All Flesh Can Speak

17 “And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. 18 “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female."  New American Standard Bible. Electronic edition., The Lockman Foundation, 1986, p. Ge 6:17–19.

Look how Genesis 6:17 & 19 describes as "all" flesh. This verse included plants, animals, and humans. For grins and giggles, change the words "all flesh" with the word "people." Doing this changes what is included for destruction. Now look at Job 12:7-10 in which Job lists all flesh.

7 “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. 8 “Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. 9 “Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, 10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

And Genesis 4:14:

14 “Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

Perhaps Cain did not lie when he testified that the ground was the face of God, Genesis 4:14. That's probably why the ground cried out in horror after receiving Abel's blood.

 

We really must be very careful redefining God's words just because of the perceived context. Here's why.

Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:2

Our ability to understand how God created the heavens and the earth is flawed because our sin causes us to build a separation between us and God. Jesus, on the other hand, was all about revealing the Father which is why He gave us the true prodigal son story. The story is actually about the Father and His first born son who is always with Him and His second born son who squandered the Father's abundant inheritance, Luke 15.

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.

If a black hole can sing a B flat when the Humble space craft passes by, doesn't that mean the firmament is literally doing what the Psalmist says in Psalm 19:1-2? It isn't an allegory. It is truth written by folks who are greater than we are because they have gone before us. 

We don't have a right to make assumptions about anything we read in the Bible. We are too flawed on this side of death. So, next time your read Joel 2:28 remember that animals use to speak to humans prior to the tower of Babel incident in Genesis 11. They will again but not until Jesus restores all flesh back to the father of flesh, the "One of Us." All flesh can still speak, including the dust of the earth. We just cannot under the language it uses. 

This is why Jesus said this:

40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” Luke 19:40

Jesus never lied, not even in His figures of speech. However, He did say the same thing that Habakkuk said a lot of years earlier.

11 “Surely the stone will cry out from the wall, And the rafter will answer it from the framework. Habakkuk 2:11 (NASB95)

All flesh can speak and will testify either against or for us at our judgment.