Animal Life Spans
As for man, his days are like grass, he
flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone.
Have you ever wondered how long you will live or when you
will die? People are unique among God’s creatures because we can ponder
such questions. No fish or bird or insect worries about death, as far as we
know. Elephants have been observed mourning the passing of a fellow pachyderm,
but there is no evidence they are aware of their own mortality. As a species,
we alone fear death. With this in mind, it is curious that many scientists are
trying to understand why some organisms live longer than others. They do this
with the hope of somehow increasing the length of their own lives.
The study of longevity* in Christ’s creatures has produced a wealth of
fascinating information for us to consider. If we examine animal life spans
we will immediately see
a general trend set into place by God. Larger mammals, such as the rhinoceros,
hippopotamus, elephant and walrus, can all live 40 years or more. On the other
hand, the chipmunk, gerbil, hamster and diminutive shrew, each a relatively
small mammal, may exist fewer than five years. (In the shrew’s case, it
is often less than a year!) But mammalian size alone is not always an accurate
predictor of longevity. A beaver may enjoy 30 years on earth, yet a similarly-sized
opossum lives two years at most. The same is true of birds. The world’s
largest bird, the ostrich, is considered elderly at the age of 20. It is far
outlived by the much smaller parrot which can survive 50 years, and the eagle
owl which holds the record for all birds with a maximum 68-year life span.
Through careful research it has been discovered
that, in the case of mammals, brain size is a more accurate predictor of life
expectancy. Mammals with large craniums, such as whales, dolphins and apes,
tend to live longer than those with smaller brains, regardless of body size.
Another way of determining a creature’s longevity is by noting its metabolism.
It seems that the Lord Jesus has given each of His creatures approximately 800
million heartbeats to live by. In other words, an animal’s heart pumps
an average of 800 million times in its life. Animals with a high metabolism
(and thus a rapid heart rate) reach the 800 million limit much sooner than those
animals with a low metabolism. A hummingbird’s heartbeats at an incredible
pace of 600 to 700 per minute at rest! It lives a much shorter life than a whale
with a heart rate of 20.**
Let us not assume that warm-blooded creatures necessarily
survive longer than cold-blooded ones. A gila monster can thrive in the desert
20 years—much longer than a mouse nesting in a sheltered barn. The oldest
fish to date is the sturgeon. One of its species is known to have survived 82
years before being caught by fishermen! And it is well established that box
turtles and sea anemones can live more than a century.
The world record for all Christ’s animals goes to the giant tortoise.
In 1766, a giant tortoise was caught on the Seychelles Islands in the Indian
Ocean by the French explorer Marion de Fresne. At the time of its capture the
reptile’s age was not known, although it was determined to be a full-grown
adult. The giant tortoise was placed in an army barracks where it lived until
the year 1918. It was in captivity for a total of 152 years! Only God knows
for sure how old it was when it died.
Christ’s sovereignty is apparent when examining the life spans of His
creations. An earthworm can live to be 10 years old, yet a mayfly dies within
seven or eight hours of becoming an adult! A common housefly is considered ancient
if it survives past a month, yet an ant can live seven years. Our Majesty’s
absolute authority is not limited to the animal kingdom either. The world’s
largest trees, present-day giant sequoias, have graced our planet for nearly
2,000 years. They have been growing ever since Jesus walked the earth. Yet,
who of us hasn’t seen a flower’s beauty fade just a few days after
blooming? It would be good for us to remember that it is not how long an animal
or plant lives that is important, but how much of God’s glory radiates
through it during its lifetime, short or long. The same could be said of man.
Many of Christ’s creations outlast us humans. The mountains of Colorado
existed long before any of us was born. The stars and the planets have decorated
the night sky since the beginning of time. We have seen, however, that not everything
beautiful and wonderful survives for long in nature. The glory of an autumn
tree may blaze only two weeks; a rainbow can shine little more than two hours.
The golden glow of a sunset lasts several minutes at most, and the fair form
of a snowflake disappears seconds after landing on a hand. And consider a flash
of lightning—oh what frightening awe it evokes in our hearts—its
“life span” is only one-tenth of a second!
Why did God create such incredible beauty, beauty that fades so quickly? Let
me suggest a possible explanation. The rapid retreat of fall leaves has often
frustrated me, but it also points to a precious attribute of our Heavenly Father’s
character—His jealousy. Make no mistake, God wants us to enjoy His creation,
and He especially desires for us to see His divine nature mirrored in all that
he has made. But He does not want us to be satisfied with the created thing
alone. It can never bring contentment. (Remember Eve in the garden?) He allows
these things to disappear for a reason and this may seem too great a loss, but
it’s necessary! By limiting our exposure to the beauty of His handiwork,
our Heavenly Father creates in us a longing for the eternal beauty of His Son.
Thus the butterfly seems to perish not long after it appears.
Ours is a jealous God. Man’s eyes cannot look long upon gold or diamonds
or buildings before this jealousy is evoked. We are usually spared this fate
with a rose or a rainbow. The drooped appearance of the once-elegant flower
may trigger sadness, but it should also produce hope. Its rapid departure can
be a reminder of Christ’s intense and personal love for us—a burning
love that will not let anything get in the way of our relationship with Him
(Romans 8:18-39).
One final footnote: The Lord God has given each of His creatures approximately
800 million beats of the heart—with one exception—man. Christ Jesus
extended our lives by granting us nearly four times as many (three billion heart
beats on average). We need to use them wisely and avoid making idols for ourselves
here on earth! Let our eyes marvel at a flower’s design, yes, but let
our hearts soar to see the beauty of its Creator in heaven!
You shall not bow down to them or worship
them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God (Exodus 20:5).
* Longevity is the length of time that someone or something survives.
** The average person’s heart pumps around 80 times a minute
|