It was one of the more unusual events I have EVER seen on television. An African lioness somehow matched up with a new-born oryx, an antelope, who had lost his mother. The wobbly-kneed little animal followed the lioness and tried to nurse from her. In turn, the lioness refused to hunt and kill an oryx, though it was a primary food source for the lioness. In turn, both the animals were doomed to die by their choice and actions. They were starving to death. I saw this on Animal Planet. I did not see the outcome. It was saved for another show. I missed the first few minutes and did not see how they got together, but it was happening in the wilds of Africa and was first seen by a woman who was studying lions. She knew by name each pride of lions located in her area.The lioness was not with a pride of lions.
At first, it seemed so sweet. It began turning bitter-sweet when, obviously, both animals were heading to their death. Of course the oryx was in danger from other lions if they came upon her with her adopted mother. The lioness refused meat brought to her by the crew. She simply would not eat any meat of an oryx.
Do you remember the death of a man who decided he could live with grizzly bears as he studied them? It appeared they accepted him until one day a bear turned on him and took his life. A Las Vegas stage show featured two men with trained tigers. One of them nearly killed his trainer and ended their popular show. On the other hand, a person took endangered young whooping cranes and taught them to accept him and follow him about. Eventually he would lead them in a small aircraft to follow him all the way to Florida in migration so that a new flock of these endangered birds could be established.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of future events that surely must have caused some to shake their heads and say "no way!". Read his words: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of a cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." In the beginning of this eleventh chapter of Isaiah it tells of the coming of our Lord. Jesus taught and turned things around in our natural world. Love your enemies. Bless those who persecute you.Turn the other cheek. Walk a second mile when forced to walk one. These were unheard of actions. We are called on to do them, and more, as followers of Him. Think on it. Some day all these things will happen and we can sing the words of the spiritual..."ain't gonna study war no more".