The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. … The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. … They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. – Isaiah 11:2, 7, 9 NKJV
Many people think that bears are strictly carnivores (meat-eaters). To be sure, bears do eat meat if and when they can find it. However, they, like humans, have digestive systems which are also capable of absorbing nutrients from plant material. Critters that can digest both plants and animals are called omnivores.
Hibernation is a mechanism in which an animal such as a bear will undergo a fascinating process to help conserve energy during the cold winter months when food is scarce. During hibernation, a bear’s breathing and heart-rate slows dramatically, body temperature drops, and overall metabolism slows down. It is a dormant state similar to a very deep sleep.
As the weather warms in the springtime, a bear will rouse out of its winter slumber. Even though stored energy is consumed at a slower rate than normal, it is still expended during hibernation. Bears are often quite hungry at this point in their lives. Carcasses of other animals which did not survive the winter are readily consumed by these large predators. But at this time of the year, the easiest and most abundant food for a bear is often grass and other plants. Bears prefer new plant-growth and flowers, which have a higher level of protein compared to older growth.
It was in the late spring, and not long after hibernation, that I took the above photo. My wife and I were surprised at how heavy this bear looked. Although he obviously knew we were there, he was not about to let go of his mouthful of grass while he studied us.
The above Scripture verses speak first of Jesus, then of a time when He will return and all will be made whole on the earth again. When that happens, true peace will be restored as it once was long ago – in The Garden – before sin entered the world.
I am looking forward to it.
Not sure if you are ready for this time which the Bible says is surely coming upon us? Please see Got God? I hope you won’t delay.
May you have a great day. And keep an eye out for those bears!