God gave man dominion over the fish, the birds, and the beasts of the earth, and it is not against His will to catch, kill, and use wild animals for food. He ordained a sacrificial system in which millions of animals died, and He inspired scriptures naming which animals, fish, and fowl are fit to eat, game animals included (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14). After the Flood He expressly gave mankind permission to kill animals for food (Genesis 9:2-3). Had killing animals been wrong, He would simply have forbidden eating any of them rather than distinguishing clean from unclean. Killing predators is likewise acceptable, as David killed a lion and a bear that menaced his sheep (I Samuel 17:34-36). Dominion, however, does not permit indiscriminate or reckless killing. Slaying an animal merely for its antlers or horns and leaving the carcass to rot is repulsive and wrong. The humane culling of herds of deer, bison, and similar animals is necessary and merciful conservation of nature. The idea that killing any animal whatsoever is wrong has no support in the Bible.

God created wild animals on the earth according to their kinds and placed them under human dominion alongside all other living creatures. This dominion carries the responsibility to act with love and concern for their well-being rather than exploitation. After the Flood the relationship shifted, so that fear and dread of mankind now rest upon every beast of the earth, bird of the air, and fish of the sea. Wild animals share mortality and an earthy origin with humanity yet remain distinct, lacking the image of God and the male-female emphasis given to mankind. Observation of wild animals supplies practical wisdom through their God-given traits. The ant demonstrates self-motivated diligence without external oversight. Serpents such as the adder, asp, cockatrice, and viper illustrate the poisonous, painful effects of slander. The hind and hart portray graceful femininity and dignified, protective masculinity. The wild ass embodies an intractable, aimless, and exploitative character, as seen in the description of Ishmael. The fox represents stealthy cunning that disrupts order. The goat, though clean, leads through aggressive pride that harms the group. Even the lowly worm pictures extreme debasement. God supplies vegetation for wild creatures and sustains them through the seasons, showing His care for all living things. Humans must not abuse the weak and defenseless among them but extend mercy, as when returning a stray ox or donkey or refraining from taking a mother bird with her young. Such acts reflect the same principle that God pleads the cause of those unable to defend themselves. By studying these creatures people learn both what to emulate and what to avoid, fulfilling the call to live by every word that proceeds from God.

As God's creation renews itself each spring, the animal kingdom multiplies according to His original blessing and command that living creatures be fruitful and fill the earth (Genesis 1:22, 24). Yet because the planet has limited space, humanity and wild animals have historically competed for territory. Nimrod rose to leadership after the Flood specifically because he protected people from dangerous beasts (Genesis 10:8-9), and God Himself used this dynamic when leading Israel into Canaan, promising to drive out inhabitants gradually so that "the beast of the field" would not multiply beyond the people's ability to manage (Exodus 23:28-30). Throughout history, as human populations expanded into new territories, conflicts with predators such as mountain lions, bears, wolves, snakes, alligators, and other creatures led people to attempt their eradication for safety. This pattern appeared vividly in America, where wildlife initially sustained early settlers but declined sharply as human populations grew. By the early 1900s, species such as the whitetailed deer, wild turkey, Canadian goose, and black bear faced near extinction, and by 1967 the alligator was federally listed as endangered. Remarkably, all five species not only survived but have rebounded dramatically, even thriving in densely populated eastern regions. Whitetailed deer, no longer checked by natural predators, have multiplied so rapidly that some call them "hoofed rats," damaging crops and forcing reduced speed limits at crossings. Wild turkeys now inhabit every state except Alaska, while over 130,000 Canadian geese have stopped migrating altogether, causing crop damage and sanitation problems in populated areas. Predator species have also returned in force: black bears now roam the entire U.S. mainland, alligators have fully recovered in Florida (generating thousands of citizen complaints annually), and gray wolves thrive in Canada, with attacks on livestock reported and reintroduction into the U.S. anticipated. Even coyotes have been spotted in the Bronx. These developments raise the possibility that the resurgence of wild animal populations may represent an early sign of end-time prophecy. Leviticus 26:21-22 warns that disobedience would bring divine judgment through wild beasts sent to rob children, destroy livestock, and desolate highways, a warning echoed in Deuteronomy 28:26. Revelation 6:8 describes one of the Four Horsemen, Death, granted power to kill a fourth of the earth through sword, famine, plague, and "the beasts of the earth." These prophecies may extend beyond direct animal attacks to include animal-borne diseases such as rabies, malaria, bubonic plague, hantavirus, and Lyme disease, with rabies cases reportedly doubling in the U.S. within a short span. Amos 5:19 further illustrates the terror of divine judgment through the imagery of a man fleeing a lion only to meet a bear, or being bitten by a serpent while seeking refuge, a passage that may carry both metaphorical and literal significance. While it remains uncertain whether the current resurgence of wild animal populations will culminate in such prophesied scenarios, this trend stands as one more observable sign to watch as the end of the age approaches.

The phrase "by the beasts of the earth" in Revelation 6:8 summarizes the work of all Four Horsemen, and it follows naturally from the progression of war, famine, and disease. When these calamities depopulate the land, the balance between human civilization and wildlife is upset. Hunting and development of wilderness shrink or stop, predatory animals multiply, and attacks on humans increase. Scripture gives several examples. Nimrod's rise to power probably began with his skill in killing predators that had the upper hand over a tiny post-Flood human population (Genesis 10:8-9). God told Israel He would not drive out the Canaanites in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field too numerous (Exodus 23:29). Lions killed some Samaritans settled after Assyria carried Israel into captivity (II Kings 17:25). Wild beasts are also among the curses for disobedience in Leviticus 26:22, which robs people of children and livestock and makes them few. Through Ezekiel, God links wild beasts with famine, pestilence, and the sword as His scourges (Ezekiel 5:17). Wild beasts therefore serve as an instrument of divine judgment for sin. Eagles, meanwhile, are both swift, sharp-eyed hunters and unclean carrion eaters (Leviticus 11:13; Matthew 24:28). The first trait reflects God as sovereign Judge on high, and the second reflects the grisly effects of His judgments.