Cruelty to Animals – Proverbs 12:10

Henry Bergh, Lincoln’s diplomat to Russia, could not stand the cruel lashes and beatings he saw imposed on the horses that drew work wagons.  He saw it in Russia and America.  So he worked to pass legislation that made it criminal to torture animals and founded the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).  His work to protect animals led him to work in the same way for the prevention of child abuse.

Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (Proverbs 12:10, ESV)

We have heard of children who torture pets and grow up to be serial killers.  We speak of sociopaths who have no conscience and are not moved by the suffering of other living beings.  Are we surprised that the God who lovingly pronounced the creation of animals and humans ‘good’ would put within us the same regard for life and how precious it is?

In Genesis 9, after Noah and family come off the ark with the animals that have been rescued, Yahweh tells Noah that He will put the fear of man in animals, but also gives all these animals as food to humans.  God is providing for human needs yet also helping to insure that there will be animals for as long as He holds off destroying the earth again.  Given human proclivity to foolishness and overdoing a good thing, He protects the animals from wanton destruction.  You’ll have to work hard to get them, sneak up on them, if you will.

Yahweh then states His covenant with earth never to destroy it by flood and He makes the covenant with man and every living creature.  He also holds creatures accountable for killing humans.  Humans and animals who kill humans forfeit their own lives.  We see a dignity given by God to the animal kingdom.

We have domesticated many animals and put them to our service.  How do we regard them?  They no longer have their fear of humans warning them to flee.  Do we take advantage of that for cruelty?  A sign of a wicked person is that he or she does just that, takes advantage and unleashes cruelty.  Cruelty and the excitement of taking life is pent up in the wicked person and will find the path of least resistance for expression.

Related Studies:

• https://askthepastors.wordpress.com/2018/04/22/can-animals-have-compassion/