Category Archives: Alphabetical

Dove

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Dove. Doves and pigeons belong to the same family. They are often mentioned in the Bible as if they are the same animal. The rock dove found in Palestine is the wild ancestor of our common street pigeon. Turtledoves are migrants. They spend the months of April to October in the Holy Land, filling the air with soft cooing when they arrive each Spring (Song 2:11-12).

Doves come in several colors, from pure white to the chestnut-colored palm turtledove. Even the plain gray pigeon has a silver sheen. Solomon waxed poetic over doves’ eyes. David longed for “wings like a dove” (Ps. 55:6), so he could fly away from his enemies.

Pigeons were probably the first domesticated bird. When people realized doves could travel long distances and always find their way home, they used them to carry messages. Homing pigeons have keen eyes with which they spot landmarks to help them stay on the right route.

Hebrews ate pigeons and, from Abraham’s time, used them in sacrifice. Even a poor man could provide a pigeon or two for worship, as Joseph and Mary did at Jesus’ circumcision (Luke 2:21-24; Lev. 12:8).

Doves appear to express affection, stroking each other, and “billing and cooing.” They mate for life, sharing nesting and parenting duties. They are gentle birds that never resist attack or retaliate against their enemies. Even when her young are attacked, a dove will give only a pitiful call of distress.

Because of its innocence and gentle nature, the dove is a common religious symbol. The Holy Spirit took the form of a dove at Jesus’ baptism (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22). The dove also symbolizes peace, love, forgiveness, and the church.

Source: [Anon-Animals]

baboon

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Source: Anon-Animals

a kind of dog-faced, long-haired monkey, dwelling among ruins (gen. Cynocephalus); it was an object of worship for the Egyptians. Some deem it to be the “hairy one” spoken of in Is. 13:21; 34:14, but it is very doubtful whether it ever existed west of the Euphrates

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_animals_in_the_Bible

Baboons are monkey-like creatures that represent curiosity in Scripture as kings and queens have them for their entertainment.

Lizard

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Lizard. Lizards receive little attention in the Bible, although they are common in Palestine. They appeared on the list of unclean animals (Lev. 11:30) and were thus forbidden as food to the Israelites.

The lizard comes in many species. Some of the small lizards often pass for snakes, while larger versions of this animal resemble the crocodile. All lizards are cold-blooded reptiles. Since their body temperature depends on their surroundings, they thrive in the tropics and in deserts. But when the sun gets too hot even for them, they lie in the shade or burrow into the sand. One species is even called a sand lizard (Lev. 11:30); (skink, NIV).
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Leech

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Leech. A leech may be described as a type of worm with suckers at each end of its body. One end also contains a mouth. Some species of this animal even have tiny teeth. Parasitic leeches attach themselves to a person or an animal, from which it sucks blood for nourishment. A leech of this type secretes chemicals which keep the blood flowing freely.

In primitive times, physicians used leeches to “bleed” a patient and purge his body of what was thought to be contaminated blood. But an untended leech could cause pain and damage. In his Proverbs, Solomon may have had the blood-sucking nature of this animal in mind when he spoke of the leech’s “two daughters” who cry “Give! Give!” (Prov. 30:15).

Source: [Anon-Animals]

Gabriel

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gā´bri-el (גּבריאל, gabhrı̄’ēl, “Man of God”; Γαβριήλ, Gabriḗl): The name of the angel commissioned to explain to Daniel the vision of the ram and the he-goat, and to give the prediction of the 70 weeks (Dan 8:16; Dan 9:21). In the New Testament he is the angel of the annunciation to Zacharias of the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary of the birth of Jesus (Luk 1:19, Luk 1:26). Though commonly spoken of as an archangel, he is not so called in Scripture. He appears in the Book of Enoch (chapters 9, 20, 40) as one of 4 (or 6) chief angels. He is “set over all powers,” presents, with the others, the cry of departed souls for vengeance, is “set over the serpents, and over Paradise, and over the cherubim.” He is prominent in the Jewish Targums, etc. (ISBE)

See Angel
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bat

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A bat is a four footed beast of the ravenous sort. Each foot has five toes, and the forefeet are connected with a membrane, and expand into a sort of wing. Its mouth is like that of quadruped, not like a bird, and it is covered with hair. It gives birth to live young, not eggs, and resembles greatly a mouse. The female gives milk to its young, and these young cling to her chest. During winter bats cover themselves with their wings and hang in dry, dark places. In summer they do likewise in the day, and they hunt for food at night catching moths and insects. They cannot be tamed.
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