milk far beyond that needed for its calves. We also see this in chickens, which lay eggs daily.
Jeffrey, Grant. Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God’s Design, pgs 61-65
https://www.icr.org/article/honey-bee-nest-constructing
Sphinx or Hawks Moth Caterpillar
The neotropical sphinx moth caterpillar (Hemeroplanes triptolemus) found in the rainforests of Central and South America, has an amazing defensive design. It appears like a normal caterpillar but when it feels threatened, it has the ability to mimic a predator. When threatened, the caterpillar suddenly retracts and inflates the front part of its body, transforming its appearance into what looks like the head of a venomous snake. Its enlarged body has dark eye-like markings and reflective patterns that resemble scales. The caterpillar even sways like a viper repelling predators. Birds and small predators will often hesitate or retreat when confronted with the sudden snake-like display. This caterpillar possesses a defense mechanism so convincing that it can save its life without ever striking or producing venom. Once the threat is gone the caterpillar returns to its relaxed state looking like a normal caterpillar.
Application
Like plants, animals are often used as metaphors to speak to spiritual matters. But there are also moments in the Bible where animals play a key role in the story. God displays his complete sovereign control over animals, as in Jonah 2:10, “Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.” God enabled Balaam’s donkey to speak and Balaam had a conversation with his donkey (Numbers 22:21-31). God sent an angel to shut the mouths of lions to preserve Daniel’s life. Not all mentions of animals are metaphors, but when they are we should listen. Consider what Jesus said to the crowd at his sermon on the mount:
Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Matthew 10:28-31 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
God provides for animals, so how much more has He cared and will He provide for you. What good will worry do.
No harm comes against us without God knowing. We need not fear. If he knows the life and future of a single sparrow, are you not more worthy than many sparrows? Certainly God is protecting and preserving your life for His purposes.
This invokes an important truth I have been driving home weekly. Trust in the Lord…
Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 147:9-11 He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry. He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Isaiah 41:27-31 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
God was comforting His people who were exiled in Babylon and their time to return to Jerusalem was soon. Living by faith in God is a marathon, not a sprint. Put your life, hope and trust in God. Then, keep your life, hope, and trust in Him! Being a follower of Christ can be difficult. Sometimes you look at the world and wonder if you worry or struggle more than they do. Perhaps we are tempted to quit being faithful to God’s Word. Or maybe we are exhausted because every trial has come our way and you’re patiently waiting for things to improve. God reminds His people that you will find new strength as you wait and trust in the Lord. Like wind under an eagle’s wings can help him soar for hours, God will lift you up with His presence and power.
The Worm that Points to Jesus
Jesus wasn’t just referred to as a lamb for our sin; He was also referred to as a worm. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he cried out the words of a Psalm his audience would know, “My God, My God, what have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1).
This Psalm is a prophecy, written 1000 years before, pointing to the crucifixion of Jesus. As if Jesus is speaking these verses, verse 6 says: “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.” This is how Jesus was as he was nailed to the cross. But this Psalm is not just speaking to the utter insignificance of a tiny worm; it’s actually speaking of a specific worm known in the Middle East. The Hebrew word used here in Psalm 22:6 for worm is Towlaat or Towla, which is the crimson grub or worm. The Towla is known for its deep red dye, used in the Old Testament for the tabernacle curtains and priestly garments.
What’s fascinating about this Crimson grub is the life cycle of the mother. When it’s time for the mother to lay her eggs, which she will only do once, she climbs and attaches herself to the Kermes or Palestine Oak. The mother builds a hard red shell around herself, where she lays her eggs and keeps them protected. After hatching, the baby grubs feed on their mother's body for three days, and she dies. During this time, a rich red fluid comes from the mother, staining the wood and the baby grubs, which will permanently stain them for the rest of their lives. Three days later, the young leave the shell. On day four, the mother’s tail pulls up to her head, making a heart-like shape, and she is no longer red. In the final stage, her protective red shell loses its color and transforms into a snow-white, waxy substance. This white residue eventually dries out and flakes off the tree like small drops of snow or wool. And this is also the powerful background of Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” The only way we live is for Christ to die. Jesus gave himself to the tree where his blood would stain the cross and take his final breath, but His blood covers and atones for our sins, cleansing our stain of sin, like white as snow.
https://biblehub.com/psalms/22-6.htm
https://people.smu.edu/cgould/2025/05/02/what-is-the-crimson-worm/comment-page-1/
A Prayer for Salvation
Jesus, I know that I am a sinner in need of Your grace.
Today I confess You as my Lord and put my trust in You alone.
I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again.
Thank you for forgiving me and making me new.
Lead me as I follow You from this day forward.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discussion
Which animal example stood out to you the most, and why did it impact you?
The weaver bird carefully builds and rebuilds its nest. What does this teach us about diligence, patience, and perseverance?
How has God protected or guided you during difficult seasons?
What can the Church learn from the cooperation and purpose seen in bees?
What does trusting God look like when you feel exhausted or discouraged?
The crimson worm points symbolically to Jesus’ sacrifice. What part of that illustration connected most deeply with you?
What additional notes did you make during the sermon?
How can we pray together for you today?
The most important decision you will ever make!
If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life, we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and, when you’re ready, say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways, and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!