ChristStory Bestiary

ELEPHANT

BEHEMOTH

Elephants are the bearers of kings and queens and so a symbol of royalty, prosperity, dignity, and power. Their large size and strength has made them the carriers of the universe in some lands. They are also believed to be shaped like the universe, i.e. a spherical body mounted upon four pillar-like legs. It is with these thoughts that the pillars of a building are sometimes carved to resemble these creatures. The peaceful elephant is the symbol of strength, gentleness, clumsiness, and obesity but the dreaded mad elephant is the picture of violence, ugliness, brutality, and uncontrollable rage.

Their shape and color caused elephants to be associated with clouds and rain. In Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, elephants, particularly white ones, were believed to be responsible for watering the fields with rain. Indra, the Vedic Lord of the Heavens and storm god, is sometimes depicted riding an elephant with a lightning bolt upon his forehead. This heroic god was the killer of the serpent of drought who had sucked up all the waters of the universe. Its association with rain made the elephant a symbol of blessings from heaven.

The ancient Chinese, early Christians, and Aristotle applauded the chastity, faithfulness, and modesty of the elephant. It was believed to mate only in water and that only rarely. The cow and her life-long mate patiently practiced abstinence during her two year long pregnancies. Early bestiaries claimed that the cow bore her young in swamps while the bull defended her from the snakes which were bound to attack her at such an opportune time. (Remember that snakes are symbolic of Satan.) This misconception caused elephant births to be associated with Adam and Eve who, being banished from the beautiful Garden of Eden, gave birth to humankind in a world which was hostile to them. Pictures of an elephant trampling a snake are representations of Christ's victory over Satan.

It was also thought that if an elephant fell down, it could only be lifted up by a newborn calf. A herd of adult elephants would be of no avail to it. This newborn calf was a symbol of Christ who was able to restore humankind when the Law and the Prophets could not.

Elephants were symbols of piety since, thanks to Pliny and Aelian, it was believed that they worshipped and prayed to the Moon goddess by dreamily waving branches at the new moon. Their hair and bones were burned by the superstitious and their ashes used as a protection against demons.

The familiar phrase, "An elephant never forgets," refers to its alleged intelligence, memory, and longevity. These qualities make it a symbol of wisdom, eternity, stability, good fortune, and the triumph of life over death. This animal is also an emblem of patience, happiness, and compassion. The elephant of the United States Republican Party comes from a cartoon from Harper's Weekly which portrayed an elephant stomping out inflation and chaos.

The use of the term "white elephant" to describe a useless possession which is too valuable to throw away comes from Siam. There, the emperor was called "Lord of the White Elephant." All albino elephants were sacred to him and placed in his stables. It was against the law for any such animals to be killed without his permission. It was his habit to give white elephants to courtiers who offended him. The cost of caring for the worthless creature which could not be ridden or worked would soon bring the courtier to financial ruin.

Guatama Buddha was believed to have entered his mother's womb in the form of a white elephant with six tusks. When his mother, Queen Maya, dreamed of such a conception, her wise men declared that this meant she would bear a son who would either save the world or rule it. The white elephant remains sacred to Buddhists and is sometimes placed upon a pillar as an image of enlightenment.

The Hindu elephant-headed Ganesha, remover of obstacles and god of wisdom and writing, is often pictured on notebooks in Indian schools. He is thought to bring good luck to the students. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. One day Parvati told her son to guard the door while she bathed. Unfortunately, when he tried to prevent his father, Shiva, from viewing his mother's nakedness he was decapitated. His distraught parents replaced their son's missing head with that of the first animal that passed by which happened to be an elephant. Not long after, Ganesha managed to lose one of his tusks in another battle.

The elephant frequently appears in Christian pictures of the Garden of Eden. It is one of the animals thought to be the biblical behemoth. This is how God describes the behemoth: "Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword. Surely the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there. He lies under the lotus trees, in a covert of reeds and marsh. The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him. Indeed the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed; he is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, though he takes it in his eyes, or one pierces his nose with a snare" (Job 40:16-23). Does this sound like an elephant to you?

The behemoth is praised because of his courage and confidence. In spite of his size and strength, he is a vegetarian and lives peacefully with other animals which fearlessly frolic in his presence. He is the symbol of gentle and reposing strength; triumph through mercy; and the person who, secure in his strength, chooses to enjoy creation rather than to rule it after the manner of the lion.

All scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated.