Wednesday Bible Blurb “Deer Wars” 9 4 2024
When I read in the Olivet prophecy that there will be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6) I never imagined it would be between deer species. For many years our home yard was inhabited by the sleek, tall, graceful whitetail species of deer. We have all seen them wave their white tails as they run away. Shy, skittish and standoffish they come around and graze until I walk outside. Then, the white tail goes up and off they run. Mule deer came to our home about 15 years ago, smaller, wider, not nearly as sleek and graceful as the whitetail deer with their huge ears (Thus the term “Mule deer”) they seem to be built more like a tank in their width and musculature frames. Friendly, not nearly as skittish as the whitetail deer and they also don’t jump fences nearly as well. The mule deer are happy to stay in our yard and rest under the apple and cherry trees without much regard for us humans. Every year the mule deer have little baby fawns in our yard and leave them here as they go away to graze. They know their cute babies are safe in our yard.
With the two species of deer hanging out in our yard, I am able to observe their behavior. The whitetail and the mule deer are different than each other, not only in looks but in attitude and how they relate. To put it mildly they don’t get along and barely tolerate each other. I have seen whitetail does charge at and scare mule deer away from the apple trees. Deer wars. Sadly, even animal species don’t seem to be able to “get along” in our world. Just like people who are different than each other, deer species don’t get along.
Someday in the future after the return of Jesus animal species will begin to get along again (See Isaiah 11). What of humanity today? Why do we humans act like animals and have our own human “deer wars”? We often don’t get along because someone is different than we are. How sad as we are all made in the image of God. Over and over again in the Bible we see how God is not only reconciling Himself with us but how He is accepting of all peoples of all races, ethnicities and cultures. He simply asks that we repent, (Change to His way of life and obey His laws), be baptized and show His love to everyone.
God has a plan to reunite all of mankind under Him and His way of life and to live in peace. “Therefore, know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abrahan, And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel to
Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed. ’So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” (Gal. 3:7-9 [NKJV]). All nations, all peoples are to be one with God.
Paul continues with this theme and gives us food to ponder, “For you are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s , then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29-29). No “deer wars” between people as we are all the same, sons of God.
We, the children of God are one body with Him. “For as the body is one and has many members, but all members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one spirit.” (I Cor. 12:12-13). Why have “deer wars” among people when we are all to be one with Christ?
We, all of humanity, are one family in Christ. We are all the children of God! “Beloved, now we are children of God:” (I John 3:2a). For those who ask for and receive Christ, “to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12). We have “received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirt that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15-16).
Have we cried out to God for peace in this world? Have we cried out to God to bring His people back together, no matter who they are? Whether white, black, yellow or red it means nothing to God because we are all His children. When will we quit the human “deer wars” and live in His peace and kingdom?
Every year we have little fawns in our yard. They are safe under our apple and cherry trees where I let the grass grow long and they have shade, water and comfort. I look forward to the day when, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-9).
Let us pray daily for the day when “deer wars” have ended and all the humanity of the world will be at peace as the children of God.
