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The First Christmas Included The Animals
Niki Behrikis Shanahan
When Jesus came into this world He could have been born in any number of places. Being the Son of God, He certainly could have been born in a great palace or mansion. But it’s very interesting that He was born among all the animals. He was born in a manger, which is a feeding trough for livestock, and was surrounded by all the animals.
In fact, Jesus was around animals quite often, and He frequently used animals in His parables. It would appear that Jesus had animals on His mind. Let’s take a look at some of these examples.
The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove when John was baptizing Him. Right after He was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him out into the desert where He fasted for 40 days. The wild animals and the angels were the only ones to surround Him. Jesus told us in the book of Matthew that the Heavenly Father feeds the birds that fly in the air.
His conversation frequently involved animals. He told Peter to go down to the sea and throw in his hook, and the first fish he catches will have a shekel in it. Then he told Peter to go and pay both their taxes. He said to the disciples, “I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus taught that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. He used analogies and spoke of sheep, goats, hens, chicks, and a sparrow.
In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, and the Lion of Judah.
Just before Jesus went to the cross, the Bible says that He told the disciples to get a donkey and bring it to Him. He rode the donkey into Jerusalem to go to the cross. Then in a two-fold act of love, Jesus made the once-and-for-all sacrifice for all God’s creatures by dying on the cross, and it eliminated the necessity for animals to ever be sacrificed again!
The Bible says that when Jesus returns He will ride a white horse. He could ride in any type of vehicle He wished or simply fly down, but He has chosen to ride a white horse! He came into this world with the animals, He left riding a donkey, He was with animals and spoke about them during His life, and He will return someday on a white horse. The animals have always been a significant part of Jesus’ life, and they always will be. The reason I know they always will be is because the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Niki Behrikis Shanahan is the author of There Is Eternal Life For Animals, The Rainbow Bridge: Pet Loss Is Heaven's Gain, and Animal Prayer Guide, Pete Publishing, www.eternalanimals.com. Article copyright 2004 Niki Behrikis Shanahan. All rights reserved. Not to be used without author's explicit written authorization.