Small but wise: consider the hyrax

The author of Proverbs made a profound statement about learning the wisdom of animals. Creation indeed teaches about life and the lifestyle of some animals points us to important lessons in life. King Solomon, the author of most of the book of Proverbs was the wisest king that ever lived. His quest for wisdom led him to receive wisdom from God to manage the affairs of His people. Wisdom is the principal thing according to king Solomon. He also recommends that we get understanding to navigate the wisdom (Proverbs 4:7). Why will Solomon use the wisdom of animals to teach important lessons of life? God has deposited in these animals specific traits that help humans to know and understand the intricacies of life. We considered the wisdom of the ant, and identified that ants make plans for the future. Let’s consider Proverbs 30:24-28:

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

Today, let’s consider the wisdom of the hyrax. Hyrax also known as coney is a small herbivore and mostly found in Africa and Arabia. Their bodies are compact, they have short tails, they are bigger than guinea pigs and share similarities with the rabbits. The hyraxes are very unique and their habitation is in the rocks. Yes, the rocks, and that account for the name rock hyraxes. Solomon says that “hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags” (Proverbs 30:26). By size, we might consider them less powerful to make their homes in the rocks. But these little creatures have learnt to survive in the crags! They have adapted and developed their survival strategies. What can we learn from the hyrax?

The first lesson we identify is the wisdom to navigate the rocks. For most little furry mammals, it is easier to live on trees or to burrow the soil and make their homes. Survival on the rocks takes wisdom to navigate and know the best escape route as other wild animals live on the rocks as well. Second, the hyraxes live in colonies and that helps in survival. Third, they do not sow dens but find shelter in existing holes in the crags so it is difficult to encroach on them. Further, they take advantage of their feet to maintain their grip on the rocks. Life is not easy for the hyrax but they take charge of the rocks (hard place for a small mammal), live in groups (for protection and provision), locate existing opportunities (holes in the crags) and make it their own. Finally, they gain stamina (their feet) and they thrive. 

When life takes you to the rocks, remember the hyrax. You can flee from the rocks, or you take advantage and make the rocks your own to turn your story around. 

Thunder, lightning and a thick cloud announced His presence: He is Holy

One of the places on my bucket list is the Middle East. I am still drawing a plan on where to start from. I want to visit those places in Biblical history. Some of the countries are now hostile to the faith and Christianity but I believe that in God’s own time and through our intercession, the Father will reconcile the nations back to Himself. Imagine undertaking a 11-day journey from Egypt to Canaan in 40 years? (Deuteronomy 1:2). The hearts of the people needed to be worked on and a nation was birthed that witnessed the extraordinary miracles of God. Today, we shall consider one of such amazing miracles and how God is revealed through the miraculous. Moses received the command to go and deliver the Israelites on Mount Sinai. Three months after the people left Egypt, they arrived at Mount Sinai. “The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.” (Exodus 19:9)

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. (Exodus 19:16)

It sounds cool right? God in all His radiance was coming down to meet the people and the people consecrated themselves in readiness. God is holy and His presence requires holiness. On the day of the meeting with the Lord, this happened:
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.” (Exodus 19:16‭-‬22)

What? This sounds like a very scary encounter. The presence of God was announced by thunder, lightning and a thick cloud. Imagine the loud trumpet blast, the smoke that covered the mountain and the mountain trembling violently. This does not sound like a place I want to be, but that was the mountains responding to the presence of the Holy God. Mount Sinai could not stand still, and the people trembled before God. The ten commandments were delivered from God to the people. What was the reaction of the people? “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Exodus 20:18‭-‬19)

Imagine if we had to stand before God each day with such a pomp and display of the miraculous? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the ultimate arrival of the Holy Spirit, God now dwells in the heart of the believer. Yes, your body is the temple of God and God’s Spirit dwells in you and as such we should be Holy (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Remember, God might not be shaking your environment violently just to speak with you but His standard for holiness has not changed. If the mountains couldn’t stand His holy presence, can you stand His presence on that Day? 

The sparrows and the Father’s care

Have you gone bird hunting before? It doesn’t sound fun right? Thankfully, since I moved to the West, I only hear of birdwatching not bird hunting. However, growing up, bird hunting was a common activity by children and adults. The hunters would go into the field with a sling and pelt stones at the birds. Unfortunately, some birds were killed in the process, others became pets and yet, others became meat for food. The sparrow in ancient Israel was a sacrificial bird. To be a sparrow at the temple courts meant that at any time, you could be killed. According to Jesus, two sparrows were sold for a penny. The beautiful sparrows we see around could have become sacrifices if Jesus had not paid the price for our sins. Thank you Lord!

