BLESSING
OF ANIMALS
First Word
·
God’s covenant was not only to man, but
was extended to His creatures too. – He demonstrates his love for animals by
feeding them and points out that not even a sparrow is forgotten by Him.
·
Man was created in God’s
own image,
and because we bear the image of God, we are unique with the rest of creation.
– We inherited a part of God’s nature that cares for the animals. We have been given dominion, stewardship
and responsibility to take care of His creatures.
·
Dogs, cats, birds and
bunnies;
we all love our pets, they give us amusement, companionship and unconditional
love. – When we have a fish tank, we are like the Creator to the creatures in
the tank. For their environment we
provide FOOD, the right temperature, chemical balance and cleanliness; without
our care, they would die. We are
modeling the Creator, exercising dominion over a small part that He
has given us. – WHAT A GREAT LIFE LESSON.
·
I can easily desire the
“Blessing of my Puppies” as I make sure they are
well groomed and fed and often pray over their well-being as well as their
protection.
·
A righteous man will have
regard for an animal’s life. - It’s in
the Book –
Genesis 1:27 – Man was created in the Image of God
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (ESV)
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (ESV)
Genesis 9:9-10 – God’s
covenant is with Man and Animals
9 Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,
10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.
9 Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,
10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.
(ESV)
Genesis 1:26-28 – Man has dominion over the
animals
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and HAVE DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and HAVE DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)
Psalm 8:6-8 – Man given dominion over the animals,
birds & Fish
6 You have given him DOMINION over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (ESV)
6 You have given him DOMINION over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (ESV)
Luke 12:6 – Not even a sparrow is forgotten by God
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. (ESV)
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. (ESV)
Matthew 6:26 – Our heavenly Father feeds the birds
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (ESV)
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (ESV)
Luke 12:24 – God feeds His creatures
24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! (ESV)
24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! (ESV)
Psalm 147:9 - He gives to
the beasts their food
9 He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. (ESV)
9 He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. (ESV)
Psalm 104:21 – Lions look to God for their food
21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. (ESV)
21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. (ESV)
Proverbs 12:10 – A Righteous man has regard for an
animal’s life
10 whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (ESV)
10 whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (ESV)
St. Francis of Assisi
·
We can’t talk about the “Blessing of the Animals”
without talking about St Francis of Assisi.
·
He was born Giovanni di
Pietro di Bernardone, (1181/1226) one of seven children and was informally called Francesco
by his father. - He sold cloth and velvet in the market place for his wealthy
family. - Although never ordained as a
Priest, he became an Italian Roman Catholic Preacher. - He founded the MEN'S Order
of Friars Minor, the WOMEN’S Order of Saint Clare, and
the Third Order of Saint Francis for both MEN and WOMEN. – His work
resulted in several chapels around Assisi that were in ruin to be restored.
·
He experienced a vision that would move him to
have a love for animals and creation; to serve others and to take
a vow of poverty even though he was from a wealthy family. He began to preach on the streets and for
those who wanted to serve, but could not leave their homes, he founded the “Order
of Poor Clares” for those who would observe in their daily lives, the
principals of the “Franciscan Life”. His
sermons were more along the line of “Moral Living” rather than “Church Doctrine”.
He was passionate that God’s people were
to be more than “HEARERS” of the word, but to be “DOERS” of the word.
– His passion led him to reach out and help the most obnoxious and outcast of people
in the city; the Lepers.
·
He believed that nature
itself
was the MIRROR OF GOD. He called all creatures his “brothers” and “sisters”,
and even preached to the birds and legend says he persuaded a wolf
to stop attacking some of the locals, if they would agree to feed it. - Many of
the stories that surround the life of St. Francis speak of his great love for animals
and of creation. - He strove to have a mystical union with God,
nature and animals.
·
Francis is one of the most
venerated
religious figures in history. - On July 16, 1228, Pope Gregory IX canonized him
as a Saint. – Interestingly enough, in the New Testament all believers are
called Saints. - It’s in the Book –
James 1:22 - Be ye doers
of the word, and not hearers only
22 But be ye DOERS of the word, and not HEARERS only, deluding your own selves. (ASV)
22 But be ye DOERS of the word, and not HEARERS only, deluding your own selves. (ASV)
Proverbs 12:10 – Righteous man has regard for an
animal’s life
10 whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (ESV)
10 whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (ESV)
Exodus 23:12 – Give your animals rest on the
Sabbath
12 Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have REST, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
12 Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have REST, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
(ESV)
Exodus 23:4 – Care about even your enemy’s animals
4 If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
4 If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
(ESV)
Philippians 1:1 – All Christians were referred to
as Saints
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to ALL THE SAINTS in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to ALL THE SAINTS in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
(NKJV)
Peace
Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an
instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
The Blessing
·
The blessing of the
animals
is often celebrated on October 4th
or on a Sunday near that date. – It involves addressing the animals by “name”,
sprinkling them with holy water and praying for them.
·
To be “blessed" means to be favored by God'. Blessings therefore are directly
associated with God and come from God.
So to express a blessing is like bestowing a wish on someone that they
will experience the favor of God. "May you have a blessed day" can thus be
translated as: "May you experience the favor of God today”.
·
The blessing by “name” means that health,
healing and life are being called on from God to benefit the animal in its
relationship with its human partners. So
most of the time we see household Pets being involved.
