Bees and Heredity

By Fred J. Meldau

The queen is the mother of all the 10,000 to 100,000 bees in the hive. Fertilized during a nuptial flight by a male bee four or five days after her emergence from her cell as a queen bee, she may lay as many as 2,000 eggs a day during the nectar gathering season, and keep that up for two or three years! All from one mating! After the male's sperm is depos­ited in her body, the sperm sac is torn from him, causing his death. Then she returns to the hive and deposits one egg to a cell, so the maggots are hatched in cells.

“The baby bee, which hatches out of the egg in about three days, certainly does NOT resemble its mother. It is a fat white grub with neither wings nor legs and almost no head. Helpless, it lies waiting in its cell for nurse bees to feed it. So hungry are these youngsters that each one needs over a thousand meals a day. The greedy little creatures grow so fast that in six days each fills its cell tightly and is ready to take the next step in its life, the step that is called pupating. The nurses build a wax cover over the cell and the larva spins a silk cocoon inside. Within the larval skin wonderful changes take place. Legs and wings push out and the body changes shape to make three distinct parts—head, thorax, abdomen. The skin hardens and turns dark. After twelve days the adult worker is ready to cast off her larval skin and chew her way out of her cell.”

The transformation of grub into adult bee, during the pupating process, is a MYSTERY AND A MIRACLE far beyond human comprehension. It is impossible to explain it by natural causes. It is a well known phenomenon that can be explained only by admitting a supernatural agency.

When the queen desires a worker bee, her pressure on the sperm-carrying sac in her body forces a sperm into the egg and a female bee is conceived. If a drone or male is desired, she does NOT press on the sperm sac; the drone is thus an example of “parthenogenesis,” or virgin birth: for the drone has a mother and grandparents, but NO FATHER. This complicated manner of procreation defies explanation; save on the basis of Divine Creation.

So this little creature knows how to do what man cannot do: it knows how to control the sex of its offspring.

And honeybees have continued producing queens, workers and drones since ancient times—and honeybees are still honeybees!

Without serving an apprenticeship, twenty-four hours alter emergence from her cell and cocoon, the young bee begins her duties as a nurse bee, and she performs her duties without instruction, confusion or lack of skill—the perfect example of both individual and “community” instinct…. She is able to make royal jelly and feed her sisters who are just coming into adult life. The entire process, from the nuptial flight, to the laying of so many eggs for so long a time, through the stages of larva, pupa and adult bee, is so marvelous—as wonderful as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly—that it cannot be accounted for by any theory of evolution. It is the work of an All-wise Creator. (Why We Believe in Creation Not in Evolution, pp. 207, 208) &

Editor’s Note: Since God enables queen bees to produce male bees from unfertilized eggs—on a regular basis—why should it be thought impossible for Him—on one occasion—to have enabled a virgin to conceive and bear a son? &

The Fourth Man

By Arthur Smith

Here is a story from the Bible we all know about a certain miracle that happened long ago.

We hope you will find courage when temptation you meet.

Cause there's somebody watching who's strong when you're weak.

Now the prophet Daniel tells about three men who walked with God

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - Before the wicked king they stood

And the king commanded them bound and thrown into the fiery furnace that day

But the fire was so hot that the men were slain that forced them on their way.

Now when they were cast in and the king rose up to witness their awful fate,

He began to tremble at what he saw and in astonished tones he spake.

“Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?

“Well, Lo, I see four men unhurt, unbound and walking around in there;

“There's Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego - In the fiery coals they trod.

“But the form of the Fourth Man that I see is like the Son of God.”

Refrain:

They wouldn't bend!

They would not compromise the will of God we’re told!

They wouldn't bow!

They would not bow their knees to the idol made of gold!

They wouldn't burn!

They were protected by the Fourth Man in the fire!

They wouldn't bend! They wouldn't bow! They wouldn't burn! &

Editor’s Note: This story is told in the first and third chapters of Daniel. Chapter one shows their refusal to compromise God’s will. Chapter three shows their refusal to bow and their protection from the fire. &

Claiming Christ

By Terry Bennett

Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man who was a member of the council. He was recognized as a good and just man. Secretly he was a disciple of Christ who was opposed to the decision of the council to seek the death of Jesus.

When we think of one who is secretly a disciple, we might be reminded of those rulers who believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees did not confess Him for fear of being put out of the synagogue (John 12:42).

Although Joseph did not agree with the decision of the council, Jesus Christ was put to death.

Imagine the thoughts someone might have in such circumstances. “I can’t believe this has happened. Could I, should I have done any more to prevent it? I wonder what will happen to His body. He deserves a decent burial, but who will give it to Him? Perhaps one of the apostles?

“Maybe one of His other disciples? I guess I might do it, but surely someone else will take care of it. I do have a new tomb, but I had other plans for that. Maybe someone else already has made plans to take care of this. Besides, I am pretty busy right now. If I took care of this, surely people would find out. I couldn’t keep it a secret. What would people say? What would the rest of the council say? What would they do? This could affect my entire life.”

Yet Joseph took courage, went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43). Despite the possible financial sacrifice, despite the potential of being shunned by his friends or even facing ridicule by the council, Joseph took courage and made his allegiance known.

Each week we proclaim our Lord’s death through our partaking of the Lord’s Supper. We declare to one another and to any visitor watching that we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for us, was raised from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of God.

But our commitment and allegiance to the Lord isn’t just shown one day each week. And it ranges far beyond the walls of a place of worship.

Each and every day we have the opportunity to serve our Lord. We regularly have the opportunity in which we might stand for Christ or decide instead to blend into the background.

We face challenges in which we can show our faith through our actions or decide that the potential short-term sacrifice is too great right now. We see periodic situations in which we might serve our brethren or hope that someone else will do it instead. We recognize times in which we might talk to someone about their soul or instead decide that we are more concerned about our relationship with them on this earth.

Brethren, let none of us ever be ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). Let us be distinct from this world. Let us put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 5:10-17) and rally behind His royal banner. We serve the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14). His victory is assured!

Have you studied your Bible today? &