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. (Matthew 10:29)

God’s nature is revealed through His care for animals including the sparrow. The birds of the air might not be as important as humans but we see God caring for them. God knows all the birds and He knows their movements and their location. As Jesus mentioned in Matthew 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” That is, no bird falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge. Can you imagine going on bird hunting and on that particular day, God does not give permission for the birds to fall? You will catch nothing. God is concerned for the sparrows and is definitely concerned about you. Jesus said that even the very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30). If you have alopecia, God knows how much hairs you have left. When your hair keeps receding, God knows every strand that falls off and none falls to the ground without His knowledge. 

When we see God’s attributes revealed through nature, we tend to learn more about His personality. If God cares for the animals, definitely you are God’s specialty. You are the apple of His eyes (Zachariah 2:8). “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31). You are the highest depiction of creation. For God did not say, let us make the birds in our image. None of the animals were created in God’s image. Man is God’s masterpiece (poiema) created to do good things which have been prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). The sparrow points us to the care of God, but we humans demonstrate to others God’s care. If the sparrows are talking about God, we should live out the God-life that will attract people to the Father. Whenever things don’t work according to our plans, we should consult the Father to know if our plans align with His plans. Remember, God cares and He knows you more than you know yourself. If you think you know yourself better, just answer this corrupt one try; “how many strands of hair are on your head?”

The birds and the flowers are preaching… Can you hear?

Recently, our family witnessed a show dubbed “Birds of prey” at the African Lion Safari. The very trained birds displayed tactical skills of catching food, searching for food and looking for food. We were all amazed that those wild birds were trained enough to respond to instructions from their trainers. However, in the wild, birds of prey are not trained by any Safari trainers. They are not given portions of food, they are not given water and they do not live in sheltered structures. How then do the birds survive? Unlike other animals that store food in the barns in anticipation of seasonal changes, birds do not. So, how do they survive throughout the year? How do birds survive harsh weather conditions? Who provides birds with food all year round?

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? (Matthew 6:26)

Our response to these questions might trigger a scientific explanation about the nature of birds. However, before we delve into science, let’s consider these: the Creator of birds has made provision for their survival. Their Creator feeds them, clothes them and ensures that they remain where they can thrive at every season. What of the flowers that grow in the field? Who designed their beautiful raiment? Why are roses so beautiful and full of positive vibes? Who designed the perfect features of roses? Both the birds of the air and flowers in the field point to a Creator. Jesus made profound statements in Matthew 6:26, 28-29: “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? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”

These verses remind us that the Creator provides for His creation. Thus, when we see a bird and a rose, we should be reminded of their Maker. Yes, they should point us to God! Similarly, all other creation indicates the presence of a Creator. Growing up in a small community in Ghana, I heard stories about different gods who are responsible for different creation. The river god was responsible for the river and so are other territorial gods. I believe this phenomenon occurs in different parts of the world. The God of the Bible is responsible for all creation. He made everything in heaven and on earth. He is not a territorial god. He is the God over all and He is revealed in all His creation. As Romans 1:20 states, people are without excuse because creation reveals the invisible qualities of God; His eternal power and divine nature. Creation preaches about God each day, but if you fail to see the invisible God through His visible creation, you will have no excuse on that Day!

The Creator reveals Himself through nature

Aurora borealis is a beautiful phenomenon in the sky that causes beautiful lights in the sky. It happens in specific geopolitical zones. According to Wikipedia, “Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma.” Trust me, I didn’t understand all these definitions until I watched an Aurora borealis happening (on TV). I never gathered the courage to climb the mountains in Norway to watch as I lived further south. Thankfully, I still have the opportunity to watch it happen while living in Canada. If looking at Auroras on earth is fascinating, imagine watching it from space? What do Auroras and all the beauty of nature tell us? 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20) 

Whenever I consider Auroras and all the other natural phenomena that cannot be controlled by humanity, I am awed. These things could not be accidental occurrences. The arrangement of things in the atmosphere, the stratosphere, magnetosphere etc. and their coordination is amazing. The outer space is perfectly arranged so that the Earth does not miss its route during rotation or revolution. Jupiter’s rings have never been a problem for the Earth. The Sun, the biggest star in our galaxy, has never changed location. Such orderliness! What does this reveal about the Creator? Paul writing to the Church noted that; “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The beautiful world we live in portrays God’s invisible qualities, His power and His divine nature. He is a Master designer and His skills are incomprehensible. 

The Creator reveals Himself through nature and no one has an excuse as long as they live. Our daily lives reflect His power, wisdom and creativity. The Earth rotates to give us day and night. The same Earth revolves around the sun to give us seasons. Rotation and revolution are done simultaneously but the earth is never confused. Whoever designed this must be a master of all. Of course Genesis 1: 1 lays the background: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” God’s invisible qualities are seen each day when we look at creation. Unfortunately, some people worship creation and ignore the Creator. Others have no regard for creation and constantly do things that put people and things in danger. A few others ignore any possibility of a Creator and celebrate scientific discoveries better than the God who made the scientist. Yet still, others choose to worship God the Creator. Which category are you?

