ChristStory Bestiary

COW

Nourishment & Sacrifice

In many areas of the world the cow is the primary dairy animal. Its production of milk makes it a symbol of gentle, nourishing motherhood, abundance, and fertility. Because it provides milk for humans, the cow is in a way the nurse mother of humankind and so she is considered symbolic of "mother earth." In fact, the legs of Nut, Egypt's "Celestial Cow," are mythically the four quarters of the earth.

Even though the cow is a very earthy symbol, her crescent-shaped horns make her an ancient symbol of the moon. Many lunar and mother goddesses around the world wear cow's horns on their heads. The moon personified is sometimes pictured riding the skies in a chariot pulled by a cow.

Even today, among devout Hindus, the cow is considered a sacred animal and may not be injured. In Vedic tradition, when people die, their souls are led along the Milky Way to the Kingdom of the Blessed by celestial cows. One of the chores of the dead is to frequently sacrifice the divine "Cow of Abundance." This heavenly cow is actually a cloud which when sacrificed provides rain for earth's crops. The cow also provides the dust or "milk" of the Milky Way which is believed to nourish the earth. The "Cow of Abundance" is also known as the "Melodious Cow" because of a tradition similar to the Judeo-Christian belief that the earth was created from a divine sound or Word.

In Jewish and Christian tradition, the "golden calf" has become a symbol of apostasy and idolatry - the craving for other gods and for riches. While Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, the Israelites created a golden calf which they worshipped saying, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" (Ex 32:4-35; Deu 9:16-21; Neh 9:18; Psa 106:19; Acts 7:41). Later Jeroboam, a wicked king of Israel, erected golden calves at Bethel and Dan, and appointed priests for them so that the Israelites could worship at home instead of going up to Jerusalem in Judea to worship the LORD (1 Ki 12:28-32; 2 Ki 10:29; 17:16; 2 Chr 11:15; 13:8; Hosea 8:5-6; 10:5; 13:2).

Cows were slaughtered for feasts and sacrifices during Old Testament times. The fatted calf might be killed to honor a special guest or occasion. Abraham served the fatted calf to his heavenly guests and the father of the Prodigal Son brought out the fatted calf to celebrate his return (Gen 18:7-8; Luke 15:23-30; 1 Sam 28:24). The fatted calf is best served in good company. Proverbs warns, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted calf with hatred" (Prov 15:17). The Jews were required to sacrifice the firstborn of their cattle on the altar of the Lord. Redemption of firstborn calves was not permitted (Num 18:17).

Two milk cows were hitched to a cart and used to send the ark of the covenant back to the Israelites after it was captured by the Philistines. Unfortunately for the cows, as soon as they'd completed their journey, the Israelites "split the word of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD" (1 Sam 6:7-14).

Calves were used as sin offerings (Lev 9:3-8). Some Israelites attempted to use these sacrifices to pay for sin rather than to express their repentance (Micah 6:6). In Paul's letter to the Hebrews he points out that the blood of goats and calves is insufficient to obtain eternal redemption (Heb 9:12). Although calf sacrifices pre-figured the crucifixion of Christ for the sins of the world, figures of a calf lying beneath a cross represent Christian mystics contemplating the sufferings of Christ rather than Christ Himself.

To "pass between the parts of the calf" referred to the Babylonian practice of cutting a covenant between two parties rather than a Mosaic sacrifice. Once the terms of a covenant were agreed upon, the parties involved would cut various sacrificial animals in half and, laying one half of each animal on the right and one half on the left, they would form a pathway to walk through. It is speculated that with this practice came an oath that whoever violated the covenant should meet the same fate as the calves of the sacrifice (Jer 34:18-19). It is interesting to note that God cut such a covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:9-17).

Red cows had special significance in religion and symbolism. In India red cows signified sunrise while black cows represented sunset. Egyptians used red cows to pull the dead to their tombs. At the end of their funerary journey the cows were sacrificed. In Judaism, a red heifer was sacrificed for the sins of Israel. The red heifer had to be completely flawless and a virgin to the yoke. It was burned outside the camp. Its ashes were mixed with water and sprinkled upon tents, vessels, people, and anything else which had come in contact with a bone, a grave, or a person who had died. God instituted this emergency remedy for ritual uncleanness after the rebellion of Korah in the wilderness when virtually all of Israel was defiled by the plague of God's wrath which killed 14,700 people in a matter of seconds (Num 16:1-50 & 19:2-4). To early Christians, the sacrificial red heifer pre-figured Jesus's bruised and bleeding flesh as He atoned for the sins of the world.

Pharaoh's dream of seven fat cows which were eaten by seven thin cows was interpreted by Joseph to symbolize seven years of plenty, to be followed by seven years of famine (Gen 41). The peacefulness of the millennial kingdom is said to be such that "the cow and the bear shall graze" together (Isa 11:6-7). Israel is said to be as stubborn as a calf (Hosea 4:16). The women of Samaria were unflatteringly called "cows of Bashan" for their greedy and lazy ways (Amos 4:1).

Cows are also seen as a symbol of stupidity, low spirits, the downtrodden, and agriculture. Young calves are seen as frolicking about; recklessly scampering after whatever catches their attention. Therefore, they have become symbolic of the impulsiveness of youth. A cow following after a rebellious bull represents the weaker brethren who traipse after heretics and troublemakers.

Unless otherwise noted all scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.