Rocky was a 7½-foot-tall, 700-pound grizzly bear. He was of captive-bred parentage and had been trained from a cub by humans to play and wrestle with them. He was brought up on an animal refuge, Predators in Action, high in the mountains of San Bernardino, California. By all accounts, Rocky was a gentle, well-trained bear brought up by an experienced trainer, Randy Miller.
Rocky had starred in many shows, documentaries and movies and was a huge success. At five years old, he had proven himself to be a trustworthy bear and an excellent performer. Randy Miller was so confident in Rocky’s obedience that he did not hesitate to agree to his cousin’s request to film himself and Rocky in a video promotional. His cousin, Stephan Miller, was also experienced in handling exotic animals, and he had even played and wrestled with another bear at Predators in Action when he worked as a trainer there about ten years before this incident.
The plan was for a casual setting where Stephan had his hands in his pockets while Rocky was standing or sitting next to him. Then, later, they would wrestle. As they were filming, everything seemed to be going according to plan: Rocky was obeying his cues, by staying when told to and sitting when told to. He even stood up on his hind legs and started licking Stephan’s face! Everyone was thrilled that it was going so well — but suddenly, without warning, Rocky decided to go into his wrestling routine. He approached Stephan, stood up on his hind legs (just like before) and in one quick, swift motion bit Stephan on the neck. In horrified shock, amidst screams and yells, Randy dove in to wrestle the bear, and the other trainers used canes and pepper spray to separate Rocky and Stephan. The whole incident only lasted a few seconds. Stephan scrambled up from the ground where he’d fallen and stumbled away. But irrevocable damage had been done — Rocky’s bite was a lethal one, and Stephan died within a few minutes.
A terribly upset and shaken Randy afterwards said that the incident happened during “playful” wrestling and that Rocky was a “loving, affectionate, friendly, safe bear.”
Rocky is a picture to us of just how deceitful sin is. We know how dangerous and deadly sin can be, but we deceive ourselves into thinking that it is harmless and that we can control it. We think that “next time” alcohol won’t hurt us ... until we become hopelessly addicted. We think that an illicit affair will be without consequence ... until there is a broken marriage, or relationship, resulting in heartache and grief. We see no harm in being “one of the crowd” and smoking a cigarette or taking drugs ... until we become enslaved in an expensive habit that destroys our bodies. We see no harm in twisting the truth to our advantage “just a tiny bit” ... until lying becomes a habit that we cannot break. And so we become entrapped in sin’s subtle and deadly clutches. God’s Word, the Bible, speaks of being “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:1313But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)). When we do not repent of our sins, we are spiritually separated from God and dead to eternal life with Him. God is not only speaking of physical death, but also spiritual death when He warns man, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” (Ezekiel 33:1111Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)).
Randy Miller was determined to find out what went wrong — was Rocky’s bite a deliberate attack, or was it an accident? After carefully reviewing the film and consulting with other experts, it was ruled an accident. Rocky did not know that they wanted still shots of him and Stephan before going into the wrestling routine. After all, nine times out of ten, when Rocky was standing that close to someone it was to wrestle with them! So when Rocky went into his wrestling routine, Stephan was unprepared and did not have his arm up in the defensive position. Rocky had been trained to stand up on his hind legs (which he did) and to move towards the trainer (which he did) and to grab onto him (which he did) without clamping down (which he did). Rocky grabbed what was available — Stephan’s neck. With the caning and commotion that followed, Rocky clamped down and shook Stephan. Though the other trainers reacted quickly, it was too late — at that point, no medical attention could save Stephan’s life.
This tragedy could have been prevented. If Stephan had put his arm up, Rocky would have held onto that. Randy Miller later stated, “It was a flash bite and it hit him in a very vulnerable spot. If it had hit his arm or something, it would have been bad, but wouldn’t have cost him his life.” Not foreseeing this danger resulted in deadly consequences.
And so it is for us. If we do not realize our helpless and lost state before God, we will suffer the eternal consequences in the lake of fire, separated from God forever. That is why the Lord warns us two times over, “I tell you ... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,53I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)
5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5)). We are all in the same lost condition before God, until we repent of our sins and come to Him for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:99That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:9)). Do not delay — come to Him now, while there is still time, while you are able, before it is forever too late!
Little things have consequences — just ask Roxanne Duff. Find her story in Too Cute.