All things were made through the Son

One of the doctrines Christianity that has been a major debate among denominations and other religions is the doctrine of Trinity. This post will not explain this doctrine but I hope to be able to revisit it another time. Since we are looking at God the Creator this week, it is important to understand the role of the Son of God in creation. In fact, creation was performed by the Godhead. Genesis 1 uses the Hebrew word Elohim for God. Elohim signifies plurality. Genesis 1:1-3 states that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Here we see God the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Son (the Word) in action. To best understand this, let consider John 1:1-3,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The Son was involved in creation. He is the Word of God and all things came to being through Him. The Son was reincarnated and became flesh. He is the express image of God. I Corinthians 1:15-17 states that “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” The Son was in existence before time began and has been involved in the creation of the world. The Son understands the frailty of humanity because He lived among humanity. The Son has control over creation and creation beckon to His words. He walked on the sea (Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21), He calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41;Luke 8:22–25), He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out evil spirits, did amazing creative miracles like restoring withered hands, multiplied food etc. 

John’s gospel chapter 21 verse 25 states that “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” The Son of God demonstrated authority over creation and death. An excerpt from the Apostle’s creed demonstrates the personality of Jesus and our faith in Him.

“I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.”

Jesus is the judge of all. We have been entrusted with a beautiful world and our actions will be judged at the end of the age.

The Creator does not want the earth empty!

I have heard of people complaining that the world is overpopulated. The Creator from the very beginning blessed the earth’s new tenants and told them to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). After the flood wiped away living things on the earth (Genesis 7), the same command of fruitfulness and multiplication was given, “Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it” (Genesis 8:17). The earth was created to be inhabited and for thousands of years, all living creatures have replicated themselves ensuring sustenance and preservation. Imagine if the last child was born a thousand years ago, I will not be here and neither will you be reading this post.

An American government research done in 2019 shows that “Americans are having fewer and fewer babies” and not “making enough babies to replace ourselves.” The expected number of births needed for the population is 16 percent below the number needed to keep the population stable without additions through immigration, the report finds. Similar situations have been reported in Europe and other continents. Recently, China lifted the one-child ban to ensure sustenance. In recent years, Western nations have relied on immigration to get enough workforce as their own populations dwindle. The current economic conditions, decline in childbirth rate and the desire to control births are some of the factors causing the decline in population. If developed countries continue to decline in numbers, their economic and political fronts would have to gradually rely on immigrants and descendants of immigrants for sustenance. So why should people complain about the world getting overpopulated when we need humans to keep the world going?

For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:18)

Similarly, all other living things need to be fruitful and multiply. Animals, fishes, trees and every living thing stand the chance of extinction if we are not intentional about their replication, productivity and safety. Everything God made is important. The fierce lion and the slow sloth are all important in our ecosystem. The fact that an individual or another living creature does not directly affect us does not mean they are irrelevant. If we keep encroaching on animals, they will be extinct. If we keep attacking people and encourage actions that indirectly hinder growth, we will lose the diversity of our beautiful world. What does the Creator say about all these? Isaiah 45:18, “For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” The Lord formed the heavens and the earth to be inhabited. Until the Lord returns, or calls us home in glory, the heavens and the earth should remain populated and inhabited. 

May the Lord grant fruitfulness to all His children and may we ensure fruitfulness in the other creation. 

The Creator and the bang!

I love science and scientific research. My academic journey has been based on investigating, analyzing and making empirical theories. However, one theory has never ceased to confuse me…the big bang theory of creation. It seems to lack authenticity and verification. It looks like a series of deconcatenated information. None seem to support the other. Let’s read this explanation from Wikipedia.

“The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models of the Big Bang explain the evolution of the observable universe from the earliest known periods through its subsequent large-scale form.These models offer a comprehensive explanation for a broad range of observed phenomena, including the abundance of light elements, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, and large-scale structure. The overall uniformity of the Universe, known as the flatness problem, is explained through cosmic inflation: a sudden and very rapid expansion of space during the earliest moments. However, physics currently lacks a widely accepted theory of quantum gravity that can successfully model the earliest conditions of the Big Bang.”

