“Behold, [God] spreadeth His light upon [the world], and covereth the bottom of the sea.” Job 36:30
On both the Atlantic and Pacific seacoasts, great numbers of people gather each year to watch the migrations of the humpback whales. They sometimes see whole schools breaching (leaping into the air and landing with a great splash), as if competing with one another. At other times, they are seen lob-tailing (standing on their heads with the rest of their bodies in the air), waving their big flukes (the lobes on their large tails) and making huge splashes when they drop back to the surface. Frequently, they lift their tails above the water and smack them down, making tremendous waves. No wonder people gather by the thousands to see these performances!
Playful by nature, like porpoises, some of these giants will play tag with a large boat for an hour or so, coming up on one side, swimming underneath and popping up on the other, to the amusement of all on board.
The 6000-mile migrations end in warm, shallow bays where the calves are born underwater. Some of these new calves are as long as 13 feet. Usually a female “nurse” is on hand and helps the mother push the newborn up to the surface for its first breath of fresh air. Isn’t it amazing that the little one has been given an instinct by the Creator so that it doesn’t inhale water right after birth and drown? After breathing in fresh air for the first time, it drops back under its mother, and, again, a God-given instinct tells it to nurse her warm, rich milk. While nursing, it must return to the surface for air over and over again, but each time continues its nursing until its hunger is satisfied.
The bull whales have a large number of cows and calves for which they are responsible, but when danger comes, they usually swim away, leaving the cows to take care of themselves and their calves. That’s not very brave of them, is it?
As in the past, humpbacks are still a target for the whaling industry. However, in 1966 a legal suspension of hunting activity was made to protect them. Their numbers have recovered to approximately 80,000 worldwide now.
It is interesting that in the Bible where the ocean is spoken of, it says, “There is that leviathan [whale], whom Thou hast made to play therein” (Psalm 104:26). So we see that the Lord God, the Creator, intended whales to enjoy their playfulness, just as boys and girls do. And He is pleased for children to be happy and playful, as long as they are also obedient, kind and thoughtful of others. True happiness is one of His great gifts and comes from faith in Him and His Word which tells us, “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:20). Is this true of you?
ML-05/13/2018