If we believe that God created the cosmos and everything in it, then God has a purpose for everything we see. Many times the purpose of an animal or plant is not obvious to us. In recent months there have been numerous articles in medical journals about the unique properties of the venom of poisonous snakes. It now turns out that the chemicals in the venom of some of the most deadly snakes known to man may have the answer to serious diseases affecting mankind.

One of the seemingly most useless creatures on earth is the horseshoe crab. This arthropod does not seem to have any purpose that would make humans want it around. You cannot eat it, it is lousy bait, and, since it is mostly shell, it is not even good fertilizer. This crab is so primitive that scientists believe it is related to the trilobite, one of the earliest animals to live on the earth.

Scientists have now found that the blood of the horseshoe crab is one of the most important tools of modern medicine. Because of its ancient makeup, the blood of the horseshoe crab contains proteins that act like a primitive immune system. The blood is blue because it contains copper in its oxygen-carrying protein. The horseshoe crab's blood coagulates instantly when it touches pathogens — even bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. The horseshoe crab’s blood is so sensitive that it can detect pathogens as low as one part in a trillion — like a grain of sugar in an Olympic-sized pool.

God created life on earth to sustain mankind. The chemistry of animals is similar to ours. This allows us to eat meat and to have medicines that can relieve illnesses. The horseshoe crab is a good example of how a seemingly useless animal can have a major positive purpose in serving mankind. God's wisdom and design are seen all around us. The heavens really do proclaim his handiwork and the earth and its creatures show his wisdom and design (Psalm 19:1). Source: National Geographic.

Picture credits:
Hemera