Introduction: Part Three

Even without transitional forms, evolutionists explain that some animals look similar because they must be related and have a common ancestor. For example, the skeleton of a cow shows similarities in structure to the skeleton of a bear. This homology, they explain, is proof of evolution. But it would have been logical for God, in His infinite wisdom, to use a common design, or basic plan, when He created everything. It is readily apparent that a house or factory or skyscraper are all different and specially designed. Yet they all have similarities in their structure, such as a foundation, walls, roof, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical wires, and so on. And the thought of such a building constructing itself by chance over millions of years is ridiculous, yet even one living cell is more complex in structure and chemical make-up than the most detailed building mankind could ever build.

The marvelous design and complexity of life speak boldly of the Creator God’s infinite wisdom in creating the wondrous animals that populate the earth. One example of God’s ultimate wisdom is the giraffe. The giraffe’s neck, made up of the same seven bones that all mammals possess in their necks, yet accounting for nearly half the animal’s total height, is neither too rigid nor too flexible. Fewer joints would reduce the amount of muscles required to hold the head aloft, but increase breakability of the neck. More joints would increase flexibility of the neck but increase muscle weight, which would upset the giraffe’s center of balance. To accommodate its long neck, the giraffe possesses larger than normal lungs that pump air at a slower rate to accommote its ten-foot (3 m) trachea, reinforced artery walls in the brain to prevent them from bursting due to the sudden pressure increase when the animal bends to drink, and special capillaries that prevent blood pooling and profuse bleeding in the legs.

The giraffe also must give birth standing up, and the baby is uniquely delivered to prevent breaking the neck: the hind feet exit first to break the baby’s fall and the neck is bent to the side with the head cushioned on its rear hips as it passes through the birth canal. Truly, the Creator’s wisdom has produced an animal uniquely designed to fill a special niche.

When scientists first examined a specimen of the platypus, they thought it was made up of pieces of different animals put together: a taxidermist’s hoax. However, all of the pieces of this unique little animal from Australia were specially designed by a wise Creator. Some of the amazing characteristics of the platypus include webbed feet, a beaver-like tail, and poisonous spurs on the hind legs of the males. The platypus lays eggs much like a lizard, but nurses its young from milk glands. In addition, the platypus has a leathery bill that contains sensitive receptors that are able to pick up electric signals. The platypus uses this bill instead of its eyes to search for food under the water. Truly a marvelously designed animal, the platypus defies evolutionary explanation.

The list of creatures evidencing such wondrous design and complexity is not just a testament to the creative hand of the supreme God, but also a living reminder of His curse because of sin. The Bible tells us that when God finished His creation on the sixth day, everything was very good (Gen. 1:24–25). We also know from Scripture that all animals were once vegetarians and lived together in peace (Gen. 1:31–2:1). From this description, we know that we do not live in the same world that God originally created, being witnesses to the fact that there is much disease, death, and suffering. We now see animals eating other animals, inherited mutational mistakes, and inbreeding causing disease and deformity, and a growing list of endangered and extinct species. Because of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, all of creation groans in pain (Rom. 8:22).