Human and Animal Equality

Several situations and passages in the Bible imply that humans and animals are intrinsically equal.

The Binding of Isaac Shows Human and Animal Equality

An event known as “The Binding of Isaac” occurs in Genesis 22:1–14. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac for a burnt offering (22:1–2). After Abraham bound Isaac, the father was ready to kill his son before God’s angel stopped him (22:9–12). Instead of his son, Abraham sacrificed a nearby ram for the burnt offering (22:13). This event displays Abraham’s faith in God (22:8, Heb 11:17–19) even in the worst circumstances, as well as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice (Eph 5:2) in place of sinners (Rom 5:6–8). Additionally, the Binding of Isaac (Gen 22:1–14) displays the intrinsic equality between animals and humans, as the ram was deemed a worthy sacrificial substitute for Abraham’s son (22:13).

Guilt and Sin Offerings Show Intrinsic Equality Between Humans and Animals

Based on the penal substitution theory of the atonement, humans who sin are punished by God with death (Gen 2:16–17; Ezek 18:3–4; Rom 6:23). God forgives human sin by bloodshed (death) (Heb 9:22). The seriousness of sin is seen in the Bible, as the human who transgressed was required to die (Rom 6:23). In the human’s place an unblemished animal was sacrificed for the guilt (Lev 6:1–7, 7:1–7) and sin (6:24–30) offerings and considered a suitable, and theoretically equivalent, substitution. The animal died in place of the human, who was required to perish. Therefore, the human’s sin was temporarily (Heb 10:4) forgiven (Lev 6:1–7, 6:24–30, 7:1–7). Importantly, Jesus permanently ended animal sacrifices for guilt (6:1–7, 7:1–7) and sin (6:24–30) offerings (Heb 10:10–18), as he was unblemished (1 Pet 1:19) and sacrificially killed (Eph 5:2) as a substitute for sinners instead (Rom 5:6–8). Regarding intrinsic equality between animals and humans, biblical commentator Martin V. Cisneros similarly concluded, “Ecclesiastes chapter 3:19-21 says that animals are equal with humans. Otherwise, how could they have atoned for man, for a season (until Jesus came, who's blood is superior in TOTALLY redeeming animal, man, and angel) in the Old Testament blood sacrifices.”