Horses Are Amazing

During my years as a childhood and young adulthood, I enjoyed riding horses. I did not ride often, but when I did, I really enjoyed riding horses. At 75, I would not try that now--I would break my neck. Horses are amazing.

As I think through the radio programs and TV programs and movies, I remember the Lone Ranger and the GREAT HORSE SILVER and The Lone Ranger's "sidekick" Tonto and his horse SCOUT. I remember Mr Ed, and then all the Wild West movies and TV shows involving horses. And then, I think of Flicka and Seabiscuit. What great memories about stories concerning horses.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I visited a day in Ireland on a "stud farm." The hosts brought us to world-fame horses who brought mares all over the world to reproduce "top-flight" horses for the Kentucky Derby and events all over the world. One stud was called Invincible. That name "grabbed" my attention. He brings millions of dollars to this farm every year--and that is just one stud.

The Bible often refers to horses in a variety of ways. Here are a few striking examples.

1. When Job kept accusing God for treating Job unjustly, God invited Job to consider the horse as just one of God's numerous creatures on earth--to ask Job to explain how God created a horse and why a horse behaves as he does. A key passage is Job 39:19-25:
Do you give the horse its might?
Do you clothe its neck with mane?
Do you make it leap like the locust?
Its majestic snorting is majestic.
It paws violently, exults mightily;
it goes out to meet the weapons.
It laughs at fear, and is not dismayed;
it does not turn back from the sword.
Upon it rattle the quiver,
the flasing spear, and the javelin.
With fierceness and rage it swallows the ground;
it cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
When the trumpet sounds, it says 'Aha!'
From a distance it smells the battle,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting."
Human beings do not ride on hippopotamuses or rhinoceroses or crocodiles or kangaroos. Why? Why not? BECAUSE, God created horses to have the temper and behavior of horses!!! So, human beings ride horses in competition--at olympic events, at polo contests, in carrying the mail, in battle. Horses are "cut out" for just these kinds of activities.

2. The primary means of fighting in battle was using horses and chariots. The Bible often refers to this. Think of Yahweh's victory over the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Exodus 14:9 relates: "The Egyptians pursued after them, all Pharaoh's HORSES AND CHARIOTS, his chariot drivers and his army." After the victory, Moses and the Israelite sing this song:
"I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumped gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea." (Exodus 15:2).
Horses and chariots were such powerful means of fighting successfully in battle that biblical prophets and speakers warned the Israelites not to trust in "horses and chariots," but only in Yahweh (see for example, Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 31:1-3).

3. Trained equestrians can do marvel things with horses. Think of the acts in circuses and carnivals. This is amazing. James capitalizes on a horseman's control over his or her horse by teaching a lesson about the tongue in James 3:2-3:
"For all of us makes many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies."

God's creatures are all awesome. One of God's creatures is the horse. Do you have a horse? Do you ride horses? Share your experiences with horses. I would love to hear your stories about horses.

John Willis