·
When blessing with the
hand,
the minister uses his right hand, holding his fingers so that they form the
Greek letters IC XC, the monogram of Jesus Christ – If you wonder what
that looks like… see Spock on “Star Trek”.
Two fingers to the Left and two fingers to the right forming a “V”.
Praying TO the Animals
·
The Bible does not address the keeping of pets nor
is there an example in scripture of a pet owner – For me; perhaps there is only
one exception where the “Passover Lamb” was taken inside the household for a
week prior to it becoming “The Sacrificial Lamb”. It became a part of the family as “a
pet” in order for the family to fully understand the Great Sorrow when
it was killed as the Passover Lamb.
·
Some denominations take
the blessing of animals a step further with mini-parades for their pets in a
park and with prayers TO animals that have died. – Although this is emotionally touching,
there is nothing like this reported anywhere in the New Testament scripture. – It’s NOT in the
Book -
Last
thoughts
·
The Blessing of the Animals
has become a part of many denominations and has also been denounced by many
others as a non-biblical tradition that perhaps borders on blasphemy as it
brings worship to the creation instead of the Creator.
·
We love our pets for sure, but praying to an animal
or to anyone else living or dead is not scriptural. We only have one mediator and that is Jesus
Christ the Son of the Living God and it is by His name that we pray directly to
God and He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us do that. – NYOBS 20.19 – HOLY SPIRIT
·
Scripture says when someone
goes to the grave
they become silent, there are no praises, no working, no planning or wisdom,
the dead know nothing. – NYOBS 42.26 – NECROMANCY;
COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEAD
·
This “Blessing of the Animals” Worship Service
has evolved through a TRADITION of man; scripture speaks about traditions and
says that men are worshiping God in vain, worshiping with their lips, but not
with their hearts; this tradition serves the creature rather than the Creator.
·
Scripture warns us;
See to it that NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE by philosophy and empty
deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental
spirits of the world, and NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST.
·
God is the God of all
flesh
and I will continue to pray to Him for my pets, but I will skip the “Blessing
of the Animals” Worship Service.
·
Paul says I urged you to NOT teach
a different doctrine of MYTHS which promote speculations rather than
the stewardship from God that is by faith. - It’s in the Book –
Matthew 15:3-9 – Do NOT Worship man’s tradition
& commands
3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of YOUR TRADITION?
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 IN VAIN do they worship me, teaching as DOCTRINES the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’”
3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of YOUR TRADITION?
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 IN VAIN do they worship me, teaching as DOCTRINES the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’”
(ESV)
Romans 1:25 – Served the creature rather than the
creator
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
(ESV)
Colossians 2:8 – Empty philosophy and deceit of
human traditions
8 See to it that NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST. (ESV)
8 See to it that NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and NOT ACCORDING TO CHRIST. (ESV)
1 Timothy 1:3-4 – Don’t teach doctrines of myths
& speculation
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons NOT to teach any different doctrine,
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. (ESV)
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons NOT to teach any different doctrine,
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. (ESV)
Hebrews 1:1-4 – God speaks to us today through
Jesus
1 LONG AGO, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the PROPHETS,
2 but in these LAST DAYS he has spoken to us by his SON, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (ESV)
1 LONG AGO, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the PROPHETS,
2 but in these LAST DAYS he has spoken to us by his SON, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (ESV)
Matthew 23:9-10 – Do not call a man Father
9 And CALL NO MAN your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. (ESV)
9 And CALL NO MAN your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 3:21 – The spirit of the beast goes
downward
21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? (ESV)
21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 9:10 - NO working, planning, knowledge or wisdom
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. (NIV2011)
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. (NIV2011)
Psalm 115:17 – The dead cannot praise God – They
are silent
17 Dead people can't praise GOD— not a word to be heard from those buried in the ground. (MSG)
17 Dead people can't praise GOD— not a word to be heard from those buried in the ground. (MSG)
Ecclesiastes 9:5 – The dead know nothing
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecclesiastes 9:6 – The dead’s emotions have
perished
6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. (ESV)
6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun. (ESV)
Jeremiah 32:27 – God is the God of all flesh
27 Behold, I am the LORD, THE GOD OF ALL FLESH. Is anything too hard for me? (ESV)
27 Behold, I am the LORD, THE GOD OF ALL FLESH. Is anything too hard for me? (ESV)
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:14
I am grateful to those that went before me
providing concepts, ideas, historical
information, and scripture verses. Because of them I can stand on their
shoulders
and see further that I otherwise ever could
have.
A Commentary; Critical,
Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans
Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius
Josephus Matthias
Apocrypha – Goodspeed
Baker Commentary on the
Bible - Elwell
Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White
Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer
Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row
Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake
English Standard Version
Bible – ESV
Expositor’s Bible
Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein
Illustrated Bible
Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated Bible
Dictionary; The – Tyndale
Interlinear Greek-English
New Testament - Baker
King James Version Bible –
KJV
Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan
New International
Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas -
Tenney
New International Version
Bible (2011) – NIV
NOTE: The “new” NIV has
been corrupted and made gender neutral.
Avoid it.
Thru the Bible – J. Vernon
McGee
Vincent’s Word Studies of
the New Testament – Mac Donald
Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Wycliffe Bible Commentary;
The – Pfeiffer & Harrison
Wikipedia –
Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney
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