That interesting department of natural history — zoology, thus classifies the animal kingdom: first, land mammalia; second, birds or all kinds of flying fowl; third, reptiles or creeping things; fourth, fishes; and fifth, invertebrates. These distributions of animal life are, of course, most useful when scientific accuracy is required; but to a general reader and for all practical purposes the Scripture classification is amply sufficient as, first, marine creatures; second, winged and flying fowl; and third, land animals. We have the seas, then heaven or the air, and lastly the land respectively stocked with life (Gen. 1:20-2520And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:20‑25)). This is the order too observable in modern geological research.
The learned scientists of our proud and highly educated nineteenth century are wont to discharge their intellectual shafts at the credulity and ignorance displayed by the author of the book of Genesis. “This ancient document,” say they, “was good enough for a rude and barbarous age, for the world in its infancy; but the Pentateuch has served its purpose, and we can easily afford to lay it aside as a book possessing not the slightest authority, but we will revere it because of its high antiquity, for it is hoary with age. Science has shown that the cosmogony of Moses is altogether out of date and quite irreconcilable with the clear deductions of modern light upon creation and its wonders.” Now, we strongly object to the statement that science corroborates the Word of God, nay, it is that word which confirms and seals the certain and carefully ascertained facts and conclusions of science, and adds a luster to these studies when taken up in the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. We will put two or three plain statements before our readers, frankly avowing that our knowledge of the sciences is extremely limited, but our faith in the Word of God supreme: it liveth forever while we are but creatures of a day. First, has one fact been produced from the realm of nature which contradicts any statement in the Word of God, and if so, Where? and When? We await the proof. Second, is it not a fact that in all, or nearly all, departments of physical science mistakes have been made, and that succeeding investigators have corrected the ignorance and rebuked the assumptions of their predecessors? Third, has it not been repeatedly demonstrated that the Bible account of creation is not merely in substantial accord with established facts, but in numerous points circumstantially confirms the teachings of science, and which till late years were held to be contradictory? We will adduce two or three examples. How could light exist apart from the sun? Science, however, on the principle of electricity, has established the fact, but it was in the Bible; yes, and in the much abused book of Genesis thousands of years before this was known. The Christian believed it because on the first day God caused the light to be, and on the fourth set the sun in the solar system. He needs not the voice of science to establish the supreme authority of Holy Scripture. The “Book of Stone” has informed the geologist as to the order and ascending scale of animal life, but the Christian can triumphantly point to the Mosaic record of creation and show it written there thousands of years before geology ever had a votary. Ethnology has been pleased to say that it has satisfactorily established the unity of the race, and further, that the human family as now divided can be resolved into three great branches. How much better to have believed in the unity and dignity of the race from the second chapter of Genesis and in the three great divisions of mankind from the tenth chapter of that same book. When will men learn to be somewhat more cautious and careful in their assertions; a little modesty, after being proved to have been wrong so often, might surely befit these men of science. Of this we are fully assured from our gleanings in the writings of the school-men that the Scripture adage, “knowledge puffeth up,” is abundantly witnessed in the rash assumptions and unbelieving attacks made upon a document inspired and written by Divine authority 3500 years ago. Some of the brightest intellects which have ever entered the temple of science have cheerfully paid court and homage to the Word of God. Scripture, of course, is independent of man; it never borrows light, but it adds a lustre to its students, and it is right and becoming that its pre-eminent dignity be duly acknowledged.
The animal creation is further divided into clean and unclean (Lev. 11 and Deut. 14); the former being for sacrifice and for food, while the latter is regarded as unfit for either. In these ceremonial enactments Jehovah had a much higher object in view than the simple regulation of His people’s food. There was a moral end in these instructions. God was teaching His people holiness, and although as Christians we are not under these legal requirements, the spirit of them should be cultivated. “Whether therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:3131Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)).
Of clean land animals there must be the ability to chew the cud, and walk with cloven foot; the hoof must be divided. These two inseparable and distinguishing marks were essential. The camel, coney and hare, might possess one of these qualifications, but they were pronounced “unclean,” because they lacked the other (Lev. 11:3-73Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. (Leviticus 11:3‑7)). Again, all marine creatures having fins and scales, thus possessing the ability to swim, were “clean,” and could be freely used by a ceremonially holy people (Lev. 11:9-129These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. 12Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. (Leviticus 11:9‑12)). All carnivorous and nocturnal birds were amongst the prohibited class (Lev. 11:13-1913And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 15Every raven after his kind; 16And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 18And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:13‑19)). Reptiles and creeping things in general were also unclean and an abomination (Lev. 11:20-4220All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. 21Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. 24And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. 25And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 26The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. 28And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you. 29These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, 30And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. 31These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. 32And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed. 33And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it. 34Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. 35And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. 36Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. 37And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean. 38But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you. 39And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even. 40And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 41And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten. 42Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. (Leviticus 11:20‑42)), but the various kinds of locust who “leaped” along the ground, neither crawling nor creeping, were allowed for food.
In the following compendium of animal creation will be found embraced all, or nearly so, of every living creature named in the Scriptures, and are arranged in strict alphabetical order. Amongst the birds it will be observed that those of prey predominate. There is also a considerable variety of small birds who inhabit Israel not named at all. The oft-recurring expression “after his kind” (Lev. 11) intimate a species, and not specialty. Of fishes, none are named although as a class often referred to in the sacred pages and the distinction between clean and unclean accurately pointed out. The waters of Israel abound in fishes, the Dead Sea excepted. By-and-by, however, its waters will be healed, and teem with fish in all variety, affording constant occupation to the fisherman on its shores (Ezek. 47).