But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? 10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:8-10
Theology is the study
of God. Biology is the study of life. When you study biology in a Biblical
perspective, you are studying God: the Creator, Sustainer, and Life of all
living things. If you look around yourself, especially if you are in your office
reading a blog, you probably don’t see many living creatures. Yet your own body
is full of this miracle called Life.
When God looked at all
he had made: land-forms, plants, animals, light, humans, etc., each
according to their own kind, he saw that it was “very good.” Everything he
made, and every way he made them points to how perfect, wise, and caring our
Creator is.
God created our earth
with the perfect sustenance for life. Take, for instance, the atmosphere. The
three dominant gases that make up the atmosphere (hydrogen, oxygen, and ozone)
have just the right kind of molecular bonds to absorb three low-energy (harmful
to life) light rays: ultraviolet, gamma, and X-rays. Not only that, but once
the double bond in the ozone molecule is broken by the ultraviolet, the
leftover oxygen molecule is used to brake the gamma rays.[1] Truly “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of
his hands.Ӡ
If any animal needs
this protection from radiation, it is the camel. Besides the camel spending
numerous hours in the hot sun, it encounters sand storms, dehydration, and the
hot sand. It counters each of these with specialized features unique to its
kind. The camel has closable nostrils, and extra hair to block out the sand
from its eyes, nose, and ears. It keeps from sinking in the sand because of its
expanding foot pads. They also conserve water by regulating their own body
temperature. It can hold fuel in its humps and hold much water in their blood
cells. They can also drink twenty gallons of water in less than ten minutes.[2]
An animal that has no
risk of dehydration in its habitat is the sea turtle. Whereas other creatures’
lungs would rupture under such great water pressure, the turtle’s lungs are
designed to collapse when they exhale, storing the oxygen in their red blood
cells, which they have in greater proportions. Their eyes eject fluids that can
protect their eyes from the sand while they dig nests for their eggs or rid
their bodies of excess salt from the salt water around them.[3]
Not short of designer
genius is the long necked giraffe. The giraffe’s diet consists of greens, herbs,
and shoots. While some may be found in trees and shrubs, many are found on the
desert ground. The giraffe must lower its six-foot neck to reach the herbs.
When it has taken enough, it raises its head back up those six feet to digest
its food. Most humans would fall over unconscious if they attempted this feat.
What allows the creature to do such a rapid, heighty motion without falling
over and becoming lion food? While the human brain allows the flow of blood
through the brain, sometimes causing dizziness, the giraffe’s skull allows
blood flow around the brain, not interfering with the functions of the brain.
Obviously God cared for his creation enough that giraffes would live without
the fear of extinction!
God designed this
world so well that all its inhabitants work together to “keep it turning.” This
very moment, millions of bacteria are living on your skin, surviving on you
perspiration. Not only does your skin coolant and detox system sustain these
harmless bacteria, but these bacteria, in turn fight off deadly pathogens to
keep you healthy.[4]
When the human body exhales carbon dioxide into the air, that gas will be the
“air to breathe” for all plants. Those plants will convert that gas into more
oxygen for humans to breathe and restore oxygen to the atmosphere. That is
testimony to how efficient and full of foresight our Creator is.
But God’s providence
and insight don't stop there. “Consider
the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God
feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ... Consider how the
lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all
his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the
grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,
how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!Ӡ God may care for
camels and all other creatures of this earth, but he never ceases caring for
his people.
Living proof that God
is the Creator Sustainer and “glue” of all living things is the protein
laminin. Laminin is found by every cell structure in the body. It literally
holds our membranes, muscles, organs, and bones together. Sounds
exciting, doesn't it? The very structure of laminin is shaped like
Christ’s cross. Nothing could be truer when God says “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”†
Our world, from the
heights of the giraffe’s neck to the depths of the turtle’s sea habitation, is
living testimony to a loving Creator. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the … Life.”† God is both our
earthly life and our eternal Life and Salvation. God breathed life into Adam
and Eve, and as long as they didn't sin and fall away from their Holy
Creator, they had a carefree life without sin and suffering that was to last
forever on a perfect earth. But man did sin and their lives were diminished
lengthwise and spiritually, and suddenly bore suffering and depravity.
Yet God loved us so
much that he sent his only son Jesus, fully man and fully God, who never
sinned, to take our sins upon his perfect life. He died, killing Death to give
us new, everlasting Life in heaven. Now our Creator and Redeemer lives and
offers us this life with him.
Justin Gummi
†All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, NIV1984.
Editor's Note:
This is Justin Gummi's last article for the time being. We hope
you've enjoyed his articles over the past several months.
Image by Leaping Lizard
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