Last week I shared about the one spider that I wouldn’t mind having as a pet; the amazing slingshot spider that resides in the Amazon. Well this week there’s another of God’s creatures I would like to write about, but definitely not own.
Her name is Belle and she is an 11-foot yellow python. Belle’s owner is eight-year-old Inbar Regev. According to the news organization Reuters, Inbar and Belle happily live together on an animal sanctuary in an agricultural community in Southern Israel. So just what does Inbar do with her pet 11-foot snake? Well when it’s hot the two of them love to swim together in their small backyard pool. Imagine that, I can’t without cringine. Then when the coronavirus hit Israel and schools were closed, Belle was good company for Inbar; “It helps me pass the time because I really like to hang out with snakes and sometimes I help snakes shed (their skin) and I help them to be happy during coronavirus,” Inbar said.
“Sarit Regev, Inbar’s mother, said the two grew up together and swam together in the bathtub.” And all I can say is, good for them.
Inbar’s and Belle’s relationship reminds me of the words of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah in chapter 11 verses 6 to 9. Here he speaks of a time on earth when peace exists between all creation; 6 “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Obviously this is not the current state in which we live. Sin has caused animals to attack each other. Wolves and lambs are enemies as well as children and cobras. But one day according to the text that will no longer be. One day there will be a peaceful kingdom where predators cease going after their prey. No longer will there be any hostilities between animals or between people! Verse 9 tells us that the reason why no harm occurs is because the world will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
This time of world peace Isaiah speaks of is when the earth is made new after Jesus’ second coming. As we see days of difficulty and tragedy, let’s have hope that there will be a day in the future when God turns everything around and peace once again reigns. What a wonderful gift God will give to those who know Jesus. Perhaps then I too will swim with a 11 foot python, but most likely not.
In the meantime, keep the faith!
Pastor Tom