The strangest animal of all

The Book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. In fact, the word “Genesis” means, “In Beginning”. It is the one book that gives an account of the origin of all things.

And among those beginnings, are the beginning of all the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the animals of the earth. God made them all. In verse 20 of chapter one, God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let the birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky. Each according to their own kind.” Then in verse twenty-four He said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds; livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth.”

And when God created mankind, He gave Adam the responsibility to give names to all the creatures that God had made, including the fish, the birds of the sky, and the animals of the earth. And whatever Adam called them, that was their name, even unto this day.

Can you imagine Adam calling one fish a “perch”, and another, a “bass”, and another, the one with “whiskers”, he called “a catfish”? And the birds, he named “robins”, “bluebirds”, “hawks”, and the ons so majestic, that he called it and all others like it, “bald eagles”. To the creatures of the earth, Adam gave names such as “cows”, “wolves”, “foxes”, and the slimy ones he called, “snakes,” “eels”, “frogs” and “toads”. But the strangest one of all, he called a “platypus”. Now, folks, I don’t know what God was thinking when He created this creature.

Maybe he knew that one day the evolutionists would discover this creature and want to give it all kinds of names and descriptions, each of which was just as much a mystery, and a guess, and “out of place”, as any other name they could give it. Then again, maybe God was in a playful mood and wanted to create something that no one could figure out what it was?

I have never seen one up close, myself. I’ve only seen it a few times on some animal or nature programs on TV. So I have a description for you that I have not researched, but have found in a Church of Christ news magazine that was sent to my house.

After I give you this description, then you be the judge as to what it is and to what category of the animal kingdom we should assign it. Scientists classify it as a mammal, but unlike any other mammal you’ve ever seen. It’s about the size of a house cat with fur thicker than that of a polar bear. It can store food in its mouth like a chipmunk and it has a beaver-like tail which it uses to store fat and to maneuver easily in the water.

It has a duck-like bill, and rooster-like spurs, and it lays eggs like a turtle! Its fur is so dense that it can trap a layer of air next to its skin, which works as insulation to keep it warm in cold waters. Not only does it have rooster-like spurs, but it has otter-like webbed feet to help it swim. And you don’t ever want to pick the platypus up and pet it like a lovable fuzzball because it produces venom like a snake!

And get this, when it goes underwater in search for food, it completely closes its eyes and ears and yet has a snout that acts like a radar that allows it to sense even the very weak electric impulses in the muscles of its prey, including earthworms and tadpoles that are hiding under the mud and rocks of the river bottom!

Okay, now you tell me, what is it? Because I don’t honestly know! If God can make a creature that defies all natural and clear understanding, what has He made when He created you and me? And we are “the top-of-the-line” of all His creations! The psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise you, O’ Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your workmanship is marvelous, and how well I know it!”

Have you given praise, lately, for all that God has done for you? Read all of Psalm 139 and see how much God loves you and looks after you. Then, when you have read it all, pray the prayer at the end, “Search me, O’ God, and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting life.” Would you do that today?