Can someone explain that to me? Who even caused the initial state of high density and temperature? This view of creation is being passed on to children at school and scientists keep forcing this theory to fit an unimaginable creation story. If the universe was not, and it came to being, then there is definitely a powerful Creator who brought all things together and arranged them uniformly. The uniformity of creation and the fact that humans are higher than animals shows that a standard was set at the beginning. Why don’t we walk with our heads? Why are the water bodies not in the sky? Who made the planets and arranged them in such a way that the Earth is at the right position from the Sun? Why don’t we live on Mars? Who placed the rings around Jupiter? Who gave life to humans? The Creator or the bang? Nehemiah has the answer to all these questions:

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. (Nehemiah 9:6)

When we understand that the heavens and even the highest heavens, the starry host (a zillion of them!), the earth and everything on it (including man,animals,vegetation, dragons, Behemoth etc.), the sea and all that is in them (including the fishes, the sea monsters such as Leviathan) were made by God, it helps us to appreciate the importance of worshipping God. Further, if there is a Creator, then there is accountability. The principle of accountability is even modeled on earth. No two goats are imprisoned for causing havoc, but humans, the custodians of creation are queried and sometimes imprisoned for acts that lead the world and other lives in danger. In the same way, just as there was a beginning (Genesis 1), there will be an end (Revelations). If it took the Creator only 7 days to succinctly arrange everything we see, it will definitely take Him a day to come back and make things right. If the Creator did not forget to create the different types of ants, then know that He definitely knows your name and He is watching. Make your ways right with Him now. 

When we journey through the Bible, it is so obvious that the Creator will come again. Read my post on a journey through the Bible here. 

God created all things

Some time ago, my brother called to ask me questions about Leviathan in the book of Job. I made time to discover the gigantic and ferocious creature. In fact in Job 41:9, God Himself told Job that any hope of subduing the Leviathan is false; the mere sight of it is overpowering. It is a gigantic sea serpent of a sort which had amazing strength and its presence scared people to the bone. It is also mentioned in the Psalms and Isaiah. Related to Leviathan, is another creature known as Behemoth (Job 40:15) whose bones are tubes of bronze and its limbs like rods of iron (Job 40:18). Genesis 1:21 states that “God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind and God saw that it was good. Both Leviathan and the Behemoth were made by God and He subdued them no matter how ferocious they were.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1‭)

What about dinosaurs? If dinosaurs really existed as we are told, then they couldn’t have popped up from nowhere. God made all things! He laid the foundation of the world and called all creation into being. In the beginning of time, God made everything. Genesis 1:1-2 informs us that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” No creation is unknown to God. He knows the anatomy of the very least creature. Genesis chapter 1 is a great place to start. Let’s look at some verses from Genesis 1:

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:3‭, ‬6‭, ‬9‭, ‬11‭, ‬14‭, ‬20‭, ‬24‭, ‬26 NIV)

If you are still in doubt that God made everything, take a look at yourself, who made you? 

All things were made by God and all things glorify Him. The Leviathan and Behemoth in their ferocious appearances also glorified Him. 

The Creator is worthy to receive glory, honour and power!

Alexander Graham Bell is well noted for inventing the telephone. His invention was patented on March 7, 1876. Bell was still very young and must have been proud that he had made a device that allowed humans to communicate over wires. The revolutionary technology of the telephone has gone through different stages and has transformed from a box device to a handheld tool that does not require wires to operate. In fact, in 2014, while on a Norwegian airlines flight,  I connected to the wifi and was chatting with friends down below. Is that not amazing! Now, we can be on earth and get messages sent to us from Mars, from the moon, under the water etc. The technology of the telephone has really advanced. Mr. Bell is accredited for the concept and creation of the telephone but we cannot credit him with the latest technological advances in telephony. I am sure, if Mr. Bell could be given a second chance on earth, he would be amazed that we make calls via watches, microchips (inserted into stuff) and via Bluetooth. He would have been wowed by the advances of what he started as a box device.

However, God’s creation has not changed over the 1000s of years the world has been around. Creation has not undergone production changes. Humans have not moved from walking creatures to flying birds; the tree still stand root down and branches up; the water bodies are still on earth and not in the sky; babies still need a male and a female to make (even if it is scientifically manipulated); dogs don’t behave like chicken and birds still lay eggs (they don’t push their babies out from wombs). The structures and systems in the world have gone through a considerable change. Our buildings have changed; our education systems have changed; scientific research has given humanity access to previously inaccessible places but the earth remains in its place. It has not fallen into space and neither has it moved further away from the sun and the moon. I appreciate all inventions and I honour all inventors but their works will always be modified! However, God’s creation has never changed!

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)

Of course, humans are always looking for ways and means to change their look, appearances and all that. For example, as someone with typical African hair, it is possible to see me in the morning with my real hair, in the afternoon with extension and in the evening with a wig! I keep changing my looks but God who created all things has not changed and neither has he changed the appearances of His creation. When we consider all these and many more, our response should be praise, adoration and worship. Indeed, our God is the greatest Creator and his works bear witness. Let us join the twenty-four elders is Heaven to lay down our crowns (pride, our own honour)and sing this song: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)