Human and Animal Equality

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

What Humans and Animals Share

Common Origin: The Lord created both humans and animals from the dust (Ecc 3:18–20) of the ground (Gen 1:24–25, 2:7, 2:19–20). Though God made the birds, fish, and great sea creatures on the fifth day (1:20–23), the Lord formed humans and land animals on the sixth day (1:24–31).

Common Substance: Humans and animals are made of flesh (1 Cor 15:39) and blood (Lev 17:11, 17:14), and both possess an eternal spirit (Ecc 3:18–21, 12:7), an immortal soul and are defined as ‘persons’ in the Bible.

Common Destiny: Humans and animals die (Ecc 3:18–20). Nevertheless, humans (Rev 7:9–10, 20:4) and animals (5:13, 8:13) are both present in heaven. Furthermore, both humans and animals will be liberated from harm and death and live in resurrected everlasting bodies (1 Cor 15:20–57) on the eternal New Earth (Isa 11:6–9, 65:25; Hos 2:18; Rom 8:18–25; Rev 21:1–4).

Common Treatment from God: Human and animal life depend on the hand of the Lord (Job 12:7–10). Also, God’s protection (Ps 36:6), compassion (Jonah 4:10–11), mercy, and goodness (Ps 145:9) are shown to humans and animals. Furthermore, humans (Job 36:31; Ps 146:5–7; Acts 14:15–17) and animals depend on God for food (Ps 104:20–21, 104:24–28, 136:25–26, 145:14–16, 147:7–9; Matt 6:25–26; Luke 12:22–24). Additionally, God makes covenants with both humans and animals (Gen 8:20–9:17; Job 5:22–23; Ezek 34:25–31; Hos 2:18).

Common Behavior: Birds create nests (Ps 104:17) just like humans build houses (Deut 8:12). Similarly, humans dwell in houses (Hag 1:4) just like storks live in trees (Ps 104:17), rock badgers live amongst the cliffs, and wild goats live in the mountains (104:18). Furthermore, humans and animals both praise the Lord (150:6).

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.”