Natural Balance?

Hello. I am a big fan of the recent Godzilla movie series in America. But within that series a recurring ideology comes up: nature’s always balances itself. Indeed, in the movies, Godzilla serves as a hero that emerges when another force puts the safety of the Earth in jeopardy. Curious about how true this concept is in real life, though, I began searching the web. What I’m seeing so far is that “natural balance theory” is popular with the general public but widely rejected by scientists, at least ones who profess belief in evolution. Because I am entirely a Christian creationist who believes in a young earth, I don’t put stock in evolutionist ideas. I searched your website to see if Natural Balance Theory was touched on, but could find nothing about it. I’m not sure that the Bible says anything about it either way. Because this message body has a limit I have to stop there, but I am curious to get a proper opinion on this matter.

—J. W.

While we cannot comment on the ideology of the Godzilla movies, we do acknowledge that history shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men. Man likes to believe that “nature” (or fate or luck) is either the guiding force of our lives or the ultimate aim for our affections. Since “nature” is often used as a substitute for God in secular thought, we need to immediately establish that it is God, not nature, who has established what could be termed a natural balance.

Is Natural Balance a Biblical Principle?

Although “natural balance” is never used in Scripture, it does appear that the Bible teaches this concept in several different ways and outworkings. Whether it is by the direct action of God or by what he created, set in motion, or oversees, there does appear to be a balance set up by God for the benefit of both animals and humans. However, this is not a dualistic yin-yang inevitability, a vague human-influenced karma, nor, to put it in more modern spin, is it the balancing of the light and dark sides of some unseen “force.” Natural balance can best be described as how God usually works through natural processes, the timing of events, and God-ordained human governance that provides stability for both animal and human life. But even within this natural balance, he has established an overarching principle for mankind, which is prone to abuse God’s provision and grace: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Although “natural balance” is never used in Scripture, it does appear that the Bible teaches this concept in several different ways and outworkings.

Keep in mind, however, that God is not constrained to always work through natural mechanisms. He can choose to work miracles, grant direct reward, or inflict divine judicial punishment whenever he so justly chooses. The biblical accounts of creation, the flood, the confusion of languages at Babel, the Red Sea crossing, the virgin birth of Jesus, the resurrection of Christ, and many other such examples from Scripture show us that God is not confined to naturalistic methodologies and can supersede them at will. Still, we know that God has appointed times and seasons and set an order to earth where natural law and the laws of logic operate in a consistent manner. This is a great comfort to Christians and (even though unrecognized and unappreciated) to all other life on earth as well.

Seasonal Balance

Right after the flood, God promised that “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). We might call this “seasonal balance” in nature. This is only the first of three mentions of a seasonal balance in Scripture.

Leviticus 25:1–13 describes a Sabbath of rest for the land every seven years and a Jubilee year of rest every fifty years. These were to be years where the land was fallow, which God mandated in order to allow the farmed land to rest and the soil to replace nutrients.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.

Solomon points out in Ecclesiastes 3:1–2, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.” There was (and continues to be) balance in farming, where part of the year is devoted to tilling, planting, fertilizing and another part of the year devoted to harvesting, storing, preserving food, preparing food to prevent spoilage, etc.

Providential Natural Balance in the Animal Kingdom

Psalm 104:10–29 is a lengthy passage discussing God’s provision for the inhabitants of the earth. It mainly focuses on the animal kingdom (although verses 14–15 and 23 mention God’s provision for mankind). There are things which God has ordained in order for animals to have food and water, even God’s provision for carnivorous ones in this fallen world. God also made varied habitats that different animals depend upon, some of which serve as refuge for prey animals. God establishes some animals as nocturnal and diurnal, terrestrial and aquatic, and yet all are dependent upon God for life and health. Due to the fall and the curse, all creation groans (Romans 8:22), and when God withdraws his providential blessing, the animals die and return to dust.

Judicial Balance for Animal Attacks and Murder, but Refuge for Accidental Killings

In Genesis 9, God pronounces capital punishment for men and animals who murder humans:

And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. (Genesis 9:5–6)

Mankind is to have wise stewardship over animals but is given permission to utilize animals for food and survival. Both animals and man fall under the same judicial balance commanded by God. Man-eaters and murderers are to be executed because they violate the image of God through their actions. Yet God, knowing that man lived in a fallen world, established cities of refuge throughout Israel for accidental killings of people (Numbers 35:11–12).

Mankind is to have wise stewardship over animals but is given permission to utilize animals for food and survival.

Providential Balance in General Blessing

God provides general blessings to all people just in his upholding the natural order which he ordained. We may take the natural cycles of rain, the provisions of food, shelter, clothing, and even our health for granted, but these general blessings are all given by God.

Rain and Sunshine

Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone. (Zechariah 10:1 NKJV)

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (James 5:7)

So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

Provisional Balance for Man and Animals

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6–7)

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds. (Luke 12:24)

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. (Luke 12:27–30)

Balance in the Timing of Things

God has appointed times for all things, a natural balance that he oversees, guides, and directs.

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:2–8)

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

Balance in Mercy, Restoration, and Final Rewards

The Lord has not promised believers an easy road through life.

The Lord has not promised believers an easy road through life. In fact Jesus mentioned that the world will hate his followers since they hated him (John 15:18–19), and the Apostle John told us not to be surprised that the world will hate us (1 John 3:13). The Apostle Paul said that all who follow Christ will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). But God will ultimately provide a balance for Christians: some of it in this life, and the rest in the eternal life to come. God has promised his mercy in this life and a future time of restoration and reward in the next life, and he is patient with mankind, giving them opportunity to repent of their sin and follow Christ.

Mercy

The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity. (Isaiah 57:1)

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21–23)

Restoration

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Acts 3:19–21)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Final Rewards

But Abraham said, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” (Luke 16:25)

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29–30)

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23–24)