Why Did God Not Protect My Chickens from Coyotes?

Sometimes in our fallen world, sad things happen. We recently heard from one of our young readers, Barbara, who asked,

“Why did God not protect my chickens from coyotes?”

It’s sad that your chickens died, Barbara. In our broken world, we see death, suffering, and sadness all around us. But the world wasn’t always this way—in the beginning, when God first created the world, it was a perfect place (Genesis 1:31). Animals didn’t eat each other, and people didn’t get sick or suffer or die. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned, their sin brought death into the world (Romans 5:12). Death is the consequence (result) of sin (Romans 6:23).

Originally, people and animals only ate plants. But after sin and death entered the world, some animals began to hunt other animals—like a coyote hunting chickens. In a fallen world, however, God does provide for both vegetarian and carnivorous animals (Psalm 104:21–28).

This is a sad reality, but we find comfort in God’s Word. Matthew 10:29–31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

God is so kind. If he knows when every sparrow falls, he knows what happened to your chickens, Barbara. But he cares about you even more. When we feel sad, God knows and cares. Psalm 34:18 says that the Lord is “near to the brokenhearted.” He sees you and cares for you.

Sadly, bad things still happen in our broken world. But God has promised that it won’t always be this way. Because of Jesus, we have hope! People who trust in him will live with him forever in the new heavens and earth that we read about in Revelation 21:1–5:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

God also tells us that carnivorous animals will revert to their Edenic vegetarian state:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or 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 11:6–9)

Christians can look forward to that day when there will be no more crying, pain, or death! Imagine how wonderful that will be. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

When you’re sad or hurting, you can turn to Jesus for comfort, peace, and hope, trusting in his plan!

Do you have a question about the Bible? Ask your parents to help you submit your question today. We’d love to hear from you!