All photos courtesy of Unsplash
I have just read a news item about five hives, containing a total of around four hundred thousand bees, which were stolen during the night of 11-12 June 2022 from their home in Cornwall, England. At the time of writing, the thief and the hives have not been found, but, amazingly, some of the bees have escaped from their captor and have returned, of their own accord, to their owner, who has provided a new hive for them.
On reading this story, I immediately had at least three thoughts. The first is how wonderful God is, that these little creatures have been given this ability by Him. The beekeeper said: “They’re coming back to their old home because that’s what they’re designed to do.” Truly, God is an all-wise Creator. The second thought is a sad one: that someone, probably living nearby and having some knowledge of beekeeping, would do such a thing. It reminds us that God’s perfect creation has been invaded by sin, including thieving. The Lord Jesus Christ once stated the actions of a thief: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” John 10.10. Supremely, these things characterise the originator of sin: the devil, God’s enemy, who wants people to remain in captivity to him, and hence to end up where he will be, in the Lake of Fire.
