Daily Devotional | God and Animals

If you could talk to the animals, what would you ask them? Dr. Dolittle was the main character of a children’s book series popular in the 1920s. He was best known for his amazing ability to talk with the animals.

In Job 38 to 39, the Lord continues to question Job. This time, the questions revolve around the animal kingdom. God asks: “Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?” (38:41). “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?” (39:1). “Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied its ropes?” (39:5). God asserts His role as both Creator and Caretaker of the animal kingdom, asking Job: “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south? Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?” (39:26–27).

The purpose of these questions is twofold. First, God is demonstrating to Job that he is out of his league. God’s knowledge is far above Job’s understanding. Second, God is showing that He knows every detail regarding the animals that are less important to Him than Job. If God knows every detail regarding both His inanimate and animate creation, surely, He knows and cares about every detail in Job’s life. Jesus repeats this in the New Testament: “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?” (Matt. 6:25–26).

Some say that God never answered Job’s questions. This is true to an extent. God didn’t answer Job’s questions directly, but He asked the questions that caused Job to realize he needed to trust God’s wisdom and ways.

Go Deeper

What did you notice about this list of questions? How does God’s intimate knowledge and relationship with animals encourage you in your own faith journey?

Pray with Us: Lord, You showed to Job that You are a mighty Creator, maker of heaven and earth. But You also established new creation in the resurrection of your Son. Thank You that in Jesus, we see Your love and faithfulness to us.

BY Eric W. Moore

Eric Moore is Professor and Chair of the Applied Theology Field at Moody Theological Seminary. Eric is graduate of Michigan State University, Dallas Theological Seminary, the University of Michigan, and Western Seminary. He is the author of Pastoring the Small Church and a contributor to the One Volume Seminary (Moody Publishers). He has pastored Tree of Life Bible Fellowship church for over two decades. Eric and his wife, Marilyn, live in southeast Michigan and have three children.