9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.
We are not the only recipients of God’s commitment. And I am not talking about mythical life on other planets! I am talking about God’s commitment to all the creatures on this planet, to not again destroy life as he did in the flood. God values the animals too. But there is a priority established in creation. Humans have the breath of God in them. They are created in His image, fashioned after His likeness. They have been given the role of ruling over the creatures, of caring for them. So when the Lord empties the Ark of its inhabitants, He makes a commitment to all the passengers to not use water as a universal judgment instrument. He will never use water again. Next time, we learn later in Scripture, there will be the fire of judgment and reshaping. God’s commitment is for all of us. We can count on Him to keep His promise. But by including the other creatures in His promise He emphasizes His care over all of creation. Those that were judged by the flood are now protected from a repeat performance. The plants sprung back to life following the flood. The olive branch carried back to the Ark was evidence of that. But the animals had to multiply year after year in order to fill the earth again. It would take many generations to not just restore the numbers, but also to spread across the globe in search of adequate food supplies. There were many corners of the globe that the animals and people needed to reach. And reach they did. God made a promise to them, a promise that He intends to keep. So next time you see an animal, remember that God made a promise to them as well, and He is keeping that promise.
The Arnold Journey 