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Many creationists have said that there was no death before the Fall of Man and the Expulsion from Eden. Not only were Adam and Eve immortal, immune to death, but animals were also immortal. I’m not sure if plants were supposed to be immortal as well. Darwinian evolution is impossible, we are told, because it depends on the death of animals. There were many types of animals before the Fall led to death, so this would be a contradiction.
The notion that there was no death before the Fall is a complete misunderstanding of Genesis. Let’s take a look.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:
seedbearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed
in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according
to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according
to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening, and there was morning — the third day.
Genesis 1:11-13 NIV
When God creates plants, He specifies that they have seeds. Why are seeds so important? God is very specific that these plants can reproduce. This is a strong indication that they aren’t immortal, they must reproduce to maintain their numbers.
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and
let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living
and moving thing with which the water teems, according to
their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And
God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in
number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds
increase on the earth.”
And there was evening, and there was morning — the fifth day.
Genesis 1:20-23 NIV
When God creates fish, other sea creatures, and birds, He tells them to “Be fruitful and increase …” They are specifically told to reproduce. Once more, this emphasis on reproduction is a strong sign that they are not immortal. Individual fish won’t live forever, so they must reproduce so that the oceans will have plenty of fish. They same applies to birds.
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures
according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along
the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.”
And it was so.
God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the
livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that
move along the ground according to their kinds. And God
saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:24-25 NIV
In Genesis 1:24-25, we have a new element: livestock. God creates land animals, and domestic animals, livestock, are specifically mentioned. There is no command for these animals to reproduce, but God has already told plants, fish and birds to be fruitful and reproduce so we can assume that the same applies to land animals.
Livestock includes cows, sheep, goats and other domesticated animals. One of the main purposes of livestock is that they are available to be slaughtered and eaten as needed. People get other things from these animals, milk from cows, milk from goats, and wool from sheep, for instance. The skins of domestic animals can be made into leather. Nevertheless, the most consistent function of livestock is to be eaten by people. According to Genesis One, God created livestock to be killed and eaten as needed.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our
likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,
[Hebrew; Syriac all the wild animals] and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of
the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature
that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:26-28 NIV
In Genesis 1:28, God commands men and women to “Be fruitful and increase in number …” This parallels the commands given to plants, fish, birds, and which we can also presume to apply to land animals. In Genesis 1:26, God tells humans to “rule over the fish of the sea.” What does this mean? It means that people are free to go fishing, to catch fish with hooks, traps, or nets. They are free to kill fish and eat them. In the same verse, God tells the newly created men and women to rule over the birds of the air. Again, this means that they are free to hunt or trap these birds and eat them for dinner. The same applies to land animals, humans are to rule over them and use them for food, hunting them when necessary.
It is clear that none of these animals are immortal. Fish and birds are available to be eaten and consumed, and so are livestock and wild animals. They aren’t immortal and there is no sin in killing any of them for food. This is partly why God makes clear His intention that all of these animals are to reproduce. They are to multiply so that they will be available in sufficient numbers to serve as food for people.
The notion that there was no death before the Fall is a complete misunderstanding of Genesis. Let’s take a look.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:
seedbearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed
in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according
to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according
to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening, and there was morning — the third day.
Genesis 1:11-13 NIV
When God creates plants, He specifies that they have seeds. Why are seeds so important? God is very specific that these plants can reproduce. This is a strong indication that they aren’t immortal, they must reproduce to maintain their numbers.
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and
let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living
and moving thing with which the water teems, according to
their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And
God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in
number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds
increase on the earth.”
And there was evening, and there was morning — the fifth day.
Genesis 1:20-23 NIV
When God creates fish, other sea creatures, and birds, He tells them to “Be fruitful and increase …” They are specifically told to reproduce. Once more, this emphasis on reproduction is a strong sign that they are not immortal. Individual fish won’t live forever, so they must reproduce so that the oceans will have plenty of fish. They same applies to birds.
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures
according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along
the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.”
And it was so.
God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the
livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that
move along the ground according to their kinds. And God
saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:24-25 NIV
In Genesis 1:24-25, we have a new element: livestock. God creates land animals, and domestic animals, livestock, are specifically mentioned. There is no command for these animals to reproduce, but God has already told plants, fish and birds to be fruitful and reproduce so we can assume that the same applies to land animals.
Livestock includes cows, sheep, goats and other domesticated animals. One of the main purposes of livestock is that they are available to be slaughtered and eaten as needed. People get other things from these animals, milk from cows, milk from goats, and wool from sheep, for instance. The skins of domestic animals can be made into leather. Nevertheless, the most consistent function of livestock is to be eaten by people. According to Genesis One, God created livestock to be killed and eaten as needed.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our
likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,
[Hebrew; Syriac all the wild animals] and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of
the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature
that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:26-28 NIV
In Genesis 1:28, God commands men and women to “Be fruitful and increase in number …” This parallels the commands given to plants, fish, birds, and which we can also presume to apply to land animals. In Genesis 1:26, God tells humans to “rule over the fish of the sea.” What does this mean? It means that people are free to go fishing, to catch fish with hooks, traps, or nets. They are free to kill fish and eat them. In the same verse, God tells the newly created men and women to rule over the birds of the air. Again, this means that they are free to hunt or trap these birds and eat them for dinner. The same applies to land animals, humans are to rule over them and use them for food, hunting them when necessary.
It is clear that none of these animals are immortal. Fish and birds are available to be eaten and consumed, and so are livestock and wild animals. They aren’t immortal and there is no sin in killing any of them for food. This is partly why God makes clear His intention that all of these animals are to reproduce. They are to multiply so that they will be available in sufficient numbers to serve as food for people.