As those who live in the country know, there are many kinds of cows on farms, and they are the most familiar of the large animals. Only the female is called a cow, and the male is called a bull. It’s unusual for a cow to charge a person, but it’s always good to keep a fence between yourself and a bull!
The Bible mentions cows. Genesis 1:2525And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25) says that “God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind.” This shows that God made a distinction between wild animals and domestic animals. The domestic animals could be used “for the service of man,” and certainly the cow is an animal of great service to man.
A cow’s stomach has four compartments. As a cow grazes, each bite is swallowed after a little chewing. This passes along to the first and second parts of the stomach where it combines with liquids to form a “cud.” Later when resting, the cow brings this cud back into its mouth and chews it more completely before finally swallowing it. This time the grass ends up in the third and fourth stomach compartments where it is further digested.
Milk is produced and collects in the bag-like underpart of the cow’s body known as the udder. When a calf is born, it instinctively knows that this is the place to go to satisfy its hunger. After the calf has grown enough to eat solid foods such as grass, hay and grain, the cow continues to supply milk for the dairyman. This milk will be shipped to market where it will be converted into butter, cheese and other dairy products. We should thank the Lord often for these foods. What would we do without them?
Besides milk and meat, cows and bulls are a main source of hides from which leather is made. Glue, soap, some medicines and other products are also produced from their body parts.
In early Bible days, God instructed His people how to distinguish between a “clean” and an “unclean” animal. A “clean” animal, which they could use for food, chewed the cud and had divided hoofs. The cow meets both of these requirements, as do sheep, goats, deer and several other animals.
There are lessons for us in all that the Bible teaches. A “clean” animal chewing its cud speaks of one who loves the Lord Jesus and spends some time reading and searching the Bible—not just glancing quickly at a portion of it. The divided hoof tells us He wants His people to divide (separate) themselves from the sinful world and live for Him. “Wherefore come out from among them [unbelievers], and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:1717Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6:17)). Do you fit these examples?
ML-06/19/2016