"And God created great whales [literally, "sea-monsters"], and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl, after his kind; and God saw that it was good. ... And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind; and God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:21,24-25) "The invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and Divinity." (Romans 1:20) "Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you. Who knows not in all these that the hand of the Lord has wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10) "Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are in my mind." (Psalm 1:10-11,RV,margin) "The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun arises, they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens. ... These wait all upon You; that You may give them their meat in due season. That You give them they gather: You open your hand, they are filled [satisfied] with good." (Psalm 104:21-22,27-28) "The eyes of all wait upon You; and You give them their meat indue season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing." (Psalm 114:15-16) "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31) "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7) "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." (Proverbs 6:6-8) "Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest on high?" (Job 39:26-27) "Gave you the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in the dust, And forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. ... Because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has He imparted to her understanding." (Job 39:13-15,17) "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider." (Isaiah 1:2-3) "Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. How do you say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain He made it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken in, they have rejected the Word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jeremiah 8:7-9) "For the Lord gives wisdom: out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:6) "None says, Where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night; Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven?" (Job 35:10-11) "Behold, God exalts by His power; who teaches like Him?" (Job 36:22)
The everlasting power and Divinity of God are seen in the things that are made. God has made the animal creation as well as the plants; therefore in animals we may see His presence and power displayed.
Remember that the worker is not the thing worked. There is an infinite difference between the Creator and the thing created. The power that is seen in anything must not be confounded with the thing itself. Neither men nor any of the lower orders of creation are God, but His everlasting power and Divinity are seen in everything from highest to lowest. Nothing but sin cherished hinders its perfect manifestation.
From the beasts, the birds, and the fishes we are to learn lessons about God. From them we learn not only God's power, but His tender care and love of all the fowls of the mountains, and all the beasts of the field, not one is out of His mind. They receive their food directly from Him, and He never forgets to feed them. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." (Matthew 10:29)
Two sparrows were sold for a farthing in the days of the Saviour, and if the purchaser would take two farthings' worth, one bird would be given, and no account would be made of it. But although man made no account of it, God did not forget it. Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without His permission. "Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:31)
We are of more value than many sparrows; how safe, then, we are in His care. Satan cannot come near one of God's children, to do him the slightest injury, without direct permission from God; (See Job 1:8-12) and when this is allowed, God's power to sustain is so much more wonderfully manifested, that the sufferer can rejoice in the midst of it. "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Man does not "make his own living" any more than the birds and beasts do. They gather what God gives them, and man can do no more. Man sows seed in the earth, and God makes it grow, and man gathers it. The seed which is sown is itself given to man.
The birds and bees work much more diligently to procure food for themselves and their young than men do; yet the latter boast of how they make their own living, and regard the former as being entirely supported by others. But all are alike supported from the same source.
No man can "make a living," and therefore God has not given it to any man to do. God is the Author of life, and He alone gives it. God would have men without care, the same as the birds; not reckless, but trustful as they are. Our business is to glorify God, to allow Him to glorify himself in us, by working His righteousness in us, and He will attend to our living.
Man gets wisdom from the very same source that the beasts and the birds do. In himself he has no more wisdom than they have; and when he rejects God, the source of all knowledge, he knows even less than do the dumb brutes. The most stupid beasts of burden have more real knowledge than does the man who rebels against God.
But God designed man to be inconceivably higher than any other creature, and will give the wisdom that will place him in this position, if he will but acknowledge Him as the Giver of everything.--Present Truth, November 3, 1898.